If you are using puck-style lights (single point of light as opposed to bar of light), you need one light every 12 to 15 inches. For 38" cabs I would use a minimum of two and I would consider three with a dimmer. We have a 29" cabinet with two and that's just right.

Ours are low-voltage xenon, and they get really hot. Hot enough to burn you. But they throw great light, and they are dimmable.

Not sure if you are DIY, but make sure you put the lights close to the fronts of the cabinets, so the light shines down on the middle of your countertops. Also, if you install low voltage lights, make sure the transformer is mounted somewhere where you can get to it (in case it ever fails).

theresse -- we got NSL xenon lights from Pro Lighting. I have a 2 light task light for each cabinet, which are about 27-30 inches wide. I have been happy with these lights, I don't think they get uncomfortably hot -- but if I raise the dough just high enough, it helps yeast dough rise! If you call NSL or Prolighting, they will help you figure out what you need.

I went to a lighting store with a display of different bulbs on a granite counter and tile backsplash. I liked the Xenon light the best - to me the most natural looking. It does get hotter than I expected (chocolate chips melted in a plastic container on the shelf just above the light) but I love the dimmable lights. A 24" bar may be fine.

We installed WAC xenon lights. 1 for each cabinet (ranging from 24-30"), including 1 over the sink. I find it puts off enough light. They do not get too hot, but I would not put chocolate on the bottom shelf of any of the cabinets. I have them on a dimmer but actually haven't really used that yet (guess since we still can't get in there because it's WIP).

Thanks so much everyone! I went and looked for the lights each of you mentioned, at Home Depot. I plan to also look at Lowe's. Rjr220 - I'll call those places you mentioned as well.

What was really frustrating for me is that the only really thin ones are the cold bluish light instead of the warmer light...the warmer ones seem thicker (e.g. most of the pucks). I have almost no space available for some trim to be added below the cupboards to help hide the lights so i feel really stuck. I definitely don't want the cold look. And I have to admit to being a tad concerned about the heat issue too...but then I'd want them on a lower setting most of the time, I imagine.

What did you end up with? How do you like it?
I have to decide on my UCLs this week.

I'm very happy with the decision I made! I'm taking the puck lights back to the store and am getting Seagull low-voltage linear lights as so many on this forum have recommended. They're still Xenon so have a warm color, but they're about 3/4" instead of over an inch as the pucks are, and they seem to hide really well under there. Also the individual light holders clip onto a thin track at any location you want so you can have as many or as few as you need along the track (adding more later if you want more later, for example). They'll work w/ a dimmer so I'll get a dimmer which means I'll need a transformer hidden somewhere (probably in the basement, below the kitchen). I visited a local store that had them on display so I got to see how they look and I was very impressed. :)

Down side: they cost quite a bit more (for my situation: about $160 I think (?) not including the transformer and dimmer). But for me I didn't really feel I had a choice, considering my 1913 cabinets sit far too close to the counter (14") so there's really no way to add some trim below the cabinets to hide the less expensive but significantly thicker lights - and I didn't want them sitting too far back which I've read is poor task lighting and creates shadows.

Here's a link that shows the system:
http://www.SeaGullLighting.com/Linear-Lighting.htm

And below is the actual lampholder (out of a few choices) that my local lighting store suggested I get. She said she liked that these because - rather than being a 10W light - these are two 5W lights in one holder, which end up having a softer, warmer effect while being just as bright for task lighting. She may have said they might be a hair thinner, too. Since I mostly want these for ambiance/mood lighting, I felt I should go this route (same price as the other options, or actually maybe a few cents less). But being such a research hound I'll probably inquire about them on this forum at the last minute before purchasing...just to play it safe. ;)

http://www.SeaGullLighting.com/1372/Ambiance-Low-Voltage-Lighitng-9428-15.html

Good luck yourself!

Here is a link that might be useful: Seagull low-voltage linear lights

We tried out one of the daisychainable Ikea undercupboard hallogen lights for six months. I burned myself on it a couple times. So, I decided to use fluorescent cheapies from Menards. Have had fluorescents for years under counters in old kitchen so I'm used to them. You can buy different color flavors when buying new tubes--cool or bright. Bulbs last a long time. I think the most important result is putting a shadow behind you instead of in front of you when working at counter. If you have insufficient ceiling light, you will need more undercounter lighting. I don't understand your idea of 2 lights--why not have one long one?

florantha - I didn't know what I was talking about when I titled this thread. I thought - as far as individual lights go like puck lights - that there was a set amount that was typically placed per cabinet (not per inches, as is the case). So I wanted to know if people usually put one or two lights per cabinet.

I don't think I'd want one long light necessarily, just cause i like the effect of a little bit of the spot light look (within reason) but that's also cause I like the lights more for mood lighting than for task lighting. If all I cared about was task lighting, I'd probably want one long strip too. As it is, these Seagull ones I'm getting are like one long strip, in that they're track lighting, I think you could call them.