But around 2000, lighting manufacturers began stepping up their game. Sleek, curving tracks emerged on the market, with high-intensity halogens that really did manage to illuminate kitchen work areas.
Before we look at a few representative products, let's review some of the key points of track lighting for your kitchen:
Kitchen Track Lighting Basics
- Where track lighting really excels is in flexibility. Tracks can be mounted virtually anywhere you need light.
- Track lighting can actually be an energy saver. How? You only need to install as many lights on the tracks as you need. Also, tracks can be wired independently, so that one track can be left off or dimmed, while another one picks up the lighting duties.
- Unless you specify "kit" or "pack" when looking for track lighting, you won't get all the components you need to install it.
- Tracks are generally not so heavy that they need to be screwed into joists (wood). They can be mounted on a hollow surface with molly bolts.
- You'll need to be aware of your power draw when adding lights to the tracks. The tracks are not infinitely scalable. Carefully read product instructions to see how many lights you can add.
- Factor the cost of expensive halogen bulbs into your purchase. They can often rival the cost of the track lighting kit itself.
