What Advantages of Under Cabinet Lighting?

Under cabinet lighting is a very convenient and useful lighting application. Unlike a standard screw-in light bulb, however, installation and setup is a bit more involved. We've put together this guide to help you through choosing and installing an under cabinet lighting solution.

As its name suggests, under cabinet lighting refers to lights that are installed under a cabinet, resulting in illumination of the area immediately below a row or section of cabinets. It is most commonly used in kitchen areas, where additional lighting is useful for food preparation.

Under cabinet lighting has several distinct advantages. First, under cabinet lighting is resourceful - rather than needing to install an entire lamp fixture or ceiling fixture, under cabinet lights can be installed directly into a cabinet that is already fixed into place. As a result, under cabinet lighting can be very cost effective, especially when considering the total cost of materials.

Second, under cabinet lighting can be a very efficient use of light. What we mean by efficiency here does not necessarily refer to electrical efficiency (e.g. LED vs halogen), but the fact that under cabinet lighting directs light to where it is needed (i.e. kitchen counter) without much "wasted" light that spills over across the room. When compared to ceiling or table lamps, which disperse light everywhere, under cabinet lighting is a very efficient alternative.

Third, under cabinet lighting is aesthetically pleasing. Not only will it improve the brightness and overall ambiance of your kitchen, it can increase the resale value of your home. One significant advantage here is that under cabinet lighting is almost always completely hidden due to the fact that it is mounted on the underside of cabinets. Additionally, since it is typically installed below head level, most occupants will not "look up" into the light and see wires or fixtures. All they see is a nice, bright light being cast downwards towards the kitchen counter.