Quick verdict
An angled aluminium hood that fits GKOLED 7 and 12 watt low voltage floodlights and cuts the direct view of the LED from paths, windows and the neighbour, so the light falls on the tree or wall it is aimed at and not in anyone's eyes. Glare is the difference between landscape lighting that looks professional and lighting that looks like a security lamp. It fits only the listed GKOLED models, which is the one thing to check.
Strengths
- Hides the LED source from direct view
- Puts light on the subject instead of in eyes and windows
- Aluminium matches the fixture and lasts outdoors
- Angled cut suits up-lighting trees and walls
- Quick to fit to the compatible fixtures
Weaknesses
- Fits GKOLED 7W and 12W floods only
- Reduces spread slightly; may need re-aiming
- Collects debris in the hood over time
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
See the Tree, Not the Lamp
The difference between landscape lighting that looks designed and lighting that looks like a security floodlight is whether you can see the lamp. A bare LED up-light dazzles from the path and from the bedroom window. A hood hides it. GKOLED’s angled aluminium shield fits the company’s 7 and 12 watt low voltage floods and blocks the direct view while the light still reaches the tree or wall.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on glare control practice in landscape lighting generally. We have not used this shield ourselves.
Glare
The eye adapts to the brightest thing in view. If that is a naked LED, everything else looks dark and the garden looks worse with the lights on than off. Shield the source and the eye adapts to the lit subject instead; the same wattage looks softer, richer and more even. Designers shield every fixture that can be seen from a viewing position.
Fitting
The hood slides onto the fixture head and the angled cut goes with the long side toward the viewer, so an up-light at the base of a tree shows nothing to the path. Re-aim the fixture after fitting, since the hood trims the spread at the edges. Minutes per light.
Fit
These are made for GKOLED 7W and 12W floods and do not fit other brands. Check the fixture model before ordering. Other makers sell hoods for their own lights, and generic snap-on hoods fit some common sizes.
Care
A hood collects leaves and spider webs. Brush it out when you clean the lens each season.
Who Should Buy It
- Owners of GKOLED floods that glare from the path or the house.
- Anyone up-lighting trees near a window or a neighbour.
- People upgrading a lighting scheme from bright to designed.
Common Owner Complaints
Fit on other brands. It is model specific.
Placement Tips
Stand where the garden is viewed from, the patio, the kitchen window, the front path, and look at each fixture with the lights on. Any lamp you can see directly gets a hood. Fit the hood, then walk the same viewpoints again; a hood that still shows the LED from one angle may need the fixture rotated a few degrees. Up-lights at the base of a tree want the hood on the viewer’s side, while a light aimed along a wall wants the hood on the side the wall is seen from.
Care
Hoods trap leaves and webs, which block light and hold damp against the lens. Brush them out when you wipe the lenses each season, and check the hood is still seated after a mower or a strimmer has been near.
Alternatives to Consider
WAC and other brands make hoods for their fixtures. Generic clip-on cowls for common MR16 floods. Choosing fixtures with built-in glare guards from the start.
Verdict
For GKOLED floods, this hood is the cheap upgrade that makes the lighting look professional. Fit it with the long side toward the viewer, re-aim and the lamp disappears.
Full specifications
GKOLED Outdoor Angled Aluminum Glare Shield for 7W and 12W Low Voltage LED Floodlights FAQs
A bare floodlight seen from the path is a dazzling point that makes everything around it look darker. Shielded, the eye sees the lit tree, not the lamp, and the garden looks lit rather than floodlit.
Only GKOLED 7W and 12W low voltage floods. Other brands have their own shields or accept generic clip-on hoods.
Long side up and toward the viewer for an up-light, so the hood blocks the view of the LED from the path while the light reaches the subject.
It narrows the spread a little at the edges. Re-aim the fixture after fitting and the subject is still fully lit.
