Best Kitchen Downlights – A Handy Guide
Looking for the best kitchen downlights? In this guide, we will show you 14 great lighting options and more. When it comes to kitchen LED lighting, a combination of direct and indirect lighting is the ideal way to light food preparation and your dining environment.
You can integrate ambient lighting into your home through indirect lighting to distribute the diffused light by first directing the light towards the ceiling and wall surfaces. Indirect lighting creates a serene atmosphere in your dining space by evenly distributing light, reducing shadows and glare.
There are various types of lighting to choose from when lighting up your kitchen. They may include recessed downlights, crystal lamps above the head, tabletop lighting, among many others. Pendants may be a great option, but they tend to appear as unnecessary clutter that causes friction with the kitchen decor.
In essence, the kitchen is a workspace. If you are looking for a cleaner look and still maintain functionality, you should consider installing recessed LED downlights. They are great, especially if your kitchen has a low ceiling where a pendant would be too low.
To help you find the right downlights for your kitchen, continue reading this guide.
The Ideal Colour Temperature for Your Kitchen & Some Awesome Downlights
Most commercial interior and exterior LED light fixture manufacturers suggest that 4000K in kitchens make food colours seem better. The 4000K source fills the room with a more natural-looking light that blends well with the kitchen colours. The overall effect is very effective, and many people are choosing 4000K LED bulbs for their kitchens. The following are some of the best choices of recessed LED downlights to use in your kitchen:
It is a small fixed LED downlight finished in matt white. Besides that, this downlight is also very versatile and can be virtually used anywhere. It produces a warm white light at 4000K with a mere consumption of 4W. This fitting is ultra-small and has a single LED bulb. It also has a beam angle of 60 degrees meaning its light can cover a significant area in the kitchen. The kitchen can get moist sometimes, but you don’t have to worry about this IP44 and fire-rated downlight getting damaged.
It’s a large and high-quality LED downlight that is ideal for the dining area. Yes, it consumes more power, but it also outputs a lot more light into your room. The IP44 protection makes this downlight ideal for areas such as your kitchen.
This downlight has an IP40 rating meaning it is not ideal for areas with high humidity. However, it has a beam angle of 36 degrees and a bright light output, making it an excellent solution for your dining area. You can choose between a white or matt white finish which is ideal for the natural white colour output. It also blends in well with most ceilings.
- 10W Dimmable IP65 & Fire Rated LED Downlight with Flat White Bezel 4000K
If you want an energy-efficient downlight with a considerable amount of light output, the 10W Dimmable IP65 & Fire Rated LED Downlight with Flat White Bezel 4000K is a medium-sized fixture with a beam angle of 40 degrees. It comes with one integrated LED bulb and a matt white finish. Besides that, this LED downlight is IP65 rated, which is essential for providing you with a sufficient level of safety.
This downlight has various bezel colour options, including Polished Chrome, Satin Chrome, black, or Satin Nickel hence the name interchangeable. It gives you the flexibility of changing the look of the lights in the future.
With just a small power consumption of 8W and a single LED bulb, this downlight emits up to 800 lumens with cool white colour output. It has a small beam angle of 36 degrees. It’s also IP65 rated, making it safe to use in wet environments.
It contains two LED bulbs, each consuming around 7W. It is also dimmable with options of 3000K warm white colour output or 4000K cool white. Therefore, you can use the 3000K temperature in your dining area and the 4000K in the cooking area, where it best illuminates the food during preparation. This downlight is highly stylish and has a beam angle of 36 degrees.
This downlight has a unique magnetic glass bezel which is interchangeable with an option of black glass bezel. It is IP65 rated, making it safe to use in high-moisture environments, including the kitchen. It has a single LED bulb that consumes 10W to produce a 4000K natural white colour temperature. This downlight contains an anti-glare function and can work well in the dining area.
It is an energy-saving LED downlight that consumes 10W to output a 4000K cool white colour temperature. This downlight requires three bulbs, which you have to buy separately. It is IP20 rated, meaning nothing over 12mm in size can penetrate it. It is, therefore, suitable for the dining area where there is no moisture.
If you are looking for a medium-sized yet stylish downlight, this is the perfect solution for you. It comes in either white or matt white finish. This downlights also contains a single LED bulb that consumes 10W and emits a bright light at 4000K natural white colour output. It is rated IP44 and an ideal fixture for the kitchen, where plenty of moisture is expected.
If you are looking for a low power consumption downlight that will provide you with the preferred 4000K colour temperature, the Small Round Fixed LED Downlight is your best solution. It consumes 6W and output 650 lumens through a matt white finish. It outputs a natural white colour which is ideal when you are cooking.
With a 36-degree beam angle and an IP65 rating, this downlight can be installed in any area of the kitchen since it can withstand wet atmospheres and still produce an adequate amount of light to light up your cooking area.
With a low power consumption of 10W, this downlight produces 900 lumens which is bright enough for a medium-sized kitchen. The light has a cool white colour output at 4000K and a beam angle of 36 degrees. Therefore, it can be mounted directly on top of your cooking area to illuminate your food perfectly.
It is rated IP65, meaning it can withstand areas with a lot of moisture and dust. It is also fire rated therefore prevents the spread of fire through electricity from one room to another in case of an accident.
If you are looking for a small downlight but still producing the quality amount of light with a natural white colour output at 4000K, this small round tiltable downlight is an excellent choice. It comes with a matt white finish and occupies small spaces in the ceiling due to its size.
It is IP44 rated hence safe for use in the kitchen. Despite its small size, it has a beam angle of 36 degrees and a tilt angle of 20 degrees. This means you can tilt it to point directly towards your specific cooking area. This downlight consumes 6W, and therefore you can have several of them in your kitchen ceiling and still save on energy.
This is one of the best kitchen downlights with a high colour rendering index (CRI) of 80. It has 6 LED bulbs, each consuming 6W. With a total of 18W power consumption, this downlight emits 750 lumens and has a white finish. It has a natural white colour output at 4000K and a beam angle of 60 degrees. It is rated IP54, making it ideal for use in the kitchen since it is fully protected from solid objects and splashing of water from any angle.
If you are looking for a small-sized, cost-effective downlight, this mini adjustable downlight has a fairly high output compared to its power consumption. While consuming 3W, this downlight contains a single LED bulb that produces a warm white light at 4000K with a 186 lumens output. It has a polished cream finish and a 60-degree beam angle. On top of that, it has an IP44 rating which is safe for use in the kitchen.
- Mini 3w Adjustable LED Downlight in Matt White 4000K Natural White IP44 Dimmable
This is a mini LED downlight that blends well with most ceilings due to its small size and matt white finish. It consumes an unbelievable 3W and still manages to produce a warm white light at 4000K with a 186 lumens output. It has a beam angle of 60 degrees, thereby illuminating over a reasonably large area.
How to Choose Recessed Downlights for Your Kitchen
When thinking about how to light up your kitchen, you should think about ambient lighting. It is the best way to make a room usable, unlike in other rooms where general lighting originating from a single area in the ceiling works just fine. Recessed lighting is currently the reigning trend that makes most kitchens a great place to relax, even when not eating or cooking food.
The key to ambient lighting is to provide a consistent light layer which is effectively achieved by recessed downlight lighting. If you think of where your feet will be when carrying out your kitchen duties and ensure the space is lit, you will have effectively illuminated the entire room.
Arranging and Positioning LED Downlights in Your Kitchen
When installed appropriately, light can make a dramatic change to the look and feel in any room. If you are using downlights as part of your lighting scheme, you can create the ideal arrangement while saving on energy, cutting costs, and maximising space.
The kitchen has increasingly become a focal point in the home. It has become a favourite place to eat, socialise, and spend time with family and friends. When you prepare food, it is much easier and enjoyable under well-lit conditions.
When mounting downlights to your ceiling, you should always check the recommended spacing with your ceiling height and the power of the unit being used.
If you face difficulty moving power around your ceiling, you can consider using a track or monorail system. You should also ensure your lights do not create too much glare or simply go for a fixture with an anti-glare function.
You should also remember the traditional classical cabinet lights where warmer colour temperature LED lights are recommended. They easily create a retro-feeling lighting impression. If you have chosen modern and fresh cabinets, you should use neutral cool-warm LED lights to create a lively style.
Choosing the Right Color Rendering Index (CRI) for Your Kitchen
A higher CRI renders colours more accurately. Lighting CRI is not only crucial for food, but its change can have a massive effect on the spaces within your home. Under low CRI, objects like cabinets, countertops, shelving, and paint colours can appear dull or may not match as well as they did in the store. CRI can mean the difference between crisp white cabinets or a kitchen with a greenish hue.
Downlights are some of the most in-demand lighting fixtures in the market. They offer you various options for any room in the house. Some lighting fixtures unsuitable for kitchens due to safety measures, as some downlights can cause fire.
If that is a concern of yours, you shouldn’t worry as our recommendations are safe when it comes to that regard. However, various downlights that are fire and waterproof can solve all safety problems. They are also small and require less installation space in your ceiling and cabinets. Above are some of the best energy-saving and efficient kitchen downlights.
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