The Best LED Light Strips of 2021
An LED light strip is a long circuit board with surface-mount device light-emitting diodes (SMD LEDs) that provide a glow to any room. The strips are also known as LED tape or ribbon lights and usually have an adhesive backing for easy installation.
Some of the best LED light strip options can be used for many different interior design projects, including recessed lighting, television backlighting, or kitchen countertop illumination with undercabinet lighting.
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.
What to Look for When Buying LED Light Strips
There are many features to consider when shopping for an Bluetooth LED Light strips for room strip, from color and size to intended use and brightness. Before purchasing an LED light strip, consider keeping the following factors in mind to ensure your choice meets or exceeds your expectations for the intended application.
It’s essential to determine where the LED light strip will be installed before deciding which product to use. Some designs meet specific purposes, such as stair lighting or television backlighting. Because of this specialization, they are different from the average LED light strip. For example, a product intended for backlighting a TV may come with four precut pieces and television-specific syncing options that change color to mimic the colors on the screen.
Other location considerations are water resistance for patios, dimmer compatibility for bedrooms, or motion sensing for a hall, bathroom, or stairway. Even a more generic installation location like a wall or ceiling warrants some consideration before you make your purchase so you don’t end up with a specialty product that isn’t meant for where you intend to place it.
Light strips are available in a variety of lengths, typically from 1 to 32 feet. The brightness and intended purpose usually correlate to their length. For example, LED light strips intended for television backlighting or use on stairs tend to be shorter for easier installation.
Low-brightness LED light strips can be up to 32 feet long with about 300 LED lights. High- brightness LED light strips may have the same number of LED modules, but they’ll usually only be about 16 feet long. However, most flexible light strips can be cut using scissors to accommodate small areas. If longer LED tape is needed, pieces can often be connected to customize to the desired length.
Most light strips feature a flexible circuit board that can bend around corners or run over curved surfaces. Some LED light strips are so flexible that they can be bent up to 90 degrees without damaging the circuit board.
However, as the power of an LED light strip increases, the flexibility decreases, with some light strips being completely rigid in design. These inflexible products tend to be much shorter, sometimes only 1 foot long, and significantly brighter than the average light strip. They can also feature motion-sensing technology, making them ideal for lighting stairs.
