Latest cabinet reviews for the top kitchen cabinet brands. Compiled by kitchen design and cabinetry experts.
Below are Main Line Kitchen Design’s up to date cabinet reviews for the top-selling cabinet manufacturers in the United States. We rate how the manufacturers rate for construction quality and value considering the price point of each cabinet line. Price point is rated from 1 to 6. So, 1 represents the least expensive brands. While 6 is the most expensive custom cabinetry on the market.
How the Ratings Work. Cabinet Reviews explained below:
Cabinet reviews assume each cabinet brand is upgraded to the top level of construction available, usually all plywood construction.
Getting an A for construction quality will not be quite equal across different price levels. The more expensive price point cabinets will have far nicer finishes and construction options.
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.
The Value Grade
The value grade we give is not a rating about the quality of the cabinetry. It is a rating of how good an investment a cabinet line is considering its cost.
For example, many of the most expensive well-made cabinet lines receive lower cabinet reviews even though as designers we think the cabinetry is the best in its class.
Consequently, these lines receive lower grades on value because there are competitors offering the same quality at slightly lower prices. If price is no object, then we recommend ignoring the value rating in the cabinetry priced in the 6-price point.
Warning: Price Isn’t Everything
If you are comparing cabinet brands, read this first! Because, price comparing your design at different dealers often leads you down a bad road.
Cabinet Reviews (Ratings) Brands A to L
| Cabinet Line | Price Level (1-6) | Quality | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21st Century | 1 | A | A- |
| Adelphia Kitchens | 3 | B | B |
| Adornus (frameless) | 3 | B | B |
| Alusso by Adornus (frameless) | 3 | B | B |
| All Wood – framed | 2 | A | A |
| All Wood – frameless | 1 | C | C |
| American Woodmark | 3 | B+ | B |
| Aristocraft | 2 | C | C |
| Belmont 1900 Series Frameless | 4 | B | B+ |
| Bertch | 4 | A | A- |
| Bishop | 4 | A+ | B++ |
| Bishop Frameless | 5 | B | A |
| B.J. Tidwell Cabinetry | 3 | B | C+ |
| Bremtown | 6 | A+ | B |
| Bridgewood Framed | 5 | A | A |
| Bridgewood Frameless | 5 | B | A |
| Brighton | 5 | A- | A+ |
| Brookhaven | 5.5 | A | B |
| Brubaker | 5 | A | A |
| Cabico | 4 | B | B |
| Cabinet Depot | 2 | B+ | B+ |
| Candlelight | 4 | A | A |
| Canyon Creek Framed and Frameless (deduct 1 letter grade for frameless) | 4 | A | A |
| CliqStudios (Bankrupt once – customers lost deposits) | 2.5 | B+ | A |
| CNC | 1.5 | A- | A- |
| CNC frameless | 1.5 | B | A |
| Collier | 5 | A | B- |
| Craft-Made Cabinetry framed | 5 | A | A |
| Crestwood Framed | 5 | A | A |
| Crestwood Frameless | 5 | B | A- |
| CrownPoint Cabinetry (framed) | 5.5 | A+ | A |
| CrownPoint (frameless) | 5.5 | B | A |
| Crystal custom | 5 | A | A |
| Crystal semi-custom | 4 | B+ | B+ |
| Cubitac | 1.5 | A | A |
| Cuisine Ideale (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| Decora | 4.5 | A | B |
| Designers Choice | 4 | A | A |
| Design-Craft | 4 | B | B- |
| Diamond | 4 | B+ | B+ |
| Diamond Now Stock | 1 | B | B |
| Durasupreme | 5 | B+ | B- |
| Durasupreme frameless | 3 | C | C |
| Dynasty by Omega (frameless) | 4 | B | B+ |
| Dynasty by Omega (framed) | 4 | A | A-/B+ |
| Dynasty Pinnacle (framed) | 5 | A | B |
| Echelon Cabinetry No longer sells individual kitchens. | |||
| Eclipse by Shiloh | 4.5 | B- / C+ | B |
| Eurocraft Frameless | 3.5 | C | C+ |
| Executive (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| Fabuwood | 2 | A | A |
| Fabuwood (frameless) | 2 | B- | B |
| Fieldstone | 4.5 | A- | B+ |
| Forevermark | 1.5 | B+ | B |
| Grabill | 6 | A+ | B |
| Great Northern Classic | 5 | A | A |
| Green Forest | 2 | A | A- |
| Haas | 3 | B | B |
| Hampton Bay (frameless stock) | 1 | D | C+ |
| Hanssem framed | 1 | B- | C+ |
| Holiday (frameless) | 3 | C | C |
| Holiday Kitchens | 4 | A | B+ |
| Homecrest | 3 | B+ | B+ |
| Homestead Custom | 4 | A | A- |
| Ideal Cabinetry | 2 | B | A- |
| IKEA (frameless) | 1 | D | C |
| Innovation | 2 | C | C |
| JSI Cabinetry | 1 | B+ | B+ |
| J&K Cabinets | 2 | A+ | A- |
| Kabinart | 3 | C+ | D |
| Kemper | 4 | B+ | B+ |
| Kitchen Kompact | 2 | B- | C- |
| Kitchencraft | 3 | C | B |
| Kith | 3 | B+ | C+ |
| Koch Classic | 4 | A- | A- |
| Kountry Kraft (framed) | 6 | A | B |
| Kountry Kraft (frameless) | 6 | B | B |
| Kountry Wood | 2 | C | C |
| Kraftmaid (New slightly adjusted ratings) | 4 | B+ | A- |
| Kraftmaid Vantage (New slightly adjusted ratings) | 4 | B+ | A |
| Legacy | 2.5 | B+ | B |
| Legacy Presidential | 3 | A | B |
| LifeArt | 1 | C+ | A |
| Luxor Collection Frameless | 4 | B | B |
Cabinet Reviews (Ratings) Brands L to Z
| Marsh | 2 | B | B |
| Marsh (frameless) | 2 | B- | B |
| MasterCraft | 2 | B | B |
| Medallion (Now owed by ACPI) | 5 | B+ | B |
| Merillat | 2 | C | D |
| Merit Kitchens | 4 | B+ | B |
| Mid Continent with all plywood upgrade | 3 | B | B |
| Mouser | 5 | A | A- |
| Mouser (frameless) | 5 | B | A |
| NatureKast Waterproof Cabinets | 5 | A | A |
| Norcraft (every upgrade used) | 3 | B | D |
| Ovation | 4 | B | C |
| Plain and Fancy | 6 | A | B+ |
| Plato Woodwork | 5 | A | A |
| Poggenpohl (frameless) | 6 | B | C |
| ProCraft | 1 | A | A- |
| QCCI Quality Custom | 6+ | A+ | A- |
| QuakerMaid (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| RiverRun Cabinetry | 3.75 | B | B- |
| R.D. Henry | 4 | A | A |
| Rutt | 6 | A+ | A |
| Schrock | 4 | B+/ A- | B+/ A- |
| Schuler (Rebranded Medallion) | 5 | A- | B+ |
| Shenandoah (Rebranded American Woodmark) | 3 | B+ | B |
| Shiloh (Possible grade change. Being checked.) | 4 | B | B |
| Showplace | 4 | A | B++ |
| ShowplaceEVO (frameless) | 3.5 | B | B+ |
| Siematic | 5.5 | B | C |
| Signature Custom | 5 | A+ | A+ |
| Siteline Cabinetry | 3.5 | B- | C |
| Solid Wood Cabinets | Closed | Bankrupt | |
| St. Martin (frameless) | 3.5 | B | A |
| Starmark Plywood upgrade | 5 | B+ | B |
| Starmark inset or 3/4″ back panel | 5 | A+ | A |
| Stylecraft | 6 | A | A |
| Tedd Wood | 5 | A | A |
| Thomasville (Rebranded Diamond) | 4 | B+/A- | B+/A- |
| Thomasville Nouvell | 3 | D | D |
| Timberlake (Rebranded American Woodmark) | 3 | B+ | B |
| Tru Cabinetry | Closed | Bankrupt | |
| Ultracraft (frameless) | 2 | C | C |
| Ultracraft 3/4 ply upgrade | 3 | B | B+/A- |
| Urban Effects (frameless) | 3.75 | C- | D |
| Village | 5 | A | A |
| Waypoint | 3 | B+ | B |
| Wellborn | 4 and 5 | A | A |
| Wellborn Forrest | 3.5 | B+ | B+ |
| Wellsford | 5 | A+ | A+ |
| Wellsford (frameless) | 5 | B | A- |
| Wolf | 2 | A | B+ |
| Wolf Signature Series | 3.5 | A- | C+ |
| Woodharbor | 5 | B+ | C |
| Wood-Mode (Bankrupt once – customers lost deposits) | 6 | A | A- |
| Yorktowne (Now owed by ACPI – big quality upgrade!) | 4 | B+ | B+ |
(!) Note About Painted Cabinetry
The finish on painted cabinetry is less durable than stained cabinetry on ALL cabinet brands, SO DO NOT:
1) Purchase expensive cabinetry believing the finish will be more durable, or
2) Blame a less expensive cabinet brand for being responsible for paint chipping, scratching, or being damaged by water. All painted cabinets have this issue, but finishes can be easily repaired by professionals.
Outside Our Service Area?
FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE A TWO-HOUR DRIVE OF OUR BALA CYNWYD PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE. HERE IS A LINK TO RECOMMENDED DEALERS IN OTHER AREAS. GOOD DEALERS WHO ARE CLOSE TO YOU CAN BETTER ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT’S AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA. Or call in on Fridays 2-4 pm for free design help on our helpline and Podcast. Dial 610-5OO-4O71 with your cabinet review questions and designs ready to email. Paul answers cabinetry and design questions free of charge most Fridays.
Continue Reading
Kitchen Cabinet Brand Comparison.
There are two basic ways to construct cabinets. Most cabinets are either framed construction or frameless construction, also called European or easy access construction. Read below:
Which Cabinet Brand is Best for Me?
“What kitchen cabinet line is best?” and “What kitchen cabinet line do you recommend?” are the most common questions we hear. Read the most common answers below:
16 Replies to “Cabinet Reviews: Ratings for the top 100 cabinet brands.”
Karen
Hi, Can you explain the two letter grades for Schrock?
Schrock 4 B+/ A- B+/ A-
A cabinet business recommended the Schrock Enta line for semi-custom shaker white cabinets for my kitchen remodel.
I am concerned about this product.
Thank you.
Karen
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Karen,
Schrock just falls in between the criteria we created to rate a cabinet’s construction an A- or a B+. Mabey if I rated them B++ or A– it would have been clearer. Since they fell between construction ratings, we also gave them the same value rating. They are a fine cabinet line upgraded to plywood. However, for a shaker white door style you may not be taking advantage of the diversity that Schrock offers and so you will be spending extra money on cabinets that wasn’t really needed.
As always-
My MANTRA remains:
People worry about cabinet quality and price far more than they worry about their designs. This is because they aren’t kitchen 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 and appliances, when there are design improvements left on the table.
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/calls-with-paul-the-kitchen-design-podcast-episode-28-finding-a-kitchen-designer/
Karen
Thank you so much for your very valuable guidance!
Karen
Charles
Hi, I see you rated Kitchen Compact, but I cant find them anywhere? (Are you referring to Kitchen Kompact, their pricing would be a 1?) Also do you know the quality of GHI cabinets?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Charles,
Thanks, I hadn’t caught the SpellCheck faulty correction on the KK line. I don’t know anything about GHI. However, they are obviously a relatively inexpensive imported line that are well constructed and assembled in the US. I dislike that they advertise themselves as a custom cabinet brand which is misleading so I would be leery of a brand that lacks transparency..
Charles
Thanks so much Paul for that info on GHI!
Regarding Kitchen Kompact, from my research their prices are very very low. I just want to know what you think about their quality. I see you rated it a B-, but for their price point it may be worth it for me. Can you tell me from your experience with this line how long they last and why you gave it a B-?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Charles,
KK is a little less well made, and their cabinetry a little less attractive than some similarly priced competitors that offer solid wood dovetail soft close Blum drawers and doors and some other features. You don’t say where you are located but brands like Fabuwood, J&K, Procraft, CNC, Cubitac, Wolf, and others would be slightly more or in some cases slightly less expensive and a better value.
Jonathan Rowland
Tru cabinetry closed – bankrupt as of several months ago.
Echelon has been closed. They rebranded as arbor creek which is now a truckload/project multifamily company who no longer sells kitchen at a time.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Thanks so much Jonathan! I confirmed both as of August. We didn’t sell either brand, and you are the first to let us know.
If you would like a nice Olive Wood cutting board. Please email where you would like it sent to Paul@MainLineKitchenDesign.com
Hilary Wallace
Hi Paul,
Any significant difference between Schuler, Yorktowne and Medallion? We love the cappuccino stain (seems exclusive to these brands) but our one Medallion quote gave us major sticker shock. Trying to get what we want while taking our budget into consideration.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Hilary,
All three brands are made by the same company in the same factory, so don’t expect much of a price variation.
Lots of companies making less expensive well-made cabinetry. Hardly any in that color. Check out Fabuwood Timber, it may be as close as it gets in an inexpensive line.
Anne
Hi! Any opinions on North American Cafe cabinetry?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Anne,
There is no construction information on this brand available online. Because they are a Canadian Custom cabinet brand I am guessing that they are frameless and so if my guess is right we would rate them this way 5 price, point B construction, value not sure as price,point could be off.
Not to be confused with North American Cabinets a framed line that would get better grades.
nancy
Ever hear of Greenfield cabinets? Quality? They are expensive. Not on your list.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Nancy,.
Greenfield looks like a custom brand that makes both framed and frameless cabinetry. So, they will be relatively expensive, and we would most likely give them good reviews.
They are pretty transparent as a company – which I like. I do disagree with some of the information they give online. However, giving information gives them thumbs up in my book.
So many brands talk in platitudes and not specifics that giving information usually indicates a good company.
Nancy
Thank you!! Really appreciate your in site. It is very confusing and would be an expensive mistake. Can I ask what information on line you disagree with?