Best Lighting for Garage Gyms (2024): Illuminate Your Gym Space

For most, lighting is one of the last things you think about when building out your first garage gym. You focus on the best home gym equipment you’ll need and where it will all go and then when it’s all set up…you notice how dim it is, or how one end of your home gym is lit up, but not the other. Now you have to determine what’s the best lighting for garage gyms. No need to worry though; we have you covered.

We’ve determined our picks for the best lighting for garage gyms, covering a broad range of needs to best suit your needs. If you feel the need to remake your home gym with some lighting ideas, keep reading for a complete guide to some of the best options on the market.

Shedding Some Light With Research and Testing

In deciding the best home gym lighting, we researched brands and lights we had experience with, as well as reaching out to the members of our Facebook Home Gym Community, for some of their top picks. 

Looking at specs such as the wattage and energy consumption, brightness, and overall price and value, our team of certified personal trainers, coaches, and athletes compiled this list together for you to make the best decision on the right lighting systems for your garage gym.

The Best Lighting for Garage Gyms

• Best Overall Lighting: Barrina T5 LED
• Best Super Bright Lighting: Prime Lights Stingray 4
• Best Hexagonal Lighting: NC Bright DIY Plug-in Lights
• Best Recessed Lighting: Commercial Electric LED Slim Color Changing Recessed Kit
• Best Multi-Directional Lighting: Bell+Howell TriBurst Color Select LED Garage Lights
• Best Budget Lighting: LightingWill LED

Best Overall Lighting: Barrina T5 LED

Good for: Anyone looking for a value, versatile light that’s easy to install

Best Overall

Barrina T5 LED

GGR Score: 4.6

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Product Highlights

• Ceiling and under-cabinet light
• Pack of 6
• Over 2,200 lumens 
• Plug-and-play design makes for easy installation

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comes in 4 different colors
• Users have the ability to link them together
• 3-year warranty
• Great for garages, basements, and more

Cons

• Some users complain the lights die quickly
• Users can only link 8 together
• Some reviews claim they are a fire hazard

Bottom Line

The Barrina T5 LED lights are affordable and easy-to-set-up linkable lights great for garages, basements, and more.

Our pick for best overall lighting is the Barrina T5 LED lights. GGR Founder Coop always recommends these for most people in building out their home gym. “A majority of people changing their lights over in a garage gym in our community are using these lights,” he says. “They just work extremely well. They’re basically the stall mats of the lighting industry.”

These stall mats…er, ceiling lights, come in a six-pack for under $60 on Amazon, making them one of the most affordable options on the market. The LED bulbs also come in four different color temperatures, ranging from warm white to super bright, meaning they will have a lighting option you are looking for. Plus, these lights use only 20 watts per bulb, making them energy efficient.

Each 6-pack of bulbs also comes with most tools needed to install these lights, including hardware and connector cables. The bulbs are linkable, meaning you can snap together up to eight bulbs in a row. They are designed to plug-and-play as well, meaning you just connect the bulbs and insert the plug and you are ready to go. The Barrina LEDs were definitely made for convenience.

If you are looking to link more than eight bulbs together though, you will not be able to with these bulbs: you’ll have to start another row and plug them in separately. Some reviews have also claimed that the lights burn out quicker than they should, and some have worries about being a fire hazard. I would consult an electrician on if this lighting would be best for your garage, but these lights do come with a 3-year warranty in the event that you do have any issues.

RELATED: Best Home Gym Flooring

Best Super Bright Lighting: Prime Lights Stingray 4

Good for: Those looking for a super bright LED light to illuminate the darkest basement gym

Best Super Bright Lighting

Prime Lights Stingray 4

GGR Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• 88 W LED light fixture
• Mirrored reflection 
• Made for ceilings 15–40 ft
• Instant brightness when turned on

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Can be chain mounted
• Made with steel that is thermally painted to resist corrosion and mold over time
• More energy efficient than fluorescent lighting

Cons

• Lights don’t come with accessories
• Plug-in to turn them on not included
• Only comes in 1 color temperature

Bottom Line

Prime Lights Stingray 4 is a commercial fixture made for high ceilings that provide more than 50,000 hours of light. Users complain the lights don’t come with instructions, a plug-in, and more, so if you are looking for a simple solution, you might want to look elsewhere.

If you have tall ceilings in your home gym, or need to brighten up a lot of gym space, the Prime Lights Stingray 4 is a fantastic option. The Stingray, and Prime Lights in general, provide super bright lights, able to illuminate tons of gym space.

Coop uses the Prime Light Bolt series in his own home gym, which is similar to the Stingray, but with a thicker light bulb. On the more expensive Prime Lights, Coop says, “Lighting is something we’re spending a little bit more on because you’re never really going to have to change an LED versus a halogen. They’re going to save you on energy, and they look better overall.”

The 88-watt Stingray 4 has four bulbs, each emitting 2,850 lumens, which comes to a grand total of 11,400 lumens. That’s quite a bit of lighting. Even with that much light, the Stingray uses 40% less energy than standard fluorescent lights. The fixture has a reflective background as well, further helping spread and disperse light.

This American-made lighting fixture won’t need to be changed much at all; Prime Lights claim the bulbs to each last over 50,000 hours. The lights are instantly bright when you flip on the switch and won’t need any warming up. There is only one temperature of light available, however, and that is daylight, with a color temperature of 5,000K—or Kelvin.

These lights are not the cheapest lights, but are constructed well and high-quality. The biggest drawback on these bulbs is that they do not come with any chains, instructions, or plugs for properly installing them on your ceiling. The Stingray 4 is a great product, but make sure you do your research on how to properly install these lights in your garage first.

RELATED: The Ultimate Home Gym Guide

Best Hexagonal Lighting: NC Bright DIY Plug-in Lights

Good for: People wanting a stylish lighting design that can brighten any garage gym

Best Hexagonal Lighting

NC Bright DIY Plug-in Lights

GGR Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• LED ceiling lights 
• DIY-assembly, so users can create their desired light design
• Set comes with everything you need for installation

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Can be screwed directly into drywall
• Easy assembly with snap-together design
• Entire set is lightweight at 13 kg

Cons

• Only comes in 1 color
• Not many reviews
• Some reviews claim the lights stop working after a few months

Bottom Line

The NC Bright DIY Plug-in Lights are LED ceiling lights made to light-up your space with a cool design and ultra-bright lights.

Popular for car garages, the NC Bright DIY Plug-in Lights are super bright LED shop lights that can light up your home gym in style. This kit comes with a total of 69 lights and when fully assembled is about 16 feet long and 8 feet wide. However, the assembly is do-it-yourself, so you can snap the tubes together in any hexagonal or rectangular pattern you desire. Because this is an entire set of bulbs, just make sure you have the ceiling space for it first!

The kit is lightweight—together, just over 28 pounds—and can be screwed directly into drywall, making it work ok as a wall mount, too. Additionally, all instructions and accessories needed for installation are provided with the kit. It has a simple plug-in design, too; all of this is great to ease the installation process of a large lighting kit.

Some reviews claim the bulbs don’t last, but most users approve of the overhead lights. Unfortunately, there is only one color temperature available—super bright white. Also, this is a full kit, so if you don’t have the ceiling, gym space, or budget for this large lighting fixture, this may not be the lighting for you.

Best Recessed Lighting: Commercial Electric LED Slim Color Changing Recessed Kit

Good for: People wanting recessed lighting for a low ceiling or for a clean look

Best Recessed Lighting

Commercial Electric LED Slim Color Changing Recessed Kit

GGR Score: 4.3

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Product Highlights

• Recessed LED downlight
• Can easily be installed into sloped ceilings or low-clearance spaces
• Can be dimmed
• No bulbs required

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comes in multiple finish colors
• Various color temperature options
• Comes with a 5-year warranty
• Customers rave about the light quality
• Customers can choose between 3 lens aperture sizes

Cons

• Some reviews claim installation is not easy
• Tools sold separately

Bottom Line

The Commercial Electric LED Slim Color Changing Recessed Kit are LED lights that come in multiple different finishes and temperatures and are great for areas like sloped ceilings.

Sometimes, long bulbs running along your ceiling just won’t do it. In one instance, you might have a low ceiling and need all the ceiling height you can get. Also, maybe your garage door would get in the way of hanging LED bulbs. Other times, you’d just prefer a cleaner look than a row of LED lights. Recessed lighting might be the best option for you then, and our favorite for recessed lighting is the Commercial Electric Recessed Kit.

Commercial Electric says these are a great choice for low and sloped ceilings. You can choose between five different temperatures before installing, ranging from warm or soft white to daylight. In addition, each light has an amber night light glow around the trim to add ambiance, or just to see when the lights are off. 

The lights are dimmable, down to 10% of its typical brightness. The bulbs are extremely energy efficient, only using 11 watts, but still producing 670 lumens of brightness.

Because of the clean look of recessed lighting, it can be a great alternative if your home gym is inside—not in a garage or basement. If you don’t have recessed lighting currently in your home gym space, you will have to build out your own light installation. If you know how to do this, that’s great, but otherwise, you might need to hire an electrician to properly set up and install the lighting system.

Be aware, however, that the Commercial Electric Recessed Kit only comes with the trim and bulbs, not the housing, or fixture itself. This would contain the lamp holder and is installed in the ceiling. If you are putting recessed lights in for the first time, this will be an additional cost. With the versatility of the lights’ brightness and look, these are still a great option.

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Best Multi-Directional Lighting: Bell+Howell TriBurst Color Select LED Garage Light

Good for: Those needing bright lighting to reach odd angles, or to change direction regularly

Best Multi-Directional Lighting

Bell+Howell TriBurst Color Select LED Garage Light

GGR Score: 4.2

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Product Highlights

• Color changing LED lights
• Comes with 3 mobile light panels
• Lights can be screwed into any light socket
• Users can change the tone of the lights 3 different ways

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Lights can change color and tone
• The 3-in1 light set screws into any ordinary light socket
• The panels can adjust 360 degrees
• Cost-effective option to brighten any garage or dark space

Cons

• Lights are attached and can’t separate
• Not many reviews
• You can’t turn 1 light on at a time

Bottom Line

The TriBurst Color Select LED Garage Lights are a 3-in-1 light system that can adjust tone and color and screw into any normal light socket for easy installation without a handyman.

For all your fine-tuning needs in garage gym lighting, there is the Bell+Howell TriBurst Color Select LED Garage Light. This set has three mobile light panels that can be screwed into any normal light socket. Not only can each of the three light panels adjust 360 degrees, but the temperature and lighting tone can be adjusted between three different warmths: warm, white, and daylight.

The TriBurst Color Select is very bright, as one set has a total of 144 LED bulbs, producing a total of 5,500 lumens of light. That should undoubtedly brighten a workshop or car garage, but will also illuminate your barbell and adjustable dumbbells with ease. With all that power and brightness, this light still manages to be energy efficient, emitting the light equivalency of 20 standard incandescent bulbs.

This light bulb is very convenient and versatile in the angles it can produce light; however, there is not a lot of versatility between the three lights. For example, the lights are attached and cannot be separated. If one light goes out, the entire setup will have to be replaced. Additionally, there is no option to only turn on one light; all three must be on. Despite this, the Bell+Howell TriBurst Color Select is a fantastic budget-friendly solution for garage or basement gym lighting.

RELATED: Best Adjustable Dumbbells

Best Budget Lighting: LightingWill LED

Good for: Anyone needing an inexpensive and simple option for lighting up their home gym 

Best Budget Lighting

LightingWill LED

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Linkable design
• Comes in different lengths
• Energy saving 
• Easy installation

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Energy saving lighting option at only 14 W
• Snap the lights together and plug them in for easy setup
• Package comes with everything you need to install the lights
• Comes in 2 different whites

Cons

• Not very many color options
• Warranty isn’t as good as some other options for a similar prices
• Some reviews claim they don’t last long

Bottom Line

If you want easy-to-install, bright, yet energy saving lights for your home gym, garage, or basement, check out the LightingWill LEDs.

If you are looking for a value light fixture that will fit your budget, LightingWill LED lights are our pick for a budget option. Coming in a four-pack, you can get these bulbs in three different lengths: 2, 3, or 4 feet long. Depending on which size you get, they will cost you between $40 and $50 per four-pack.

Along with an affordable price, these bulbs are energy-saving, with the 4-foot bulbs having a power consumption of only 20 watts. The 2-foot bulbs only use 10 watts! While they are not the brightest lighting on the market, only producing 2,200 lumens of light with the longer version, the LightingWill LEDs will help lighten up your gym well enough. 

This budget lighting fixture is also very convenient to install. The four-pack of lights come with everything you need for installation, and the bulbs can be snapped together and installed together. The lighting can be readily plugged in and turned on, with its own plug with a built-in on/off switch.

There are not very many color options, only warm white or daylight. Additionally, the one-year warranty is not as good of a warranty as those on comparable lights; some reviews claim the lights don’t last as long as they should. Still, when it comes to options for those on a budget, this is a great choice.

How We Picked and Tested the Best Lighting for Garage Gyms

The first thing we did in making this list of the best lighting for garage gyms is we looked at both our experiences, and the experiences of the Garage Gym Reviews community. Asking your opinion on what light fixtures you used, along with lights we have used in our experience, helped us narrow down our search to the list you see now.

In our research, we looked at the specs of these lighting systems. We wanted to make sure the lights we recommended provided optimal lighting for even a dark garage or basement. Along with that, we looked at energy consumption, price, ease of installation, and the overall value of these lighting solutions. With those things in mind, we created our list for the best garage gym lighting, hoping to provide an array of options to suit a variety of needs.

Benefits of Lighting for Garage Gyms

Okay, lighting in your garage gym isn’t necessarily going to help your squat like the best weightlifting shoes might, but it just might help you feel better about being out in your own space. Here’s a few reasons lighting can help your garage gym experience.

A More Inviting Space

For one, a brightly lit gym space will be more inviting for you and your lifting partners to workout and stay energized. A dimly lit basement gym is going to feel more like a dungeon than a workout space, and might make you feel a little less excited about entering your gym down the road.

For me personally, I had to train at home for the Tokyo Olympics in a hastily-made garage gym during the bulk of the pandemic. The dim lighting was not suited for weightlifting, and after a few weeks, I started to lose some motivation. However, once we added some brighter lighting, I started to feel driven to workout in that space again. It can be a big help to stay excited about working out. 

Safety First

Well, I guess this is my second point, but it’s probably the more important one. A properly lit gym can minimize your risk of injury or damage to other pieces of equipment, simply by being able to see. 

When the lights aren’t too bright, it’s very easy to drop a weight or bar the wrong way, falling on your power rack the wrong way—or worse, your foot. Racking dumbbells onto a dumbbell rack can pinch your fingers if you are not aware. A well-lit home gym can help minimize the chances of these small mistakes from happening

Form Checks

Lighting can also help you see your technique better in multiple ways. Whether from looking in a mirror, having a friend spot you, or recording video for your coach, good lighting will help you see the nuances of a technical lift. Dim lighting just won’t provide that level of clarity to criticize the technique of proper squat form, for example.

What to Look for in Lighting for Garage Gyms

Looking to elevate your lighting in your gym? Here’s a few things to consider before buying those bulbs.

Natural Lighting

How much natural lighting does your home gym space have? If it’s in a garage, is it possible to lift up the garage door for some natural lighting? While natural lighting won’t eliminate the need for gym lighting, it may lessen how much lighting you’ll need. If you are training in your gym in the evening or night, however, you’ll still need a good amount of light for your gym, even with the access to natural light.

LED Lights

For the most part, LED lights have become the standard for lights, in housing and gyms alike. First, they are generally brighter and consume much less energy than incandescent or fluorescent lights. And in recent years, LED lighting has become a far more affordable option. If you are looking to replace fluorescent lights in your garage gym, I’d consider getting some LED bulbs.

Ceiling Height

The ceiling height might limit the types of lighting you can use. A low ceiling might require recessed lighting to save ceiling height. Also, a higher ceiling will require brighter lights with more lumens.

Color Temperature

The color temperature of the bulbs will impact the warmth or coolness of the lighting and your space. Temperatures are usually given in Kelvin (K) and a lower temperature is warmer and more yellow, while a higher temperature is bluer and cooler. Sunlight is about 5,000K, so a temperature between 5,000K to 6,500K will feel like daytime and be more energizing.

Meanwhile, warmer temperatures between 2,200K and 3,500K tend to be a more relaxing tone of light, which would be ideal for stretching or a cool-down. Ultimately, the light tone or temperature you go with is up to your preference though.

Lumens

A lumen is a measure of brightness. One big question to ask yourself is how many lumens do you need for your space? Typically, the larger your space, the more brightness and lumens you will need. Because garage gyms are task-oriented, higher lumen are generally recommended, somewhere around 10,000 lumens for a typical two-car garage. However, this will change for larger and smaller spaces. 

FAQs About Lighting for Garage Gyms

Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1

Caine Wilkes is an Olympian, placing 9th in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A former gym owner, he also has more than 15 years of experience coaching other athletes in weightlifting, CrossFit, and functional fitness.

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