By Glenda Taylor | Updated Jun 22, 2023 5:40 PM
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Chandeliers, under-cabinet lighting, and ceiling fans all have their place in lighting a home. But to add additional illumination discreetly, consider recessed lighting.
Recessed lighting fixtures have a bulb contained inside an inverted cylindrical recessed fixture that’s mounted virtually flush with the ceiling. This means they don’t take up physical space or compete with the room’s decor.
The best recessed lighting will depend on the preference for allover or directional lighting as well as the room’s purpose. Ahead, learn the ins and outs of recessed lighting, and find out why the following products are considered tops in their respective categories.
The right recessed lighting can provide ample light coverage and create the perfect ambience. Selections for the best recessed lighting depended on the wattage, color temperature, quantity, adjustability, and ease of installation.
We chose various types of recessed lighting to cater to different needs, from allover illumination to accent lighting. The above picks offer 6 to 60 watts for light or heavy illumination. Also with these brightness options are the varying color temperatures to correspond with the Kelvin (K) lighting scale, from warm white (2700K) to cool white (5000K). Select recessed fixtures also allow users to change the color via smartphone or voice activation with smart-home compatibility.
Many of the above picks are easy to install with spring clips and wide rims that can cover existing holes in the ceiling. Varying quantities of 1 to 12 units per pack also allow shoppers to replace single or multiple recessed lights already in the home.
To qualify as a top pick, a recessed ceiling light must be durable, attractive, and offer adequate illumination to meet everyday needs. The following recessed lights (many of which are sold in sets) are suitable for various uses, and one or more are likely to be a bright addition to any home.
Get the equivalent of 110 watts of halogen brightness with the Amico recessed ceiling lights. Each light uses only 12 watts of electricity, and six lights will illuminate a 120- to 140-square-foot room efficiently.
These thin 6-inch lights (less than 0.5 inches thick) will fit in ceilings with clearances as shallow as 2 inches above the drywall. Users can adjust the color warmth on each light, from warm white (2700K) to cool white (5000K), to create just the right atmosphere in the room.
Each of the LED recessed lights comes with an easy-to-wire junction box, requiring users simply to match the color of the Romex wire to the corresponding slot and push the wire into the box to lock it into place. The lights are secured in the ceiling via spring clamps. Although these recessed lights are considered DIY-friendly, those not familiar with wiring principles should hire an electrician to install them.
Get the Amico 6-inch LED recessed lighting at Amazon.
To reap the benefits of LED can lighting and stay on budget, consider Torchstar’s dimmable recessed lighting. Each 4-inch light uses only 10 watts of electricity but provides brightness equivalent to an 80-watt incandescent bulb for ample illumination. The thin housing installs to ceiling drywall using spring clips, and each light features an easy-to-wire junction box that doesn’t require attachment to ceiling joists.
Similar to other LED light bulbs, the Torchstar recessed lights remain cool to the touch, so they won’t get hot in the ceiling. The lights are compatible with most wall-mounted dimmer switches, allowing users to decrease brightness to suit the mood and conserve even more energy.
Get the Torchstar recessed lighting at Amazon.
To control recessed lights from a smartphone or with verbal commands, check out Lumary smart lights. These lights sync with either Alexa or Google Home Assistant, so users can turn them on or off via voice commands.
These smart LED recessed lights also are remote enabled, so users can control them from a smartphone or other digital device through the free downloadable app. For those with some wiring experience, installing the lights in a ceiling is DIY-friendly. They don’t require attachment to ceiling joists, as they remain firmly in place through the use of spring clips.
Select from a range of 16 million light colors for a custom glow to set the mood. In white mode, each light is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent bulb; however, in colored modes, the brightness will be dimmer. These Lumary recessed lights require an installed home Wi-Fi network.
Get the Lumary recessed lighting at Amazon or Lumary.
Dimmable, color-changing, and smart, the Feit Electric RGBW Smart recessed downlight is the perfect light to set the mood. This LED light uses only 11.1 watts to produce a bright 75-watt-equivalent light. Users can control brightness and color, and they can set schedules from a smartphone app—the light connects directly to Wi-Fi, so there’s no need for a hub.
For those with a smart-home system, this light can connect to Alexa or Google Home Assistant to enable voice controls. Each pack includes one Energy Star–certified light that fits most 5- to 6-inch recessed can housings. A standard base adapter and premounted trim are also included for ease of installation.
Get the Feit Electric recessed lighting at Amazon or Ace Hardware.
Direct light right where it’s wanted with the Maxxima downlight. This 6-inch recessed ceiling light features an adjustable head, so users can shine a light on any area of the room. It’s also readjustable to make it easy to highlight different parts of the room.
The Maxxima adjustable recessed lights are designed to retrofit existing can lights, and no wiring is necessary. All users need to do is screw the new LED light into the can’s existing socket. The Maxxima light is held in place via spring clamps that securely attach it to the ceiling drywall.
The light comes with a standard orange LED plug for connection to an existing LED can light. If swapping out an old bulb, check to see if the current bulb has an orange plug—if so, the Maxxima will fit right in. This recessed light uses only 11 watts of electricity and yet emits almost as much light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb.
Get the Maxxima 6-inch adjustable recessed lights at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Maxxima.
Install a ceiling full of these mini lights, or place one strategically where needed as a task or accent light. The YGS-Tech recessed lights come with easy-to-wire junction boxes, and they don’t require attachment to ceiling joists.
They come in a four-pack and use only 3 watts of electricity per light, yet each produces as much illumination as a 35-watt halogen bulb. The lights are dimmable for further savings, and, as they use LED bulbs, they don’t generate heat, so there’s no need to worry about the housing making contact with ceiling insulation.
Get the YGS-Tech recessed lighting at Amazon or YGS-Tech.
If a standard lighting fixture comes into contact with water, it can throw a breaker, but with the Halo recessed light, there’s no cause to worry about splashes from a shower or tub. Thanks to a cover that seals tightly to the light’s base for moisture protection, the Halo light is designed to withstand an occasional water spray and high-humidity conditions without a problem.
This 6-inch recessed fixture accepts a 60-watt-equivalent LED bulb (not included) and is designed to retrofit an existing recessed can light. Its waterproof trim locks firmly against the ceiling to give the bathroom’s ceiling light a fresh, upgraded look.
Get the Halo recessed lighting at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.
Looking for can lights for an outdoor setting? Consider Globe Electric indoor/outdoor lights. Thanks to cans and trim made of aluminum, these lights won’t rust or corrode, making them suitable for installation on the ceilings of covered porches or patios. They accommodate E26 base PAR20 or R20 50-watt-equivalent LED bulbs (not included) and are designed to replace older can lights.
The light includes an easy-to-wire junction box and heavy-duty spring clips to hold it in place, so no need to attach the cans to the joists. Keep in mind that although the lights are rust-resistant, they are not watertight and shouldn’t be installed where they could come into contact with direct water spray, such as from a sprinkler.
Get the Globe Electric recessed lighting at Amazon, The Home Depot, Wayfair, or Overstock.
Recessed lights, sometimes called “canister lights” or simply “cans,” are ideal in rooms with low ceilings, such as in basements, where other lighting fixtures would reduce headroom. When used with incandescent bulbs, canister lights present a risk of overheating.
Most LED recessed lights, however, generate no heat, so there’s no worry about the light’s housing causing the insulation to melt or presenting a fire risk. This is essential to keep in mind when installing recessed lighting. Read on for other important factors to consider when choosing the best recessed lights.
With most styles of recessed lights, only a thin bit of trim around the light extends below the ceiling, so most models are relatively flush with the surface of the ceiling. This offers a clean look, but it also provides less illumination than a traditional ceiling light; therefore, it may be necessary to choose more than one type of recessed ceiling light to light the entire room.
Installing LED recessed lights in an existing ceiling is simpler than installing old-school incandescent cans, which need to be attached to ceiling joists for support. Today’s LED lights are lightweight enough to not need extra support and attach directly to the surrounding drywall through the use of spring clips.
Recessed lighting trims on a can-type light include the outer ring, which installs after the light is in place to provide a finished look, as well as the can’s interior housing, as the design inside the can contributes to the overall design effect.
Today’s LED light bulbs use less energy than the incandescent traditional bulbs of yesterday. However, many shoppers still associate a light’s brightness with incandescent bulb wattage, so in addition to listing the actual watts of an LED light bulb, most LED recessed lights include a comparison to an incandescent bulb’s wattage.
For example, an LED light bulb might use only 12 watts of electricity but be as bright as a 100-watt incandescent bulb, so its description might read: “Bright 12W 100W-Equivalent Recessed Light.” Most LED recessed lights are compared to their incandescent equivalents, but a few are compared to halogen-light equivalents.
The most common color temperatures for recessed lights are cool white and warm white, and both are suitable for general use throughout the home. Cool white is crisp and bright, making it welcome in kitchens, laundry rooms, and workshops, while warm white is soothing and well suited to family rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
The color temperature of LED recessed lighting is rated on the Kelvin light scale ranging from 2000K to 6500K—as the number increases, the light quality becomes cooler. At the bottom of the scale, the warm color temperature contains amber and yellow tones. As the light progresses, it becomes crisp white and eventually takes on a cool bluish tone at the upper end of the scale.
In addition to traditional white light, some recessed fixtures come with the ability to adjust the color’s hue to set a specific mood in the room. These are known as color-changing LED recessed lights, and they offer multiple color choices, such as green, blue, and purple shades of light.
With the many types and styles of recessed lighting available, it’s not unusual to have some questions. Check out these answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
The best LED recessed lights are DIY-friendly and feature prelabeled slots for inserting color-coded Romex wires. However, working with electricity always presents some risks, so if you’re not familiar with wiring, hire an electrician.
To illuminate countertop work areas fully, recessed LED lights should be installed an average of 14 to 16 inches out from the upper cabinets’ edge. This offers the best angle of illumination.
Recessed lights come in two common diameters: 4-inch and 6-inch sizes. When choosing between the two, it all depends on the look you’re going for and the amount of illumination you want. Standard 6-inch lights are the most common for whole-room lighting. If positioned closer together, 4-inch lights are also suitable for whole-room lighting and are well suited for accent and task lighting.
If you have a working knowledge of wiring and you’re simply replacing an existing light with a new recessed light, you may choose to install it yourself. If you’re installing a whole ceiling full of new recessed lights and will need to fish wire through the joists, it’s a good idea to have an electrician do it. Your local building authority may also have rules that require LED installation by a licensed electrician.
Housing is the case that holds the light bulb (or LED diodes). Most LED recessed lighting fixtures come with thin, lightweight housings compared to the more massive, older-style can lights.
Well-lit rooms are more attractive than dimly lit ones, and although installing recessed lighting might not add monetary value to your home, potential buyers may be more likely to make an offer if your home is well lit.
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