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| # | Product | Best for | Lumens | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Enbrighten 18 in. Plug-in Under Cabinet Light Bar (82785-T1) Kitchen counters, no wiring, no compromise on color | Plugs in. Mounts with the supplied adhesive or two screws - adhesive keeps the deposit. | 1,245 lm | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn |
| 02 | GE 36 in. Plug-in LED Under Cabinet Light Bar Long counter runs from a single outlet | Plug-in cord. Screw or adhesive mount under the cabinet lip. | Not published | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn |
| 03 | GE 18 in. Enbrighten LED Linkable Under Cabinet Fixture (26935) The highest published CRI in the category | Use the plug-in cord, not the hardwire option. Screw or adhesive mount. | 942 lm | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn |
| 04 | Barrina T5 Integrated LED Light Bar, 4 ft, 3000K Shelving, pantries and long runs on a tight budget | Plug and play. Ships with clips and double-sided tape - tape it and nothing is drilled. | 2,200 lm | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn |
Specifications are the manufacturer or retailer published figures, compiled by hand. We have not measured them, and where a figure is not published we write "Not published" rather than guess.
01
Measure the runs, not the kitchen
The mistake that causes most returns is measuring the kitchen and buying one long bar. Cabinet runs are almost never one continuous span - they are broken by a hob, a window, a corner unit, an extractor. You are buying for each section separately.
So take a tape and write down the clear length under each cabinet section, allowing an inch or two at each end for the connector. Then buy bar lengths that fit inside those numbers. An 18-inch bar under a 15-inch section is a returns label, and it is the single most common ordering error in this category.
02
Coverage is a separate problem from output
You can hit the lumen target and still end up with a counter that looks wrong, because output and coverage are different things. Two very bright short bars in a long run give you two bright patches and dark gaps between them - scalloping.
The rule of thumb worth applying: cover at least two thirds of each run's length. Below that, the gaps read as a fault. Above it, the wash is even enough that nobody notices where one bar ends.
| Cabinet run | Bars | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in. | One 18 in. | 75% | Comfortable |
| 36 in. | Two 18 in. | 100% | Or one 36 in. bar, fewer cords |
| 48 in. | Two 18 in. | 75% | Acceptable; three would be better |
| 60 in. | One 36 in. + one 18 in. | 90% | Link them on one plug |
| Under 15 in. | One short bar or a strip | Varies | A strip fits where a bar cannot |
Where the geometry defeats rigid bars - a corner unit, a curved run, a very shallow cabinet lip - a COB strip fits where nothing rigid will and gives a continuous line rather than pools. The trade-off is that strips publish output far less consistently, which is covered in strip vs puck vs light bar.
03
Linking, and how many plugs you actually need
Most bars link end to end with short jumper cables, so a whole run can feed from one plug. This is the difference between a tidy installation and four cords going in four directions, and it is worth checking three things before ordering:
- How many units can link. Published limits are usually six to eight. Barrina publishes eight for its T5 bars.
- Whether jumpers are included. Frequently sold separately, and frequently the reason a cheap multipack stops being cheap.
- Whether linked units switch together. Usually yes from the powered end. Several bars also keep an individual switch, which is useful for lighting only the section you are working at.
Load is not a concern at this scale. A 20W bar draws a fraction of what a kettle does, so six linked bars are well inside an ordinary circuit.
The picks
The products behind this page
01
Kitchen counters, no wiring, no compromise on color
Enbrighten 18 in. Plug-in Under Cabinet Light Bar (82785-T1)
#ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn
1,245 lumens at 92 CRI with five white settings from 2700K to 6500K, on a plug - the rare renter-safe fixture that beats most hardwired ones on light quality.
| Lumens | 1,245 lm |
|---|---|
| Color temperature | 2700K-6500K, five settings |
| CRI | 92 |
| Power source | Plugs in |
| Dimmable | Yes - full range |
| Renter-safe method | Plugs in. Mounts with the supplied adhesive or two screws - adhesive keeps the deposit. |
What it gets right
- 92 CRI, so food and worktops read true rather than gray
- Five color temperatures means you tune it to the room, not the box
- Full-range dimming, not a two-step hi/low
What it costs you
- The cord has to reach an outlet and then be hidden
- 18 inches is longer than some cabinet sections allow
- One more power adapter on a kitchen outlet
Spec source: Enbrighten product page - retrieved September 3, 2026.
02
Long counter runs from a single outlet
GE 36 in. Plug-in LED Under Cabinet Light Bar
#ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn
A 36-inch bar at 3000K and 90 CRI covers a full run of cabinets in one fixture, which is fewer cords to hide than three short bars chained together.
| Lumens | Not published |
|---|---|
| Color temperature | 3000K |
| CRI | 90 |
| Power source | Plugs in (convertible, linkable) |
| Dimmable | Hi/low/off |
| Renter-safe method | Plug-in cord. Screw or adhesive mount under the cabinet lip. |
What it gets right
- One fixture covers a long run - far less cord management
- 90 CRI at a mainstream price
- Linkable if the run is longer still
What it costs you
- Total lumen output is not published for the 36-inch size
- Hi/low switching rather than true dimming
- 36 inches is too long for many cabinet sections
Spec source: Lowes listing - retrieved September 3, 2026.
03
The highest published CRI in the category
GE 18 in. Enbrighten LED Linkable Under Cabinet Fixture (26935)
#ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn
942 lumens at 3000K and a published 98 CRI - the best color rendering we found on any under-cabinet bar, at the cost of a fixed color temperature.
| Lumens | 942 lm |
|---|---|
| Color temperature | 3000K fixed |
| CRI | 98 |
| Power source | Plugs in or hardwires (convertible) |
| Dimmable | Yes |
| Renter-safe method | Use the plug-in cord, not the hardwire option. Screw or adhesive mount. |
What it gets right
- 98 CRI is the highest published figure in this category
- Links end to end, so one plug feeds a whole cabinet run
- Convertible, so it survives a move into a home you own
What it costs you
- 3000K only - no switching to a cooler task light
- 942 lumens is modest for a long counter on its own
- The hardwire option is off-limits in most rentals
Spec source: Home Depot listing - retrieved September 3, 2026.
04
Shelving, pantries and long runs on a tight budget
Barrina T5 Integrated LED Light Bar, 4 ft, 3000K
#ad No live price right now, so we show none. How we earn
2,200 lumens for 20W at 3000K, linkable up to eight fixtures on one plug - the cheapest way to light a long run, provided you can live with CRI 85.
| Lumens | 2,200 lm |
|---|---|
| Color temperature | 3000K |
| CRI | 85 |
| Power source | Plugs in (20W, corded) |
| Dimmable | No |
| Renter-safe method | Plug and play. Ships with clips and double-sided tape - tape it and nothing is drilled. |
What it gets right
- 2,200 lumens per bar is far more output per dollar than a cabinet-specific fixture
- Links up to eight bars on one plug
- 270-degree beam angle spreads instead of striping
What it costs you
- CRI 85 - fine for a pantry, visibly duller than 92+ over a worktop
- Not dimmable
- It looks like a shop light, because it is one
Spec source: Barrina product page - retrieved September 3, 2026.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask
+How many under-cabinet lights do I need?
Enough bar length to cover roughly two thirds of each cabinet run, and enough total output to put 800 to 1,600 lumens onto an 8-foot counter. In practice that is usually two 18-inch bars per standard run, or one 36-inch bar where the section is long enough to take it.
+Should under-cabinet lights cover the whole run?
Close to it. Coverage below about two thirds of the run produces visible scalloping - bright patches under the bars with darker gaps between them. That is the single most common complaint after a self-installed run, and it is a length problem rather than a brightness one.
+Can I link under-cabinet lights on one plug?
Most bars link end to end with jumper cables, typically up to six or eight units on one plug. They draw very little - a 20W bar is a fraction of what a kettle takes - so linking several is well within an ordinary circuit. Check the published maximum and stay inside it.
+How far apart should under-cabinet lights be?
As close as the cabinet sections allow. Aim for a continuous line rather than evenly spaced pools; where a gap is unavoidable, put it at the end of a run rather than in the middle of the area you actually work on.
Sources
Where the numbers came from
- SuperBrightLEDs - IES residential recommended lighting levels
- Enbrighten - 18 in. plug-in light bar product page
- Home Depot - GE Enbrighten 18 in. linkable under cabinet fixture (26935)
- Barrina - T5 4 ft 3000K product page
All sources retrieved September 3, 2026.
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About the author
Sawyer V. An enthusiast who reads the spec sheets and does the arithmetic. No lab, no test bench.