5 Best Recessed LED Puck Lights for Tiny House Kitchens to Maximize Every Inch

In a tiny house kitchen, every design choice has an outsized impact on how the space feels and functions. Bad lighting can make a small kitchen feel like a cramped cave, while the right lighting can make it feel open, airy, and twice its actual size. Choosing the perfect recessed puck lights isn’t just about illumination; it’s about reclaiming precious visual and physical space.

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Why Recessed Lighting is Key for Tiny Kitchens

Recessed lighting is a non-negotiable element in a well-designed tiny space. Unlike pendant lights that hang down and visually clutter your sightlines, or track lighting that adds bulk to the ceiling, recessed lights disappear. They provide clean, effective illumination without occupying any of your limited vertical space, which is critical when your ceiling might only be a few inches above your head.

This minimalist approach does more than just save headroom. It creates an illusion of a higher ceiling and a more expansive room. By washing walls and countertops with light from an unseen source, you eliminate shadows that can make corners feel dark and confining. This allows you to create distinct lighting zones—bright task lighting over the prep area and softer ambient light for the overall space—without adding a single bulky fixture. It’s the cleanest, most space-efficient way to build a layered and functional lighting plan.

12V vs. 120V: Choosing Your Puck Light Power

One of the first and most important decisions you’ll make is whether to use 12-volt (12V) DC or 120-volt (120V) AC lighting. If you’re building an off-grid tiny house with a solar and battery system, 12V is almost always the superior choice. Your batteries store power as 12V DC, so running 12V lights directly from your system is incredibly efficient. You avoid the energy loss, or "parasitic draw," that comes from running a large inverter just to power a few lights.

On the other hand, if your tiny house is a permanent structure tied to the grid, 120V AC is simpler. It’s the standard household voltage everyone is familiar with, and you won’t need special transformers or considerations for voltage drop over long wire runs. However, many of the best, most compact puck lights are designed for the RV and marine market, meaning they are natively 12V.

The tradeoff is straightforward. For off-grid freedom and maximum energy efficiency, design a 12V lighting system. It’s safer to work with and integrates perfectly with solar power. For grid-tied simplicity, 120V works just fine, but you might miss out on some of the excellent low-profile 12V options available. You can always use a 120V AC to 12V DC transformer to power 12V lights in a grid-tied house, giving you the best of both worlds.

Acegoo RV Ceiling Lights: Top 12V Dimmable Pick

When it comes to 12V systems, the Acegoo lights are a community favorite for a reason. They are incredibly thin—less than half an inch—meaning you barely need any clearance behind your ceiling panel to install them. This is a huge advantage when you’re trying to pack insulation into a shallow roof assembly. They sip power, drawing only about 3 watts, so you can run a half-dozen of them without making a dent in your battery bank.

What really sets them apart is their built-in touch-dimming feature. Each light can be turned on, off, or dimmed simply by touching the lens. This gives you granular control over your lighting without needing to wire in separate, bulky dimmer switches. You can have bright, full power for cooking and then dim them down for a relaxed dinner, all from the same fixture. For a simple, efficient, and highly functional 12V setup, these are hard to beat.

Aloveco LED Puck Lights for Low-Profile Design

If you’re looking for a hard-wired system and your primary concern is an almost-flush installation, the Aloveco puck lights are an excellent contender. These are often sold in multi-packs with a central transformer, making them a good fit for grid-tied homes or those who prefer to run a dedicated 12V circuit from a single power source. Their main selling point is their incredibly slim and clean design.

These lights are perfect for under-cabinet installation where you don’t want to see a bulky fixture hanging down. Because they are so thin, you can recess them into a 5/8" or 3/4" cabinet panel without compromising its structural integrity. This gives you bright, direct task lighting on your countertops that looks like it was part of a custom build, keeping the underside of your cabinets smooth and uncluttered.

TORCHSTAR LED Kit: Bright Under-Cabinet Option

For those who want a complete, all-in-one solution, the TORCHSTAR kits are fantastic. They typically come with everything you need right in the box: the lights, a power adapter, a junction box, and all the necessary cables. This removes the guesswork and is ideal for DIYers who aren’t comfortable speccing out individual components for a lighting system.

While they can be used as ceiling lights, their brightness and color temperature options make them a powerhouse for under-cabinet task lighting. Good task lighting is non-negotiable for safe knife work and food prep. The TORCHSTAR kits provide a powerful, focused beam of light right where you need it most, ensuring your countertop work area is brilliantly and safely illuminated. The junction box also makes for a tidy installation, allowing you to connect multiple lights to a single, easily hidden hub.

GetInLight Swivel Lights for Task Illumination

Standard puck lights are great, but they only point in one direction: down. In a multi-functional tiny kitchen, the ability to aim your light is a game-changer. The GetInLight Swivel (or "gimbal") puck lights solve this problem beautifully. They sit in a recessed housing that allows the lamp itself to be tilted, directing the beam of light exactly where you need it.

Think about the workflow. You can aim one light at your cutting board while you chop vegetables, then swivel it to illuminate the sink for washing up. This flexibility means you can get more utility out of fewer fixtures, which is the core ethos of tiny living. Instead of needing separate lights for each task zone, one or two well-placed swivel lights can cover your entire counter, adapting to your needs in the moment.

Lvyinyin Ultra-Thin Lights Maximize Headroom

Similar to other low-profile options, the Lvyinyin lights push the boundaries of just how thin a recessed light can be. Some models are only a few millimeters thick, making them feel more like an illuminated part of the ceiling than a separate fixture. For spaces with extremely low ceilings, like a sleeping loft above a kitchen galley, these are the ultimate space-savers.

Their key advantage is in preserving every last fraction of an inch of headroom. When you recess them, you’re removing very little material from your ceiling panels, which also helps maintain your insulation envelope. The result is a clean, modern, and almost invisible lighting source that provides soft, diffuse light without ever threatening to get in the way. They are a perfect example of how smart technology can help a small space feel bigger.

Puck Light Installation Tips for Tiny Kitchens

Installing puck lights isn’t difficult, but a little planning goes a long way. First, map out your wiring before you install your ceiling and wall panels. Trying to fish wires through a finished wall is a frustrating ordeal you want to avoid at all costs. Decide on light placement and switch locations based on how you’ll actually use the kitchen.

For the actual installation, a hole saw is your best friend. Make sure you get the exact size specified for your lights to ensure a snug, professional-looking fit. A hole that’s too big will leave an ugly gap, and one that’s too small is a pain to enlarge. Remember the old rule: measure twice, cut once. This is especially true when you’re cutting into your beautiful tongue-and-groove ceiling.

Finally, understand your wiring plan. Most 12V puck lights can be "daisy-chained," meaning you connect them one after the other in a line. This is simple but can lead to voltage drop on long runs, causing the last light in the chain to be dimmer. Alternatively, you can run individual wires from each light back to a central hub or fuse block. This provides more consistent power but requires more wire. For most tiny kitchens, a daisy chain of 3-4 lights is perfectly fine.

Ultimately, the best recessed lighting is the lighting you don’t notice. It should integrate seamlessly into your tiny kitchen, providing brilliant function without sacrificing form or space. By choosing the right voltage and a low-profile design, you’re not just installing lights; you’re making a strategic investment in the comfort and usability of your small home.