Jasco Blog

There are over 63 million iPhone users in the United States, and all of them have one problem in common: Apple’s proprietary Lightning charging cable (standard on all Apple devices since late 2012) is incompatible with virtually all other USB-powered devices.

Look around any entertainment or dining district and you are sure to find no shortage of Edison-style string lights hanging from restaurants, bars, pubs, and outdoor areas.

It’s clear that string lights are having a cultural moment right now, but these faux retro beauties carry many hidden costs and it's important to consider cafe string lighting cost and performance for business owners. Most notably, they hog energy. A standard 48’ incandescent string light with 24 11W vintage-style bulbs draws a whopping 264 watts per strand. At the national average electricity cost of $0.11 per kilowatt hour, the annual energy costs to run just one set after sundown can exceed $125 – or one- to-two times the entire cost of the product.

Part II: Quality of Light

Last week, we covered the different types, sizes and features of under cabinet fixtures in part one of the DIY Guide to Under Cabinet Kitchen Lighting (READ PART ONE HERE). Now in part two, you'll learn what to look for in a quality under cabinet light fixture and the final important factors you should consider before making a purchase and getting started with your DIY kitchen lighting installation.

If you have tried shopping for a light bulb recently, you know the lighting market is more complex and confusing than ever, with multiple competing technologies (LED, CFL, tungsten, halogen, and others) on the market that each offer different specs, features, and terminology. The market for under cabinet fixtures is fortunately not nearly as complex, but there are still many options available with enormous differences in quality – especially in the quality of light they produce.

What do we mean by “quality of light?” Imagine, if you will, the crisp, clean lighting of a fine art gallery or museum. This is high quality light. Now imagine the buzzing green-hued fluorescent lights of a gas station bathroom. This is bad lighting. These scenes illustrate the extremes of light quality. While the difference between under cabinet fixtures is rarely this severe, it can still be significant.

Too often, consumers will spend thousands of dollars on a new home or kitchen remodel only to undermine their investment with poor quality lighting that casts an unnatural glow on the room and dampens the vibrancy of the space.

There are several quality of light factors to consider when purchasing under cabinet fixtures that will have a tremendous impact on overall look and feel of your kitchen. This guide will help you understand these factors and what to look for in a quality fixture. 

Part I: Which Under Cabinet Fixture is Right for You?

Did you just remodel your kitchen? Could you use more light for your meal prep? Are your overhead lights too harsh for evening relaxation or gatherings? Then quality under cabinet fixtures are an easy and affordable way to dramatically enhance your kitchen space.

Under cabinet light fixtures, also called linear light fixtures, have many applications, but are used primarily in kitchens to add usable light to cabinet surfaces as well as pleasant, ambient light when dimmed to lower levels.

Under cabinet lighting can also be used for accent lighting (especially behind bookshelves) and as work lights, but for the sake of this article we will focus solely on their use in the kitchen.