Xenon Vs. Halogen Under-Cabinet Lights

Under-cabinet lights can enhance the look of a kitchen.

Mounting lights under the cabinets in your kitchen will provide brightness to the room and accent the decorative details of the area. Although both xenon and halogen lights work in relatively the same way, by applying a voltage across a filament or electrode located inside a gas-filled bulb, each has its own characteristics to consider when using them for decorative lighting.

Quality of Light

Xenon lights provide the most accurate color rendering possible. Color rendering is a bulb's ability to illuminate colors correctly with a rating of 100 being the best. Halogen lights offer color rendering superior to regular incandescent bulbs and florescent lights, but inferior to xenon bulbs.

Heat Output

A halogen under-cabinet light produces a large amount of heat. This makes replacing the bulb difficult because touching the bulb will leave oil from your hand on the glass that will cause overheating and failure. Xenon light bulbs do not produce extreme heat and are able to withstand oil residue left by touching them with bare hands.

Life Expectancy

Xenon bulbs are rated to last 10,000 hours before burning out. Halogen lights have a life expectancy of 2,000 hours.

References

• Top Bits: How Do Xenon Lights Work

Resources

• Choosing Your Under Cabinet Lighting