The best lighted medicine cabinets
A lit cabinet puts light at the sides of your face and storage behind the mirror. The catch is a circuit most bathrooms don't have there yet.
By Sawyer V. · · How we research
The short answer
We earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we pick or what we say about them — here is exactly how that works.
Quick picks
Tap any row for the full write-up. Prices are checked against Amazon rather than remembered — where we have no verified figure the button says so.
| # | Product | Best for | Renter | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Verdera 34 x 30 in. Two-Door Lighted Medicine Cabinet 2,200 lumens at CRI 90+, light panels you can aim, two internal outlets, soft-close doors, surface or recessed. | A double-width mirror with the most light | Owner-only | |
| 2 |  Maxstow 22 x 40 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet 1,900 lumens at 88 lumens per watt — the most efficient here — with five fixed shelves. | Maximum storage beside a narrow mirror | Owner-only | |
| 3 |  Maxstow 32 x 24 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet 1,650 lumens at CRI 90+ in a 31-13/16 x 24 in. surface-mount cabinet. | A single vanity with limited height | Owner-only | |
| — | No photo yet Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 24 in. A good cabinet with no light at all, on a page for people who want one. | Skip this one | Ask first | No buy link |
Why put the light in the cabinet
A single fixture above the mirror lights your face from above and casts shadows under the brows and chin. Light from both sides of the mirror fills those shadows in. A lighted cabinet puts its LEDs in the side panels, which is exactly where sconces would go — and it adds storage behind the glass.
CRI 90 on all three
Kohler publishes a “Minimum 90 CRI” (color rendering index) for every cabinet here. That is the number that decides whether skin tones and makeup look right, and it is the same bar we set for vanity bulbs.
Lumens, efficiency and running cost
Kohler publishes both lumens and lumens per watt, which lets you work out the wattage: about 21 W for each Maxstow and about 34 W for the Verdera — our arithmetic, not Kohler’s figures.
At two hours a day and 18.34 cents per kWh, that is roughly $2.76 a year for the 32 in. Maxstow, $2.89 for the 40 in., and $4.53 for the Verdera. Light is cheap; the installation is not.
The wiring, in Kohler’s words
Every sheet here says the same thing: “One circuit required, protected with Class A Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI)”. The Verdera adds that a dimmer switch is required and that Kohler recommends professional electrician installation.
A lighted cabinet is a hardwired fixture. If the wall behind your mirror has no junction box, that is the first job, and it belongs to an electrician.
Surface or recessed
Both Maxstows are surface-mount only. The Verdera can go either way: recessed, it needs a wall cutout of 33-3/4 x 28-1/4 x 3-11/16 in.; surface-mounted, it needs side kits sold separately. Recessed against surface-mount is compared here.
Leave room for the faucet. Kohler’s sheet for the unlit Maxstow asks for at least 3 in. between the door and the faucet, and the same check is worth making for any cabinet here.
If you rent
Every cabinet here rates Owner-only on our install rating, because of the wiring. The renter’s version of the same idea is a plug-in or battery LED mirror.
Every pick in full
3 we would buy, and one we would not. Each carries its Renter-Safe Install Rating, the published specs behind it, and the honest gap in what we know.
1. Best overall
Verdera 34 x 30 in. Two-Door Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-99009-TLC · best for a double-width mirror with the most light
2,200 lumens at CRI 90+, light panels you can aim, two internal outlets, soft-close doors, surface or recessed.
The Kohler Verdera lighted cabinet is the most capable one Kohler publishes a full sheet for. Its “Internal LED light guides” give 2,200 lumens at approximately 3000K with a “Minimum 90 CRI”, and “Pivoting side panels allow you to direct light for specific tasks”.
Inside there are two outlets on an aluminum shelf, two adjustable tempered-glass shelves, and mirrors on the front, inside the doors and on the back panel. The doors swing 108 degrees on soft-close hinges. It can be surface-mounted or recessed into a framed cavity.
Kohler rates the LEDs at 59,000 hours — at two hours a day, that is longer than most people keep a bathroom.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- Hardwired, on a GFCI-protected circuit with a dimmer
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Kohler recommends a professional electrician, requires a dimmer and a GFCI circuit, and recessing means framing the wall cavity.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Verdera lighted medicine cabinet K-99009-TLC specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What it costs to run — Electricity
- Light
- About 33.8 W — our arithmetic from Kohler's 2200 lumens at 65 lumens per watt
- Use
- 2 hours a day (our example)
- Rate
- 18.34 cents per kWh (US residential average, June 2026)
33.8 W x 2 h x 365 / 1000 x $0.1834 = $4.53
About $4.53 a year
Arithmetic on published specifications, not a measurement. Rate source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A — US residential average 18.34 cents/kWh, June 2026.
What’s wrong with it
Kohler says “A dimmer switch is required” and recommends a professional electrician; surface-mount side kits are sold separately.
What we can’t tell you
Kohler publishes no installation time, and the warranty is one year.
Published specifications
| Light | “Internal LED light guides”; 2200 lumens at 65 lumens per watt; approx. 3000K; “Minimum 90 CRI” |
|---|---|
| LED life | “estimated life expectancy of 59,000 hours” |
| Aim | “Pivoting side panels allow you to direct light for specific tasks” |
| Outlets | Two, on an internal aluminum shelf |
| Shelves | “Two adjustable tempered-glass shelves” |
| Doors | Two doors, “108° door swing with soft-close hinges”; left-hinged center door |
| Mirrors | Front, inside door and back panel |
| Mounting | Surface or recessed; recess cutout 33-3/4 x 28-1/4 x 3-11/16 in.; “Side kits for surface-mount installation sold separately” |
| Dimmer | “A dimmer switch is required” |
| Electrical | One circuit, protected with Class A GFCI — 120 V, 15 A; “Recommend professional electrician installation” |
| Warranty | KOHLER One-Year Limited Warranty |
Source: Kohler — Verdera lighted medicine cabinet K-99009-TLC specification sheet
#ad Price $1,359.00 as of October 18, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
2. Best tall cabinet
Maxstow 22 x 40 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-81148-SLE · best for maximum storage beside a narrow mirror
1,900 lumens at 88 lumens per watt — the most efficient here — with five fixed shelves.
The Kohler Maxstow 22 x 40 in. lighted cabinet trades width for height. It gives 1,900 lumens from side-integrated LEDs at 88 lumens per watt, the best efficiency of the three, again at CRI 90 or better.
It has “Five fixed shelves—three full width, two partial”, an outlet inside for a toothbrush or razor, and it goes up with “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting”.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- Hardwired, on a GFCI-protected circuit
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Surface-mounted and wired to a GFCI-protected circuit. An electrician's install.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81148-SLE specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What it costs to run — Electricity
- Light
- About 21.6 W — our arithmetic from Kohler's 1900 lumens at 88 lumens per watt
- Use
- 2 hours a day (our example)
- Rate
- 18.34 cents per kWh (US residential average, June 2026)
21.6 W x 2 h x 365 / 1000 x $0.1834 = $2.89
About $2.89 a year
Arithmetic on published specifications, not a measurement. Rate source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A — US residential average 18.34 cents/kWh, June 2026.
What’s wrong with it
Fixed shelves only, and at 40 in. tall it needs the room above the faucet to fit.
What we can’t tell you
No installation time published; one-year warranty.
Published specifications
| Light | Side-integrated LED; 1900 lumens at 88 lumens per watt; approx. 3000K; “Minimum 90 CRI” |
|---|---|
| LED life | “estimated life expectancy of 50,000 hours” |
| Dimming | Compatible with wall-mount LED dimmers (not included) |
| Outlet | Electrical outlet on an internal shelf |
| Shelves | “Five fixed shelves—three full width, two partial” |
| Mirrors | Front, inside door and back panel |
| Size | 22 in. wide x 40 in. tall; 3-7/8 in. deep |
| Mounting | “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting” |
| Electrical | One circuit, protected with Class A GFCI — 120 V, 5 A |
| Standards | UL 962; CA Title 24 JA8 |
| Warranty | KOHLER One-Year Limited Warranty |
Source: Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81148-SLE specification sheet
#ad Price $311.93 as of October 18, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
3. Best for a wide, low mirror
Maxstow 32 x 24 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-81146-SLE · best for a single vanity with limited height
1,650 lumens at CRI 90+ in a 31-13/16 x 24 in. surface-mount cabinet.
The Kohler Maxstow 32 x 24 in. lighted cabinet is the one for a bathroom where the mirror is wide but the wall above the faucet is not tall. Kohler publishes 1,650 lumens at 80 lumens per watt, 3000K and CRI 90 or better.
It has three fixed shelves — one full width and two partial — an internal outlet, and three mirrors. Like the 40 in. Maxstow, it is surface-mount only.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- Hardwired, on a GFCI-protected circuit
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Surface-mounted, but wired to a GFCI-protected circuit. The wiring makes it electrician's work.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81146-SLE specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What it costs to run — Electricity
- Light
- About 20.6 W — our arithmetic from Kohler's 1650 lumens at 80 lumens per watt
- Use
- 2 hours a day (our example)
- Rate
- 18.34 cents per kWh (US residential average, June 2026)
20.6 W x 2 h x 365 / 1000 x $0.1834 = $2.76
About $2.76 a year
Arithmetic on published specifications, not a measurement. Rate source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A — US residential average 18.34 cents/kWh, June 2026.
What’s wrong with it
The least light of the three, and only three shelves.
What we can’t tell you
No installation time published; one-year warranty.
Published specifications
| Light | “Side-integrated LED lighting”; 1650 lumens at 80 lumens per watt; approx. 3000K; “Minimum 90 CRI” |
|---|---|
| LED life | “estimated life expectancy of 50,000 hours” |
| Dimming | “Compatible with wall-mount LED dimmers (not included)” |
| Outlet | Electrical outlet on an internal shelf |
| Shelves | “Three fixed shelves—one full width and two partial” |
| Mirrors | “Front mirror, inside door mirror, and back panel mirror” |
| Size | 31-13/16 in. wide x 24 in. tall; 3-7/8 in. deep |
| Mounting | “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting” |
| Electrical | “One circuit required, protected with Class A Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI)” — 120 V, 5 A |
| Standards | UL 962; CA Title 24 JA8 |
| Warranty | KOHLER One-Year Limited Warranty |
Source: Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81146-SLE specification sheet
#ad Price $539.39 as of October 18, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
The one to skip
Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 24 in.
Kohler · K-81154 · best for bathrooms that already have good light at the mirror
A good cabinet with no light at all, on a page for people who want one.
The skip here is a format point, not a quality one.
The unlit Maxstow 30 x 24 in. is our surface-mount pick on the medicine cabinet page: rustproof aluminum, staggered shelves, no wall cutting. It is also the obvious thing to buy by mistake when you search for a Maxstow, because the lit and unlit versions share the name.
If light is the reason you are here, check the model number ends in -SLE before you order.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- With patching
Why: Surface-mounted with screws into the wall: no cutting, but it leaves holes to fill when it comes down. That makes it a question for the landlord first.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 24 in. medicine cabinet K-81154 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
No lighting, no outlet.
What we can’t tell you
Nothing that changes the call.
Published specifications
| Size | 29-3/4 in. wide x 24 in. tall; 3-9/16 in. deep on Kohler's drawing |
|---|---|
| Doors | Mirror-front, with a “reflective mirrored interior”; 9-3/4 in. and 20 in. wide |
| Shelves | “Three fixed shelves—one full width and two partial”, in a staggered layout |
| Hinges | “Two-way adjustable hinges with 108° opening capability” |
| Material | “Rustproof aluminum” |
| Mounting | “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting”; left- or right-hinge |
| Included | Mounting hardware and a reversible two-color side panel kit |
| Faucet clearance | The door must clear the faucet by at least 3 in. (76 mm) |
| Warranty | “KOHLER® One-Year Limited Warranty” |
| Recessed option | Not offered — surface-mount only |
Source: Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 24 in. medicine cabinet K-81154 specification sheet
There is no buy button on this one. It is easy enough to find if you want it anyway — we would rather point you at something that is still on the wall in a year.
Where to buy
Everything recommended on this page, in one place. Each link is an Amazon Associates link — we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never decides a pick.
- $1,359.00View on Amazon
Verdera 34 x 30 in. Two-Door Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-99009-TLC · Renter verdict: Owner-only
- $311.93View on Amazon
Maxstow 22 x 40 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-81148-SLE · Renter verdict: Owner-only
- $539.39View on Amazon
Maxstow 32 x 24 in. Lighted Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-81146-SLE · Renter verdict: Owner-only
#ad Prices are not shown because we only publish figures we have verified on the day. How we’re funded.
Questions people actually ask
are lighted medicine cabinets worth it
If you are wiring the bathroom anyway, they put CRI 90 light at the sides of the mirror and storage behind it in one fixture. The cost is the circuit: Kohler requires a GFCI-protected one for every lighted cabinet here.
do lighted medicine cabinets need an electrician
Kohler's sheets require a GFCI-protected circuit, and for the Verdera it recommends professional electrician installation and requires a dimmer switch.
can a lighted medicine cabinet be recessed
Some can. Kohler's Verdera K-99009-TLC mounts on the surface or recessed into a framed cavity; the lighted Maxstows are surface-mount only.
how much does a lighted medicine cabinet cost to run
Very little. From Kohler's published lumens and efficiency, the lights draw roughly 21 to 34 watts; at two hours a day that is about $3 to $4.50 a year at 18.34 cents per kWh.
Sources
- Kohler — Verdera lighted medicine cabinet K-99009-TLC specification sheet
- Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81148-SLE specification sheet
- Kohler — Maxstow lighted medicine cabinet K-81146-SLE specification sheet
- Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 24 in. medicine cabinet K-81154 specification sheet
- US EIA — Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, residential average 18.34 cents per kWh, June 2026
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