Zone guide
Kitchen worktop lighting
The ceiling light fills the room, but you cook with your back to it — your body shadows the board. The fix is a source under the wall units, between you and the worktop.
Three numbers to remember
- 500 lux on the worktop for chopping and reading a recipe — our “detailed task” benchmark in lux per room.
- 420 lm per metre minimum: for a 3.0 × 0.6 m worktop, 500 lx × 1.8 m² × factor 1.4 (close source) ≈ 1,260 lm, i.e. 420 lm/m of cabinet run.
- 4000 K and CRI (colour rendering index) ≥ 80 (90 if you can) to judge food without a colour cast — see colour temperature and CRI.
Three mains-powered bars compared
Lumens per metre = stated flux ÷ length (manufacturer data, checked 23/10/2026). All bars exceed 420 lm/m; the choice is mostly colour, mounting and length.
| Product | Power | Stated flux | Flux/m (calc.) | Colour | Daisy-chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DA LIGHT swivel bar 56 cm Check price on Amazon UK | 230 V, switch | 560 lm | 1,000 lm/m | 3000 / 4000 / 6000 K | Yes, linkable |
| SEBSON kitchen bar 60 cm Check price on Amazon UK | 230 V, plug + switch | 715 lm (11 W) | 1,192 lm/m | 3000 K | One bar per socket |
| Oktaplex Riga 28 cm Check price on Amazon UK | 230 V | 370 lm (4 W) | 1,321 lm/m | 4000 K | Yes, extendable |
Pick: DA LIGHT — 1,000 lm/m (more than double the target), three whites including 4000 K, swivel head toward the splashback, linkable bars on one plug.
No socket under the cabinets?
A rechargeable bar (e.g. OUILA 60 cm on the French site) suits backup use; if the maker does not publish lumens, do not rely on it as the main worktop light.
Bar or LED strip?
A bar screws in and plugs in — about 15 minutes. Strip in an aluminium profile gives a continuous line but needs a sized 24 V driver. See under-cabinet LED strip.
Placement
- As far forward on the wall unit as possible so light hits the board, not only the splashback.
- One bar per cabinet run, leaving 2–3 cm at each end for end caps.
- Nothing over the sink without the right IP rating.
General kitchen lighting: kitchen room guide (when published). More zones on the French zones hub.