Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Folks,

One thing I'll need to add in short order to my new place is some under-counter lighting; the kitchen is bright and cheery during the day, but at night the two flourescent fixtures just aren't cutting it.

LED is clearly the way to go ... but tape or strips? And what brand?

Can't help you, but your subject line just offered so much more. Click bait.

Mary

We have these:
http://www.rona.ca/images/00795531_M.jpg

They don't provide enough light but it may be due to the valance we have. When we replace I will do more lights. What I like about these is that they are also individually controlled, so if the switch is on you can still shut them off on the light.

I don't think there is much different between the strips and the bars. The strips can be really easy to install (just stick on), but I've occasionally had issues with bonding; the surface needs too be really really clean. Typically the bars screw on. Both come in a wide range of density (usually measured in LEDs/m), some are intended only for accent lighting, so make sure you get one of the more dense ones.

Another possibility is pucks. My electrician recommend LED pucks for my reno, I went along, and they work really really well, the lighting is very even. They were surface mount but very thin. I would only use them if I had a valence though. If there was no valence, I would definitely use some sort of enclosed strip that didn't have too much 'side' light.

Mary,

That was the idea

Josh, we have a bank of recessed fluorescent in our kitchen. Steve replaced the old fluorescent bulbs with LED ones. Much better and brighter lights.

I have under the counter lights and wish I didn't. They take up space so items don't fit under them. I would recommend ceiling led strips with lights you can position as you wish. Below is a picture of our setup. Originally it was flat, but we had it inserted up when we remodeled the kitchen (originally my mom's idea form her 5th floor condo),

Alina,

Those under-counter lights look huge. Newer ones are a lot lower-profile; tape is around 1/8" thick, and even bars are less than 1/2" thick.

I have a few of the undercounter light strips in my kitchen. The problems with mine are: #1 the cords are an issue; they usually have to be shortened. #2 The bulbs are halogen so the get really hot (I like to use mine mostly just for night lighting so they're left on for several hours at a time).
I really wish I had the hard-wired type that I've had before that work off a wall switch, they were fluorescent and much nicer.

Linda, you really really want to go LED, they are ultra small, very bright, cool and lower power usage. Mine are hardwired in with a light switch.

BTW, if you do want to use tape lighting, Lee Valley has a very nice system:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Hardware/pa ... 43349&ap=1

(they ship to the US, from the US, so no customs issues, etc)

I've looked over theirs quite closely, and used several other systems, and the Lee Valley one is one of the slickest, for indoor ones. The outdoor ones are more bothersome.