Ellumi will illuminate your life as it kills surface-living bacteria

Just because you don’t want to think about the germs living on your kitchen counters doesn’t mean they’re not there. Luckily, there’s a new device bringing a whole new meaning to the turn of phrase, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Meet the Ellumi, a new LED under-cabinet light that promises to kill bacteria safely, effectively, and perhaps most saliently, continuously.

Powered by Vital Vio, a company known for its antibacterial lighting, and Evolution Lighting, a firm dedicated to cutting-edge lighting technology to its customers, the Ellumi promises to pair sleek design with serious functionality. The new light leverages Vital Vio’s proprietary VioSafe White Light Disinfection technology that makes use of LEDs rather than UV or chemicals, which means that it’s perfectly safe to keep on around your home and your loved ones all the live-long day.

Vital Vio claims that its VioSafe technology utilizers light at specific wavelengths that are safe for humans, but not so much for bacteria. So while the Ellumi illuminates your life, it also extinguishes the light of bacteria. The new product purports to eliminate up to 99 percent of hundreds of various germs, including bacteria, mold, and fungi, all while keeping your home light and bright.

So how exactly does it work? According to the team behind the Ellumi, this lighting technology “excites certain molecules in harmful microorganisms through photo-activation to produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), causing cell wall damage and death over time.” In essence, the Ellumi is capable of removing germs even where wiping and washing won’t do the trick. And because you can keep Ellumi on for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it’s also a much more efficient way to ensure that your home remains germ-free.

The under-cabinet light can be placed just about anywhere, be it a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or bedroom. The team claims that the light has been “proven to be effective on Strep, Staph/MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and other harmful microbes, which are often found hiding on commonly used surfaces.” Currently available in four sizes (9, 12, 18, or 24 inches), the Ellumi can be linked with up to five other units at a time. The light comes with a dual-mount option which means you can either plug it in directly to an outlet or direct-wire it to a circuit. The Ellumi starts at $90.