Seeking Advice on Kitchen Lighting: Quality Over Looks

My parents have a 70s home with two ceiling boxes that originally held incandescent bulbs. Over the years, we’ve gone from incandescents to fluorescents, and then to Home Depot LED panels.

The problem with the LEDs was that they were too blue (probably 5k?) and had a poor CRI. The light just didn’t feel right in the kitchen.

I’m now considering switching to T8 LEDs with a 95+ CRI. The appeal is that they’re plug-and-play, so it seems like a simple upgrade. However, I’m wondering if the cover over the tubes affects the CRI or light quality? Some covers are prismatic with clear facets, while others are just opaque white. Does one perform better than the other in terms of light quality?

Here’s the link to the bulbs I’m considering:
Waveform Lighting T8 LED

Any advice or experience with these kinds of setups? Like the title says, my parents aren’t focused on how it looks. They just want a good, high-quality, bright light that’s comfortable to work under.

5 Likes

Indeed, opting for T8 LEDs is a great choice! The cover does influence the light’s perception, yet it doesn’t significantly alter the Color Rendering Index (CRI). Prismatic covers are known to disperse light uniformly, aiding in shadow minimization and providing a consistent illumination throughout the area. On the other hand, opaque white covers can mellow the light, potentially diminishing its intensity a bit. For optimal functionality in the kitchen, prismatic would be the way to go!

4 Likes

I totally understand the LED dilemma; 5k LEDs had my kitchen looking like an operating room! I made the switch to 4k LEDs with a high Color Rendering Index, and suddenly, my kitchen felt less like surgery and more like home. Definitely, T8 LEDs with a 95+ CRI are the way to go. The lighting feels so natural, you might just mistake your carrots for a sunset. And for the covers, prismatic is the way to go for that soft, even glow—no spotlight effect, just culinary stage lighting.

3 Likes

If you’re doing a lot of cooking or food prep, high CRI is really important. I went with 95+ CRI in my kitchen, and it made the colors of food pop. It’s like night and day compared to low-CRI bulbs. For the cover, I’d lean towards prismatic—it tends to preserve brightness better. Opaque ones sometimes dull the effect a bit.

2 Likes

I actually use the exact same Waveform Lighting T8s! They’re awesome, flicker-free, and the color accuracy is spot on. I have prismatic covers and haven’t noticed any degradation in light quality. If your parents want the light to feel comfortable, I think you’ll be happy with the upgrade.

1 Like

If you’re going plug-and-play, T8 LEDs are the way to go! I wouldn’t worry too much about the covers affecting the CRI. Just pick whichever one looks better to you. But if you want more even lighting, prismatic tends to spread the light around more evenly. Sounds like you’re on the right track though!