This Harbor Freight Find Can Upgrade Your Garage Lighting

If you've ever lived in a home with a garage, attached or otherwise, you've likely noticed that the default lighting in these spaces tends to be terrible. It's not a space that most builders or even homeowners put much thought into unless they use it for more than simply parking their vehicle. Often underlit with inexpensive fixtures that create dark corners and tripping hazards, the lights in these spaces also tend to burn out faster due to environmental factors like temperature fluctuations and vibrations from your garage door.

If you use your garage for storage or as a workshop or gym space, or you simply want to feel safer and see better in your garage, there are several ways you can make the space more functional, including a lighting upgrade. Modernizing any space in your home can be expensive, but Harbor Freight offers a budget-friendly option for your garage, especially if you already have standard light sockets in place.

The Braun 8000 Lumen Motion Sensor Shop Light fits any standard E26 light socket, making installation virtually seamless. Harbor Freight may call it a shop light, but it's a great choice for any dim space, including your garage. It has three panels that you can adjust independently, providing wide, 360-degree light distribution. It also offers motion sensors, so you won't even have to flip a switch when you enter or exit your garage. This light costs $24.99 at time of writing and has a limited 90-day warranty.

The Braun 8000 Lumen Motion Sensor Shop Light is easy to install, and you can add as many of them as you have available light sockets. The brightness level of each light is equivalent to 10 times the light output of a 60-watt bulb, according to Harbor Freight, and each light has a life of 50,000 hours. Its aluminum panels are durable, making it quite suitable for a garage or other workshop space. If you want to disable the motion sensor, there's a simple on/off switch.

If you're on the fence about such an inexpensive option, the user reviews are mostly positive, with a 4.8 out of 5 stars at time of writing. Users give the light high marks for its brightness and quick and easy set-up, and many like that you can adjust the direction of each of the three lights. Numerous reviewers installed the light in their garage and were pleased with the results. A few users complain that the motion sensor isn't sensitive to small movements, and when you turn off the motion sensor the light simply stays on. Another common complaint is that it turns off too quickly if it doesn't sense motion. Overall, reviews are generally positive, though few users mention durability. Two one-star reviewers said their lights stopped working after only a month, but those seem to be anomalies amongst generally positive feedback. If this light doesn't meet your needs, Harbour Freight offers several other lighting solutions for work areas.