Under-Cabinet Lighting: A Simple Kitchen Upgrade

If your kitchen worktops always seem to sit in shadow, you are not alone. Most kitchens are lit mainly from the ceiling, which means that when you stand at the counter your own body blocks the light, and wall cabinets cast a shadow across exactly the spot where you are chopping, reading a recipe or making coffee.

Under-cabinet lighting solves this neatly. Fitted to the underside of wall units, it puts light right where you need it, makes the kitchen feel larger and more welcoming, and can be a surprisingly simple upgrade. Here is everything you need to know to plan it well.

Why under-cabinet lighting makes such a difference

  • Better task light: it removes shadows from the worktop, making food preparation easier and safer.
  • Atmosphere: in the evening, under-cabinet lights on their own give a soft, welcoming glow without the full brightness of the ceiling lights.
  • Shows off your splashback: tiles, stone and glass come to life when light grazes across them.
  • A sense of space: light at worktop level makes a kitchen feel bigger and more finished.

Types of under-cabinet lighting

LED strip lights

Flexible LED strips give a continuous, even line of light with no gaps, which is ideal for long runs of cabinets. Fitted inside an aluminium profile with a diffuser, they look neat and hide the individual LEDs. Most strips can be cut to length at marked points.

LED light bars

Rigid bars come in set lengths and are quick to install, often linking together end to end. They give a clean, even wash of light and are a popular choice for straightforward installations.

Puck lights

These small round lights, either surface-mounted or recessed, create individual pools of light. They suit a more decorative look or shorter cabinets, but spacing needs care to avoid a patchy effect on the worktop.

Battery and rechargeable lights

Battery-powered or rechargeable lights, often with motion sensors, stick or screw in place with no wiring at all. They are a good option for rented homes, quick upgrades or spots without a nearby power supply, though they will need recharging or new batteries from time to time.

You can explore all of these styles in our task and cabinet lighting collection.

Getting the details right

Position: front, not back

One of the most common mistakes is fitting lights at the back of the cabinet, close to the wall. This lights the splashback brightly but leaves the front of the worktop, where you actually work, comparatively dim. For the best task light, fit lights towards the front of the cabinet underside, roughly 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) back from the front edge, angled slightly towards the wall if the fitting allows. Most wall cabinets have a small lip or pelmet at the front that hides the fitting from view.

Brightness

Kitchen worktops need more light than most areas of the home. As a rough guide, many people find somewhere in the region of 200–400 lumens per 30 cm (1 foot) of worktop comfortable for food preparation, scaling up or down depending on how much other light the room has. Dimmable lighting gives you the best of both worlds: bright for cooking, softer for relaxed evenings.

Colour temperature

For kitchens, a warm or neutral white usually works best. Around 3000K gives a warm, inviting feel that blends with open-plan living spaces, while 3500–4000K is crisper and shows food clearly, which some cooks prefer. Try to match the colour temperature of your other kitchen lights so the room does not look patchy.

Colour rendering

Look for a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index), ideally 90 or above. CRI describes how accurately a light source shows colours, and a high figure helps fresh ingredients look true to life.

Avoiding glare and hotspots

Glossy worktops such as polished stone or high-gloss laminate can reflect individual LEDs as a row of bright dots. Diffused strips or bars, or fittings recessed slightly into the cabinet base, greatly reduce this effect.

Installation: DIY or electrician?

How you install under-cabinet lighting depends on the type you choose:

  • Battery or rechargeable lights are usually a simple DIY job, fixed with adhesive pads, magnets or small screws.
  • Plug-in systems use a driver or transformer that plugs into a nearby socket, with low-voltage cables tucked out of sight. These can often be fitted by a confident DIYer following the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Hard-wired lighting, connected to your home's mains supply and controlled from a wall switch, should always be installed by a qualified electrician. Kitchens have specific safety requirements, and a professional will make sure the work is safe and meets local regulations.

If you are planning a new kitchen or a refit, decide on under-cabinet lighting early, so cables can be run before the units and splashback go in.

Switching and controls

Think about how you want to turn the lights on. Options include a dedicated wall switch, a switch built into the light itself, a motion or touch sensor, or a dimmer. Keeping under-cabinet lights on a separate switch from the ceiling lights gives you much more flexibility.

How it fits into a layered kitchen

Under-cabinet lights are task lighting, and they work best as part of a wider scheme:

  1. Ambient light from the ceiling, often from ceiling spotlights spaced evenly across the room, provides general illumination.
  2. Task light under the cabinets lights the worktops where you prepare food.
  3. Feature light, such as pendant lights above an island or dining table, adds character and a natural focal point.

Pendants above an island are commonly hung so the bottom of the shade sits around 75–85 cm (30–34 inches) above the worktop. Our guide on how high to hang a pendant light explains this in more detail.

Quick checklist

  • Measure the length of each cabinet run before choosing lights.
  • Fit lights towards the front of the cabinet, not against the wall.
  • Choose 3000K for warmth or 3500–4000K for a crisper look, matching your other lights.
  • Look for a CRI of 90 or above.
  • Use diffused strips or bars to avoid dots on glossy worktops.
  • Book a qualified electrician for any hard-wired installation.
  • Put under-cabinet lights on their own switch or dimmer.

Frequently asked questions

Where should under-cabinet lights be placed?

Towards the front of the cabinet underside, roughly 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) back from the edge. This lights the whole worktop evenly and keeps the fittings hidden behind the cabinet lip.

What colour temperature is best for under-cabinet lighting?

Around 3000K suits most kitchens, giving a warm but clear light. If you prefer a crisper look for cooking, 3500–4000K works well. Try to match the colour temperature of your other kitchen lights.

Can I install under-cabinet lighting myself?

Battery-powered, rechargeable and many plug-in lights can be installed without an electrician. Any lighting that is hard-wired into your mains supply should be fitted by a qualified electrician.

Are LED strips or puck lights better under cabinets?

LED strips and bars give a continuous, even wash of light, which is ideal for worktops. Puck lights create individual pools of light and suit a more decorative look, but can leave darker patches between them if they are not spaced closely enough.

Ready to brighten your worktops? Browse our task and cabinet lighting collection to find the right fit for your kitchen.

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