Cabinet Reviews: Ratings for the top 150 cabinet brands.

347 Replies to “Cabinet Reviews: Ratings for the top 150 cabinet brands.”

1. 

   Heather McClure

   Hi! What are your thoughts on Sole Design cabinetry? I don’t see it reviewed above. I’ve gotten quotes for Sole Design and Medallion, with SD being a few thousand more. The sales rep is telling me it’s the better route though. Thanks!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Heather,
   They don’t give any specifics on their website. Even their Google reviews are uncharacteristically vague. So I can’t comment beyond that I have never heard of them. Medallion is a relatively expensive brand and there are well constructed brands nearly half the price of Medallion so Sole Design is expensive and not a known custom brand.

   When the only brands you are considering are pretty expensive my warning below becomes much more important:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

   Unapprove | Reply | Quick Edit | Edit | History | Spam | Trash

2. 

   Jason

   Hi, Paul. My wife is set on frameless cabinets and slab doors for our kitchen. Our budget is a little tight, so we are considering the brands CNC, Craft, ProCraft and possibly Marsh and Fabuwood. In your opinion, which of these companies’ frameless cabinets are the best for the price? I’ve looked at their specs, and they seem similar. Is there one of these brands that you’d recommend over the others? Thank you!

   Jason

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Jason,
   I didn’t think that ProCraft or Craft made Frameless cabinetry. The Fabuwood Frameless only comes with 3/4″ particle board sides. It’s great looking but less durable. I’m not sure if you can upgrade to plywood construction in Marsh frameless. If you can it will be a cost upgrade too. CNC comes with 3/4″ plywood construction so they will be the best value but they have limited door styles to choose from. If your wife likes the CNC door styles then I’d use them.

   Remember these are all budget lines except for the Fabuwood so I’d expect some possible shipping damage or other inconveniences since they are keeping costs down. They will replace any problems though.

1. 

   Jason Young

   Thank you, Paul. I’ll focus on CNC. Craft and ProCraft do also make frameless cabinets with similar specs as CNC.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Jason,
   I looked up Procraft frameless and they look well built too.

3. 

   tony

   what a great job with this post, thank you! we are a custom cabinet company that in the past few years we have added one pre-fab line (forevermark) which seems to be ok and fits the bill in terms of quality to price value. My question is, do you know of any other line similar to forevermark that may be based in Florida or has stock housing in Florida?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Tony,
   Most of the major inexpensive brands are originally from New Jersey and Seattle Two major container ports. Fabuwood is the best of these brands and I think and they pretty much ship everywhere now.

4. 

   Len

   Hi! New homeowner here, and renovating a kitchen.
   Re-designed and re-purposed the current layout for more functionality. My dream kitchen would have walnut cabinets, as I am researching walnut seems to be one of the priciest options. Can you recommend cabinet manufacturers that make walnut cabinets in the 3 price level that also do have great quality/value? We were quoted Brighton but for a large kitchen it’s too expensive.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Len,
   Only custom cabinet brands sell Walnut. So a price level 5 is the lowest you’ll find. A dark stained hickory might be the closest looking wood available in the 3 price point. Focusing on wood species underestimates the importance of the design itself. Generally when customers focus on color they are leaving far better designs on the table.

5. 

   J. Young

   Any thoughts on cabinets made by Tuscan Hills?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi J,
   Yes my thoughts would be that buying a kitchen with possibly inset or custom cabinetry at Costco would be like asking the car wash to replace your car engine while they were washing it.

   I post the text below all the time. It needs to be accepted by everyone that is contemplating a kitchen renovation. Most people ignore the advice at their peril:

   Here it is once again

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

6. 

   Jonathan

   Hi Paul,
   Outstanding advice and conversations! I’m looking for a superior quality 100% hardwood cabinet that’s durable. I’m taking a hard look at Fabuwood, but want to ask: In the strict names of build quality and durability, what’s the brand(s) you recommend for the “Toyota/Honda” of cabinetry that are rock solid inside and out? I care more about a fine product than I do design and customizations… I don’t want regret… ever. Thank you!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Jonathan,
   Since the MOST important part of a kitchen renovation is the design you are making the mistake that most non-professionals make.
   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

1. 

   Jonathan

   Thanks Paul, Ill check out the podcast and email you. Most appreciated.

7. 

   Chris H

   Hello Paul,
   I’ve been doing some online reseach for basic white shaker cabinets and have found your site so very insightful.

   One thing I’m curious about is that both Fabuwood and US Cabinet Depot (framed) are graded “A” for quality.

   This is surprising because I’ve been looking at the shaker from US CD’s Capital collection and it comes with a full HDF door/drawer front, half-depth shelves, plastic corner brackets and the carcass is held together with metal clips and have no i-beams for extra support.

   Of course, this is all from online research and I’ve yet to see it in person but shouldn’t all thee points rank it far below Fabuwood? I’m referring specifically to the Allure shaker series, which improve upon all those aforementioned points.

   I can get the US Cabinet Depot for roughtly 2/3 the price of Fabuwood but willing to spend more because you’ve said that Fabuwood is the best of the cheapest (or something to that effect). Is there something I’m missing about how US Cabinet Depot can rank similarly with Fabuwood? It seems it should rank below even JSI and J&K.

   Thanks for any insight you’d be willing to provide.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Chris,
   The HDF doors and drawer fronts we have found to be just as durable as real wood. The Fabuwood construction is better than some of the slightly less expensive lines that we rate well. However those differences also do not effect durability to any significant extent.

   Keep in mind that when you are working in the less expensive brands than Fabuwood that they will not have the catalogue, or ability to customize that Fabuwood does. Also that there may be more shipping damage and miss orders on average in less expensive brands. Things will work out in the end but there may be slightly more frustrations.

   Whether these things are worth 33% is up to you. Remember too that is is almost impossible to compare apples to apples so things like the soft close tracks and hinges will probably not be Blum (the best) in these lesser lines and the sides of the cabinets that are exposed will probably not be flush, as well as the differences you mentioned.

8. 

   Viv

   Thank you, so so much for the straight-forward, no BS advice, Paul. Gained as much from reading your response to people’s questions as your rating of cabinet makers. I’m looking for full overlay cabs, shaker (by its true definition, not skinny shaker), stained in black, plywood, Blum soft close for a new build ADU. Not 100% sure on wood species. Which 1-2 cabinet lines would you recommend if $ isn’t an issue?

   Also, I’m in central OR. Would you work with out of state given its new built and working on paper from floor plan?

   Thank you!!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Viv,
   Thanks for the kind remarks. Lots of considerations here.

   First Black paint will most often be an upgrade in any well made inexpensive cabinet brand if it’s available at all. Black stain will only be available in much more expensive cabinet brands, because it’s not very popular. What wood species you would choose for a black stain would depend on how much grain you wanted to see. Black paint would be best on Popular, Asian Birch, or MDF.

   I would recommend black paint over black stain as most people will not like the grain coming through and so the value of the property would certainly decrease choosing a black stain. Add to that that you are automatically now in an expensive cabinet brand simply because you are choosing something people don’t often choose and so the cabinet brand must be close to custom to offer the choice.

   If you do choose a black stain then any relatively expensive higher end semi custom brand,or any custom brand will offer this, So picking from our cabinet list of 4, 5, and 6 price level cabinets that get good reviews would be my advice. And if you ARE choosing a black stain make sure you see an entire door done in the stain on the wood species you are choosing. No showroom would have a display in this color but you should at least see a whole door done in the color and wood type and not just a small sample block.

   If you are picking a black paint there will be many options. Inexpensive well made brands like Fabuwood and some other brands will do custom colors for 25% to 35% more. In mid priced cabinetry many brands like 1951, Shendoah at Lowes, American Woodmark at The Home Depot as well as many other price level 3 cabinet brands will do black paint standard.

   If you are choosing a price level 5 or above just select the dealer with the best reviews and a cabinet brand that we review well. Again make sure you see a whole door in the color and wood or MDF you choose.

   Here’s a link to a black stained kitchen in Showplace Cabinetry;

   https://showplacecabinetry.com/gallery/midnight-delight/

   Notice the grain and uneven staining. Make sure that is something that you like.

   Plus whenever I see an unpopular choice in cabinet color and finish I almost always also see poor design choices. This is because the customer either worked with an inexperienced kitchen designer OR disregarded the advice from an experienced one. The design above has lots of poor design choices. Amoung them – A movable butcher block Island that gets in everyone’s way no matter where it sits. 24″ wide wall cabinets. A two level island. A lift up door that opens into a walkway. A glass door cabinet without a matching interior. And a countertop microwave set into an opening instead of a microwave with a trim kit.

   I would consider calling into our help line and podcast. When you are considering some expensive unusual choices, getting expert advice becomes more essential. See below:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens. Be ready to email designs or measurements you want Paul to consider.

   Thanks,
   Paul

9. 

   William

   Hello,

   Was hoping to get some guidance as I am stuck between 3 cabinet brands.

   I have narrowed to CNC, Cubitac and Fabuwood.

   Is there a big difference in quality between the 3?

   For reference it looks like I can get CNC for CONSIDERABLY cheaper, but I do not want to sacrifice a lot of quality for the savings.

   In short it would be great to save some money (if they are all on par) but I want to get the highest quality possible.

   Do you have any recommendations there?

   Thanks so much.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi William,
   While CNC, and Cubitac are not quite made as well as Fabuwood the differences shouldn’t affect durability. You will probably experience more shipping damages with the less expensive brands and possibly some missing parts or pieces. However, in the end. everything is warrantied so you should be fine. Possibly the reason the CNC cabinetry is so much less is that the door style you are comparing is the Luxor door style which is a partial overlay style with a limited catalogue. It’s a great value and as I said very durable but comparing it to full overlay door styles in the other two brands isn’t comparing “apples to apples”

10. 

    Gina Francis

    Hello Paul,

    Your site has been an incredible resource as we navigate our kitchen redesign—so grateful to you for sharing your expertise!

    After spending a great deal of time on your website, I connected with a reputable Fabuwood distributor (one of only two I could find in the metro area). Our turn-of-the-century home presents unique challenges due to tight spaces, but I’m very pleased with our final design.

    Our designer/Fabuwood distributor—who also owns this previously two-person operation—recommended Fabuwood for the lower cabinets and Siteline for the upper cabinets, citing that Siteline’s double-stacked shelves come as one piece rather than two, making alignment easier along with a cost savings. Although Siteline doesn’t rank highly in your reviews, I reluctantly agreed to this plan. However, I’ve just learned that the Siteline product uses particle board with a natural maple melamine interior. The designer assured me that particle board offers performance and longevity similar to plywood, especially for wall cabinets. Is this accurate? Upgrading to plywood would add 15% or more to the cost.

    Currently, the Fabuwood/Siteline combination is priced considerably higher than the Diamond Advanced cabinet quote I received months ago, which included additional features like a wood stove hood, more glass fronts and additional cabinetry.

    As a side note, our current design company originally provided a quote for all Fabuwood cabinets a few months ago, but the measurements were done by an employee who is no longer with the company. Her measurements turned out to be inaccurate, though her quote was still significantly more expensive than the Diamond Advanced cabinets. Based on your reviews, I expected Fabuwood to be less expensive than Diamond Advanced.

    I know you emphasize the importance of design over cost, and I agree with you. However, I didn’t anticipate that Fabuwood would cost so much more than Diamond Advanced. While I want to honor the work of our designer, I also need to be prudent as this is a substantial financial commitment… I would greatly appreciate your advice on how to proceed…. many thanks in advance!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Gina,
   Siteline is a frameless brand. If you are getting Fabuwood framed cabinetry then mixing the two would look add as the door sizes are different and bigger in frameless cabinetry.
   There is so much information that’s missing here for me to comment. Door styles, colors, the design itself. Any designer that’s mixing framed and frameless cabinetry makes me pause. Diamond Advanced upgraded to plywood should normally be much more expensive than Fabuwood so something is wrong here.

   I’d consider calling into our Friday helpline 2 -4pm Eastern Standard Time at 61O-500-4071

1. 

   Gina

   Hi Paul,

   Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I’m going to try to reach you on your helpline today. For the sake of context, I’ve addressed some of your questions below.

   Door styles: shaker/ Fabuwood Galaxy. Colors: two tone, light on top, darker for bottom cabinets.

   I should clarify that the full priced quote from Lowe’s for the Diamond Advanced was considerably higher than the Fabuwood/Siteline quote prior to the discounts. However, as I quickly learned, Lowe’s is known for running considerable sales on their cabinet lines throughout the year. When we received our quote back in July they were running a 40% off sale + 5% for using their credit card. With the discounts we were quoted a final price of $37,000 for the Diamond Advanced cabinets. This price included wood hood/blower kit at just over $6,000K plus 8 extra cabinets that we have since decided to forgo. Whereas our most recent Siteline/Fabuwood quote that did not include a hood/blower kit nor did it include the 8 extra cabinets came in at $33,268 with particle board from Siteline. This cost goes up to $36,147 if we went the plywood route with Siteline. I was expecting a bigger spread between the three distributors.

   Grateful for your counsel!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Gina,
   Hood and blowers are never $6000 in Fabuwood. $2500 would be the max probably. You say you selected dark bottoms and light uppers in Fabuwood but still not the colors. Some custom colors are 35% more in Fabuwood like black, and light blues and greens and some other colors as well. Yes, Lowes is know for sales but often these sales are actually fabricated and refer to sales off list price which all cabinet brands discount severely. For example we sell Fabuwood for 43% off List price. Home centers do sometimes offer real sales at the end of the year to boost company sales figures for stock price reasons. These sales also generate more mistakes and damages.

11. 

    Victor

    Which in your opinion is a better purchase With painted white,JS cabinets or Diamond cabinets?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Victor,
   Not sure which JS cabinets you are refering to JS Custom cabinetry? JSI cabinets? Also which Diamond line are you referring to. Regular Diamond upgraded to plywood we rate pretty well. 4 B+/A- B+

12. 

    Thomas Stewart

    I’ve received some pretty close quotes with an overall kitchen remodel. There were three different prices I’m considering and the cabinets used were Forevermark, Fabuwood and Homecrest. Interestingly enough, the cheaper of all the prices was the one that included the Homecrest cabinets (3/4”, dovetail, soft close). Forevermark(lowest line) I wasn’t interested in but the Fabuwood seemed nice, was cheaper and had the color my wife wanted. I saw the ratings of each. Any thoughts on cost savings between Fabuwood and Homecrest?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Thomas,
   Make sure the Homecrest includes all plywood construction as well as the soft close drawers and doors. Generally the Homecrest is the best buy when you are looking for a stained maple or cherry cabinet. The Fabuwood will probably look a little better in a painted finish. The custom Fabuwood paint colors like black, or greens, are 35% more and are not the bargain that their standard paint colors are.

1. 

   Thomas Stewart

   Thank you for the advice! The priced Homecrest is as you note. Also, the Fabuwood paint colors my wife has chosen are def custom, so I appreciate the information on that.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Thomas,
   I always stress to my customers that whatever money they spent splurging on a specific color could also have been spent on design changes, removing walls and other things that make a far better kitchen than a special color does. Plus the custom colors are less popular. That’s why they are custom and so the custom colors certianly doesn’t add value to your home.

   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

13. 

    Kimberly

    Just trying to understand your rating. You state that framed construction is more durable than frameless. And when I asked you about Décor, you stated, “For a shaker door in a frameless brand you will be sacrificing durability for no reason, so I would switch to a framed brand. “. So I am wondering about your rating for Signature which you rate A+ for both quality and cost value. When I call Signature Custom they stated they only do frameless. So what is the difference between Décor and Signature Custom? Décor frameless you don’t recommend, but Signature Custom frameless you do recommend with rating of A+? Thank you.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Kimberly,
   Signature makes both framed and frameless cabinetry. The ratings we give are for their framed line, I’ll add the frameless line later today. Their frameless line upgraded to all plywood construction would be rated at the highest rating a frameless brand could get. 5 for cost B for construction and A for value.

14. 

    Sista

    Hey there!

    What an absolute wealth of information I stumbled upon here. Just wish I found it a few weeks ago it would have eliminated alot of stress. But thank you so much for all this information.

    We are remodeling our kitchen and I kinda have my mind made and am stuck on Fabuwood galaxy timber shaker cabinets or luna timber slim shaker. The cabinet guy we are working with is recommending Koville slim shaker cabinets but I can’t seem to find it on your list. Did I over look it or is it just not recommended?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Sista,
   Koville Cabinets are RTA “Ready To Assemble” cabinetry which we don’t review for the reasons below:

   We don’t rate RTA cabinets sold online in our reviews with the exception of IKEA. And we only rate Ikea, and rate it poorly, because of its overwhelming popularity.

   As experienced kitchen designers we don’t believe it is a good idea to order kitchen cabinets without an experienced professional kitchen designer first measuring the kitchen and often the rooms around the kitchen. Designing kitchens well takes years of experience and so ordering without an experienced kitchen designer almost assures that the kitchen design will be poor. Many RTA cabinet brands can be well built but we do not rate them because it would encourage DIYers to bypass getting the design and product knowledge that they need. Offering design software to customers further enables them to delude themselves that their designs are good investments. The delusion named The IKEA Effect accurately defines the problem with RTA cabinetry and DIY designs See link below:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/ikea-effect-physiological-phenomenon-drives-kitchen-designers-crazy/

   This being said Koville does not appear to be sold online and is sold through dealers. When you say your “cabinet guy” I don’t know what that means. Is this person a contractor which would be bad as contractors are not qualified to design kitchens and or make cabinetry recommendations. Or does he work at a full time kitchen cabinetry dealership that assembles these cabinets for you before they are sold. The latter might be fine.

   I would play it safe and stick with the Fabuwood cabinetry unless the Koville is a lot less expensive and the dealer is assembling the cabinets themselves using glue on top of the L brackets that they are normally put together with. You won’t have much of a warranty from Koville as they aren’t really responsible for the finished product.

   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

1. 

   Sista

   Thank you for your reply.

   I honestly don’t know if he is a contractor or what. I know he has a Facebook page and it says cabinets and granite so I assumed he was just a cabinet guy (whatever that means). He does lots of remodels around our small town. I’m definitely going to try and call in next Friday and get some expert advice but for now I’m off to list to your podcast. I appreciate your reply!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Sista,
   Looking forward to speaking with you.

15. 

    Kimberly

    Hi Paul,

    I am doing kitchen and 3 bathrooms. Can you comment on the cabinet brand Decor? This is not the same as Decora. How does it rate and what is comparable or better for the price? I am interested in hardwood walnut shaker style. Any recommendations for cabinets in the Chicago area? Thank you.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Kimberly,
   I got your phone message too but I only answer questions from outside our service area either on our blog or on our Friday helpline 2-4 pm Eastern Standard Time.
   Decor is a frameless brand that makes several lines at different price points. For a shaker door in a frameless brand you will be sacrificing durability for no reason, so I would switch to a framed brand. Walnut will only be available in very expensive brands so looking to save money and get Walnut will be difficult. I would try framed brands like Fieldstone, Medallion, or Decora might be the least expensive brand offering Walnut. We like and carry Brighton for projects in Walnut.

   Make sure you like the very stripey look that a walnut kitchen has before you go to the great expense. I would Google Walnut kitchen and examine the photos that come up. here is a link to one where you can see how different the colors of Walnut are making it sometimes odd looking:
   https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dutchhausfurniture.com%2Fproduct%2Fcustom-walnut-kitchen%2F&psig=AOvVaw0K-2QidDa3QQmhy9Wjcnjk&ust=1733516866381000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCIjT5Nu7kYoDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

16. 

    m marqujez

    What are your thoughts on J&K Cabinetry? Both JK and Fabuwood are pretty comparable in terms of estimates rec’d. 10K but the reviews are all over the map. This is a forever home so trying to factor in durability

    Also rec’d a custom quote for 18k- would this be the better investment?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi M,
   Both brands make well made cabinetry inexpensively. They have some different colors and door styles so if you like one above another choose that. All things being equal I give Fabuwood a tiny edge if door style and color are the same. Consumer cabinet ratings are always all over the map because consumers aren’t knowledgeable enough about cabinetry to understand what to expect. So for example consumers will blame the cabinet brand for mistakes made by their designer, contractor, or delivery people. Complaints about painted finishes are also misguided as just about all cabinet brands use the same paint. Painted finishes are simply easier to chip, scratch, and be damaged by water so people complaining about paint issues are almost always blaming the cabinet company for a property they should have known about and expected.
   Read about the IKEA effect below to better understand why consumer reviews are unreliable.
   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/ikea-effect-physiological-phenomenon-drives-kitchen-designers-crazy/

17. 

    Zoie

    I’m looking for a white oak frameless cabinet that is similar to wellborn quality but not as expensive that also offer panel ready too. Do you know of any companies?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Zoie,
   Wellborn does not offer frameless cabinetry so not sure how to compare a frameless brand to it. I assume when you say “panel ready” you mean a brand that makes custom panels for panel ready appliances. Omega is a frameless brand that offers quartersawn white oak. They are relatively expensive though. The least expensive brand I know that offers QS white oak is Integrity but they are a framed line.

18. 

    Mike

    Hi Paul,

    We just started our kitchen remodel project and are looking for inset style cabinet. Are there any cabinet maker offer reasonable priced inset cabinet?

    Thank you!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Mike,
   While there are some relatively inexpensive cabinet brands that offer inset cabinetry the level of accuracy needed to inset the doors and drawers is not reliable enough in less expensive brands. Even the reps for the inexpensive brands that we sell discourage us from ordering a whole kitchen in inset. So we do not sell inset except with the custom brands that we carry. Integrity is the least expensive brand that we carry that does inset. Be warned though we do not recomend inset from a less expensive brand. The gaps between the face frame and the doors is sure to be uneven on many of the cabinets.

19. 

    MS

    Help! I am in the finalization of choosing between brands after cost comparison and stumbled on this site. I have priced out Bellmont 1600 series, Kraftmaid and Schuler.

    I am looking for somthign that will give me the most bang for my buck but also duable with rough kids and moisture.

    Out of the three listed above, I keep talking myself in circles on which one to finalize. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi MS,
   Belmont is a frameless cabinet brand so even upgraded to the top construction in their 1900 series they are allways less durable than even inexpensive framed cabinet brands like Fabuwood, Cubitac, Procraft, and others.

   Kraftmaid and Schuler upgraded to all plywood construction will both be equally durable and also only equal in durability to less expensive framed brands.

   Most important – if durability is very important than you should be getting a stained cabinet finish and not a painted cabinet finish, as paints are damaged far more easily. ALL paints chip scratch and get damaged by water very easily. A light stained finish will be more easily maintained than a dark stained finish.

   Customers have a hard time understanding that expensive cabinetry is not necessarily more durable. Cabinet Brands are expensive when they offer more wood species, more color choices for paints and stains, more door styles, and more customization. So spending a lot on an expensive cabinet brand and then selecting a common shaker full overlay door style in white is spending a huge amount on something no more durable. Only an expert would be able to know from looking at the cabinets and detecting subtill differences that you possibly spent double the price or in the case of Schuler probably 60% more than an inexpensive brand like the ones mentioned above.

1. 

   MS

   Thank you for your feedback. I am unaware of any stores in my area (ND) carrying the brands that you mentioned like Fabuwood, Cubitac, and Procraft. I am looking at a shaker door and of course each salesperson states that theirs is the best product. I was told to stay away from Shenandoah, do you find that to be true?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi MS.
   Upgraded to plywood construction Shenandoah is fine and just as durable as Kraftmaid and Schuler. They may have slightly more imperfections when they get delivered, because they are less expensive, but those doors or drawer fronts will be replaced under their warranty. Below are the ND Fabuwood dealers. They will be 15-20 % less than Shendoah and look as nice as Kraftmaid.

   Kitchen cabinet dealers near you:

   Interior Finish & Remodel Inc
   2527 railroad ave, bismarck, ND 58501
   Store Hours
   Mon-Fri:8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
   Sat-Sun:Closed
   Request appointment

   Kiba Studios of Dickinson/Floor to Ceiling
   1516 i94 business loop e, dickinson, ND 58601
   Store Hours
   Mon-Wed:9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
   Thu:9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
   Fri:9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
   Sat:9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
   Sun:Closed
   Request appointment

   Allan’s Decorating Center, Inc.
   129 e villard st, dickinson, ND 58601
   Store Hours
   Mon-Fri:8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
   Sat:9:00 AM – 12:00 AM
   Sun:Closed
   Request appointment

20. 

    Sandy

    Hi Paul and company,
    We are redoing our kitchen and struggling on our cabinet decision. We currently have Kraft Made plywood, gun stock oak cabinets (30 years old.) They have held up incredibly well. Unfortunately, they seem to have lessened in quality over the years. We are between Fabuwood, Medallion, and Omega. The Omega being the most expensive. We liked the Omega because we can change sizing to fit our plan, but they are very expensive. Any advice?
    Many thanks,
    Sandy

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Sandy,
   You don’t tell me the color and type of wood you are considering and since I don’t know your design it’s hard to comment on the sizing. Generally, it would be unusual that a design really required custom sizing unavailable from Fabuwood. Medalion and Omega upgraded to the plywood construction and Fabuwood hardware would cost 50% more.For a painted cabinet finish that is more easily damaged and equally for all three brands, that’s a lot more to pay for not much difference. Unless you wanted inset or beaded inset cabinetry or a wood types not available in Fabuwood.
   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

21. 

    tatjana

    Hello,

    We were looking into klearvue from Menards, any suggestions on quality and rating if you had to rate them? or better or comparable cabinets?

    Tatjana

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Tatjana,
   Klearview looks like it comes assembled and is built a little better than Ikea cabinetry. But there will be lots of framed cabinetry brands that will be similar in price that won’t be particle board boxes. I would look into buying one of those brands. Brands like Fabuwood, Cubitac, CNC, ProCraft, US Cabinet Depot, ETC

22. 

    Kyle

    The rankings and discussion on this site have been incredibly helpful to figure out this kitchen design process.

    We are about to start a renovation project with a contractor with a great quote that is using Cubitac cabinets in his design. While they seem decently rated – we have concerns that they are too ‘value based’ for the kitchen we plan to be in for 10+ years. At this phase, the contractor appears to be a vendor of Cubitac so it’s undetermined if we can shop for a different brand that might have better durability over the long-haul for everyday wear and tear.

    Our basis of comparison is that our old house has Kraftmaid cabinets that were installed in 2020 and we generally like them and are concerned to go with a quality less than that for fear of durability and craftsmanship.

    Are these concerns valid or will Cubitac get the job done albeit at more of a budget perspective. Just difficult without a showroom to test these out and not knowing really how much they compare to Kraftmaid.

    Thank you again for your time!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Kyle,
   Cubitac IS an inexpensive brand but it is also durable. Cubitac will not offer some of the internal mechanisms of more expensive brands and their roll outs and trash bases are not as nice as those more expensive brands too. More importantly though, contractors are generally never good designers nor are they knowledgeable about cabinetry because their experience is so limited compared to kitchen designers that work on sometimes 100 kitchens a year and sell several brands of cabinets.

   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   I would consider calling into our helpline so that I can review you design and discuss cabinetry with you in more depth. Here’s the information:

   Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 61O-5OO-4O71 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.

23. 

    Emily

    Struggling a bit to use the guidelines despite reading your post and comments. I am getting quotes on the same design and with upgrades that sound apples to apples but are not lining up with your cost rubric. For example, Fabuwood, ranked a 2, is consistently pricing out significantly higher (10-15%) than Schrock and Diamond Distinction rated a 4. Perhaps due to your popularity, Fabuwood has increased prices and is no longer truly a 2, or are there other things I should be hunting for? I subscribe to “if it’s too good to be true, it usually is” so I don’t want to get duped but can’t figure out why the pricing is what it is. Also, am I thinking of this right that if for some reason the prices are correct apples to apples, since quality of cabinets are rated similarly by you, a 4 rated cabinet on price is better than a 2 cabinet (quality, consistency, quality control) for the same letter grade of quality ie to earn an A quality grade at the price point of 2 is easier than to earn an A at the price point of 4. If that is the case, I should go with the price point 4 cabinets with a similar quality grade for a lower price. Thank you

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Emily,
   Fabuwood comes with all plywood construction, solid wood dovetail drawers, soft close tracks and hinges, and almost all the door styles are full overlay. In the Diamond and the Schrock lines you must upgrade the cabinets and pay a lot more to get these features. Once you do then the price for Fabuwood should come out at least 15% less. You don’t say what door style and color you are picking in Fabuwood so you could be pricing a special color like a green color that is a 35% upcharge in Fabuwood and not an upcharge in the other brands.

   There is a possibility that the Fabuwood dealer is overly expensive – however it is much more likely you are picking a special Fabuwood color or not upgrading the Diamond and Schrock to the same quality – OR BOTH.

   If you tell me the Fabuwood door style and color you are picking I can check for you. Just make sure you are upgrading the Diamond and Schrock if you buy them. We know what the prices should be for all these brands so that is correct. Something is off when you are pricing. But yes if all things are apples to apples I would save money and get the more expensive brands for less money.

   Here is the important blog on the subject:
   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/price-comparing-kitchen-cabinets-and-why-it-is-a-bad-idea/

24. 

    MH

    Hi Paul,

    Thanks very much for all the information you’ve put together here, it’s been invaluable. We’ve found a style of cabinet we like from Fabuwood, and a nearly identical style from ProCraft (slim shaker, Fabuwood calls it Timber, ProCraft calls it Karamel). I’ve visited two Fabuwood dealers and the ProCraft Chicago location. The price difference for nearly identical layouts is staggering. As I said, they look nearly identical to me in construction and appearance. What are the benefits, if any, to paying a premium for Fabuwood in this situation?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi MH,
   The price difference shouldn’t be staggering if the ProCraft is coming assembled. It should be about 20% higher in Fabuwood. There are many slight differences in designs that can make a huge difference in the price you get quoted. Read this blog:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/price-comparing-kitchen-cabinets-and-why-it-is-a-bad-idea/

   We carry Fabuwood now and have carried ProCraft in the past. They are both well made. Personally for my own home I would pay 20% more for Fabuwood. If flipping or renting a home I would definitely NOT pay the extra 20%, as there will be little difference in durability.

   Fabuwood uses the best Blum tracks and hinges. ProCraft uses imported copies of this soft close hardware. We had more mistakes and damages with Procraft but they were all replaced so you have to decide if a slight better experience and product is worth the added cost. But you must compare apples to apples pricewise and there should not be a “staggering” difference. Much over 20% difference in pricing suggests that the designs are not in fact covering the same thing. Especially since you went to two Fabuwood dealers.

25. 

    Emily

    Thank you for your help. We are using one of your recommended designers and they suggested Decor cabinets. Any thoughts on their quality. I think they are suggesting the Talora line of Decor. Any sense on how they compare to Showplace in terms of quality/value. Thank you as always

    https://talora.decorcabinets.com/?_gl=1%2A1b1n8v0%2A_gcl_au%2AMTYwOTI1MTkzMy4xNzI3MzAyMDA5%2A_ga%2ANDc0MzE4NzUwLjE3MjczMDIwMDk.%2A_ga_JH8RRBR2TT%2AMTcyODY1NTgxMi43LjAuMTcyODY1NTgxMi42MC4wLjA.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Emily,
   The Talora line of Decor is a custom frameless line so both expensive and not as durable as any well made inexpensive framed brand. I never recomend people getting frameless cabinetry UNLESS they are getting a modern slab door style. Then the sleekness of the frameless cabinetry because of how tight the spaces are between doors and drawer fronts makes sacrificing the better construction quality of the framed brands worth it.

   You have to be careful when designing a kitchen in a frameless brand not to over stress the cabinets. For example no drawer bases or cabinets with roll outs should be wider than 30″. And no cabinet doors should be wider than 18″.

   You don’t say what the door style is but if you are getting any door style other than a slab modern style I would recomend a framed brand. Showplace makes both framed and frameless and they will be less expensive than Decor. Nowhere on their website does Decor tell anyone how they construct cabinetry which is why we can’t rate them. I find the lack of transparency worrisome.

   If any designer is recommending a frameless brand for a more traditional door style then I think that shows a lack of construction expertise. These designers will be the same ones that DON”T take any precautions concerning cabinet sizes, cabinet depths, and interior cabinet roll outs and pull outs when designing in frameless cabinetry.

26. 

    Maria B.

    Hi Paul,
    Thank-you for your the list of cabinet companies and their ratings. I’m in the midst of renovating a kitchen and are considering a place in FL called Cabinets-to-Go which I don’t see in your list. They have a variety of colors and styles which is what makes it appealing. I also got a quote from a kitchen designer that uses US Cabinet Depot for a shaker style cabinets, with reasonable prices but not as much selection as Cabinets-to-Go. I see that you give US Cabinet Depot an A both for price and quality so I’m inclined to go with them but wanted to know if you have an opinion on Cabinets-to-go.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Maria,
   Cabinets-to-go is a brand much like Solid Wood Cabinets used to be where they only carry their own cabinetry and offer rudimentary design services. While the cabinets could be OK the design help is not. US cabinet Depot is carried by some real cabinet dealers with real kitchen designers so you might get more knowledgeable help from there.
   As always I stress:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

27. 

    Nina

    We are deliberating between Omega frameless cabinets, Belmont 1900 and going with a local custom cabinet company. Looks like Belmont and Omega are comparable in your ratings evaluation. We want a contemporary look for our kitchen cabinets and a local cabinet maker can build us quarter sawn oak cabinets that match the look we want much closer that Omega/Bellmont. They said they do 5 coats of paint and 2 coats of sealant on top. How does this compare to the baked on paint finish that Omega uses? I’m concerned about longevity and durability.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Nina,
   I’m a little confused you said you wanted quartersawn oak cabinets but then you said the cabinet company uses 5 coats of paint. You do not paint quartersawn oak cabinetry the cabinets are stained. and stain only gets applied once. Generally when people ask these type questions they should stop shopping for cabinets and shop for a good cabinet dealer and kitchen designer instead. Also small custom shops don’t employ the best designers because the best kitchen designers get paid much, much, more working for larger cabinet dealers.

   Below is always my best advice for people thinking about renovating a kitchen:

   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

28. 

    Bren

    Hi Paul!
    Any advice on Tribeca, KCD, or CNC cabinets? Doing a kitchen remodel and contractor gave me a list with these names for cabinets. I am reading a lot of info online but am overwhelmed. Any help is appreciated.
    Thank you,
    Bren

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Bren,
   Of those brands CNC I know best and it is an inexpensive well made brand. The nicest brand in that category is Fabuwood which is about 15% more and generally worth the added cost.

1. 

   Bren

   Another company I can choose from is Matrix cabinets. They say they are KCMA certified. I believe they may be associated with Forever Mark? Can you share anything about these cabinets with me? Thank you so much! I appreciate any help!

29. 

    Bren

    Hi Paul!
    Just getting ready to do a kitchen remodel. Our cabinet person gave me a list of possible cabinets to choose from. Tribeca, CNC, and KCD were on the list. Are any of these good products? Very overwhelmed with all the info I’m reading on cabinets. So much to learn and not a huge budget. Please share any helpful advice.
    Thank you so much,
    Bren

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Bren,
   Matrix is an RTA brand which I always recomend against. You are worrying about brand and yet have no kitchen designer helping you. Homeowners always need kitchen design help and contractors are NEVER qualified giving it. Find a cabinet dealer that gets good reviews first. Have them design your kitchen THEN get three or more quotes from contractors. You are spending a fortune on a major home renovation that will effect the value of your home dramatically. Not finding the best kitchen designer you can is missing the elephant in the room.

   See my mantra below:
   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

2. 

   Nereyda

   Hi Paul!
   We are looking forward to remodeling our kitchen. And are undecided on two brands. Forevermark and kraftmaid from home depot. I did some research and have found that forevermark have less quality than kraftmaid. Can you please advice me of which of those two are a better quality. Thank you

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Forevermark is WAY less expensive than Kraftmaid because Kraftmaid offers so many different species of wood, door styles finishes and custom options. However Kraftmaid must be upgraded to all plywood construction to be equal to the Forevermark construction. This is because Forevermark only comes with a plywood box and soft close hardware. Home Depot kitchen designers will also not usually be the best designers.
   Read blog below:
   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/why-you-shouldnt-buy-a-kitchen-from-home-depot-or-lowes/

30. 

    Ash Strickland

    Thank you for putting together this list. I’ve referred to it multiple times. We’ve used Forevermark cabinets in past renovation and rental projects. Now, we’re looking for a cabinet company with a bit more variety, specifically offering both stained and painted options.

    One feature we really appreciate about Forevermark is that the interior matches the exterior—a standard feature for them. I’ve struggled to find another company that offers this without charging for an upgrade. I might be willing to compromise on this as long as the interiors don’t look like a poorly applied woodgrain laminate.

    However, one thing I really dislike about Forevermark is the clips they use. We’ve visited a Kraftmaid shop and another company (whose name escapes me), but neither had the same build quality, and their interior finishes were unattractive. Do you have any recommendations for cabinet companies to check out? Maybe a middle-of-the-road type and then one that is a little nicer but doesn’t break the bank (maybe a 4 or 5 rating at most).

    I’ve briefly looked into Fabuwood, and their pricing may be a good fit for us. Are there any other similar companies you’d suggest?

    I know Forevermark didn’t rate highly on your list, but they’ve held up well for us despite many tenants! Thanks again!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Ash,
   Forevermark is one of the only companies that doesn’t use natural maple or birch interiors with an all plywood box. If you don’t like their clips buying shelf clips is very inexpensive in bulk. Better and more expensive cabinet brands upgraded to all plywood construction will still come with natural maple or birch interiors as that is standard in the cabinet industry. Even the most expensive custom cabinet brands will charge 20% more for matching interior cabinets. So the Forevermark anomaly just happens to be something you like that the cabinet world doesn’t.

   On reason is that if you choose a painted finish then the painted inside of your cabinets are far less durable. The most durable inside of a cabinet is a natural polyurethaned finish. It will not be damaged easily by water or show scratches because it has a natural finish.

   In more expensive brands you must upgrade to get an all plywood box and soft close hinges and tracks. In the better less expensive brands like Fabuwood, Cubitac, CNC, and Forevermark these features come standard.

   Integrity is the brand we carry that is the best bargain for having many wood types and finishes.

31. 

    Tonya

    Hello,

    Does Fabuwood have appliance panels for panel ready refrigerators and dishwashers?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Tonya,
   Yes Fabuwood makes custom Panels. Be careful though. Ordering Custom appliance panels is tricky and some Fabuwood dealers might not be experienced enough to order correctly. Fabuwood custom panels take 8 weeks to make versus 3 weeks for most cabinet orders.

32. 

    Anna

    What do you think of Dover Woods? I haven’t seen them on your lists. Thoughts?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Anna,
   I have never heard of the brand Dover Woods and their web site doesn’t give any information on how they are made, so I can’t comment.

33. 

    Kelly

    Thank you for posting such helpful information. I am interested in finding high quality shaker style kitchen cabinets in a white oak that has a white oak stain that that has no yellow, orange or pink undertones. I’ve always understood that solid hardwood cabinets is worth the investment but based on what I’ve read on your site, plywood might be an okay option that will deliver the quality and longevity. Our design/build firm works with Wellborn Forest. Unclear if they have other relationships since we are in initial discussions and haven’t entered the design phase (one would assume they have other options available). Is there any particular companies that make quality white oak cabinets with a neutral white oak stain? Mouser has an option that is beautiful but I’m anticipating a crazy price tag.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Kelly,
   I’m really not a fan of the Design/Build business model. These companies can be good installers and general contractors but they NEVER will have very good kitchen designers because the best kitchen designers make too much money working for cabinet dealers. Read this article below:
   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/design-and-build-and-why-splitting-the-two-can-make-sense/

   So I would first find a good cabinet dealer and have THEM design my kitchen. After the design is complete, I would have different general contractors bid on the construction. If you need an engineer or an architect for permitting I would use one recommended by the general contractor or the cabinet dealer.

   Of course the design and build firm you are considering can bid on your project. But DO NOT purchase anything through them. They will be skimming money from you as most are in cahoots with any company that they recommend.

   Unlike builders, good cabinet dealers will carry several cabinet brands. For example Main Line Kitchen Design sell 8 different brands across every price point. As this blog shows there are dozens of well made cabinet brands at every price point.

   Let an expert in each field advise you and give you independent pricing. Surprising to many home owners, renovations run far more smoothly this way. Because no one is inserting themselves in between the experts in each field. So buy cabinets from cabinet dealers, countertops from those dealers or from outside countertop companies, appliances from appliance dealers, flooring and tile from those retailers. Then have at least 3 general contractors bid your project. You can take a recommendation from the suppliers for general contractors but always get some outside quotes as well.

1. 

   Jennifer Bee

   Wow- this is an incredibly rude comment. I believe I am an excellent kitchen designer and I work for a design/build company. Your remarks are outlandish!! We certainly don’t skimp on design nor are we in cahoots with anyone. You are giving poor advice to people and it’s pretty insulting.

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Jennifer,
   The best kitchen designers generally don’t work for Lowe’s, Home Depot, or at a design and build firm because these places are training grounds for kitchen designers and they usually pay a fraction of what the best kitchen designers make at cabinet dealers. Good cabinet dealers will carry well made cabinetry across all price points so that all customer’s budgets can be serviced. And their designers know more about cabinetry because they sell many brands. Our company carries 8 brands.

   Yes this isn’t always true because there are exceptions to the rule, but those exceptions are uncommon. Our top designers make between 100 and 200 K per year. I know other kitchen designers that make well above that. Why would a really good kitchen designer work for 35 or 45 K which is what home centers and design and build firms pay in our area?

   The answer is that they wouldn’t unless they were the owners of the firm and happened to be good designers themselves. However, even though these companies can design great kitchens they tend to be overpriced because they aren’t competing for the construction part of the job.

   This is how our industry works. So if you are a great designer you should be looking for a higher paying job with an independent kitchen cabinet dealer.

   Some independent cabinet dealers also offer construction and pay their designers well with commissions on both. These places would generally do a better job doing design and build but splitting the job is more often still the best route for customers.

2. 

   Nmgcle

   I completely disagree with you. Whether you like it or not, Mr. Mcalary is speaking the truth and giving consumers good and valuable advice. While there of course are always exceptions to the rule, most design/ build firms do not have expert, formally educated, professionally-trained kitchen and bath designers or even any true kitchen designers on staff.

   Like you, I am a professional kitchen designer, and I have decades of experience. The cabinetry dealer/showroom that I worked for is almost exclusively “to the trade” in a major metropolitan area. We dealt with high end design-build and architectural firms that are responsible for multi-million dollar residential and commercial projects. Almost none of the incredible and very talented architects and project managers that these firms have on staff knows the slightest thing about good kitchen design. Hence, they direct that work to our staff of specialized, highly trained, professional kitchen & bath designers.

   On most occasions, when they attempt it, the preliminary rough kitchen sketches that the architectural and design/ build firms concoct with their clients are all wrong and full of bad design choices, though the better firms don’t even attempt the kitchen design. We then correct these poor designs and walk their clients through why they are not feasible or desirable as initially drafted.

   There is nothing “outlandish” about Mr. Mcalary’s remarks. Also, there ARE financial incentives and perks for such firms to repeatedly and/or exclusively buy from the same brand/manufacturer, whether that cabinetry brand best fits the client’s needs or not. Surely, you must be aware of these incentives. If you are insulted by the good and truthful advice that Mr. Mcalary is sharing with consumers, then perhaps you need to check your ego. It’s not all about you, and an “excellent kitchen designer” as you claim to be would place the client’s needs above their own.

3. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Nmgcle,
   Thanks for the support on this topic. I think if you asked most experienced kitchen designers they would tell you that they get given the worst designs to work on from people in this order. Worst are listed in order of how bad with the worst on top and the least worst on the bottom:

   Architects
   Engineers
   Interior Designers
   Contractors
   Home Owners working on their own

   The list is the opposite of what many people would guess because as the saying goes “A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing”. Knowing a little bit impowers other professionals to work without help and without doing any research. Homeowners, who will still usually design poor kitchens, usually do some research and learn about
   the fundamentals of kitchen design because they know that they are experts to start.

   But experienced kitchen designers will also tell you that our first job is nearly always to convince people that they need our help. Watch the finny video below:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxJgxCeeNTo

34. 

    Linda

    Hi Paul,
    I have an additional question to the one I just asked. I have looked into Adornus, Holiday, Cubitec, Decora and Fabuwood (all frameless) in addition to Kraftmaid. I seem to be leaning toward Kraftmaid probably because I have Kraftmaid Maple stained framed cabinets now and have never had a problem with them. Are they all relatively equal in construction and durability? Because I am looking for painted shaker style, which they all have, and I’m not looking for a lot of choices other than color and edge design on the stiles and rails,it would seem the I need advice on construction and durability. Can you comment on the above or suggest any other brands?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Linda,
   I don’t think you are understanding what “frameless” means as many of the brands you are mentioning don’t make frameless cabinets or like Fabuwood and Cubitac don’t offer a frameless shaker door style.

   For a shaker door style I would recomend getting a framed cabinet. Framed cabinets are much more durable which is one of your requests.

   Shaker door styles will also not have different edge styles. The definition of a shaker door is having a square eased outside edge on all the doors and drawers and either a square or beveled edge on the inside of the stiles and rails. All other variations would not be called shaker. Many cabinet brands offer what’s called a “skinny shaker” style which is a slab door style with a outside corner molding added to it. That is more modern than regular shaker and way more modern than any door style with a profile on the inside or outside edge of the door frame.

   With so many misunderstandings I think you are over focusing on brand as many people do. Usually when I see a design from a customer that is confused on cabinetry issues the design itself is terrible. This is because it is the job of the kitchen designer to educate customers and if the designer is poor or not or no real kitchen designer is being consulted the customer will be confused AND it is impossible for the overall design to be any good.

   See my mantra below:
   People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen or bath designers themselves and don’t understand how poor their designs usually are. If you listen to one of our podcasts this is usually a central issue. The Podcast below illustrates how different designs can be from what a homeowner might expect, while still staying within their budget. So, it makes little sense splurging on cabinets, appliances, and other expensive upgrades, when there are design improvements left on the table.
   Below is a podcast that focuses on this issue:

   https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/

   Removing a wall or moving a window or doorway can cost a few thousand dollars but make the kitchen and a home a completely different with a better layout. This can often increase the home’s value several times more than the cost of the renovation. Whereas upgrading to a more expensive cabinet brand or professional appliances like SubZero can add tens of thousands of dollars to a renovation and if the kitchen design is poor make getting back what you spent on the renovation impossible.

35. 

    Linda

    Hi Paul,
    I want frameless cabinets with a white shaker door. Kraftmaid through Home Depot offers Evercore doors on some styles. It seems this may be a good way to go because they are painted (seams don’t show as with wood and there is not supposed to be issues with expansion and contraction). What is your opinion, please?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Evercore is fine but Kraftmaid only makes framed cabinets as far as I know.

36. 

    Barbara French

    You show Koch cabinets at a price point of 6.
    Having been a Koch dealer for 12 years I disagree with that price category. It is significantly lower than crestwood or mouser which I also carry. I would estimate Koch at a level 4

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Barbara,
   You are right that we have Koch listed too high price wise. Although I think 4 is too low. They might be one of the lower priced 5’s and Crestwood a higher priced 5 and Mouser a very high 5. Not sure why we had them rated a 6. Possibly it’s a holdover from years back when we were working with less data and we never updated them. Kraftmaid is a solid 4 how would you rate Koch compared to Kraftmaid?
   Thanks,
   Paul

37. 

    Hunter

    I have already gotten a ton of value from your list so thank you. I own a custom cabinet company. Recently we added a Dura Supreme dealer to the team (first time selling any factory line brand). So far, we are happy but I am nervous about them being acquired by MasterBrand as well as your low rating for them. I’m already looking for other factory lines in that same price range (5+) such as and likely adding NatureKast to our offerings. Please feel free to comment on any of the above, but the question I wanted to ask is this: What company or companies should I consider adding as a mid-tier priced factory line (such as Integrity maybe)?

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Hunter,
   You are lucky that Masterbrands bought DuraSupreme. Masterbrands is a reputable company while DuraSupreme was not when they were privitely owned. NatureKast is outdoor cabinets. We never sold a lot of them but new home builders at the beach might.
   The brands we carry in order of price are:
   Fabuwood
   1951
   Integrity
   Bishop
   Brighton Custom
   Wellsford Custom

1. 

   Hunter

   Are you thinking your assessment of DuraSupreme will improve under the ownership of MasterBrands? They are way down on your list. Thanks for the reply!

1. 

   pmcalary[ Post Author ]

   Hi Hunter,
   Yes I would expect the DuraSupreme ratings to get better over time. Possibly MUCH better. However, it’s only been 5 weeks since they were bought out.

   For example DuraSupreme used to outsource their frameless cabinetry to unreliable manufacturers. Under Masterbrands that will certianly end as will their not honoring their warranties which was a primary reason we gave them a low value rating. Essentially all the bad reviews they received were from poor company management.

   But we will give them some time to work out their kinks before we change their ratings. Based on the Better Business Bureau reviews the frameless cabinets they sold were still shoddy in January.