There are different kinds of under cabinet lights. Flourescent (cheapest but not great), halogen (hot- a litle more expensive), xenon (less hot more expensive), LED (not hot at all, most expensive). Try running a google search you'll find a wealth of information out there on your different options. Then come back here if you have more specific questions.

We just installed dimmable LED undercounter lights from Environmental Lights. Love them! Not cheap, but they add so much and highlight our new granite beautifully. Their sales rep was very helpful in determining our needs and patiently answering my many questions.

We intalled under the cabinet dimmable LED lights after the fact. Not counting the electrician to run outlets for us (above the cabinets), the LEDs and transmitters were about $500, then another $60 for the dimmer switch. Not cheap, but they are the lights I used the absolute most in the kitchen! LED's are not hot at all. They also use very little electricity. I leave mine on dim all night, and after work they are on full until bed time. Not the greatest picture, but the only one I have on my work computer.

You touched on one of the best benefits of LED lighting is the savings in electricity and the longevity of the bulbs. We have started installing LED lights in all of the kitchens we install and while a little more expensive, they are less intrusive into the design and offer a truer light. Glad to see you went with them!

Ditto the others! We're going with LED because we didn't want them to be hot. They haven't been installed yet so can't quite recommend the brand we bought just yet. ;)

There are a wide range of LED lights out there now- puck lights to the light tape, and even just LED bulbs. I have been using LED strip lights, which work out really well and are easier to replace if something burns out. There are a lot of manufacturers out there (I included a link to the one we use). I like them because they make them in the US.

Here is a link that might be useful: LED Lighting

For me, LED lights were a must have in the new kitchen. I have Seagull Linear LED dimmable UCL. In truth, it doesn't matter to me that they are dimmable; I never dim them. But I like them. Have you looked for UCL information on the Lighting Forum? there are a lot of threads over there.

Someone when reading Gardenweb its hard to remember that budget friendly options aren't that bad. While LED UCLs are great, they are are much more expensive than the other options, likely in the range of 3x the price of comparable xenon lights. If you can't fit LEDs into your budget there is no shame in getting xenons. They do give off heat, but I wouldn't say they will burn up the bottom of your cabinets or melt butter placed under them.

I have xenon and they give off great light. They do get hot and you cannot keep chocolate on the counter or on the lower shelf of the upper cabinet because it will melt. Not immediately, but in an hour, it will be mushy. I wouldn't get them again, but the LEDs were out of my price range and it seemed liked a good middle of the road choice.

If I was looking to soften my butter, I'd know just where to place it.

Wow you have all provided me with a lot of information. Dilly_ny: My husband and I were leaning towards the xenon and thank you for your honesty. Xenon is out. Ginny20 thank you for the info on the dimmable UCL. Although the kitchen designer showed us what appear to be halogen lights and after reading all your comments about LED, I am now leaning towards those. Thank you again.

Wow you have all provided me with a lot of information. Dilly_ny: My husband and I were leaning towards the xenon and thank you for your honesty. Xenon is out. Ginny20 thank you for the info on the dimmable UCL. Although the kitchen designer showed us what appear to be halogen lights and after reading all your comments about LED, I am now leaning towards those. Thank you again.

Halogen is really hot. We used to have halogen track lighting at our art gallery, and you'd burn yourself if you didn't let them cool down before you touched the fixture.

If budget is an issue, my DM has had fluorescent UCL since 1980. I never noticed anything bad about them, I was just impressed she had UCL at all. Yes, LED is a nicer quality of light, IMO, but at least fluorescent isn't hot.

I put flourescent in my last kitchen and with the new types of bulbs available, theyre not bad at all.

That said, I understand Ikea has some pretty inexpensive LED UC lights.

While LED's can be more exensive than other lights they can also cut down on the need for undercabinet molding. The pegasus xenon are one of the few that approach the low profile of LED's.

Not long ago had an electrician complaining about the cost of led's for a large kitchen to a client. He wanted to put in flourescents. We were going to need $1200 in molding to hide his $400 flourescents. The LED's were 800 and the client had not wanted a light rail.

We are getting dimmable LED, probably the environmental lighting system. My dad recently put in LED puck lights wired together and hid the transformer in the space behind the crown molding. They looked pretty good and were very affordable.

Yes, the lights I want are a bit pricy. But I figured practical lighting is a good place to invest. Got to pick your priorities, I quickly decided against deeper uppers over the range when I found out the cost involved due to more complicated trim work. Just not worth it to me even with a small kitchen!

I put in Philips eW profile Powercore LED light bars.You can do a search: Garden Web lighting Forum Philips eW Powercore and a few threads will come up. They are direct wire with the transformer built in. If you are handy they are an easy install. It is a really nice light and with the diffuser on the bar I do not have spots. The LED light strips that the electrician showed me did not provide enough task lighting.
I did buy inexpensive t5 florescent bars for my cove lighting. Since they are a different temperature than the LEDs I usually put them on for overall illumination as they are very bright.
I did not bother to dim the LEDs(they are dimmable) and I do not have a light rail. Good point about the light rail molding jakuvall. I would buy them again.

Our cabinets will be frameless, flat bottomed, 3/4" light rail. We wish undercabinet warm light LED, and the GC recommends direct wire.

My research to date suggests Tech Lighting Unilume Undercabinet LED strip light has one of the lowest profiles at 3/4"h. "Integrated driver & smooth dimming
120 volt input makes installation easy. Smooth dimming down to 15% using a standard incandescent or low-voltage electronic dimmer. Jumper cables make
it easy to link one unit to another. Each unit has an int egrated on-off switch."

Very expensive, so am comparing GC's distributor's price vs online shopping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tech Lighting Unilume

"one of the lowest profiles at 3/4"h."
I've had issues using a 3/4" light with a 3/4" light rail when there is table height seating in range. Be careful.

Some shallower are:
Lighting Division LED's are 0.45 high width varies,
Hafele LOOX surface mount channels are 5/16" high 11/16 wide, pucks are 1/4".
Both are dimmable and have very small drivers.

I prefer a switched outlet over hardwire but you can hardwire the Lighting Division and use a wall dimmer. Hafele uses a touch dimmer on the low voltage side, can also get for Lighting Division.

The Hafele are small enough that I have them mounted on a slight angle - for frameless with a 3/4" rail - framed hide in the recess with blocking to create angle.

You are so kind, jakuvall. This is precisely the type of feedback I need. I will look into them.

I'm not sure why my GC wants direct wire. We will me installing Braun MUA damper which runs on low voltage communication with basement furnace right below. I wonder if two differing low voltage systems is the reason: confusing each other etc.

double post

This post was edited by SparklingWater on Wed, Apr 3, 13 at 8:54