Best Downlights | Review and Buyers Guide

Downlights lights give any room the right atmosphere – thanks to the right lighting. They are suitable for any room, whether bathroom, kitchen or study, downlights lights due to their available varieties. Also, they are space-saving and can be easily installed even in very small spaces.

We want to help you find the perfect downlights light for your home. Therefore, we compiled the list of best downlights in the market so that your rooms can shine in perfect light.

We compared these lights in different settings and worked out the respective advantages and disadvantages to give you the best possible overview. This comparison along with the buyer’s guide should make your purchase decision as easy as possible.

Editors Pick | Best Downlights in the Market

The Bioluz LED recessed lighting is particularly suitable for use in workplaces, such as kitchens, workshops or offices. Thanks to their light output of 1,200 lumens you get a soft, ambient light.

Its warm white color of 2700 Kelvin makes it particularly suitable for the above-mentioned areas. It is available in a pack of one, four and eight. So you can easily use them for large areas and adapt flexibly.

If you are looking for the perfect recessed light for your workplace, this model is for you. It is not only very bright and powerful but also flexibly usable by different sizes and combinability.

You can mount Zoeson LED downlight very easily – and without any drilling. For mounting, it offers three options: its magnetic back, the enclosed double-sided adhesive tape, and so-called ear hooks. With these three options, it can be easily attached and also remounted. 

It also needs no cable, which is why it can even be plugged in as a flashlight and taken anywhere.

Also, its color can be changed between cool white, warm white and neutral white and it has a motion and brightness sensor.

This downlight is therefore particularly flexible and versatile – of which their buyers are convinced.

Even in cabinets, downlights can bring many benefits. Particularly suitable for this is the LED motion sensor light by PEAKPLUS. It is easy to install with a magnet. It also has a motion detector that turns on the light with each opening. 

Since inside the cabinet the power supply via a plug can be difficult, it is an additional advantage that this LED uses the battery. So there are no problems with the laying of the connection cable.

However, it can not only be used in cabinets but also in a staircase or basement. If you do not want to search for the switch in the dark, you should buy this LED.

The essentials in brief

Sub-base lights are ideal for illuminating surfaces that cannot be sufficiently illuminated with other lamps. They are usually mounted under cabinets and shelves, but can also be used in rooms that are too small to attach other bulbs there.

A recessed light can be used to illuminate workplaces as well as to create a cozy atmosphere. So it is easily applicable in all rooms, even outside the house.

The bulbs of downlights are almost always LEDs nowadays. But even here there are big differences, for example in the color temperature, which should be considered when buying. The development of LEDs continues to lead to lower prices and innovative innovations that also benefit the buyer when buying recessed lighting.

Buyers Guide for Downlight

What is a downlight?

A downlight is used to illuminate areas that can not get enough light using the other lamp models. It is usually placed under cupboards, shelves or similar surfaces. Even in very small spaces, the recessed light offers many advantages thanks to its compactness.

Under-floor lights for working surfaces, for example in the kitchen, are particularly very common nowadays. In these places, good lighting is particularly important. However, this can often not be guaranteed only with the help of normal lamps. Attaching a recessed light can help to illuminate these surfaces better.

In which rooms can I use downlights?

Recessed light can be used in every room. However, the different rooms have different requirements, which must meet the corresponding downlight. In the following section, we have listed the different requirements that the various rooms have on a recessed light to give you a better overview.

Kitchen

In the kitchen, under counters are often used to illuminate the work surface. Here, note that the hands are often dirty during cooking and manually turning on lights with these hands can also make them dirty.

To avoid the trouble of constantly cleaning them, use a downlight with a sensor. Depending on the size of the work surface, a swiveling downlight can also be advantageous to steer the light flexibly to a certain area, depending on the use.

Office and workshop

A recessed light is also very suitable for the workplace or office. Here, the eyes are often particularly stressed. When buying the downlight, make sure that it has sufficient light output.

Check out our guide on office lamps here

We recommend you to have recessed light with at least 600 lm here. Also, the light should be eye-friendly and not too bright.

Living and bedroom

Downlights are popular as a night light or auxiliary lighting for living rooms and bedrooms. They provide more of a cozy atmosphere here.

A beautiful design of the lighting can be particularly appealing. Also, there are lights in many different colors, which you can integrate into the room for a special atmosphere.

Bathroom

In the bathroom, there is an important requirement for the downlight: It should be waterproof. Even if this is not near the shower, the humidity in the bathroom room is often very high and can also affect the light.

In the bathroom, colorful colors can create a special atmosphere, whereas white can make a particularly clean and sterile impression. This selection should be made according to your preferences.

Outdoor

In addition to the rooms in the house, you can also find downlights for the outside use. Outside lights are exposed to the different weather conditions and should therefore also be waterproof.

Manufacturers mention on the packaging of respective products whether they are suitable for outdoor use or not. Besides, there are downlights, which are equipped with a motion detector.

For use in the yard and garden, this can be particularly useful, since the light turns on automatically when you come into this area.

How much do they cost?

The price of downlights depends heavily on size and features. You can say that the price range is between 5 dollars to 35 dollars. If good lighting, for example at the workplace, is important to you, we consider this price quite appropriate.

You can also find downlights in the set. These are generally slightly cheaper and also serve to illuminate larger areas. There are sets with a different number of underfloor lights but generally, they come in a set of three. 

In general, the price of a downlight depends largely on the size. Larger recessed lights are usually more expensive. Not only the length but also width and height play a role. So you should make sure in the selection, just the right size to catch, so as not unnecessarily spend more for the lamp as necessary. However, size is not the only factor that affects the price.

The light output also strongly influences the price. Although the development of the LEDs made downlights cheaper, higher-intensity lights are still more expensive than the one with the less light output.

The decision on the required light output should be made in advance. Sub-base lights with a high light output are needed above all in places where good illumination is important. This is the case, for example, at the desk.

For rooms in which the downlight is merely intended to create a pleasant atmosphere, the purchase of a downlights with low light output is also sufficient.

Price is influenced by various factors, such as size and light output. You should think in advance what you need exactly and how much you are willing to spend for nice lighting.

Other features also play a part in the price decision. A hinged recessed light is usually more expensive as well. These are recognizable by a special holder, which allows the movement of the lamp. How many degrees the pivoting is possible, is specified in the product details.

This additional feature may be useful in some cases, but may not be necessary in other cases.

Where can I buy a downlight?

Downlights are available in DIY stores, in specialist shops, as well as in various online shops. Various suppliers also make custom size downlights .

The downlights we reviewed on this page, also have their Amazon product page link. If you find those lights you can click on the link and strike the deal right away.

Which alternatives are there for recessed lights?

In addition to downlights, some other bulbs are suitable for illuminating certain areas. Each of these models has its advantages and disadvantages.

In the following section, we will give you a brief overview of the alternatives to the underfloor light.

Each of these models has its advantages. However, downlights seem to be superior to others in many criteria. In many places, it seems to be the best choice as a complete package.

Factors to consider

In the following paragraph, we will show you, based on which criteria you can decide between the varieties of downlights.

The aspects that can help you deal with are:

• Light output
• Power supply
• Size
• Color
• Swiveling

In the following paragraphs, we will explain what is important for the individual criteria.

Light output

The light output of a lamp is measured in lumens. It provides information about how much light a lamp emits per unit of time. The higher the lumen value, the brighter the lamp is. The lamps produce a very different light output per watt these days. For this reason, manufacturers must always specify the lumen value.

For workplaces that need to be heavily illuminated, a light output of at least 600 lm is good.

When making a purchase decision, you should first consider for which area you need downlights. For purely decorative purposes, a recessed light with low light output is sufficient.

If you want light for work surface, pay attention to a high lumen value.

Shopbirdy.com recommends the light output of at least 600 lm here. However, there are also recessed lights that have a lumen value of over 1,000.

If one plans to install several recessed lights for one surface, the individual downlight requires a slightly lower light output to obtain the same overall result.

Especially when these are mounted at a small distance from each other, the performance of the individual need not be as high as when using a single. Nevertheless, pay attention to that all areas are adequately lit.

Overall, one can say that the required light output depends entirely on the use or the purpose.

Colorful lights usually have a much lower luminal value, but may still be suitable in certain locations. It should therefore first be clear for what purpose you want to use a downlight, and then determine the required light output.

Power supply

Of course, you need energy for downlights. To ensure this, there are different ways of supplying energy. While some work with one connector, others operate on batteries. For both options, there are pros and cons that we will discuss in the following section and can help you make a purchase decision.

Both the connection to the socket, as well as the operation with batteries has advantages and disadvantages.

Lights with a plug connection guarantee a constant performance. You don’t need additional batteries which will save battery cost and replacement headache.

However, you should ensure that a socket is near the place where you will install the light. The length of the cable plays an important role here. If it is not enough to reach the socket, you can use an extension cord.

You should also think about whether the cable can be hidden well.

A battery-powered downlight offers greater flexibility. You can mount it anywhere without having to have a power outlet nearby. Also, the cable cannot be in the way here. But you have to buy extra batteries, which have to be replaced again and again.

Meanwhile, there are also lights with rechargeable batteries. However, this may mean that you cannot use the lights when energy on the batteries is low.

When deciding, you should consider the exact purpose.

Size

In size, it depends mainly on the length of the base light. But also the width can play a significant role. In general, you should first measure exactly how big your light should be so that it fits in the end exactly.

In some places, you might need to take the height of the downlights into account.

If the recessed light is round, the diameter is given as a size.

There are lights in many different sizes. The selection is very large, so you should first make it clear exactly how big the area you want to cover.

The best way is to measure the area to be illuminated first. Then you think about how best to attach the downlight. With a very large area, you can also attach several smaller lights side by side. You can often buy these in a set.

If you decide to install a single recessed light, you should decide for size before buying. The smallest size of rectangular lights is usually about 30 cm, in exceptional cases, there are even smaller ones.

If you only want to illuminate a small area, around downlights are another option. These are usually much smaller and can be mounted in small corners. If you are looking for a larger light, you can find lights that are up to several meters long. So for every surface, there is the right size of downlights.

Particularly flexible are size-adjustable downlights.

If you want to stay flexible and want to use the recessed light later in other places, you can also resort to an expandable one. This can be used in a smaller size, as well as extended up to several meters. So it is suitable for many surfaces and can be used flexibly.

Color

Downlights are available in many different colors. The choice of color determines which mood emanates from the lamp. It can significantly influence the atmosphere.

For this reason, the decision of color should not be taken lightly and be thought about in advance.

White

White is the classic among the light color. The whites range from neutral white, through daylight white, to warm white. Neutral white has a colder hue. As a result, even inconspicuous contrasts become apparent.

This color is especially useful in workrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and hobby rooms. It should consider this color especially if you want to see something in detail. The color daylight white is the one like the daylight at noon. This boosts motivation, which makes it particularly suitable for workspaces and workshops.

On the other hand, the color warm white is for comfortable appearance, which is why this is particularly suitable in living rooms and bedrooms.

Colorful

In addition to the classic white shades, there are also lights in bright colors. For illuminating work surfaces, these are less likely because they do not allow you to see exactly.

In living rooms, bedrooms or bathrooms, however, these are particularly popular. When choosing a color, make sure that the color of the light matches the rest of the room.

The dominant colors should harmonize so that it comes to a pleasant overall result. There is also the possibility to buy lights in different colors and to combine these colors.

Adjustable

Another option is to provide lights that allow the adjustable colors. For example, you can switch from warm white to neutral white or let it shine a whole new color.

How changing color works is different and depends on the variety of colors available. In some cases, switch to control lights is with buttons. However, there are also lights with extra remote control.

The advantage here is flexibility and adaptability.

Automatic color change

In addition to the adjustable downlights, some models change color by itself. The color change can create a cozy atmosphere, but you should make sure that the colors match the room. Usually, you can also set with these lights that they shine in only one of the colors. The automatic color change is therefore only an option.

Swiveling

Some downlights have a special bracket. With the aid of this holder, the light can be moved up to a certain angle. Thus, you can flexibly adjust the orientation of the light. This additional equipment may be very useful and make the use of a downlight even more enjoyable.

Before buying a light you should consider whether you want such a holder or not.

If you decide that a swivel base light would be the best choice, you should not be put off by a few dollars more. The swiveling makes it possible to illuminate certain areas individually and flexibly, even in large areas.

FAQ

How do I mount downlights?

There are several options for mounting downlights. With the following paragraph, you can get the basic idea regarding the installation of these lights. For exact instruction related to your light model, we recommend you to read the manufacturer manual. 

Preparation: Make sure the side (usually the underside) where you install the lights is dry and clean.

Tool: Make sure that you have all the tools available for attaching the lights. For fixing some of them you will need only glue or a magnetic clip. If it needs to be screwed on or attached by clip, then you will need a cordless screwdriver.

Attachment: Glue or screw the cabinet light to the appropriate place or attach the clips first to fix the fixture.

Batteries: If the cabinet unit needs with battery, make sure to use the fresh ones. 

Plug connection: For a plug connection, make sure to insert the plug into the socket and the cables are laid securely.

Anyone who wants to attach a downlight should make sure that he has the right tool. 

However, this manual is only a general guideline and you should refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer. 

How do I change the bulb of a downlight?

Nowadays, most of the manufacturers use LED for the downlights. These are not easily replaceable in some cases. This means that you can not use the lamp when the LED stops working. However, LEDs have a very long life, up to 15 years. In most cases, replacing the lamp is no longer necessary.

LED lights usually have a multi-year warranty and therefore get it replaced in the event of a defect after a short period of use. For this you should keep a proof of purchase, or warranty card.

If you own a downlight with replaceable bulbs, make sure you buy the right replacement model.