There are several options when it comes to under cabinet lighting and we like to educate our customers on the differences. Below you will find some information on the various forms of under cabinet lighting that will help you make an informed decision when purchasing your lighting. If you have any questions regarding selecting the best form of under cabinet lighting, please feel free to contact one of our lighting professionals at Light Bulbs Etc.

Halogen
Halogen under cabinet lighting is a tricky subject as it has many pros and cons. Halogen will provide excellent task lighting and make your granite counter tops sparkle more than any other source of light. As far as the effect on granite counter tops, halogen will make your countertops look the best. The downside of halogen under cabinet lighting is that halogen gets very hot and will add extra heat to your kitchen and they are the least energy efficient source of light we are discussing. Halogen under cabinet lights are dimmable.

Xenon
Xenon lights are very similar to halogen lights except for two major differences. They do not give off the heat that halogen gives off, but they also don’t provide as bright a light and will not make your granite sparkle as much. Xenon is a great option for situations where the material of the countertops cannot handle the heat produces by halogen.

Fluorescent
Fluorescent under cabinet lights used to be a horrible source of light, but recent technology in fluorescent lights have made it a very good option. Improvements to the color of the light make it a good option. With fluorescent lights, you will not have any hotspots as it is an evenly distributed light. Fluorescent under cabinet lighting are energy efficient and don’t give off much heat, however, they are non-dimmable.

LED
LED under cabinet lighting is a great option as it is a very energy efficient light source that doesn’t give off a lot of heat. Selecting a LED under cabinet light with the right color is important as you want to select a warm tone as opposed to a cool bluish tone. Be careful that you select an LED under cabinet light that has a diffusing lens or you might see the reflection of the individual diodes on you counter top. If you select and LED under cabinet light in the correct color temperature with a diffusing lens, you will be happy with the results. Make sure the LED source you select is bright enough for your task lighting. LED under cabinet lights are dimmable.