The Best Under-Cabinet Lighting
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The Litever 6-Bar kit wins because it is the one set of lights that turns a dim countertop into a real work surface. Bob Vila's team tested 14 under-cabinet lights over 43 hours and gave the Litever a perfect 5 out of 5 for installation, quality and value, the only clean sweep in the group. Their verdict: at 2,000 lumens it 'produces more than enough brightness for kitchen tasks, yet its warm white color flatters without creating glare'. This Old House landed on the same kit as its Best Overall.
Six 12-inch aluminum bars give you 72 inches of light, which covers a typical stretch of upper cabinets on both sides of a stove. That is about 333 lumens per foot. Most puck sets and rechargeable bars in our research manage a fraction of that, and Family Handyman's testers warned that puck lights often lack the output for task work.
Power options matter here too. The kit ships with a plug-in adapter, so a renter can stick it up in an afternoon, and an electrician can cut the plug and hardwire it during a remodel. At around $54 for the full set, it costs less than a single 18-inch smart bar from GE.
What It Won't Do
Control is basic. The only way to adjust brightness is an inline rotary dimmer on the cord, and Bob Vila found it 'can be awkward to turn'. It does not work with wall dimmers, and there is no remote, motion sensor or app. You also get one color temperature, a 3000K warm white, so anyone who prefers cooler daylight-style light for detailed work is out of luck. Six bars means six sets of cable to route and hide, which takes patience in a kitchen with a microwave or window breaking up the cabinet run.
The Wobane kit is the pick for a kitchen on a tight budget, and both hands-on teams that tested it rate it near the top. Family Handyman made it their Best Overall, calling it the product for 'shoppers looking for a no-frills LED strip light at an affordable price'. Bob Vila named it Best Bang for the Buck and gave it 5 out of 5 for both installation and value.
The strips are thin enough to vanish. Bob Vila said it 'was perfect for tucking up on the underside of cabinets for a nearly invisible installation', and Family Handyman praised the linkable design and versatile connectors. This kit also adds something the Litever lacks: an RF remote that dims the lights and sets a sleep timer. Family Handyman's testers 'walked far down the hallway of the building and could still get the remote to work'.
At around $21 for six 20-inch strips, about 10 feet of light, it costs well under half the Litever kit.
What It Won't Do
Brightness per foot is the trade. The kit spreads 1,500 lumens across about 10 feet, so it lights a counter well for everyday cooking but lacks the concentrated punch of the Litever bars over a cutting board. It comes in one warm 2700K tone, a limit Family Handyman flagged. Bob Vila described the light as 'warm, almost candlelightlike', which is lovely in the evening and a little soft for detailed prep. Wobane has no official website, so warranty claims and support go through Amazon, and the coverage is only one year.
Who Should Buy Which
Litever 6-Bar Under-Cabinet LED Lighting Kit
Bob Vila's Best Overall with perfect marks, six 12-inch bars putting out 2,000 lumens of warm task light
- You want bright, even task light across a full run of upper cabinets
- You might hardwire the lights during a remodel, or plug them in for now
- You prefer warm 3000K light that does not glare off stone or glossy counters
- You are happy to set the brightness once and leave it there
- You want the kit that scored a perfect 5 out of 5 in Bob Vila's hands-on test
Wobane Under-Cabinet LED Lighting Kit with Remote
Family Handyman's Best Overall and Bob Vila's Best Bang for the Buck, about 10 feet of warm strip light for around $21
- You want under-cabinet light for about $21
- You like controlling the lights from across the room with a remote and sleep timer
- You want strips that sit almost flush and stay out of sight
- You prefer a warm, cozy 2700K glow over bright daylight-style light
- You are a renter who wants a plug-in kit with no wiring