By Timothy Dale and Stacey L Nash | Updated Jan 2, 2024 2:06 PM
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Photo: Stacey L. Nash for Bob Vila
LED light strips are long circuit boards with surface-mount device light-emitting diodes (SMD LEDs) that bring illumination to any room. The strips are also known as LED tape or ribbon lights and usually have an adhesive backing for easy installation. We researched important qualities in LED strip lights and put some of the top ones through a series of tests to see how well they functioned.
Some of the best LED strip lighting options can be used for many interior design projects, including recessed lighting, television backlighting, smart-home connections, and kitchen countertop illumination with under-cabinet lighting, so we looked at these considerations as well.
We tested each of the light strips on this list to see how they performed. Each one was selected based on quality, functionality, and attractive design. In addition to evaluating how well the light strips worked, we looked at the strength of adhesives, app functionality, brightness, and installation ease. Keep reading to see which lights shone above the rest and find out some of the best LED light brands.
Photo: Stacey L. Nash for Bob Vila
First, we researched LED strip light reviews to compose a list of a variety of products to try. We tested the light strips according to an established rubric that included criteria for illumination, installation, performance, and durability. After rating the lights on a scale of 0 to 4, we calculated their rating.
Based on the design, we installed the light strips in a kitchen, office, onto a TV, or in a car. We followed manufacturer installation and operation instructions. Testing took place over a 2½-week period, with individual light strips being tested for 3 to 7 days within that period, to give us a more accurate view of the light strips’ functionality and adhesive strength. We connected the lights to their accompanying apps and tested the features to find out their usefulness and functionality in everyday life.
According to each product’s features, we set lighting schedules, created lighting themes, and varied how and when the lights were used. By installing the lights in real-life situations, we were able to get an idea of how well they functioned overall as well as which individual settings worked best.
We also spoke with Dara Greaney, CEO and founder of LED Light Expert, who provided some sage advice for shoppers. “Strip lights are a fun DIY project, but they are not plug and play. You need to figure out how to secure them, where to power them and how to cut them if necessary.” With this in mind, we made sure to incorporate these ideas into our hands-on testing.
Photo: Stacey L.Nash for Bob Vila
No matter what type of LED light strip someone needs, a common goal is to find a high-quality product. To make the search easier, we tested a variety of LED light strips, and based on our testing, we chose the following options as some of the best available in terms of price, effectiveness, and reputation. Organized by type, one of these may be what you need to light up your home.
The Govee 32.8-foot smart LED light strip has almost 33 feet of bright lighting with up to 16 million color options through the Govee home app. The light strip can also connect with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to provide voice control over lighting. Turn the lights on or off while walking into an area, or even control the color settings without lifting a finger.
This smart LED light strip pack comes with two flexible 16.4-foot rolls and requires 36 watts of power for optimal functionality. Use a smartphone to set a schedule for operation or enjoy the sound-responsive microphone, which prompts the LEDs to change color with music beats, hand claps, and other sounds.
In our testing, we found that this Govee light strip had an excellent balance of qualities, including adhesive strength, color options, and scheduling. We tested these lights under kitchen cabinets and found them to be bright enough for food prep tasks.
The app had excellent connectivity, great schedule options, and lighting choices based on scenes (preset colors based on seasons, moods, holidays, or occasions) or manual preferences. Govee got extra points from us for providing support clips that adhere or screw in to hold the heavier parts of the electrical cord if needed.
Get the Govee 32.8-foot LED light strips at Amazon.
Nexillumi’s 50-foot LED light strip uses 540-LM LED lights to add attractive accent illumination to any room. These lights are 70 watts, with 80 to 90 watts being average; that lower brightness uses less energy but still illuminates enough to improve visibility. Download the “illumi home” light app for fully customizable color selection, response to music beats, and brightness optimization. A remote is also included for folks who don’t wish to use smartphone or smart-home applications.
When testing these lights in the kitchen, we found that the strips aren’t coated with resin, which made them lighter—that may have helped the adhesive keep them firmly in place under the wall cabinets. While they didn’t create enough light for food prep tasks, they improved visibility while adding accent illumination. The app worked well, but when using the remote, it had to be pretty close to the light strip to get it to work, and sometimes it failed entirely.
Get the Nexillumi LED light strips at Amazon.
Designed for TV backlighting, the Pangton Villa LED TV backlight comes in four strips with adhesive backing for simple application. The 540-LM lighting is a worthy selection for setting a mood behind a television while playing a favorite game or watching a movie.
There’s no need to worry about wattage requirements because the light strip connects directly to a television through a USB port.
If a TV does not have a USB port, plug an adapter into the power outlet. Choose from 16 colors or dim the lights with the included remote control. While these strips took our award for best TV LED light strips, remember that this light strip kit is only for televisions or computer monitors; it wasn’t designed for other situations.
The light strips are broken into sections with flexible connectors so they can be adapted to fit a TV—a feature that proved helpful during installation. The Pangton Villa LED strip lights easily adhered and never lost their grip during our testing. The remote control wasn’t hard to use, but the function of each button wasn’t always obvious.
Get the Pangton Villa LED light strips at Amazon.
Motion-activated automatic lights can be a significant safety benefit in garages, laundry rooms, hallways, and doorways. Our tests found the VyanLight motion-sensor LED Lights, which come in a 3-pack, to be a worthy option. They use passive infrared technology (PIR) to detect motion and turn on the 10 built-in LED lights.
In our tests, these LED lights turned on within 9 feet of proximity and turned off automatically after 20 seconds without additional light or any motion, saving battery life. Plus, the lights are triggered only when the space lacks adequate light. For example, they won’t turn on if daylight is illuminating the area, but they will activate at night.
Though ideal for illuminating dark areas for safety, the strips’ size—7.5 inches long by 1.2 inches wide—also makes them a good option inside wardrobes and closets as well as under cabinets, which is where we tested them. We appreciated that the lights are completely wireless and powered by four AAA batteries so we could install them anywhere. Plus, the strips are made with high-quality aluminum for durability; they seem unlikely to crack, bend, or erode over time.
We adhered the magnetic mounting strip using the adhesive backing. After installing four AAA batteries, we easily slid the light into the mounting strip. We considered it a plus that the lights simply detach for battery replacement, rather than the awkward process of removing batteries while the light is mounted. By the time testing was done 2 weeks later, the batteries were still going strong.
Get the VyanLight LED light strips at Amazon.
While a car’s interior lights offer visibility at night, extra illumination can help users find dropped items while adding a bit of ambience. The Govee RGB Smart Car LED strip lights proved just the ticket in that regard. Upon testing, we appreciated the DIY mode in the Govee Home app that lets users create custom light settings to match most any accessory or illumination currently in a car. Plus, brightness is adjustable via Bluetooth connectivity.
These light strips have a dynamic music mode with a built-in microphone that can be synced with the car stereo, creating a vibrant dance of color around the interior. We found it easy to customize the lighting via the smart color-picking feature that uses an uploaded photo to create a color scheme.
The dual-line light strips can easily be mounted under the seats, wheel, dashboard, or on the flooring via adhesive and support clips. For added reliability, rubber tubing on the outside protects the LED lights from water, moisture, and abrasions. The lights plug into the vehicle’s parallel double outlet and have short-circuit protection for longevity.
Users must be aware that there will be cords trailing through the car with these lights. While screws and zip ties are included, most cars, including the one used for testing, had no place to attach the cords to keep them out of the way.
Get the Govee Smart Car LED light strips at Amazon.
Want to make any room feel like a dance club? Consider installing the Daybetter Bluetooth LED strip lights on the ceiling. This set of two 50-foot strip lights has Bluetooth connectivity through Apollo Lighting, Daybetter’s app, for adjusting the six preset and five standard colorways (variable colorways are adjustable with a dial as well). The lights also include a remote control for adjusting color and brightness.
We recommend this set of Bluetooth smart light strips for rooms where music often plays, as the music-sync mode manipulates the lighting color and movement to the beat of the music. Plus, the smart timing setting allowed us to preset times to turn the lights on or off automatically. The disco downside? The lights sync only with music on iTunes.
In testing, these LED lights proved easy to install thanks to the adhesive on the back of the strips and the plug-in design. Follow installation instructions carefully, however, because dust can interfere with adherence. We were also disappointed that the electrical cord was a little short, requiring an extension cord for ceiling use, which detracted from the ambience. And we occasionally had issues with app connectivity when Bluetooth connection was up near the ceiling.
Get the Daybetter 100 feet of LED light strips at Amazon or Walmart.
Bring pops of brilliant light and color to a large space with the Tenmiro RGB 100-foot color-changing LED strip lights. With two rolls of 50-foot strip lights, users can install enough lighting for a medium to large room and choose from millions of customizable colorways using the 44-key remote or the brand’s app.
In testing, we enjoyed the music-sync function of these 60-watt LED strip lights. They boast a built-in sensitivity-adjustable microphone that lets the color dance to the rhythm of any song (as long as it’s on the iTunes app, however). The Tenmiro lights can be timed for automatic on/off, and the dimmable feature sets the light level based on the chosen settings. There are also scene options (preset colors based on seasons, moods, holidays, or occasions) from which to choose, including various strobe effects.
These lights can stick to any clean, dry surface with the adhesive backing. The adhesive is strong, and in testing we appreciated that the lights held firmly, even with the weight of the Bluetooth transmitter.
Get the Tenmiro LED light strips at Amazon.
Those looking to add a little ambience and extra illumination to the kitchen and other splash-prone spaces might want to check out the Daybetter waterproof IR 32.8-foot LED strip lights. Though calling them truly “waterproof” is inaccurate, these LED lights are covered in resin, which makes them durable and somewhat splash-resistant.
Although these lights are advertised as being suitable for outdoor and indoor use, the instructions specify that they are not intended for humid environments or open air. Not all elements are waterproof, so we cannot recommend them for use outside or even in the bathroom (and we were naturally a bit put off by the conflicting claims). However, we did place them above our kitchen sink, and when the light strips got splashed by a mix of water and grease, they did not fail.
Linear installation was no problem, but because the protective coating on the strips makes them stiff, it was somewhat difficult to navigate curves and corners. In fact, the strips pulled away at corners, especially 90-degree angles, in our testing.
We did find the illumination and color options to be excellent. These lights include an infrared remote that can be adjusted to 16 different colors to suit many moods with the help of 44 keys.
Get the Daybetter waterproof LED light strips at Amazon or Daybetter.
We also tested the Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip and the Monster 6.5-Foot Multicolor LED Light, but neither passed testing. The Philips