Choosing a fluorescent lamp for your garage or utility room? We’ve made this review to make your choice easier.
Top rated fluorescent lights for garages
1. Basic 18 Inch Fluorescent Under Cabinet Light Fixture
2. Under Cabinet LED 220 Lumen Light Hard Wire
3. Hykolity Linkable LED Shop Light
4. Lithonia Lighting Acrylic Diffuser for LB Wraparound Series
5. Lithonia Lighting Lighting Fixture, 32W, 120V, Silver (w/Wire Guard)
The Best Fluorescent Lights
Best choice
General Electric Basic 18 Inch Fluorescent Light Fixture
This fluorescent light fixture is a good choice for providing light in your garage, workshop or utility room. This high-powered fluorescent light source gives you a warm white light.
- 4,9 Rating
- 18 inch – Flourescent
- Power Source Plug-in Electric
- Warm White, On/Off Switch
The Five Best Fluorescent Lights For Garages
Every time I was in my garage working out, something always felt a little off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something just didn’t seem right. Then spring came and for the first time in several months I opened the garage door before I started training. The fresh air and warm temps were amazing, but the kicker was the sunlight! Training in a bright and inviting environment was a game changer!
That day set me down a path of trying to figure out the best way to recreate that sunny environment every single day I trained. I seriously wanted to know what the best way to light my home gym would be. After a bunch of research and multiple visits to local lighting stores, I figured it out.
Fluorescent lights dim
Why some people get a fluorescent light fixture for their garage? For those who is used to stay in a garage till the late evening the light is very important. Regardless how often you work till late evening in your garage or workshop there is probably a good option for you in this listing.
Selecting new or additional right fluorescent garage lights, you have to be sure that you get enough visibility for whatever you may want.
Here you see a list of the five most commonly offered fluorescent lights for garages.
1. Basic 18 Inch Fluorescent Under Cabinet Light Fixture
Buy Basic 18 Inch Fluorescent Under Cabinet Light Fixture
This fluorescent light fixture is a good choice for providing light in your garage, workshop or utility room. This high-powered fluorescent light source gives you a warm white light. If you buy this lamp you get a good thing for highlighting any of your home’s dark areas. This plug-in fixture generates no hum, no flicker and it is energy efficient. The 18-inch light fixture has a plastic housing with a manual on/off rocker switch which is sturdy enough for any area. It comes fully assembled and ready to install and all installation hardware is included. The product is UL listed and is backed by a 1-year limited fixture warranty.
The main features
| 18-Inch warm white fluorescent under cabinet light fixture | Powered via plug in and linkable technology allows you to connect with other under cabinet fixtures | Energy saving, provides no hum, flicker free, instant on operation due to electronic ballast system |
2. Under Cabinet LED 220 Lumen Light Hard Wire
Buy Under Cabinet LED 220 Lumen Light Hard Wire
This is a basic fixture with a low cost. The 9” lights will give you enough light to make sure you your garage will not be in dark. This is a a quite simple fixture, pretty much standard and it is reliable. So you can be pretty sure this fixture will last for many years. It might be a good solution for those who just want to make sure they’ve got everything lit up.
The main features
| Butt connector included and low heat generation | Two connection options – hard wire to knock In connections via Romex, plug in connectors with linking cables allows for easy and diverse installation | 50,000 hour life with special lens for even light distribution |
3. Hykolity Linkable LED Shop Light
Buy Hykolity Linkable LED Shop Light
The led shop lighting is a great addition to any workshop, garage or utility room at a great low cost. This fixture provides high efficiency, long durability and energy savings in a simple, no-frills conventional lighting fixture. The led garage lights provide you better, cheaper and healthier lighting than conventional fluorescent light and can easily be replaced with any existing fixtures.
The main features
| An excellent replacement for 64W fluorescent fixtures and hanging hardware included provide hassle-free installation | Wide application – widely installed in garages, workshops, workbench areas, storage areas, warehouses, basements, equipment rooms | 3600-lumen output in 5000K daylight white for 100 lm/W LED efficiency and connector included in the accessories, can link up to 2 light fixture |
4. Lithonia Lighting Acrylic Diffuser for LB Wraparound Series
Buy Lithonia Lighting Acrylic Diffuser for LB Wraparound Series
Lithonia lighting has designed this recessed panel for excellent lighting inside of a garage. It’ll be a little bit more difficult to install than some fixtures. You probably will need an electrician for this.
The ballast is also good, allowing the lights to turn on without much flickering or humming. With a solid ballast, a protective panel, and two 32W T8 bulbs you’ll be in good hands with this fixture for lighting.
The main features
| Replacement lens for lb series | Acrylic prismatic diffuser replacement for wide 48″, 2 lamp t8 lb low-profile curved-basket wraparound | Fits 4 light 4′ wrap |
5. Lithonia Lighting Lighting Fixture, 32W, 120V, Silver (w/Wire Guard)
Buy Lithonia Lighting Lighting Fixture, 32W, 120V, Silver (w/Wire Guard)
These fluorescent 4-light heavy duty shoplight with wireguard are supplied ready to install. The wireguard protects this fixture from damages and if necessary it can be easily removed without tools. The bulbs are small but very powerful. With this bulbs, a polished reflector, and a huge amount of lighting per square foot you’re just not going to find a better fluorescent fixture anywhere.
The main features
| 12 inch reflector and pull chain power switch | The 4-light heavy duty light with wireguard comes fully assembled and ready to install | 5 ft. power cord and grounded convenience power outlet (max. 5A) |
Best Garage Lights
Whether you use it for parking your car, as a workshop, a storage hub, or all of the above, you need good lighting in your garage. Yet garages tend to be poorly lit, which makes them difficult to navigate, causes eye strain during DIY projects, and leaves you vulnerable to falls and injuries. There is a strong possibility that your garage lighting could use an upgrade. While the light that came with your garage door opener — if you have one — is good enough to make your garage “not dark,” it is far from adequate to do any kind of work or pursue a hobby. It certainly doesn’t make your garage look any nicer.
Ahead, the secret formula to improving your garage lighting. Follow these 10 smart measures to better illuminate your garage, boosting the safety, visibility, efficiency, and even the beauty of the space. By adding the right fluorescent garage lights, you can make sure that you end up with the visibility needed for whatever you may want to get done out there.
How to choose the best fluorescent lamps for garages
Whether it is a preference for aesthetics or just a feeling of old-fashioned sentimentality, some people prefer to do without modern LED lighting in favor of fluorescent tubes. There is a lot to say anyway, they are reliable and with a good ballast, they are certainly much brighter and more reliable than standard lamps.
There are two types of garage users and we have tried to make sure we have something for everyone.
Car workshop
If you use your garage primarily for your car, then a plastic cover and a few T8 light bulbs is probably all you need. 18″ or 24″ is your primary consideration and the choice depends on the size of your garage. Larger garage… bigger lights. Alternatively, more lights, according to your taste.
Fluorescent lights for garage:
Plug-in arrangements are of course much easier to handle for most people, but connecting a device directly to the wiring is definitely not impossible with a few instructions, knowledge of how to open a circuit breaker and some care.
Workbench
Those of us who work in the garage, however, need some serious shop lights where things can get a little trickier.
T5 vs. T8
This will be the main task of most people. T5 incandescent lamps are smaller but have a much higher light output than one would expect given their small size. These high power lamps, coupled with a reflector, can actually be a bit much for some people’s eyes. They also tend to consume more energy, so remember that when you choose them. However, if you want the brightest possible performance, these are probably the best fluorescent lamps for your garage.
Reflectors
A reflector can make a big difference with fluorescent lamps. You want something beautiful and polished because the round light bulbs emit the light evenly in every direction. This will allow you to get the most out of every watt of your light bulbs instead of throwing them into space.
Light switch types
We have to admit that we are fans of the pulled down chains of the old school. They are a lot of fun and quite satisfying. However, there are also many on and off lights that can be attached to plugs attached to a switch.
There are also on/off switches that can be attached to the device itself. It is all really a matter of personal choice.
Protection
Some people are more prone to accidents than others are, or use other tools in the garage. A little protection can prevent the light in your garage from shattering. Consider more solid protection for applications like grinding, where solids can fly unpredictably, or at least a wire basket for carpentry. It can save a lot of time if you do not have to replace your light bulbs every time you screw it up.
LED lighting
Today, LED lighting technology has proven to be a much more effective, efficient, and inexpensive solution. Today’s best-LED shop lights are lightweight, easy to install, and provide a much brighter and more consistent light than CFL or incandescent bulbs.
LEDs are super energy efficient, with some lights saving 75% in energy costs over CFL, or even more if you are switching from incandescent. You do not need any special handyman skills to hang these lights as they usually come with very easy installation hardware and instructions.
How to choose a fluorescent lamp?
Energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps from reputable manufacturers are a modern replacement for outdated, uneconomical incandescent lamps. They come in a wide variety of forms, so it’s quite difficult to know at first glance which one is best to buy for lighting your apartment. Yes, and you can use several types of fluorescent bulbs within the same dwelling.
The filament temperature of an ordinary incandescent bulb is 2427 degrees Celsius, or 2700 degrees on the Kelvin temperature scale.
Fluorescent bulbs are available in the following Kelvin temperature ranges:
- 2700 – “warm” white.
- 3300-3500 – white
- 4000-4200 – “cool” white that gives light with a bluish tint
- 6000-6500 – daylight
The first 2 ranges are close to normal incandescent lighting. Making a choice of energy-saving lamps for the home, you should consider that the first range is appropriate for the bedroom and nursery, the second – for the living room and kitchen. The third range more accurately transmits colors and is appropriate for use in offices. Lamps of daylight range are mostly used in non-residential premises.
What to consider when looking for the best fluorescent lights for garages
Some people prefer to set fluorescents and deny modern LED lighting. The modern fluorescent lamps are also reliable, designed for a long duration. If there is a good ballast these lighting is even brighter. As about garage users we can distinguish one sort – the people who spent much time at their cars and people who love their workshop and find any opportunity to stay there.
Car lovers – if your garage is primarily used for your car then a plastic shield and a couple of T8 bulbs are most likely what you need. How many and what size of bulbs to take – it is your decision, the larger is your garage the larger and more bulbs are to install.
Best Fluorescent lights ballast
DIYer – those of us who get work done in the garage need some serious shop lights though.
And what to choose T5 or T8? T5 bulbs, despite being smaller, have a much higher light output than you’d think judging by its size. These high output lights with with a reflector, can actually give enough light. These bulbs usually need more power, so don’t forget it when you’re optioning them out. But if you want the brightest possible output, these are likely the best fluorescent lights for your garage.
Fluorescent lights disposal review
A reflector can influence fluorescent lighting a lot. The round bulbs give light equally in each direction. This will give the most output of each watt of your bulbs instead of it being cast off into space.
A little bit of protection can keep your garage light from getting broken. Consider more solid protection like grinding, where solids can fly unpredictably, or at least a wire cage for carpentry. It can save a lot of time if you don’t have to replace your bulbs every time you mess up.
Conclusion
Making sure that you have the best fluorescent lights for garages is a good idea no matter how you use your garage. It’s just a matter of whether or not you need to get real work done while you’re in there. So get going, there’s a fixture for every need, after all. Good luck!
I do agree with all the ideas you have presented in your post. They’re really convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are too short for newbies. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.