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If you have a garage, you have more than just a parking spot, you’ve got a versatile space for storage and hobbies. Don’t get us wrong, a garage is wasted if you’re simply stuffing it with junk. First and foremost, there are several advantages to storing your car off the street. It protects your vehicle from weather and the sun, offers enhanced security and protects your car from theft, and reduces wear and tear on your vehicle, leading to better resale value.

If you don’t own a car, or your garage is spacious enough to both park your vehicle and serve other purposes, you have plenty of options. You can store your camping gear, convert it into a home gym, or create a studio for your favorite hobby, like woodworking, restoration, or painting. Many garages feel more like a cave than usable space, however, so you may have some work cut out for you. 

Your garage may be poorly-lit with a single bulb or inexpensive, low-wattage lights. To reclaim that square footage, think about your needs and check out your lighting options. You’ll want to consider the size and layout of your garage along with your intended purpose. Here are four options from Amazon that will help you maximize the potential of your basic garage space.

Shop lights are a basic and classic solution for your garage lighting needs. Typically a single bar of light, it hangs from the ceiling by a chain, and you can easily install them above a work table or wherever you need extra light. This shop light by ALUSSO goes a bit beyond the basic, with five color temperature options and three power levels.

The light delivers 4,800 lumens of light with just 40W, so it’s a solid choice if you’re aiming to replace a fluorescent light with something more efficient and cost-effective. Users can choose between warmer and colder looks depending on their needs. The light is easy to install with the included hanging chains and ceiling hooks, or you can mount it directly to your ceiling. Then, simply plug the light into a standard 120V outlet. You can link up to four units with the included 59-inch power cord, which also boasts an on/off switch. Inside the box, buyers will also find mounting screws, plastic anchors, and mounting buckles.

Priced at $49.98 at time of writing for a two-pack, these lights have 4.8 out of five stars in customer reviews. Users like their brightness, adjustable settings, and easy installation. There are few complaints; one buyer noted the lack of a pull cord switch.

The Hexagon LED Garage Light offers a showroom-worthy look to go with your high-gloss epoxy floor coating and high-end cabinetry, but the light is more than just eye-catching, it’s also functional. These lights are sold in various-sized packs depending on how many hexagon shapes you want or need. The 25-pack, which allows you to make five hexagons, is currently priced at $74.92.

The lights can be hung on the ceiling or on the wall and are also customizable in different shapes. They are quite bright, producing up to 26,400 lumens of white light. Compared to similar products, these lights are wider and boast connector pins that are impossible to touch during installation, protecting the user from the risk of electrical shock. Each tube is about 17.5 inches long, and the 25-pack is about 90 inches long when assembled in the traditional shape. Each set comes with a 5 ft long power cord, a cable for hard-wiring, and all the necessary connectors, screws, and anchors.

Reviewers found these lights easy to install. They’re very bright without causing harsh shadows, and provide a high end appearance. The connectors received mostly high marks, but some buyers did find that the provided plug for hardwiring these lights is too short.

This two-pack of ceiling lights is good if you’re on a tight budget. Priced at $35.99 for a pack of two at time of writing, the POLARPRA Super Bright 32000LM LED Garage Ceiling Lights are also very easy to install. They screw into any standard 120V base, allowing you to replace a single light bulb with this brighter ceiling light with no additional wiring or installation necessary. Each of these lights has six panels with LED diodes putting out 16,000 lumens with 160W. The panels are adjustable by 90 degrees, so that you can direct the light exactly where you need it.

These lights are designed for your garage and are resistant to both corrosion and high temperatures, which is useful if you have trouble keeping your garage cool in the summer. They turn on and off using a motion sensor. Because they have diodes instead of standard bulbs, these lights are not reusable, but they have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. The color temperature, which is not adjustable, is advertised as “daylight white.” Reviewers commend the product for its ease of installation, brightness level, adjustable panels, and affordability.

If your garage has an extra high ceiling, or you need to light a commercial garage space, you’ll want to look for high bay light fixtures like this four-pack from JC-LGL. These types of fixtures are intended to light large spaces with high ceilings of 15 feet or more. They also tend to offer a wider distribution pattern so that you can use fewer fixtures to light your space.

These LED lights, available in a white or black finish, have quick installation with no tools necessary. They come with portable hooks that can easily be attached to most ceilings, along with a 5 ft power cord and a safety rope. The lights provide 36,000 lumens and offer selectable wattages, including 150W, 200W, and 240W. The lights are also dimmable, though interested buyers should note that a dimmer switch is not included. The bay lights are made from die-cast aluminum housing for better heat-dissipation, and boast up to 50,000 hours of life. JC-LGL offers a five-year warranty.

At time of writing, the lights are priced at $309.99 for a four-pack. Reviewers say that they are easy to install and very bright. Several users installed them with a dimmer switch and reported that they work well. They currently have 4.7 out of five stars on Amazon’s website.