Best Indoor Motion-Sensing Lights

Placement: Consider your space. In a tight corridor, for instance, think about whether a light that plugs into an outlet may protrude too far and become a possible tripping hazard. In that setting, adhesive lights, which are often flatter, might be the right choice. 

Activation: “When you walk right straight into the light, the source, it sometimes doesn’t see you until you’re very close,” says CR test project leader Jose Amezquita. “However, when you walk across the field... it will see you a little bit further out." Optimal activation happens when people are walking past, not toward, these lights. Some lights can also be activated by timers, buttons, remote controls, or ambient light.

Color temperature: We tested some lights that are “warm” and some “cool.” (Think the headlights with an orange-ish hue that you find on older cars vs. the bright, almost-blue lights on newer models.) Our tests revealed that the cool lights are considerably brighter, which won’t surprise anyone who has spent time driving at night. The cool lights averaged 187 lux at 12 inches, while the warm lights measured only 60 lux, on average. So if you’re looking for the brightest lights, choose those marked “cool.” Some lights, like the Editor’s Choice Zisuyu, let you switch back and forth.

Manual override: If you’d rather skip the motion-sensing bit and want the option to set a light to stay on at all times, look for a light with a “manual override” button or switch. Many motion sensor lights have this, but some do not. The GE Coverlite LED Motion-Select offers a unique feature: The light turns on and stays on at dusk, but it increases in brightness when motion is detected. This is great for those who want to use the light to create visual cues but don’t want full brightness all night.