I don't get why they make these. I mean, they make LED reflector lamps which are the same thing and much cheaper too... And with LED reflector lamps you just change the lamp and move on. Don't have to rip out the trim and all that crap with it.

I like recessed cans. On the contrary, I hate linear fluorescents in kitchens. Makes food look terrible and they look too "industrial", even a wrap light or troffer. Makes it feel more like a hotel than my own home. I just prefer incandescents in living spaces. My kitchen also doubles as a dining room too (dining room, kitchen, and living room are one big studio-like room) so that's the main reason fluorescents would look weird. We have chandeliers in the kitchen/dining room though, not recessed cans. In fact, we don't have any recessed lights in our house at all.

Are fluorescents and luminous ceilings a common thing for kitchens elsewhere? Because I have never ever seen any houses with luminous drop ceilings or fluorescent lights in kitchens here. The only time I've ever seen luminous ceilings is at restaurants.

The luminous ceilings are popular in 70s-80s homes, though I've seen them in 50s era homes too. I happen to like them but yeah I can totally understand why many people don't!

Yeah, I really don't get the point of doing these either, when a lamp is so much easier & cheaper.

Around here fluorescents were very common in kitchens in the 80's (and to a lesser extent a few years on either side)... usually done as built-in thing 2x4 feet (allot of times larger, but still in 2x4 sections)

Originally had that type of thing (2 2x4 to make a 4x4 fixture). But when the kitchen was remodeled I went with T5's and kept the openings as slim as I could (recessed fixtures). Kept the nice brightness of fluorescent, but gave a much more modern look...exactly what I was intending Never had a problem with food looking bad or weird under them, but if someone used cool-white (something that I commonly see) it doesn't look very good, has a very dull/shop look to it.
A wrap-light or really anything else that sticks down is also something I personally would avoid in a kitchen or family room (would want the thing recessed so the ceiling is flat ). In a bedroom I'd be fine with it, but would prefer a "nicer looking" fixture over a wrap.

I only saw a luminous ceiling in a house one time (in Washington state)... it was sorta cool with the entire ceiling being covered, but at the same time just looked weird. Not something I would do especially in a kitchen.

Earlier this year I went to an estate sale not too far from where I live, and the house had the standard recessed 4-footers, even had a couple 8-footers recessed, I have never once anything like that in a house. Looked to me like it was probably built like that too rather than something added later

The house I grew up in, built in '88, had a "luminous ceiling", 3-2X4 sections with 4ft shoplights mounted above.

They had a bunch of these at the ReStore that I saw, I was thinking about getting one but didn't, since they are only 5 dollars each.

We don't really have any recessed fixtures in this house anyway so there wouldn't be a place for me to use it.

How bright is this? and does it spread the light well or is it more of a spot light? What's strange about this module is that there's not a plug between the screw base and the module. Usually there's a plug so that way you don't twist up the leads when screwing in the socket adapter piece. Makes installation a LOT easier.

@Lil'Cinnamon:
Yep $5, (then 17% off that since they had a sale on the weekend)
Which ReStore did you go to.. the one on Quincy/Wadsworth by chance? If it was mid-day on sat we coulda passed each other by without even knowing it

@Mike:
Well its too bright to look directly at and actually seems to put out a fair amount of light looking indirectly...but (I don't know how call this) the light is sorta "harsh looking"

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I might just mount this on a piece of sheetmetal/drywall/board and stick it up as a extra light for my houseplants.
I have one recessed fixture, but want to leave it alone (plus the light-color of this would look bad in that room).

This turned out to be a piece of crap.. lasted only a year or so.
Maybe it couldn't take the 90+ temps in my bedroom last summer.

LOL 25+ years my @$$ lol.

@Mike:
Yep. exactly... damn thing didn't even last 25 months