Kitchen Cabinet Comparison 2017
Below is our list of the top selling cabinet makers in the United States, and our kitchen cabinet comparison for those brands.
Our reviews rate how these cabinet brands compare for construction quality and for value considering the price point of each cabinet line. Price point is rated from 1 to 6 with 6 being the most expensive cabinetry on the market.
We compare kitchen cabinetry assuming each line is upgraded to the top level of construction available.
Read The Most recently posted cabinet reviews below:
Cabinet Reviews: Ratings for the top 100 cabinet brands.
A grade of A for construction quality will not be equal across different price levels, as the more expensive price point cabinets will have far nicer finishes and construction options.
The value grade we give is not a rating about the quality of the cabinetry but a rating of how good an investment a cabinet line is considering it’s cost.
For example, many of the most expensive well-made cabinet lines receive lover marks on value.
Even though as designers we think the cabinetry is the best in its class. These lines receive lower kitchen cabinet ratings on value simply because there are competitors offering the same quality at slightly lower prices.
Note: The highest grade for Quality in any frameless European style cabinet line is a B. While frameless cabinetry is easier to access and is sleeker looking, it is also less durable than the best made framed cabinetry.
FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OUR SERVICE AREA OF WITHIN A TWO HOUR DRIVE OF OUR BALA CYNWYD PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE, BELOW IS A LINK TO RECOMMENDED DEALERS IN OTHER AREAS. GOOD DEALERS CLOSE TO YOU CAN BETTER ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT’S AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA:
Recommended Dealers
| Cabinet line | Price level 1-6 | Quality | Value | |
| 6 Square | 2 | B+ | B+ | |
| American Woodmark | 3 | B | C+ | |
| Aristocraft | 2 | C | C | |
| Bertch | 4 | A | A- | |
| Bishop | 4 | A | A- | |
| Bishop Frameless | 5 | B | B+ | |
| Bremtown | 6 | A+ | C | |
| Brighton | 4 | A | A+ | |
| Brookhaven Closed | Closed | A | B | |
| Cabico | 4 | B | B | |
| Candlelight | 4 | A | A | |
| Canyon Creek | 3 | B | B | |
| CNC | 1 | B+ | A | |
| Collier | 5 | A | B- | |
| Crystal | 5 | A+ | A | |
| Decora | 4 | A | A | |
| Design-Craft | 4 | B | B | |
| Diamond | 4 | B | B | |
| Durasupreme | 5 | B+ | B | |
| Durasupreme frameless | 3 | C | C | |
| (Omega)Dynasty Frameless | 4 | B | C | |
| (Omega)Dynasty Pinnacle Framed | 5 | A | B | |
| Fabuwood | 2 | A | A | |
| Fabuwood Frameless | 3 | B | A+ | |
| Fieldstone | 4 | A | B+ | |
| Grabill | 6 | A+ | B | |
| Haas | 3 | B | B | |
| Hanssem | 1 | B+ | B | |
| Homecrest | 3 | B+ | B | |
| IKEA (frameless) | 1 | C | C | |
| Innermost framelss | 3 | B | B | |
| Kabinart | 3 | D | D | |
| Kemper | 3 | B | C | |
| Kitchencraft Frameless | 3 | C | B | |
| Kith | 3 | B+ | C+ | |
| Kountry Kraft framed | 6 | A | B | |
| Kountry Kraft frameless | 6 | B | B | |
| Kraftmaid | 4 | B+ | A | |
| Legacy | 3 | B+ | C- | |
| LifeArt | 1 | C+ | A | |
| Marsh | 2 | B+ | B | |
| Medallion | 5 | B+ | C+ | |
| Merillat | 2 | C | D | |
| Mid Continent | 2 | C | C | |
| Mouser | 5 | A | A- | |
| Mouser Frameless | 5 | B | A | |
| Ovation | 4 | B | C | |
| Plain and Fancy | 6 | A | B | |
| Poggenpohl frameless | 6 | B | C | |
| QuakerMaid frameless | 4 | B | B | |
| Rutt | 6 | A+ | A | |
| Schrock | 3 | B | B | |
| Schuler | 5 | B+ | C+ | |
| Shenandoah | 3 | B | C+ | |
| Shiloh | 4 | C | C | |
| Showplace | 3 | B+ | B- | |
| Solid Wood Cabinets | 1 | A | A | |
| Starmark | 4 | A | B+ | |
| Stylecraft | 6 | A+ | B+ | |
| Thomasville* | 4 | B- | C- | |
| Timberlake | 3 | B | C+ | |
| Ultracraft Frameless | 2 | C | C | |
| Village | 5 | A | A | |
| Waypoint | 2 | B | B | |
| Wellborn | 4 | A | A | |
| Wellsford | 5 | A+ | A+ | |
| Wolf | 1 | B+ | B+ | |
| Woodharbor | 4 | B+ | C | |
| Woodmode Closed | Closed | A | A- | |
| Yorktowne | 3 | C | D | |
* Note:
Home Depot can change who manufactures this line although Masterbrands has been manufacturing the line under the Thomasville name for over ten years.
Remember that choosing the designer, the cabinet dealer, and the installer you are working with is just as important as the cabinet line.
Do you need updated rankings for these cabinet lines and an additional 30 popular cabinet lines?
Below is the most up to date kitchen cabinet comparison.
Link to: Cabinet Reviews for 2022. Ratings for Kitchen Cabinet Brands. – (mainlinekitchendesign.com)
Are you looking for more general reviews of cabinetry from 2015 explaining types of cabinetry construction?
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/2015-popular-kitchen-cabinetry-brand-comparison/
For those sensitive to the fumes new cabinetry can give off:
Cabinet Off Gassing, Carb2 Compliance, and VOC’s.
Hoping you make all the right choices…and of course…Bon Appetit!
Main Line Kitchen Design
Paul, John, Stacia, Ed, Tom, and Julie
1 Replies to “Kitchen Cabinet comparison for 2017. Reviews of the top selling cabinet lines.”
chancey jeffrey
We are renovating a shore home kitchen. We are looking for a white shaker style cabinet. The kitchen is not that big so I want to make sure I get the most storage out of my cabinets. I also want to make sure they will hold up with the humidity at a shore home. I am considering Kraftmaid,and American Woodmark. The pricing of the American Woodmark is about a third less than the kraftmaid. I have recently heard of Fabuwood and have seen this at a lot of shore properties. What do you think would be a better option considering it is a second home. I think Fabuwood is less expensive but is this an option for builders who want it to look good but may not be too concerned about how it stands up over time. Thanks
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Fabuwood will be almost as durable as Kraftmaid and American Woodmark for a white shaker door. The difference will be that the paint will be on birch instead of maple and because it’s thicker too slightly easier to chip. I wouldn’t worry about that though. The bigger issue will be that Fabuwood has some shaky Dealers. Be careful that you are ordering from a reputable dealer and a real kitchen designer that knows what they are doing. Customers seldom realize how bad their designs really are, and they worry about everything else except what’s in reality most important.
Margaret
I got some additional information and now Marquis and Aristokraft are likely the two brands we will choose from given our budget. I see Aristokraft gets a C in your rating and Marquis is unrated. The designer said that there are 3 quality levels with Aristokraft. Did you rate the highest level? Any additional information we should look for given our circumstances? Thank you for this very informative blog.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Michael, The fronts of the cabinets will be solid wood. The sides of the cabinets you want 1/2″ plywood. Good drawers and hinges will come automatically with the Plywood sides upgrade.
Michael Warlick
Thank you so much for the information. I do believe that the cabinets are upgraded to 3/4″ plywood, I think I recall the salesperson at the design center stating that. We will confirm when we go over everything this Friday though. Just so I understand, when you say upgrade to plywood, is that for all of the cabinet framing? I just want to make sure I am asking the right question to the salesperson. Thanks again for the advice.
Michael Warlick
Hi, we are in the process of building a new home. The standard kitchen cabinets the builder uses are Timberlake Scottsdale. When we were in the design center the salesperson showed us Marsh cabinets as well. We liked the March cabinets and really liked one of the stain colors so we decided to go with Marsh. We are going in this Friday to sign off on everything. The Marsh cabinets we are getting is the Charleston II I believe. The price difference is a couple thousand dollars. In your professional opinion, is it worth spending more money to go from Timberlake Scottsdale to Marsh Charleston II, and does Marsh make good quality cabinets compared to other brands out there? There are other brands to choose from at the design center, so if neither Marsh or Timberlake are really good, we could price out some others. Any advice is appreciated. As far as features, they both come with dovetail and full extension drawers. The Marsh comes with soft close, but the Timberlake does not unless we pay more to add it, which would make the prices even closer between the two brands. Thanks!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Both Marsh and Timberlake upgraded to plywood are similarly made and reasonably priced for US made cabinet lines. Builders usually don’t upgrade to plywood and doing so is a must. Some US import lines will be a better value but your builder may not be comfortable using unfamiliar lines. As long as you get the plywood upgrade the cabinets should last a lifetime.
Min
Hi Paul,
We are in Chicago and also in the process of selecting cabinets for a new house that we will be building soon. Do you know of any good cabinetry lines here in Chicago that you can recommend?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
All the lines we review are sold nationally. Pick one in your price range that gets good construction marks.
Sweet
I’m going with Bridgewood Advantage line. I’m surprised they were not on the list since they have been in business for 40 years and make quality solid cabinets for a reasonable price. Their website is excellent and tells you exactly how thick every part of the cabinets are. I’m excited!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Sweet,
Bridgewater while being around for 40 years is pretty small and from Kansas so not on a lot of people’s radar. We would give the Bridgewater Advantage a pretty good score for construction. Their frameless cabinets are made almost as well as the best frameless lines so we would give them a solid B for construction in Frameless. The Framed line is well constructed but without the bells and whistles of the best made lines. They use plastic corner blocks instead of Ibeam construction or better. This really isn’t that important so I’d probably give them a B or B+ in their framed line depending on where they fall pricepoint wise. We can’t rate them overall just because none of us knows where they fall cost wise. If you wanted to send us the floor plan of your kitchen and what you paid for it we could rate them for pricepont and add them to our list. They look like a fine choice for cabinetry.
Margaret
I have to choose from Aristokraft, Echelon (formerly Armstrong?), Harmony, KitchenCraft, Marquis, Omega, or Sorrento. We need to remodel due to water damage and the house is not in great condition so we don’t want to over-improve. Which is the best value? Does a C rating fit what we are trying to accomplish or could it result in a disadvantage at resale, very likely within 5 years as homeowner is 87? As for style, we are thinking full overlay but likely traditional door. Insurance settlement likely won’t pay for extras so we need to maximize function and cosmetics.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
There are A rated cabinets that are less expensive and far better made. Among the one’s we list are Fabuwood, Wolf, Solid Wood Cabinets, and others.
Haley
This is a great article! I have been so confused and torn! Thanks!
I want to get shaker style in white and gray. I have a quote from Wellborne with their Select line with MDF for front. I want good looking cabinets that are durable. Is this line ok since this is not upgraded? And what other lines for the shaker painted style would you recommend?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I love Wellborn and have considered carrying the line. But, if you are looking to save money don’t get the cheap version of a more expensive cabinet line. Get a inexpensive line that only comes upgraded to all plywood construction. The cabinetry will be better made and more durable and actually cost less than the cheap version of a better line.
Ron
Hi, are you familiar with the Jensen cabinets? They are made in California, perhaps a local brand. We also looked at Kemper but all the negative reviews turn us off as there seems to be no recourse if the cabinets are not right. This is just for a bathroom vanity (2 sinks, 30 inches each and a set of drawers, 18 inches). Am I over thinking this whole thing as I’m not doing a whole kitchen?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
For a bathroom I think almost any cabinet upgraded to plywood construction would be fine. Dovetail drawers will most likely come with the upgrade so I’d just get what I liked and worry less about construction. In bathrooms wall cabinets don’t hang on the wall with heavy plates in them and bathrooms get only a fraction of the wear and tear that a kitchen usually does.
Lois
Thanks, Paul, I appreciate your input.
Lois
Hello, I have found a contractor to remodel my kitchen that I feel will do an excellent job. However, his preferred cabinet is Homecrest. I’m not completely sold on this product. It does seem budget friendily. Your opinion about Homecrest’s overall quality would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for you help.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I like Homecrest. Upgraded it is one of the best values in US cabinetry without all the parts made in China. Some US lines made in China will be a slightly better value but this is a safe choice in cabinet lines.
Robin
Hi Paul,
We are in the process of selecting cabinets for a new house build. I am inclined to go with Kraftmaid based on $$ and your review. I am interested in white painted maple, but my husband feels that Kraftmaid’s “Dove White” is on the gray side when compared with the white of other cabinet manufacturers. Do you have any opinion om the tone of Kraftmaid’s white? (I have white subway tile in my current kitchen which does, in fact, look like a very pale gray, and I definitely want to stay away from a gray-looking white new kitchen.) I’d appreciate any insight you might have.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Robin,
Sorry I haven’t sold Kraftmaid for a number of years and can’t remember their white well enough to comment.
Aaron Cobet
How do Downsview Kitchen do in this rating system?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Sorry never heard of them
Kayla
We are looking to put in a small wet bar in our basement remodel. We have need of only a small run of cabinets (4-5 total including sink base, 2 additional base cabinets, and 1-2 wall cabinets… the run is only 8ft long and will have a mini fridge in it). Looking for a decent set of cabinets that are inexpensive (as in under $1000 total) Located in WV and need them within 7-10 days. What would you recommend?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Sorry Magic 8 ball says “Outlook Not So Good!”
Elaine
The Cliq Cabinets also come with blum hardware.
Elaine
Can you tell me anything about Cliq Cabinetry? I believe they are only sold online. They have very positive reviews, extremely reasonable and have an all plywood construction. We had a “real” kitchen designer do our plan (which we paid for), so they are not involved with the design. Do you have any thoughts on Crystal Current cabinets?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Elaine,
First let me say that I like the Clique Studios cabinetry, it is well constructed and affordable.
However, there are two major issues with buying cabinets on line. First, I would never order even something simple like an an appliance, or a farm sink on line, much less a complicated cabinetry order. When the product comes damaged or wrong it could be incredibly frustrating replacing it. I have had customers need to replace things they bought on line multiple times without a place to return them or a live person to help them understand what they need. Their kitchen can be delayed weeks and sometimes months and all this to save at most about 10%.
Most importantly kitchens need to be designed by the person who knows the product line they are designing in. And is available to advise you and your contractor every step of the way along a complex and detailed kitchen renovation. The work the “real” kitchen designer did on your design would have very little value if they weren’t responsible for the design, measurements, and available to solve problems when they arose.
Finding a good kitchen designer is very difficult and even impossible in many remote locations. But if you are in a location close enough to get good kitchen design help and can find it, then not working with a designer all the way through the process is a mistake. You need a designer that sells you the cabinetry you are buying, and is responsible for the accuracy of the design, and can advise you on the other products you are getting as well as help solve problems if they arise.
The road to circumventing working with a professional kitchen designer is littered with terrible designs and problems. However since customers are essentially completely ignorant of what constitutes a good design and good installation they never understand the terrible result they got. This is why IKEA and Clique Studios get the best reviews. People focused on CHEAP are less likely to appreciate good design to begin with, And when they get a new kitchen that to their eyes looks great, and they believe they saved money as well, they are always happy.
Just this week two Clique Studios customers asked us to review their designs as a favor. One customer was spending 50 thousand dollars on a new kitchen and the design they sent us was so unprofessional it was painful. The second customer I couldn’t have send us a design because their design only showed two walls. When a designer only puts two walls in a kitchen there is no way anyone knowledgeable can understand if the design works. Any designer that doesn’t put all four walls and the measurements for the relevant surrounding areas like the table area into the design should not be working as a kitchen designer.
Working with a single professional kitchen designer from start to finish does not guarantee a great design and outcome. But not doing so nearly always assures a poor design and an unprofessional result. The silver lining to the cloud, if there is one, is that as a customer you won’t realize how bad your result is. And so IKEA and Clique Studios will have another satisfied customer.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
@Dp Decora Cabinets upgraded will be identical at a home center, although quality of the design itself, the designers attention to detail, and their product knowledge could make an independent dealer a better choice. I would pay 10% more to work with a better designer although often finding a good designer costs nothing more and they actually save you money by being better at their job.
Dp
How is decora from Home Depot? I had called decora directly and they said those cabinets get manufactured at the same place as other decora cabinet places and nothing is different except few door styles. I see you have rated best for them so wanted to check on that as I am getting better deal at HD than cabinets places. Thanks!
Eric
Can I ask your opinion on Kith? I went through the comment section and didn’t see anyone else looking at them. It seems even in upgraded form they run 1/4 back and 5/8 top, bottom and ends.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
We gave them C’s in this review. That tells it all.
Betsy Rehm
Are you familiar with Countryside Cabinets out of Wisconsin? I used Thomasville about 10 years ago and was very happy with them. My bathroom reno contractor is suggesting Countryside as an alternative. I’m a little leery. Your advice?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Never heard of Countryside but I am not a fan of Home Depot’s so called Thomasville.
LAB
Kraftmaid or Mediallon? We have priced both and they are pretty much the same price point. Don’t know which way to go. Going with cherry wood.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Medallion is normally about 20% more than Kraftmaid. If you got the same price it sounds like you weren’t comparing apples to apples. If they really are the same price and upgraded to all plywood I would go with Medallion their cherry is more beautiful.
Anne
Thank you for this article and your evaluations of many cabinet lines.
We have looked at many brands and here is where we are: **Merrilat (mixed reviews from consumers ELIMINATED)
**Kraftmaid (Nice finishes but question longevity ELIMINATED)
**Bertch (little in terms of reviews but two different designers say they have great customer service, limited door styles/colors, IN THE RUNNING)
**Conestoga (RTA but great reviews, door styles and finishes, IN THE RUNNING)
**Shiloh (love the finishes, good reviews, few up-charges, IN THE RUNNING)
**Brookhaven (great finishes, expensive from local designer, ELIMINATED)
What are your thoughts? What lines do you carry that compare to those lines we are still considering: Bertch, Shiloh, Conestoga?
How far do you travel? I am just north of Allentown.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Anne,
The research you are doing is compromised by the fact that you know little about cabinetry. On line reviews are not meaningful since they are written by consumers like yourself that will rate a cabinet based on their overall experience. And how happy they are has no bearing on the quality of the product they ordered or it’s longevity. See our blog below for why:
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/category/4-1-why-is-it-so-hard-to-compare-kitchen-cabinet-brands/
Falling into this way of thinking nearly always means your design when we see it will be poor. Because you were doing your research backwards. For example, if to want to replace the engine in your car you shouldn’t research how to replace a car engine you should research good mechanics. Find a good kitchen designer and reputable cabinet dealer, they will help you understand what is possible in your space and what’s a good investment.
We will travel to Allentown to measure your kitchen but you would need to do the traveling to Bala Cynwyd for your design appointments. You’d get experienced help and we only carry well made cabinetry at very competitive prices, but it is a lot of traveling for you. We get customers coming from as far away as Virginia and upstate New York so some people find it worth it.
Kathy
We paid a designer to do the layout for us and we have one that we are finally comfortable with. This designer exclusively sells Candlelight cabinets. In shopping for flooring the other day I stumbled upon a dealer that sells Fabuwood. They are able to match or come close to our original design and would be about half the cost of Candlelight. Now I am very torn. You rated both the same for quality and value so I’m not sure how to proceed.
Also, for the Candlelight design, we had to downgrade to particle board and it’s still almost double the cost of Fabuwood. Is downgrading to particle board instead of plywood a bad idea?
This post has been very helpful so thanks in advance for any additional insight you can provide!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Candlelight is a higher end cabinet than Fabuwood. But what you are paying for few people take advantage of. Construction and durability is similar and most people don’t appreciate the difference in the finish between the two lines. Their designs also don’t require the higher end line. Downgrading Candlelight to particleboard certainly makes no sense.
Sadly the designs we get sent are usually amateurish whether in Candlelight or Fabuwood so spending extra money to be in a more expensive cabinet line with a simplistic design is just a waste and down grading the more expensive line just exacerbates the issue.
Rachel
I am doing a complete kitchen renovation. I am going back and forth between showplace, CNC and kraftmaid for cabinets. I was surprised at kraftmaid came out higher for a quote. I don’t want to be cheap but I don’t want to spend more for the sake of spending more. The research I have done on all three has confused me more because they are all well made. Can you give me your recommendation?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Kraftmaid is a better cabinet. CNC is well made but a little cheap looking finish wise. Showplace is in between. If you like the finish on the less expensive cabinet lines it might be hard to decide. But don’t expect the same level of fine detail in a less expensive line.
Larry
I’m tearing out my kitchen and having a whole new kitchen remodel done. What is the average cost per square foot on custom built cabinets? I have been told $200. I priced Merilat Masterpiece cabinets made of maple at $12K, (no countertop yett) as an alternative. Is this a quality brand for the price in a normal 10 X 10 kitchen or is custom built the better option if prices end up being fairly close?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Kitchens aren’t sold by the square foot or by the linear foot for that matter. They are priced by the cabinet and the part everywhere in the world.They are displayed with per linear foot pricing in home center displays just to help people understand which lines are more expensive and which are less but it is a very misleading way to guess pricing. Sort of like car ads where you can get a brand new car for $150/mo.
We give Merilat terrible reviews so we would select a different line.
Gregory
I believe, they have assembled as well for a little bit more, it was a renovation so i had an extra room to assemble them, was quick, easy and saved a lot of money. I agree that for new construction you should probably get your cabinets assembled to avoid damage from other work.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Gregory,
Most companies charge about $20 per box to assemble. So the money you save is negligible but having it factory assembled can be invaluable. Of course really knowledgeable people not looking to save money but to improve on a cabinet’s construction can put the cabinet together themselves better than the factory with added glues, screws and even added hanging rails. Unfortunately many people believe they can do this and only a few succeed. But I have seen some really experienced homeowners and contractors turn an RTA cabinet into a something nearly indestructible with just a little more effort and at most $100 in materials.
Gregory
I purchased recently unassembled cabinets from rtawoodcabinets.com the cabinets are manufactured by JSI and the quality is pretty good, it should probably be on your next list, it came standard with the soft close on the doors and drawers. I got the Essex white shaker for the main part and the Norwich grey shaker for the island.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
We would only rate assembled cabinetry. Assembling cabinetry on site is usually not a great idea.
Jo Ann
Yikes. I see a few typos above!
Jo Ann
Hello I have tried to post this question twuce now, hoping this time is the lucky charm!
I have reviewed your guide and fiybd it extremely helpful. We have a designer and likely a company to purchase cabinets from.
I like the price point if waypoint and wolf for painted shaker cabinets. But I like the tried and true reputation if Kraftmaid. We live in Cleveland ohio area, so very common product in many homes here.
In your guide above, there are few “3” brands that rank as well in the criteria you consider. So
Is there a brand that falls in between the companies I listed above. Plan to sell house in 10 years so want the cabinets to still be looking good then. Plan to hire the refinisher you mentioned in previous posts, such a good idea!
Thanks for any insight.
Cathy
You commented about the St. Martin line but I do not see it listed in your comparison. How do they rank?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Cathy,
We removed our review for St Martin because we realized that we didn’t fully understand their product line and their web site didn’t answer our questions. So we really just aren’t qualified to rate them as none of us has seen the product first hand.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I couldn’t agree less. Schuler also called Medallion is a terrible cabinet if you don’t upgrade it to plywood. We would give it an F in it’s particle board version. The backs and even the sides in their lowest version are only 3/8″ particle board so essentially expensive junk. Kraftmaid we would give a C in all particle board because there is a solid wood hanging rail (at least up to this date). In plywood both lines are well made. Don’t splurge on an expensive cabinet line and cheap out on it’s construction. The designer is irresponsible for giving you this advice. See the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSLpIyrS4XE
If you want to spend less get a well made inexpensive cabinet line not an expensive one compromised by poor construction.
Sury Vepa
Hi,
Thanks for your helpful suggestions before. After more than two months of looking around and researching, we are finally thinking of buying Schuler cabinets from Lowes because we liked the styles, finishes, minor customization that our design needed, and features. However, we are still debating whether to upgrade to all plywood construction or opt for standard particle board for the cabinets. This option is estimated to cost us an additional three thousand dollars (total cost of the cabinets around 23K) and we are told that going either way on this option may not make that much difference. You have been kind to make useful suggestions before and I would appreciate your help again. We are almost there but dont want to jump without some expert advice and information.
Along the way, We have looked at Ultracraft, St. Martin, Mid Continent, Fabuwood, Kraftmaid and some others.
Thanks. Sury
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Jo Ann,
If you like the Wolf and Waypoint I might stick with them. Cabinet lines in between Kraftmaid and them won’t get you a better made cabinet just more options and finishes.
Jo Ann
Hello! I am pricing out cabinets and have reviewed your helpful guide. I like the price of wolf and waypoint and the look of the cabinets. But I like the tried and tested reputation of Kraftmaid. Is there a company you feel falls in the middle?
Sarah
We’re looking to purchase cabinetry for a full remodel of our home. We’re looking for mid-range, maple, stained, shaker cabinets. We’re also hoping to get decently constructed cabinets for the best cost, especially for the kitchen since it’ll be the most heavily used. We definitely plan to upgrade to all plywood construction. Right now we’re trying to compare quotes while trying to stay within budget.
Our interior designer recommended going with Mid Continent or Kitchen Craft. The kitchen designer for Mid Continent is fantastic, so we were leaning towards them. Why do they get a C rating from you? For their all plywood option, they do have a 3/8″ back and 1/2″ hang rail, but together these wouldn’t be fairly sturdy? I’m less inclined to go with Kitchen Craft since it’s frameless.
The contractor we’re working with recommended Thomasville or American Woodmark. We were told that Thomasville is currently made by Schrock? Our contract has a great kitchen designer at Home Depot he recommends, so I think our kitchen design will still go well with a Home Depot line. After reading your blog, do you think we should we get quotes for Kraftmaid instead while at Home Depot?
Also, how do the stained finishes between these brands compare, especially in regards to holding up to UV? We live in Arizona and have a lot of natural light coming into our kitchen.
Any thoughts for just using American Woodmark only in the bathrooms to save money and a higher end line for the kitchen?
Thank you for any thoughts. We’re very overwhelmed in making these selections.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Wow. That’s too much to answer. Use our rating system but we can’t get that detailed answering blog comments. Sorry.
Susan Braue
Thank you for this very informative site. I am planning on getting a new kitchen. I have been looking at Plato. I love their finishes. Are you familiar with their cabinets? We live just outside of your area. I wish you were in NY.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Susan,
Sorry. We don’t know very much about Plato other than that they are a custom line, and their web site doesn’t have enough information to make an educated evaluation.
Susan Braue
Thank you for this very informative website. I am looking at Plato Cabinets and would like your opinion on them. I think I live a little out of your area. Wish you were in NY.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
We don’t know enough about them to rate Plato. Beyond the fact that they are a custom line I know very little about their product line.
steve
Love the very informative site and ranking system you have posted. If I was in PA I would defiantly stop by and give you a shot at my new kitchen.
With that said I’m in VA. and I have two local small kitchen design teams working on my layout. One has Kraftmaid and the other has Mid Continent. Still waiting to hear back from the Kraftmaid on price, but I got a price of 13K on the Mid Continent cabinets. I’m more worried about quality then price, how much better is the top line Kraftmaid over the Mid Continent top line.
Thanks,
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Steve,
Regular Kraftmaid upgraded to all plywood construction is not comparable to Mid Continent as our review states. We give Kraftmaid an A and Mid Continent a C for construction quality. Your comments also hint at a lack of concern with the design itself. From a customer’s attitude I can sometimes almost visualize their kitchen design and it’s flaws. Your comment about “giving someone a shot at your kitchen” conjures up a kitchen full of design errors poor decision making.
Cynthia
Hi Paul:
Would appreciate your input on the ‘latest’ cabinet assembly attaching drawer fronts with visible dark screws countersunk on inside front corners of the boxes instead of neatly screwed on the back face? Besides aesthetics, does this affect the durability of the joints or drawer box?
Among a few other American brands, I recently noticed at an upscale kitchen showroom, Crystal Cabinets now offers two lower-priced lines, along with their original, very high quality custom line.
Their lowest priced cabinets had five piece drawer headers with MDF center panels affixed with screws countersunk on the inside front corners of the box. Their mid-priced line had large, yet, noticeably neater doweled holes with countersunk corner screws. Their highest priced line still had headers affixed discreetly on the back inner face of the drawer box.
Are visible countersunk corner screws a new standard for drawer assembly? Do any of your lower to mid-priced lines have this assembly on five piece drawers with MDF center panels? How would you rate this construction quality?
Thank you!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Not sure I understand what you are describing. Nearly all well made cabinet lines use visible, sometimes not even countersunk screws, to attach the drawer front to the solid wood dovetail drawer box. If you are saying that the sides of the drawer boxes are not dovetailed but doweled or just screwed I would stick with a dovetail drawer box. Doweled might be OK but even the Asian lines use dovetail so what other corners are being cut?
Marilyn
We went kitchen cabinet shopping this weekend and sat with a designer for a good length of time. His store sells many brands of cabinets. We are between Wellborn and Fabuwood for a painted white cabinet. After reading the reviews on other websites, I’m not sure which way to go. You rate both very highly. There’s about an $8,000 price difference between the two. I’m planning on living with this kitchen for at least 10 years and I would like it to last, but I’m also redoing many things in this house so I would like to be careful about my spending. Any suggestions or is there another cabinet company you would recommend?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Marilyn,
In a stained finish the Wellborn would probably have finishes that you liked a lot more and that looked much richer. In a painted cabinet there will be no difference looks wise. The Wellborne will be on harder Maple wood and not Birch like Fabuwood. However the difference in durability because of the harder wood is negligible. Water and getting a painted cabinet wet is what destroys the finish and maple or birch are equally susceptible. When you keep in mind that Furniture refinishers like Guardsman can touch up a whole kitchen and make it look new for $500 I start seriously thinking about Fabuwood.
I would also point out that you met with a designer one day with no mention of them measuring your kitchen and investigating what’s in walls and considering changes to the footprint of your kitchen. Redesigning the space could give you a better house and not just new cabinets in a poorly designed kitchen. Having one design meeting screams of a amateurish design to me. If you spent half the difference in cabinet cost so $4000 on the construction to redesign the space and removed walls, moved doorways, or possibly windows. Or taking out soffits, stacking cabinets to the ceiling, or moving plumbing and electric. The difference in your home could be mind blowing and that would be money well spent.
Of course most customers we meet at first say what and all bad kitchen designers say. “There really isn’t much I can do differently with my space. The design has to be this way.” But they say this because they aren’t great kitchen designers. As Doug Mottershead says in this video below “People don’t know what they don’t know!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxJgxCeeNTo
Check out the video it will make you laugh!
Harry
Hi Paul,
I am in the process of replacing my kitchen cabinets and countertop. Have you ever heard of Winwood cabinets? From the specs alone (1/2″ inch sides and 3/4″ back – birch, center panel of the door is MDF) it seems decent for the price. It’s price is almost 40% less than Fabuwood and about the same as the Wolf Classic This is the link to their product. http://winwoodusa.com/products-2/003-2/
Any thoughts or advice? Thank you
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
You are getting bad pricing for Fabuwood or not comparing apples to apples. Fabuwood should cost about 10% or 15% more than Wolf. It is a better product but for 40% over Wolf you could be getting Kraftmaid, Bishop, or Decora.
These unknown Asian lines are popping up like weeds. How good they are or even how solvent the dealers are that carry them is the roll of the dice.
Carrying completely unknown lines is a risky undertaking. Some dealers may find a diamond in the rough. But the real question is will they stand behind a product for good or ill. Check out the dealer here. The cabinet industry is in serious flux and good brands are dying and cheep ones growing roots. Who the dealer is is becoming more important than the line.
Klim
Thank you very much for the info on overlay.
you said the white painted cabinet can show dirt and chips easily. I have white appliance and that is why I pick white cabinet. Any suggestion of stain cabinet color that would not look like I have a white elephant as I have a big white refrigerator in a small kitchen?
Klim
Thank you so much for your quick response.
Would waypoint all ply be still not as good as homecrest all ply?
Thank you again.
Klim
There are so much to consider in remodeling. So glad to see this site. What is better, Full overlay or partial overlay? Pro and con. Would partial overlay cabinets look outdated?
Would appreciate very much your opinion.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Partial overlay is just a look but it is not a popular one. I would not recommend redoing a kitchen in an unpopular door style or for example keeping your soffits or getting raised panel oak cabinets. These looks will bring little value to your renovation and you are spending so much money already that saving a little to leave the result something that won’t get the full value of the renovation is not a good investment.
I constantly tell people that poor designs are the biggest waste of money of all. But not being designers often people don’t realize how bad their kitchen designs are or like many customers we meet erroneously believe that there aren’t better designs for their space. There are ALWAYS better designs and making those better designs happen IS the best money you can spend on a kitchen.
The things some customers splurge on like very expensive appliances, high level granite, quartz or soapstone countertops, or custom cabinets have very little impact on the value of a home. Good design is usually is not very expensive to implement. And it is the investment in your home that get back many times the amount that you spend to get it.
Klim
We are looking at waypoint standard, homecrest all ply for white shaker door style. Are you familiar with 4B wood? Which uses mainly mdf.
Which of these would you recommend ?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Robin,
Unfortunately we were mistaken in our evaluation of St Martin. On closer scrutiny you are correct. While the finishes and door styles are very nice I was relying on another designers evaluation and only checked the St Martin Web site very quickly. Since they are a Pennsylvania company I thought we knew the product better than we did. My Apologies. I am completely removing them from our evaluation since we obviosly don’t full understand their product.
Tina
I am working with a designer and he highly recommends Kith Cabinets. Why were they given a low rating? I must order cabinets asap.
Thank you so much for your help!!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Tina,
Kith is an inexpensive cabinet line that uses a 1/2 plywood hanging rails, plastic corner braces, and some slightly thinner plywood components in their upgraded framed line. There are better low cost cabinetry options.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Never heard of 4B Homecrest the best here.
Robin
Thanks for your help! It is impossible to get real information about most cabinets. You give really high marks to St. Martin and we are about to go with them (we seem to be getting a good deal), but I have two concerns:They do a great job on their website of describing all components of their cabinets but leave off any mention whatsoever about their drawer pullout hardware. Also, I cannot find out anything about where their plywood is from (you said that carb 2 compliance is not as important if all playwood, correct?) Are you aware that these cabinets are framless and have 1/4 inch backs, which you explain are not great? Can you tell me why you have give them such high grades? I have even gotten a chance to look at their spec book and still there is no info on these things.
bkbk
For China-made cabinets, could you compare Fabuwood with Forevermark and Coline? Thx.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I don’t know Coline. But with RTA cabinetry I would only buy it already assembled by the manufacturer. I don’t think that’s an option with Forevermark. And they also lose in a quality comparison to Fabuwood IMO.