We researched the best garage lights, evaluating ease of installation, brightness, longevity, and added features such as motion detection. Plus, we sought guidance from Matt Blashaw, a licensed contractor and host of HGTV’s Professional Grade. He tells The Spruce that LEDs are often ideal for garages because they “last forever,” and recommends looking for options with high lumens (brightness) and kelvin (color temperature). Our top pick, the Freelicht 60W Garage Light with Medium Base 6000LM 6500K, is a budget-friendly option that’s easy to set up and comes with a five-year warranty. Here are the best garage lighting options on the market. The best option overall is this LED tri-light fixture from Freelicht. Per Matt Blashaw’s recommendations, it boasts 6000 Kelvin and 6000 lumens, plus a CRI (color rendering index) of 80, which means the illumination makes colors look amazing. You get three options in each light: 3000 Kelvin/warm white; 4000 Kelvin/cool white; and 6000 Kelvin/cool daylight white. Equal to a 300-watt incandescent bulb, you get the total power of 60 watts. Each flicker-free panel can be adjusted up to a 90-degree angle. We also appreciate that this deformable light doesn’t need to be wired. You just screw it into an existing light socket—no tools necessary. What’s more, you can expect to get a whopping 50,000 hours of illumination from the LEDs. While we would prefer that garage lights turn on when motion is detected, the Freelicht LED lacks a motion sensor. Nevertheless, this product compensates with its super-bright illumination, variable warmth choices, and versatile light location. Price at time of publish: $30 One of the best parts about the lighting is its adjustable panels. Each of its four LED panels can be angled to your desire, offering light to all parts of your garage. While the manufacturer claims that this product is energy saving, we note that its 80 watts is higher than some other garage lights we researched. Finally, there is a belief that LEDs are cooler to the touch than incandescent bulbs. Although this is true, and the manufacturer claims the aluminum alloy light heads keep the bulbs cool, we also note that the panel has a heat dissipation system that could be hot when the light is on. Price at time of publish: $19 We like that that you can hang this fully assembled 4-foot-long light from your ceiling or mount it flush. Packaging includes two V-hooks, wall anchors, and screw hooks. Once it’s plugged in, just pull the handy chain to turn it on and off. The power cord includes an outlet receptacle on one end to allow you to link up to four units. However, we note that the cord itself is only 5 feet long, so you might need an extension. We do recommend this product for unattached and unheated garages since the manufacturer claims that it effectively operates in temperatures as low as minus-10 degrees Fahrenheit. Price at time of publish: $72 We like that this product, unlike several we researched, features motion detection and turns off after 30 seconds. However, we note that depending on where you locate the fixture, the motion sensor might not be as effective, and you may have to experiment. While we appreciate the super-brightness of these LED lights, and recommend them for basic illumination, we have some misgivings. We note that under some conditions, this product might not turn on with some Homelink-equipped garage-door-opening vehicle mirrors. Finally, the hardwired LEDs aren’t replaceable. If these factors aren’t important to you, you will still get totally satisfactory illumination for a very reasonable price. Price at time of publish: $20 If you’re concerned about utility costs, this light has got you covered. You can also set it to turn off after no motion is detected for a few minutes, so it won’t light up too much. If you need extra lighting, however, you can easily connect multiple fixtures, thanks to an included end-to-end connector. Price at time of publish: $135 The light is offered in two different sizes, with some sets including plugs and additional pieces. If you need additional lighting, it can be connected to up to ten tube lights as well, so you can create your ideal lighting experience. Price at time of publish: $49 Price at time of publish: $50 Whether you hang it from your ceiling or attach it to a wall, the built-in motion sensor will activate the LEDs from as far as 20 feet away. It’s worth noting, however, that the light doesn’t include any batteries, so you’ll need to purchase them separately. Price at time of publish: $30 “I like to have under-cabinet lighting under my tool bench, just in case I have something really important I’m working on,” Blashaw tells The Spruce. Price at time of publish: $41 The light is offered in three different wattages—25, 35, and 120. Plus, it has a lifespan that’s about five times longer than that of regular lightbulbs, so you won’t have to worry about replacing it too often over time. Price at time of publish: $35 The fixture accommodates two standard two-pin bulbs with a maximum 32 watts (not included). And it is UL-certified for use in high-humidity areas, which could include other home areas, such as bathrooms, in addition to your garage or basement workshops. Blashaw also likes that it mounts flush to the ceiling. “A flush mount sticks down maybe 3 inches, so you’re gaining room in your garage as well as a really broad spectrum of light,” he notes. Price at time of publish: $110 There are options that mount to the ceiling or screw into an existing socket, which are designed to illuminate the entire space. Then, you’ll find models better suited for smaller areas. Some garage lighting (such as under-cabinet bars) should be used to supplement larger fixtures, as they don’t typically offer enough illumination on their own. Whether you opt for traditional fluorescent fixtures—long, encased metal fixtures that use long tube-like bulbs—or LED arrangements, figure on 8 feet of lighting per vehicle. So if yours is a two-car garage, install two 8-foot-long fixtures or four 4-footers, which are easier one-person install jobs. If you live in an area that gets plenty of moisture, your garage may require a fixture rated for high humidity. Check the packaging to see whether this is specified.
Lighting Type
You can find three types of bulbs: incandescents, fluorescents, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Incandescent bulbs, invented in 1879, have stood up into the 21st century as the most widely used type of electric lighting. Each bulb is a glass enclosure that encases a wire filament, usually made of tungsten, that heats rapidly and dispenses much of that energy as light. The bulb also contains an inert gas that prevents the filament from melting away. Incandescents are still widely available, because they have low manufacturing costs and thus low consumer prices. They also connect with standard current and switches, and are available in many wattages and colors. Their biggest disadvantage is they have relatively short life spans: At some point, the filament breaks under the strain, breaking the circuit and rendering the bulb useless. Incandescents also consume a lot of energy to produce the extreme heat that generates light. Because so many are thrown away, they can be a detriment to the environment. Though LED bulbs were invented in 1962, they have begun to widely replace incandescents in the 21st century, because they use up to 75 times less energy than incandescents and can last up to 25 times longer. Each bulb contains a tiny diode that is illuminated when electrical current passes through a microchip embedded in the bulb. The heat produced is absorbed into a heat sink within each bulb. LED bulbs don’t suddenly “burn out” like incandescents, but their brightness gradually dims, requiring replacement. LED bulbs connect with standard outlets and use standard current. Anyone who has driven at night and been startled by the LED headlights of an oncoming vehicle can attest to their occasional annoying brightness. Their biggest disadvantage, as far as most consumers are concerned, is their cost: these bulbs can average $5 to $7 apiece. Fluorescent bulbs, which were patented in 1901 but gained widespread use during World War II, are still common for garage lighting, because they are more energy-efficient than incandescents but cost less than LEDs. The bulbs produce light by using an electric current to excite enclosed mercury vapor. Fluorescents come in tubes with diameters of 5/8 inch, 1 inch, and 1.5 inches (T5, T8, and T12, respectively) and have two-pin connectors. A fixture might not accommodate all sizes. You also can purchase compact fluorescent lightbulbs, which screw into standard lightbulb fixtures, like incandescent bulbs. Instead of a bulb-like glass enclosure, however, each has a twisty tube that contains the same components of a fluorescent tube and emits light in the same way. However, fluorescents have several disadvantages. They scatter light, so you may need more than one fixture, depending on the size of your workspace. Older fluorescents take time to warm up. Some bulbs can emit an annoying buzz because of a faulty magnetic component. They might not function in sustained temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so they aren’t suitable for unattached garages in many cold-weather locations. Finally, all fluorescents, whether tubes or CFLs, contain some amount of mercury, which can have ill effects.
Watts/Lumens/Kelvin
Two factors to consider in lighting are brightness and color. While a fixture might be bright, the bulbs it contains might not have the necessary appearance of light necessary to accomplish what you want to do in your space such as repair work or carpentry. Brightness is measured in lumens; color is rated by a Kelvin scale. According to Blashaw, for garage lighting, “You want high lumens in the 5000s or 6000s and the highest Kelvin you can find.” Watts are a measure of how much energy a light bulb uses. Most of us are used to seeing bulbs rated as 40 watts or 100 watts, for example. But that doesn’t truly measure how much light they provide. That is why the U.S. federal government has standards for all lightbulbs that mention wattage but emphasize lumens. Lumens are units of “luminous flux,” which means that they measure the amount of visible light emitted by a bulb. A 40-watt bulb is equivalent to an energy-saving bulb emitting about 450 lumens; a 60-watt bulb, 800 lumens. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that you shop for lightbulbs in terms of lumens instead of watts. Kelvin measures the color temperature of lights in terms of coolness (white, producing higher contrast) or warmness (yellowish-red). Lightbulbs range from 2000 Kelvin (2000K) to 6500 Kelvin (6500K). The higher the Kelvin, the closer a bulb’s color temperature is to mimicking natural sunlight. Lights rating 5000K or higher are recommended for garages and workshops.
Installation
You should also consider the installation method before ordering a lighting fixture for your garage. For instance, some options can be screwed into a light socket, while others must be wired. You also can find flush-mount and hanging models, as well as battery-powered options with adhesive backings.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Theresa Holland is a professional commerce copywriter based in Portland, Oregon. She has been contributing to The Spruce since 2019, covering home improvement and interior design. When living in their 100-year-old house, she and her husband had to figure out how to illuminate their closets and basement with limited outlets, and in the process, she learned how to spot high-quality fixtures. For this roundup, Theresa spoke to a contractor, researched various types of garage lighting, combed through user reviews, and considered dozens of products before making her final selections.
