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If you’re lucky enough to have your own space for working in, you want it to be well lit, clean, and comfortable. That’s true whether it’s and a garage, workshop, or utility room.
But, if there’s barely enough light in there when you’re trying to do something it makes the job ten times harder. Maybe you’re doing something technical like polishing your paintwork. Or perhaps you’re stripping a transmission or engine. No matter what the job is, you need to have the best garage lighting for your needs.
There are plenty of jobs that needs something extra – a spotlight for example. But, we’re talking about general lighting. Not the type of specialist lighting for working underneath the car, or looking down a sparkplug hole. This is about making your garage or workshop the best place for general duties.
Best Garage Lighting Ideas
We’ve picked seven great lighting products. All of these will satisfy your need for the best garage lighting. But, you may find that some may be more suitable than others. They’re listed in no particular order.
LeonLite Linkable LED Utility Shop Light
- Rating: 4.8 / 5
- Brand: LeonLite
The LeonLite garage lighting kits produce 4,000 lumens of light in the 5000K color scale. These are made from a heavy-duty PVC (rather than steel or aluminum), but that does mean there’s slightly less weight to be suspending from your ceiling.
It’s possible to link up to five complete units, and they all have individual pull cords for switching on & off. So, they’re easily controllable if you don’t need all five switches on. These lights can be flush mounted or suspended (all hanging fixtures are included in the kit) from the ceiling. Plus, they can be hard-wired in place of regular light. But, you will end up with a redundant connector plug at the end of the lamp if you take that route.
A 50,000-hour life will see these lamps still in use for years to come. Perhaps the PVC and PC fittings will be better suited in the long term to slightly damp conditions. There should be no corrosion problems here.
Sunco Lighting LED Utility Shop Light
- Rating: 4.7 / 5
- Brand: Sunco Lighting
The Sunco Lighting is just as impressive as the Hykolity model, perhaps more so. They have slightly less wattage at 40W. However, they put out an impressive 4,000 lumens of light (the equivalent of 260W) with a scale of 5000K (daylight).
Better still, the Sunco lights have a 50,000 hour lifetime. That’s 2,083 days of constant use or 5.7 years. Factor in that you won’t be using them 24-hours a day and you can easily see these LED garage ceiling lights lasting for ten years or more. The light unit itself is warrantied for 5 years.
They are easy to link up together. Although only four units can be linked to the one power supply, they do come in packs of 10. They have an ‘instant on’ feature due to being LED, but all LED lights will be similar. The lights come with all hanging hardware supplied.
Barrina LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture
- Rating: 4.7 / 5
- Brand: Barrina
The Barrina’s are the lowest wattage here at just 20W per unit, but they still give off an impressive 2,200 lumens of light at the 6500K scale. Thanks to their extremely low wattage, you could save up to 65% on your electricity bills when switching over to these units.
These are a pack of six, and unlike some other kits, you can link all 6 together, but they don’t have separate on/off switches if you do. The switch is built into the power cord, whereas the link cables (supplied) don’t have them. A minor gripe, but that’s only when compared to the garage lighting kits that do have that function.
The LED T5 garage light fixtures by Barrina have a 50,000 hours lifetime, but the warranty period is slightly reduced. It’s just three years rather than the five offered by the other manufacturers.
At 42W of power, the Hykolity lamps give super bright light (5000K – daylight white) and produce 3,700 Lumens of light. It’s perfect for lighting up even the dingiest of garages. They’re made from a durable and long-lasting composite alloy. These linkable lamps should last a while – they even have a 5-year warranty on them.
Linking them is easy. A simple connector from lamp to lamp means you only need one plug into the wall outlet. Switching them on can be done from any of the lamps as they all have pull cords. This is simplicity itself. These can be mounted flush on a surface, or hang from the ceiling – all hanging hardware is included with the pack.
These are really simple and easy to set up great value and would definitely be one of the top contenders for the best hanging garage light. Available as a four-pack.
Available as a single light unit or four-pack, the Hyperikon lights are rated at 38W but produce 107 lumens per watt. They’re rated at 3,800 lumens of light, with a color scale at 4000K.
Despite being constructed from rugged steel, these garage lights are lightweight but very durable. They’re commercial-grade, so will last forever (or at least a very long time).
Hyperikon says that you can save up to 62% of your energy charges with the use of these lights. That makes them very efficient and cost-effective. With a 45,000 hour lifespan (which equates to a 25,000 hour lifetime), the five-year warranty looks like it will never be needed!
Similar to the other lights for garage ceiling, these can be linked together, four at a time for convenience. They use just one power cord to supply power. Although the units can be operated individually via the use of the pull cord. All hanging hardware is included.
The HyperSelect lighting kits represent good value for money but lack some of the features of the other LED lighting kits. These aren’t linkable for example, nor do they have a pull cord or chain. The on/off switch is located in the power cord. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if convenience is your thing, there are perhaps better options for you.
They still offer 45,000 hours of life, with a 4000K or 5000K color. They can be hung or fitted flush, and supply on average, 108 lumens per Watt, making them around 3,800 lumens. The design is patented and designed tough. These units are heavy-duty and simple – ideal for environments that are a little tougher.
FrenchMay Linkable LED Workshop Light
- Rating: 4.5 / 5
- Brand: FrenchMay
These are the most powerful workshop lights on the list – a massive 4,800 lumens at 5000K color temperature. They’re made from commercial grade aluminum and thermoplastic. They also feature an impact-resistant lens. These are the tough garage lights, built for hard work and a hard environment.
Just like others, it’s possible to link some of the units together. They all have individual pull chains to switch them off. The only let down is the shorter power cord – just 44″ in total. Some of the other lighting kits have around 60″. That extra foot and a bit can make a difference.
The FrenchMay lights will also operate right down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 Celsius). No problems in the cooler climes with these. The kits come with all necessary fixings and a 5-year warranty.
Considerations
When it comes to my workshop, I work on the theory that you can never have too much light. Besides, rig it up properly and you can separate the lights on to different circuits or switches. That means you don’t have to illuminate your whole garage if you don’t need to.
If you aren’t sure whether your power supply or circuits can handle the loads, then you’ll need to take some professional advice before starting. Having said that, most of these lights are low wattage and will draw less load.
About space restrictions, in particular, height restrictions – if your ceilings are low, hanging lights from them will result in either the lamps getting damaged or your head. Neither is a good result. I like to give myself a good three feet above me, but that’s largely dependent on your workspace.
You should also think about the maximum working height of anything else. A car on jack stands with the hood open for example. Or if you’re very lucky, a full car lift at max height. It’s surprising the number of times that you’ll forget your strip lamp is directly above the car!
Finally, the LED garage lights are nothing like the older fluorescent tubes. These will outlast, out-perform and draw less power than the older tubes.
Conclusion
There are many different products that will work for you, and being LED, most are super energy-efficient. This will give you around a 60% saving on your energy. They don’t emit the same level of heat as a regular light. And in most cases, the LED garage lights won’t make any noise like the old fluorescent tubes (and are mercury-free!) However, some have been known to cause an interference with an older style AM radio.
LED bulbs (or tubes) aren’t generally replaceable. But, with lifetimes that can run into years, that shouldn’t be a problem. Six hours of usage a day equates to over twenty years of life – that represents excellent value.
These seven products are just my lighting ideas for workshops, garages or utility rooms, etc. I feel they offer the best value against light production and longevity.
