Editor’s Choice: Best Pendant Lights Of 2023 To Elevate Your Space

For any space in your home, having the right type of lighting can make a tremendous difference. We all know overhead lights are great for high level of brightness, but they will not bring much in terms of aesthetics and decorations – or when you need directional lighting for specific tasks.

For these types of lighting purposes, your best bet is pendant lights. And if you are looking to get one to brighten up your space with style, here is our guide to the best pendant lights on the market right now. Let’s take a look:

A simple product like pendant light now comes in a variety of styles with unique designs and countless advanced features. This makes the choosing process a lot harder – but before diving into the important aspects that you should keep an eye on, here are some common types of pendant lights:

Drum pendants are famous for their drum shape built, which consist of a shade (made from fabric, glass or metal) surrounding a metal frame with closed or open bottoms. For better ambience, darker shades will be preferred – but if illumination is more important, lighter shades will help.

Globe pendants are often found in kitchens and bathrooms due to their optimal light dispersal. Their sophisticated design is based on a spherical shape made from clear glass – which makes them suitable as modern decorations or bright illumination as desired.

Lantern pendants are typically used for entryways and hallways – with metal frames and numerous glass panes, making them look like normal street lamps. The bulbs can also be left fully exposed, which is a trend nowadays in farmhouse-style kitchens.

Bowl and bell pendants might have different shapes and designs, but they are almost identical in their features. The former look like bowls, while the latter is basically a reversed version of them. The fact that they are made from a wide variety of materials means that you can use them in pretty much any decorative style – whether to create certain moods or to perform directional task.  

Exposed bulb pendants are famous for the large amount of light generated from exposed, stylized light bulbs. With various shapes, materials, and styles – it is safe to say that this type of pendant lights will not go away anytime soon.

Linear pendants are more suited towards dining rooms or kitchens, with metal or wooden frames that are equipped with numerous lights under multiple styles of shades.

Multi-light pendants are almost the same as linear pendant, but you can create your own by combining various single fixtures to create a visual centerpiece in living rooms.

Mini pendants are traditional pendant lights in compact forms. They can be used in conjunction to create a multi-pendant effect, or used individually to highlight certain desired areas.

1. Nuvo Lighting SF76/663 Warehouse Shade

Specifications:

• 12-feet cord

• 100W bulb

Pros:

• Great customer service

• Easy to install

• Minimalist design

Cons:

• Bulb not included

2. Globe Electric Nate 3-Light Pendant, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Clear Glass Shades

Specifications:

• 3x 60W bulbs

• 3x 9.85" metal hanging rods

Pros:

• Dimmable switch

• Adjustable height

• Trendy design

Cons:

• Bulbs sold separately

3. Artika CHMP-RN Imperium Mid Century Fixture 9-Light Chandelier

Specifications:

• 9x 25W bulbs

• 3x 12" and 1x 6" rod

Pros:

• Adjustable height

• Dimmable switch

• Easy to install

• Great design

Cons:

• Expensive

• Accessories sold separately

4. LNC A03292 Pendant Lighting

Specifications:

• ETL listed

• 60W bulb

Pros:

• Dimmable switch

• Easy installation

• Unique design

Cons:

• Accessories not included

5. LOG BARN Rustic Mason Jar Linear Hanging Pendant Lights

Specifications:

• 4x 40W bulbs

• 2x 59" chains

Pros:

• Adjustable height

• Dimmable switch

• Easy installation

Cons:

• Accessories not included

With the knowledge about different types of pendant lights in mind, here are what to look for in your pendant light options:

Fixture scale & height: In short, the size of your illuminated area is directly proportional to the size of your fixture (with respect to your décor style). A general guideline when it comes to estimating the size of your pendant light is to add up the dimensions of your lighting area (in feet), then switch the measurement to inches. In this way, you will be able to find the desired diameter for your fixture.

When it comes to height, the distance of 63 inches (from the floor) or 33 inches (from a table or countertop) should be ideal.

Ambient vs. task lighting: People purchase pendant lights with different purposes in mind. In general, these purposes can be categorized into 2 groups – ambient lighting and task lighting.

Ambient lighting (also known as general lighting) are lights that can illuminate a wide space, such as an entire room. A ceiling-mounted light with translucent shades will be ideal for this type of lighting – providing strong and even brightness for your desired space.

Task lighting, on the other hand, is all about brightening small, specific areas to help you perform particular tasks. Areas like workspaces or kitchen islands can certainly benefit from downward task lighting, provided by fixtures with darker or dimmer shades.

Bulb type & brightness: When it comes to the types of bulbs that will bring you the best value for your money, options are LEDs or CFLs are more superior – especially when compared to standard incandescent bulbs. Notably, they are much better at converting energy into electricity, provide better level of brightness and last way longer. With the same manufacturer’s specifications, LED and CFLs are always preferred.

For specific types of pendant lights that use exposed bulbs, just make sure that the kinds of bulbs that you need are readily available for purchase, installation and use.

Style and finish: Out of the various materials and finishes of different types of pendant lights, we can categorize them into these styles

Glass pendant lights are excellent at providing brightness – and are suited towards use in different spaces with different styles.

Shade pendant lights are brilliant at creating stylistic effects by using diffusing lampshades – with unique colors or textures that will leave good visual impressions.

Metallic finishes are famous for their modern, industrial look – which are widely utilized in directional task lighting.

Additional features: Modern pendant lights have come a long way when it comes to advanced features, and here are what you can look for in your options

Dimmer switches allow you to fully control the lighting intensity of your pendant light to suit your needs for different times of the day.

Additional light bulbs give you an idea of which type of bulbs should work well with your pendant light, and saving you a bit of money and effort from not having to make separate purchases.

Adjustable heights give you the freedom to customize your pendant lights to fit your desired specifications.

Installation

Aside from plug-in units, the majority of pendant lights will require to be installed electrically. If you are confident in your ability to perform this task, feel free to go for it. But if you are inexperience, you can always count on the help of a professional electrician. Obviously, you can still take the plug-in route to avoid any attempts at electrical work.

To further set up your pendant lights once the electrical requirements have been met, a quick search online will give you countless ideas to hang your lights and make them look the best for the style that you are going for.

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Are pendant lights bright enough?

As mentioned before, you can use pendant lights to either create ambience or provide directional task lighting for your space. What you consider “bright enough” will depend on your purposes, but these pendant lights can certainly satisfy your needs when it comes to these aforementioned lighting scenarios.

However, for bigger areas that need a lot of light – using pendant lights alone might not be enough. In these cases, feel free to add extra lighting to meet your desired needs.

For a kitchen island, what is the ideal quantity of pendant lights?

The dimensions of your kitchen island and each lighting fixture will determine the quantity of pendant lights that you will need to use. A good rule of thumb is to keep each fixture separated at a minimum distance of 2 feet – then choose a number of pendants that you find suitable and balanced and go for it.

What are the steps to hang pendant lights?

For any electrical appliances, it is essential that you follow safety practices when setting them up. Switch off the electricity system, then install the mounting accessories that are included. Adjust the length of the cord as desired, then carefully match the wires together – before attaching the cover and shade.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of plug-in pendant lights?

Easy installation is obviously the biggest benefit that plug-in options bring to the table, as you will not need the help of an experts to set up – but you will have to deal with long, visible cords that might not suit your style.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of hardwired pendant lights?

Contrary to plug-in pendant lights, hardwired options offer the sleeker aesthetic due to the fact that there are no extension cords – but setting them up might not be easy, especially for those who are inexperienced.

If you are looking to add visual appeals to certain spaces in your home, pendant lights are the way to go. Not only can they do a good job of illuminating from above, they also bring a style element to the overall look and feel of the space which is always appreciated.

For the best pendant lights with premium price tags, we have a tie between LNC A03292 Pendant Lighting and LOG BARN Rustic Mason Jar Linear Hanging Pendant Lights. However, if you are on a budget – do not miss out on an option like Globe Electric Nate 3-Light Pendant, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Clear Glass Shades. Those are some of the top-notch pendant lights, and right now is the perfect time for you to gather your knowledge and start shopping.