Black & Decker 5-Bar LED Under Cabinet Lighting Kit, Warm White, 9 in

Why I picked up this kit

I spend a lot of time at the kitchen counter—chopping, reading recipes, late-night snacking—and I’ve been wanting task lighting that’s bright, even, and easy to control with messy hands. I tried the Black & Decker under-cabinet kit because it promised a practical mix of features: linkable 9-inch bars, motion-based on/off, a 10-step dimmer, and a simple surface-mount approach that wouldn’t require hardwiring. On paper, the numbers also looked right for a DIY kit: 1,800 lumens total, 4000K “warm white,” and a 50,000-hour LED life, all running off a low-voltage 24 V system.

Installation and setup

Planning the layout took me longer than the actual install, which is a good thing. Each bar is slim—roughly 9 in L x 3/4 in W x 3/8 in H—so they tuck cleanly behind a cabinet face frame. The kit includes five bars, a control box, an AC adapter, and a generous mix of jumper cables: short 4-inch links for tight cabinet-to-cabinet transitions, 12-, 30-, and 72-inch jumpers for reaching across longer spans, plus wire clips and bar clips.

A few tips from my install:

• Dry-fit everything first. The bars themselves are 9 inches, but the end connectors add a bit of extra length and need room to bend. Plan at least a little clearance at the ends, especially in bays under 12 inches.
• Place the bars toward the front of the cabinet underside for the best countertop illumination and less backsplash glare.
• Keep the motion sensor accessible. If you hide the control box too far back or behind a deep valance, you’ll find yourself fishing around to wave it on.

The bars snap into low-profile clips. You can do a non-invasive install with high-bond tape on the clips if you want to avoid screws (I tested that on one cabinet run and it held fine), but for a permanent setup I used the included screws. The wire clips do a decent job of tidying jumpers along the underside; I still ran a short length of white cable raceway near an open edge for a cleaner look.

Connecting the chain is straightforward: AC adapter into control box, then daisy-chain the bars using the jumpers. Two of the bars include an inline power button, which is a small but welcome quality-of-life detail; I put one at each end of my L-shaped run so I could toggle the whole chain from either side. The system recognized all five bars immediately—no pairing, no fuss.

Light quality and performance

At full output, the kit is bright—task-lighting bright. The rated 1,800 lumens across five bars translates to roughly 360 lumens per bar, which is plenty for food prep or reading fine print. The 4000K color temperature lands in that neutral-warm zone: not amber like 2700–3000K, but still comfortable and flattering for kitchens. On white quartz and stainless surfaces, it looked clean without feeling clinical.

Color rendering is where this kit is merely good rather than great. With a CRI of 81, it renders most colors faithfully, but reds and deep wood tones aren’t as saturated as they are under high-CRI strips. For everyday cooking and general tasks, it’s completely fine. If you’re color-critical—photography, art workstations, or chefs who really care about the look of produce—you’ll notice the difference compared to 90+ CRI solutions.

The light distribution is nicely even. Hotspots are minimal when the bars are placed near the cabinet front, and spacing them with the 4-inch jumpers avoids dark gaps. Dimming is smooth across ten steps, with useful lows that make for a comfortable nightlight or early-morning glow. I didn’t see visible flicker at any setting, and slow-motion video on my phone didn’t reveal anything objectionable either.

Controls and everyday use

The motion-based on/off is the headline feature, and it works well. A quick wave under the sensor reliably toggles the lights; you don’t need to touch anything with wet or flour-dusted hands. The sensor doesn’t seem overly eager—I had to be within a few inches to trigger it, which is what you want in a busy kitchen.

There’s a three-hour auto-off option that I ended up leaving on. It’s an easy bit of insurance against leaving the lights running all evening, and in a pantry or closet it makes even more sense. The system remembers your last brightness setting after power cycles, which makes the kit feel more like a built-in solution than a gadgety add-on.

Between the motion sensor and the inline buttons on two bars, control flexibility is excellent. In practice, I mostly wave the lights on and off and adjust brightness at the start of a cooking session. Once set, the lights stay out of the way and just do their job.

Build, form factor, and expandability

The bars are aluminum with a white finish, which keeps them light but sturdy and helps shed heat. They run barely warm to the touch even at maximum output. The connectors feel secure, and the included jumper assortment makes real-world layouts much easier—especially mixed-run kitchens with a sink gap or a microwave nook.

The kit is designed as a complete five-bar system driven by the included 24 V power supply. You can run fewer than five bars if your layout calls for it, but I wouldn’t plan on adding more beyond what’s in the box without rethinking the power budget. As configured, the system draws around 24–25 W at full output, which is efficient for the brightness you get.

If you’re concealing everything for a near-invisible install, expect to spend a bit of time on cable routing. The wire clips help, but a handful of matching raceway or a few strategic holes into the cabinet body will take it from tidy to seamless.

What could be better

• Printed guidance: The quick-start materials get you there, but layout planning and sensor placement deserve clearer diagrams. A QR code to a setup video would help first-timers a lot.
• Color options: 4000K works well in modern kitchens, but a 3000K variant or a selectable white option would better match warm woods and traditional spaces.
• CRI: 81 is acceptable, not exceptional. A high-CRI version would appeal to users who want the same kit with richer color rendering.
• Tight spaces: The bars are 9 inches, but the end connectors require a touch of extra room. If you’re installing under short cabinet bays, budget that clearance up front.

Efficiency and heat

On paper, you’re looking at roughly 73 lumens per watt (1,800 lm / 24.6 W), which is solid for a plug-in under-cabinet system with a control box and motion sensor in the mix. The aluminum housings keep things cool; I measured only a mild temperature rise after an hour at full brightness. No buzzing, no coil whine, and no detectable RF interference with nearby radios in my kitchen.

Who it’s for

• Renters and DIYers who want a clean, bright upgrade without hardwiring.
• Home cooks who appreciate hands-free control and a reliable dimmer for different times of day.
• Pantry, closet, and laundry-room installs where the auto-off timer prevents lights from staying on.
• Anyone prioritizing a fast, tidy install with a flexible kit of jumpers and clips.

If you’re chasing museum-grade color or need warm 3000K light to match existing fixtures, you may want to look at higher-CRI or selectable-CCT systems. And if your cabinetry has very short segments, verify the connector clearance before committing.

Recommendation

I recommend this Black & Decker under-cabinet kit. It hits the right balance of brightness, usability, and ease of installation: the motion sensor is genuinely helpful in daily use, the ten-step dimmer covers everything from nightlight glow to full task lighting, and the slim bars look clean once installed. While the CRI and color options won’t satisfy every lighting purist, the overall package—thoughtful controls, generous wiring kit, and efficient, even illumination—makes it an excellent upgrade for most kitchens, pantries, and workspaces.