To help you achieve the highest visibility in your once dimly-lit garage, we’ve hunted down the best garage lighting of 2019, bought 20 different options and researched them in actual garages. During our research, we eliminated models that didn’t meet our standards when it came to brightness, color temperature and lifespan. With these features in mind, we curated a list of the top seven garage lighting options.
Of these seven garage lights, the product that shined the most (in more ways than one) is the Tanbaby Tribright garage lighting. These lights are stunningly bright, extra adjustable, and designed for efficient heat dissipation. They’ll keep your garage or workshop as bright as daylight without breaking a sweat. Keep reading to learn more about the Tanbaby garage lights and the other six options that made the cut as best garage lighting. You may also check our list of the best cars on the market.
Top 7 Garage Lighting Compared
#1 Tanbaby Tribright Garage Lights
Award: Top Pick/Best Garage Lighting for Workshops
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Tanbaby LED garage lights are the brightest, toughest and longest-lasting on our list. They offer up to 50,000 hours of constant runtime and feature a more durable aluminum design that is extra resistant to both heat and corrosion.
- 6000K color temperature for daylight-like lighting
- Super durable, heat- and corrosion-resistant design
- Rated for 50,000 hours of constant runtime
- Can’t use it outside
- Motion sensor not included
- Instructions are lacking
The Tanbaby LED garage lights offer this high level of durability with premium aluminum alloy housing. This housing is extra-resistant to the heat and corrosion that usually come with extended periods of usage. The unique design of the aluminum housing also allows for greater heat dissipation so your garage’s ceiling doesn’t get ruined.
These LED garage lights are made to imitate daylight without needing to go outside, which is apparent from their brightness rating of 6,000 lumens and 6,000K color temperature. Fortunately, you’ll still experience up to 85% energy savings as compared to other non-LED shop and garage lights like fluorescent bulbs.
#2 Sunco Utility Shop Garage Light
Award: Honorable Mention/Best 4ft LED Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Sunco Utility Shop Light is an excellent choice for workshops because of its large size and the ability you get to link up to 4 individual lights for maximum brightness and more lighting coverage overall.
- Largest lights on our list
- Linkable with 3 other LED shop lights
- Easy to install
- Lower brightness than most on our list
- No motion sensors included
- Instructions aren’t very clear
The Sunco Utility Shop Light is lighting that features 4 feet of LED bulbs with a total of 4,000 lumens of brightness and a 4000K color temperature. While this isn’t as bright as other individual lights on our list, the ability to link up to 4 of these lights together makes up for it. The lights can connect with a cable included in the package, which is super easy to accomplish.
The lights don’t include any kind of motion sensor and installation instructions aren’t very clear, but these downsides don’t eliminate this light’s overall usefulness in your garage. During installation, you can mount the lights flush with the ceiling or on hanging chains, giving you more versatility in lighting your workspace the way you want.
#3 JMTGNSEP Garage Lighting
Award: Best Indoor Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The JMTGNSEP 60W pack a punch with 6,000 lumens and 6000K color temperature, giving you near-daylight lighting at an energy-efficient cost.
- Compatible with E26/27 sockets
- Deformable design that allows you to angle the bulbs
- Stellar energy savings
- Heavier than most LED lighting
- LED head design doesn’t allow for great light diffusion
- Individual lights don’t rotate from side to side, only up and down
The JMTGNSEP LED garage lights are the best triple LED garage lighting option on our list because of its rated lifespan of 50,000 hours and super flexible design. You can adjust each one of the LED panels to get 360-degree light coverage. Unfortunately, you can’t rotate the panels from side to side, which limits you a little bit in adjustability.
The JMTGNSEP is compatible with both E26 and E27 light bulb sockets. Simply screw the lighting into the socket and you’re good to go. They’re also made from aluminum alloy materials with a hollowed-out design that allows for better cooling efficiency and added durability.
#4 OOOLED LED Shop and Garage Lighting
Award: Best LED Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The OOOLED LED Shop Light is an excellent choice for anyone looking for LED lighting options. This light gives you the option of linking together multiple lights for maximum brightness, making it more versatile and cost effective than many options on our list.
- Superb 5-year warranty
- Can be installed hanging or flush mounted
- Easy to install
- Not as bright as other options
- Angle of lights can’t be adjusted
- Design isn’t as durable as other options
One of the biggest benefits to using OOOLED garage lighting is the excellent, long-term warranty included in your purchase. You get an impressive 5 years of total coverage, without any strings attached. If you have any problems with the lighting at all, you can reach out to their 24-hour customer support line to get help.
While this warranty is definitely a nice feature to have, we don’t think you’ll need to use it very often, if ever. These garage lights are designed well, with features that prevent overheating. And while you can’t adjust the angle of the lighting, you can link up to 4 separate units to provide the most comprehensive lighting coverage in your garage or workshop.
#5 qimedo 2 Pack Led Garage Lighting
Award: Best LED Residential Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The qimedo 2 Pack Led garage lights are bright, powerful, and energy efficient, making them the best choice for residential use.
- Bright 10,000-lumens LED panels
- No need for hardwiring
- Long, 50,000-hour lifespan
- Lights don’t include motion sensors
- Not as large as other garage lighting
- Lighting can be harsher than expected
This set of LED shop lights is great for homeowners looking for something easy to use and easy to install. Instead of needing to hardwire the lighting directly into your garage’s wiring, you can install this LED garage light in any existing E26 or E27 lightbulb socket. At that point, all you need to do to operate the lights is flip the switch.
The lights are built to last, as well, since they’re made from premium aluminum materials. They’re also designed to better dissipate heat during prolonged use so you don’t have to worry about ruining your ceiling or surrounding fixtures. And with a rated 50,000 hours of runtime, the qimedo LED garage lights are perfect for constant use without fear of burning them out too quickly.
#6 ANYPOWK LED Garage Lights
Award: Best Triple LED Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The ANYPOWK garage lights pack a punch with 6,000 lumens and 6000K color temperature, giving you near-daylight lighting at an energy efficient cost.
- Very easy to install
- 6,000 lumens of brightness
- Super durable design
- No motion sensors
If you’re looking for LED garage lighting, look no further than the ANYPOWK garage lights. For starters, you’ll be able to achieve near-daylight lighting in your garage or workshop with the lights’ 6,0000 lumens brightness rating and 6,000K color temperature.
And the lights are designed well, to boot, which makes them an even better deal overall. First, they feature a mostly-adjustable function where you can move each LED section up and down to achieve a 270-degree coverage effect. Or, you can simply move one panel to light an area that’s typically harder to reach. ANYPOWK also designed the lights for durability with a premium allow housing that allows for heat to dissipate quicker and more efficiently. This way, you won’t have to worry about your lights burning out too quickly. On another note, the best WiFi smart air conditioner can cool your garage economically. Another good option is the Neporal Wireless Tribright LED Garage Light in White. With its efficient design of having only 117 LEDs, this triple light fixture helps you reduce both your power consumption and the price on your next electricity bill. It’s still bright enough to light even a high bay space by itself, and it’s also high-temperature resistant.
#7 Mopzlink LED Garage Lights
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Award: Best Outdoor Garage Lighting
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Mopzlink LED garage lights are perfect for outdoor use due to their 6,000 lumen brightness rating and
- Extra-bright 6,000 lumens
- Rated for 50,000 hours of use
- Excellent, 3-year warranty
- Light takes a few seconds to turn on
- No motion sensing
- Using multiple units may be too bright for some customers
If you’re looking for something to use long-term in your garage when it comes to lighting, the Mopzlink LED garage lights might be the answer to your prayers. With one of the highest brightness ratings on the list (6,000 lumens) and an excellent warranty on top of that (3 years), these lights are sure to go strong for years to come.
The design of these LED garage lights are a little different than the other options you’ve seen so far, but that doesn’t make it any less functional. In fact, you still get the standard 90-degree adjustability for the LED panels, along with the excellent heat dissipation design. We actually think the design is a bit more sturdy than other lights on our list due to the die-cast aluminum materials used. These are also rated for use under protected areas outdoors.
How We Decided
Finding the best and brightest garage lighting can be difficult with so many options from which to choose. During our research, we only included options that provide brightness ratings between 6,000 and 8,000 lumens and a color temperature between 5,000 and 6,500K. This is the sweet spot for garage lighting; anything less is too dark and anything more is too harsh for use in garages. We didn’t include any lighting options with lifespans less than 30,000 hours and gave preference to lights rated at 50,000 hours or more. Finally, the best garage lighting must be energy efficient, which is why the products we included are all LEDs that offer up to 85% greater efficiency than other bulb types.
Garage Lighting Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
As you’re researching the different garage lighting options on the market today, consider these features and how the product you’re currently eyeing stacks up to industry standards:
- Installation/Socket Compatibility – Installing new lighting in your garage can be difficult, depending on the type of light you purchase.
- Many garage lighting options need to be hardwired into your existing wiring, which is time-consuming and expensive if you need to hire an electrician to do it for you. But you may find that hiring a professional is in exchange for ease of installation. Be sure to research how to install different types of garage light fixtures, like tube lights, task lights, bay lights, etc. if you’re handling the installation process without a professional.
- We found that lighting compatible with E26 and E27 sockets is best since all you need to do is screw the individual lights into existing light bulb sockets.
- Make sure your lighting illuminates whatever areas you need to access in the garage, like a work or storage area. If you want to illuminate the entire garage and you have a two-car garage design, make sure you get enough light panels. You may not need as many light panels if your garage doors already have windows to allow natural light in.
- Consider the type of lighting and lumen output you need. Bright light in the range of 5,000-6,500 lumens is ideal for illuminating workspace areas. For overall garage lighting ideas, look for adjustable panels that provide sufficient lumen output.
- Color Rendering Index – The color rendering index, or CRI, is a measure of how accurate your lights render color to your eyes. The closer the CRI is to 100, the more true colors will look. Consider lighting that is rated at least at CRI80, especially if you regularly work on projects in your garage.
- LED garage lighting fixtures with high CRI replicate colors most accurately for tasks like painting and repairs. Recessed lights and under cabinet lights with a CRI of 80+ ensure you see the true hues as you work. For the main ceiling lights, look for LED strip lights or directional lights that provide brighter illumination.
- Combining high-intensity overhead lighting with high CRI-directed lighting gives you both ample brightness and accurate color rendering. The right mix of LED garage lighting fixtures creates the ideal light quality and visibility for doing detail-oriented projects while also fully brightening the space.
- Of course, you’ll need the space in your garage lit up, especially if you’re trying to find a place to store a vacuum cleaner.
- Design and Durability – Garage lighting operating at 6,000 lumens or higher can get hot, especially during extended periods of use. The best garage lighting is designed to dissipate heat efficiently so it doesn’t ruin the light or your garage ceiling. Keep in mind that the lower the amount of Kelvins, the warmer and yellow your light will be, while with something higher like 6500 Kelvin, the garage ceiling lights will have a cool temperature.
- Also keep in mind there are different types of garage lighting in terms of bulbs: LED lights tend to last twice as long versus the old standard fluorescent lights, and they tend to be more durable than incandescent light bulbs. LED bulbs can also cut energy costs versus fluorescent lighting and incandescent bulbs since these efficient lights produce less energy consumption.
- If you don’t want to opt for LED types of bulbs but want to save more money, make sure you reduce light output by turning off the light switch when you’re not using the garage.
- Halogen lights are a type of incandescent bulb that can produce a white light that many may find appealing to their garage space, but keep in mind that these tend to attract insects versus LED options.
