The Best Motion Sensor Lights for Closet, Cabinets, or Drawers

A walk-in closet with motion sensor LED light strips.
B.Forenius/Shutterstock

Are your closets and cabinets a little too dark? Could your drawers use some accent lighting? Maybe it’s time to grab a few motion-sensor lights for all those dark places in your life.

Motion sensor lights are great because they’re hassle-free. They turn on and off automatically, so you don’t have to worry about wasting electricity. Plus, they’re easy to install (easier than a light socket), and they usually run on batteries, so they don’t need an outlet.

But which light should you buy? How do you know if a motion sensor light will work for you?

What to Look for In Motion Sensor Lights

Every motion sensor light is different. Some are long and thin, while others are chunky and round. Some are meant to work as accent lights, while others can illuminate a whole room.

In other words, you need to be careful when you shop for motion sensor lights. It’s easy to end up with one that doesn’t suit your needs (or is just ugly).

Luckily, you can avoid any disappointment if you consider which of the following features are most important to you beforehand:

  • Versatility: Some lighting products require adhesives to stick to the wall, while you can mount others with screws or magnets. Think about how much flexibility you need from your lights, along with extra features, like an “always-on” button or dimming settings.
  • Power: Motion sensor lights have automatic shutoff features, but they can still eat through batteries pretty quickly. For that reason, we’ve only included rechargeable lights in this article (minus the Philips Hue LightStrip, which plugs into an outlet).
  • Working Distance: Super-sensitive lights work best in walk-in pantries, closets, and other larger areas, while less sensitive lights work best in small drawers or cabinets. You can tell how sensitive a light is by its motion detection range.
  • Size: How much lighting do you need? Do you need to illuminate your whole closet or just the inside of a drawer? Generally, large and long lights illuminate a larger area than small or directional lights.

Again, with the exception of the Philips Hue LightStrip, all the motion sensor lights in this article are powered by rechargeable batteries. This means they cost a few bucks more than lights powered by AAA or AA batteries, but they also don’t require battery replacements.

Now that you know what you’re looking for in a motion sensor light, it’s time to shop!

Best Overall: LUXJET LED Strips

The LUXJET LED Light Strip with USB cord and remote.
LUXJET

LUXJET LED strips are an affordable, simple lighting option for your closet, cabinets, or any other dark or dim place. You can also use them as accent lights. You just attach them to a surface with the included adhesive, and you’re good to go!

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