The Best Recessed Lighting for Coverage and Ambience in 2024
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Add accent illumination or increase overall brightness without changing a room’s decor via recessed lighting that suits any setting, style, and budget.
Chandeliers, under-cabinet lighting, and ceiling fans all have their place in lighting a home, but to add additional illumination discreetly, consider recessed lighting. Recessed lighting fixtures have a bulb contained inside an inverted cylindrical recessed fixture that’s mounted virtually flush with the ceiling. This means recessed lighting takes up physical space without competing with your room’s decor.
The best recessed lighting will depend on your preference for allover or directional lighting as well as the room’s purpose. Brayden Montgomery, owner of Vantage Builders, a general contracting company based in West Haven, Utah, recommends LED light fixtures: “They provide quality light for up to 25 years while saving over 80 percent in energy costs compared to incandescents.” He adds that in homes, he often installs 4-inch LED recessed lights at 6,000 to 8,000 lumens for living spaces.
Ahead, learn more ins and outs of recessed lighting, and find out why the following products are considered to be the best recessed lighting in their respective categories.
- BEST OVERALL: Amico 6-Inch Ultra-Thin LED Recessed Lighting
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Torchstar 4-Inch Basic Series LED Recessed Lights
↓ Jump to Review - BEST SMART: Cloudy Bay Smart Wi-Fi LED Recessed Lights
↓ Jump to Review - BEST DIMMABLE: Feit Electric 6-Inch Smart Recessed Downlight
↓ Jump to Review - BEST ADJUSTABLE: Maxxima 6-Inch Rotatable LED Downlight
↓ Jump to Review - BEST MINI: YGS-Tech 2-Inch LED Recessed Dimmable Downlight
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR SHOWER/BATHROOM: Halo 6-Inch Recessed Light
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR OUTDOORS: Globe Electric Rustproof Indoor/Outdoor Lighting Kit
↓ Jump to Review
Our Top Picks
To qualify as a top pick, a ceiling recessed light must be durable, attractive, and offer adequate illumination to meet everyday needs. The following recessed lights (many of which are sold in sets) are suitable for various uses, and one or more are likely to be a bright addition to any home.
Best Overall
Amico 6-Inch Ultra-Thin LED Recessed Lighting
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700 kelvins (K), 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, and 5000K
- Wattage: 12 watts
- Units per pack: 6
What We Like
- 110 watts of light for ample brightness
- Adjustable color temperature
- Thin construction remains flush with ceiling
- Stays hidden if installed under cabinets
- Spring clamps included for quick and easy installation
What We Don’t Like
- May require professional help for proper installation
Get the equivalent of 110 watts of halogen brightness with the Amico recessed ceiling lights. Each light uses only 12 watts of electricity, and six lights will illuminate small to large rooms efficiently.
These thin 6-inch lights (less than 0.5 inches thick) will fit in ceilings with clearances as shallow as 2 inches above the drywall. Users can adjust the color warmth on each light, from warm white (2700K) to cool white (5000K), to create just the right atmosphere in the room.
Each of the LED recessed lights comes with an easy-to-wire junction box, requiring users simply to match the color of the Romex wire to the corresponding slot and push the wire into the box to lock it into place. These 6-inch lights are secured in the ceiling via spring clamps. Although these recessed lights are considered DIY-friendly, those not familiar with wiring principles will want to hire an electrician to install them.
Get the Amico recessed lighting at Amazon.
Best Bang for the Buck
Torchstar 4-Inch Basic Series LED Recessed Lights
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700K, 3000K, 4000K, or 5000K
- Wattage: 10 watts
- Units per pack: 12
What We Like
- 80-watt illumination for ample brightness
- Suitable for living rooms, kitchens, offices, and more
- Comes with a dimming feature
- Aluminum shell keeps unit cool to the touch
- Spring clips included for easy mounting
- Affordable compared to similar options on the market
What We Don’t Like
- Heavyweight construction; may be tricky when installing
To reap the benefits of LED can lights and stay on budget, consider Torchstar’s dimmable recessed lighting. Each of the 4-inch lights uses only 10 watts of electricity but provides brightness equivalent to an 80-watt incandescent bulb for ample illumination. The thin housing installs to ceiling drywall using spring clips, and each light features an easy-to-wire junction box that doesn’t require attachment to ceiling joists.
Similar to other LED light bulbs, the Torchstar recessed lights remain cool to the touch due to the built-in aluminum shell, so they won’t get hot in the ceiling. The lights are compatible with most wall-mounted dimmer switches, allowing users to decrease brightness to suit their mood and conserve even more energy.
Get the Torchstar recessed lighting at Amazon.
Best Smart
Cloudy Bay Smart Wi-Fi LED Recessed Lights
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700K through 6500K
- Wattage: 15 watts
- Units per pack: 6
What We Like
- Offers more than 16 million colors
- Lighting color can change with music beats or hand claps
- Voice control; compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Comes with 8 preprogrammed “scenes”
What We Don’t Like
- Connectivity can be spotty
If you’ve been searching for a smart recessed lighting option, then you’ll want to check out the Cloudy Bay recessed lights. This product offers a mind-blowing 16 million colors ranging from cool to warm white light. You can set your lighting preferences to align with different needs and activities, like reading, working, watching movies, and dining.
Compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant, the Cloudy Bay recessed lights can also be synced to music—have the colors change with the beat for your next dance party. These lights also feature remote control access through a smartphone, timer and schedule options, and the ability to create lighting groups organized by room.
Get the Cloudy Bay recessed lighting at Amazon or Cloudy Bay.
Best Dimmable
Feit Electric 6-Inch Smart Recessed Downlight
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700K to 6500K, plus RBGW
- Wattage: 11.1 watts
- Units per pack: 1
What We Like
- Set brightness, color temperature, and color
- Compatible with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Fits most 5- or 6-inch can housings
- Standard base adapter
- Energy Star–certified model
What We Don’t Like
- Multiple units may need to be purchased
Dimmable, color-changing, and smart, the Feit Electric RGBW Smart recessed downlight is the perfect light to set the mood. This LED light uses only 11.1 watts to produce a bright 75-watt-equivalent light. Users can control brightness and color, and they can set schedules from a smartphone app—the light connects directly to Wi-Fi, so there’s no need for a hub.
For those with a smart-home system, this light can connect to Alexa or Google Home Assistant to enable voice controls. Each pack includes one Energy Star–certified light that fits most 5- to 6-inch recessed can housings. A standard base adapter and premounted trim are also included for ease of installation.
Get the Feit Electric recessed lighting at Amazon or Ace Hardware.
Best Adjustable
Maxxima 6-Inch Rotatable LED Downlight
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, and 5000K
- Wattage: 11 watts
- Units per pack: 1
What We Like
- Affordable overhead lighting
- Has an adjustable head
- No wiring necessary
- Spring clamps included for added ease of installation
What We Don’t Like
- Comes with only 1 unit; lighting larger rooms can get pricey
Direct light right where it’s wanted with the Maxxima downlight. This 6-inch recessed ceiling light features an adjustable head, so users can shine a light on any area of the room. It’s also readjustable to make it easy to highlight different parts of the room.
The Maxxima adjustable recessed lights are designed to retrofit existing canned lights, and no wiring is necessary. All users need to do is screw the new LED light into the can’s existing socket. The Maxxima light is held in place via spring clamps that securely attach it to the ceiling drywall.
The light comes with a standard orange LED plug for connection to an existing LED can light. If swapping out an old bulb, check to see if the current bulb has an orange plug—if so, the Maxxima will fit right in. This recessed light uses only 11 watts of electricity and yet emits almost as much light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb.
Get the Maxxima recessed lights at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Maxxima.
Best Mini
YGS-Tech 2-Inch LED Recessed Dimmable Downlight
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: 2700K, 3000K, 4000K, or 5000K
- Wattage: 3 watts
- Units per pack: 4
What We Like
- Includes dimming feature
- No heat is generated from long-term use times
- Lightweight construction
- Spring clips are built in for ease of installation
What We Don’t Like
- Narrow illumination range
Install a ceiling full of these mini lights, or place one strategically where needed as a task or accent light. The YGS-Tech recessed lights come with easy-to-wire junction boxes, and they don’t require attachment to ceiling joists.
They’re available in a four-pack and use only 3 watts of electricity per light, yet each produces as much illumination as a 35-watt halogen bulb. The lights are dimmable for further savings, and, as they use LED bulbs, they don’t generate heat, so there’s no need to worry about the housing making contact with ceiling insulation.
Get the YGS-Tech recessed lighting at Amazon or YGS-Tech.
Best for Shower/Bathroom
Halo 6-Inch Recessed Light
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Color temperature: Depends on the A19 bulb you purchase (sold separately)
- Wattage: 60 watts
- Units per pack: 1
What We Like
- Affordable lighting compared to similar options
- Moisture-resistant construction and trim
- Comes in multiple quantities
What We Don’t Like
- A19 bulb not included; needs to be bought separately
If a standard lighting fixture comes into contact with water, it can throw a breaker, but with the Halo recessed light, there’s no cause to worry about splashes from a shower or tub. Thanks to a cover that seals tightly to the light’s base for moisture protection, the Halo light is designed to withstand occasional water spray and high-humidity conditions without a problem.
This 6-inch recessed fixture accepts a 60-watt-equivalent LED bulb (not included) and is designed to retrofit an existing recessed can light. Its waterproof trim locks firmly against the ceiling to give the bathroom’s ceiling light a fresh, upgraded look. Finally, this model comes in either a two pack or four pack for both small and large spaces.
Get the Halo recessed lighting at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.
Best for Outdoors
Globe Electric Rustproof Indoor/Outdoor Lighting Kit
