Kitchen LED Strip Lights

Towards the front edge of the cabinet, not against the wall. From there the light spreads across the whole benchtop, instead of leaving a bright stripe on the splashback and a dim front edge where you actually work. A 45 degree corner profile aims the light back towards the splashback and keeps the strip itself out of your eyeline. Run strip the full length of each cabinet so the light has no gaps, and join cabinets with lead wire.

Standard SMD strip often does, because each LED reflects as its own bright point in polished stone, gloss splashbacks and glass. Dotless COB strip avoids it: the LEDs sit so close together, 480 per metre on the Pixel 10W, that the reflection reads as one smooth line. Fit it in an aluminium profile with an opal diffuser for the cleanest finish. Browse our COB LED strip range in 3000K and 4000K.

Match it to your ceiling lights. If your downlights are 3000K, use 3000K strip so the benchtop does not look a different colour from the rest of the room. 4000K is crisper for prep and suits white, grey and black kitchens, while 3000K flatters timber and warm stone. Whichever you choose, pick CRI 90 or higher so food, timber and stone look natural. Every Pixel strip we sell is CRI 90 or higher: see high CRI LED strip lights.

Near the sink, yes, with the right rating. Strip within splash range should be at least IP54, such as Havit's 9.6W COB Dotless IP54, or IP20 strip sealed inside an IP rated profile with its diffuser and end caps fitted. Above the cooktop is different: heat and grease inside a rangehood canopy shorten the life of strip and drivers, so keep both out of the canopy and away from the oven.

Yes. Havit makes small 12V to 24V DC sensors that fit a 12mm hole: a hand wave sensor and touch sensors for under cabinet lights, single and dual door sensors that switch strip on when a pantry or cabinet opens, and a PIR motion sensor with a 0.2 to 2.5 metre range for plinth night lighting. Each switches up to 72W on 24V strip, about 5 metres of 14W strip.

Somewhere ventilated that you can reach later: an adjoining cupboard, the space above the wall cabinets, or behind a removable plinth panel. Drivers make heat, so never seal one in a closed void, and keep it away from the oven, dishwasher and rangehood. A plug in driver needs a power point inside the cabinetry. Any hard wiring, new power point or wall switch must be done by a qualified electrician.