2018 Kitchen Cabinet Rankings
Below are our kitchen cabinet rankings from 2018 for the top selling cabinet manufacturers in the United States. Cabinet brands are rated 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.
If you are outside our service area, we are happy to answer any questions on this blog’s comment forum. But please do not contact us on our website’s contact page.
READ THE MOST RECENT 2024 RANKINGS HERE
Cabinet Reviews: Ratings for the top 100 cabinet brands.
All the designers that gave us input on the cabinet lines below have greater than 20 years’ experience in our industry. When possible, all construction specifics were double checked on the websites for each cabinet line.
Main Line kitchen design acknowledges that we are dealers for the following cabinet lines: Wellsford, Bishop, Brighton, Fabuwood, Legacy Presidential, and CNC. We could be prejudiced towards ranking these lines more favorably, but we have tried to be impartial. However, since the cabinet lines we carry were chosen specifically for their construction quality and value, our ranking them well should not be a surprise.
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 Kitchen Designers and Cabinet Dealers Outside Our Service Area
OUR KITCHEN CABINET RANKINGS assume each line is upgraded to the top level of construction available. 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.
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 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 its cost. For example, many of the most expensive well-made cabinet lines receive lower marks on value even though as designers we think the cabinetry is the best in its class. These lines receive lower grades on value simply because there are competitors offering the same quality at slightly lower prices.
Cabinet Lines
| Cabinet line | Price level 1-6 | Quality | Value |
| 21st Century | 1 | A | A- |
| 6 Square | 2 | B+ | B+ |
| Adelphia Kitchens | 3 | B | B |
| Adormus (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 |
| Bertch | 4 | A | A- |
| Bishop | 4 | A | A- |
| Bishop Frameless | 5 | B | B+ |
| Bremtown | 6 | A+ | B |
| Brighton | 4 | A | A+ |
| Brookhaven | closed | A | B |
| Brubaker | 5 | A | A |
| Cabico | 4 | B | B |
| Candlelight | 4 | A | A |
| Canyon Creek | 3 | B | B |
| CNC | 1 | B+ | B |
| Collier | 5 | A | B- |
| Crystal | 5 | A | A |
| Decora | 4 | A | A |
| Desginers Choice | 4 | A | A |
| Design-Craft | 4 | B | B |
| Diamond | 4 | B | B |
| Durasupreme | 5 | B+ | B |
| Durasupreme frameless | 3 | C | C |
| Dynasty by Omega (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| Dynasty Pinnacle (framed) | 5 | A | B |
| Echelon Cabinetry | 2 | B- | C |
| Executive (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| Fabuwood | 2 | A | A |
| Fabuwood (frameless) | 3 | B | B |
| Fieldstone | 4 | A | B+ |
| Grabill | 6 | A+ | B |
| Haas | 3 | B | B |
| Hanssem framed | 1 | B+ | B+ |
| Holiday (frameless) | 3 | C | C |
| Holiday Kitchens | 4 | A | A |
| 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+ |
| Kabinart | 3 | C+ | 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 |
| Kountry Wood | 2 | C | C |
| Kraftmaid | 4 | A- | A |
| Legacy | 3 | B+ | B |
| LifeArt | 1 | C+ | A |
| Marsh | 2 | B | B |
| Marsh (frameless) | 2 | B- | B |
| Medallion | 5 | B+ | B |
| Merillat | 2 | C | D |
| Merit Kitchens | 4 | B+ | B |
| Mid Continent | 2 | C | C |
| Mouser | 5 | A | A- |
| Mouser (frameless) | 5 | B | A |
| Ovation | 4 | B | C |
| Plain and Fancy | 6 | A | B+ |
| Plato Woodwork | 4 | A | A |
| Poggenpohl (frameless) | 6 | B | C |
| QuakerMaid (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| RD Henry | 4 | A | A |
| Rutt | 6 | A+ | A |
| Schrock | 3 | B | B |
| Schuler | 5 | B+ | B |
| Shenandoah | 3 | B | B |
| Shiloh | 4 | C | C |
| Showplace | 3 | B+ | B- |
| Siematic | 6 | B | C |
| Signature Custom | 5 | A+ | A+ |
| Solid Wood Cabinets | 1 | A- | A- |
| St. Martin (frameless) | 4 | B | B |
| Starmark | 4 | A | B+ |
| Stylecraft | 5 | A | A |
| Thomasville* | 4 | B | B |
| Timberlake | 3 | B | B |
| Ultracraft (frameless) | 2 | C | C |
| Village | 5 | A | A |
| Waypoint | 2 | B | B |
| Wellborn | 4 and 5 | A | A |
| Wellsford | 5 | A+ | A+ |
| Wolf | 2 | A | B+ |
| Woodharbor | 4 | B+ | C |
| Woodmode | closed | A | A- |
| Yorktowne Now an Elkay CO | 4 | B+ | B |
* 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 a more general review of cabinetry from 2015 explaining types of cabinetry construction?
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/2015-popular-kitchen-cabinetry-brand-comparison/
For those interested in Cabinet Off Gassing, VOC’s, and Carb2 Compliance, here is our take on the fumes your new cabinets can emit:
Cabinet Off Gassing, Carb2 Compliance, and VOC’s.
1 Replies to “Kitchen Cabinet Rankings for 2018. Updated Reviews for the Top Selling Cabinet Brands.”
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Even the most expensive cabinet lines would often be terribly made unless you upgraded their cabinetry to their better constructed options. All plywood construction usually gets you the other upgrades you need to have a well constructed cabinet. Wellborn Forrest is an off shoot of Wellborn and they are very similar.
Becky
Thank you for your feedback. Can you clarify if Wellborn and Wellborn forest are reviewed as the same and also explain what you mean by upgraded it is a good line? Thanks again!!
Cathy
This blog is very informative, although we are working with 2 different kitchen designers one is selling only Brookhaven or woodmode both very expensive the other is selling candlelight and Ted wood I am so confused at this point of who to go with, the candlelight designer gave us a breakdown of what we were getting g for the price the Brookhaven designer won’t give us anything without a retainer: what do you feel is a better cabinet and if you were us would you stay clear of designers that won’t show you the kitchen they designed unless you give them a retainer
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Cathy,
All of these lines are well made in all plywood construction. I don’t worry about a designer not giviving you a braekdown without a retainer. You are getting everything you see in the design. And esentially you are asking for help to possibly steal his or her work product fo nothing.
The question I have is whether you need to be only pricing custom high end lines. While these lines are great, were you getting a shaker full overlay paineted white cabinet this might be a waste of money. If you are getting inset cabinetry or need custom pieces or custom colors, expensive lines make sense.
I do worry about designers that won’t give you printouts and a parts list for free, it shows principal. I would not only not do that and would be anoyed at anyone that expected it.
I do worry about designers that only carry high end lines. That says they don’t care about helping customers spend thier budgets sensibly and only want to sell expensive cabinetry whether it is in the customers best intest or not. This is why we have a deposit to work with us even though we are very resonable for all types of cabinetry. Creating an environment where customers want something for nothing and designers only want to sell expensive cabinetry is not ethical for either party.
Our first $150 deposit is to measure and do preliminary designs. The deposit includes a 2 hour second appointment to go over detailed designs and pricing. This involves about 8 hours of our time. Any customer that doesn’t feel it is generous on our part is someone we would prefer not working with. Anyone that thinks they just need cabinet pricing for the design they came up with is also not respecting our expertise and we try to avoid.
Main Line Kitchen Design helps customers spend and budget their project wisely no matter what the budget of a customers kitchen and so we sell 8 different well made cabinet lines from inexpensive lines to high end custom lines. Our business model assures that customers and designers respect each other and behave ethicly.
Becky
I remember reading somewhere in this thread that your not a fan of Yorktown Cabinets. Could you elaborate as to why? They have been recommended to me by two different people and I would love more information from you as your website has been a great resource! Also wondering your thoughts on Wellborn Forest Cabinets and if you don’t recommend either of these, which cabinet line with a similar price point would you consider? Thanks so much in advance!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Yorketown is a builder grade line, usually sold with particle board sides to builders that care nothing about durability. As with most poorly constructed lines they make it very hard to find out how the cabinetry is constructed. Non-transparency is always the first alarm bell. If it is upgraded to anything better made it is overpriced and still not equal to better made less expensive lines. Read our descriptions on cabinet construction. Wellborn Forest upgraded is a well made cabinet and I think we review it and so it gets good marks.
Sally
I love your blog. Thank you for the education. Would you please recommend a kitchen designer/dealer in Manhattan, NYC for Fabuwood and 6 Square semi-custom kitchen cabinets, inset shaker, painted white?
My windowless, double sided, co-op galley kitchen is 8 feet wide and 7 feet long. Any recommendations how to stack cabinets for an 8.5 foot ceiling?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
For an 8’5″ ceiling I think it’s best to use 42″ high wall cabinets with a 5 inch stacked molding on top. This is the newest Fabuwood dealer in Manhatan. I don’t know anything about them though.
Luxcucina Ltd.
452 COLUMBUS AVE NEW YORK NY 10024
212-787-4400
stephen@luxcucina.com
Debbie
Paul,
If mention was made regarding cabinets made by Faircrest I missed it … these seem to check the blocks for construction features suggested but as they are sold near me in a Surplus Warehouse, I’m wondering if these RTA cabinets are worth a look. This is for a bathroom “refresh” in a modest house and I have a carpenter assisting me.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Debbie,
This is a very good topic. For bathroom cabinetry, bar areas, finished basements or any very, very simple design areas RTA cabinetry like Faircrest I think is a great choice for people on a budget. The cabinets when constructed correctly are very well constructed. Certianly better constructed than is even needed in non kitchen applications. For kitchens I believe the advantage in working with a qualified and experienced kitchen designer outweighs the 20% or 30% you might save on cabinetry. You also won’t need to put cabinetry together and the finishes will be nicer and there will be far more options. The kitchen design itself is usually the most valuable component in a home and so not having a professional to help understand what doorways should be removed or walls taken out. Or how to remove soffits and keep plumbing behind moldings makes little sense. Especially in less expensive home better design can pay for itself many times over.
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However, all these kitchen considerations are less important in non kitchen applications. And replacing a simple vanity with expensive cabinetry in a budget renovation makes no sence.
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For a bath one thing you should consider is buying a vanity and top combination from a home center. You would save a little bit of money with the RTA cabinet but if you have to buy a granite or marble top separately the total cost will definetly be more. So assuming you found a vanity and top you liked you could stop in at a Lowes and get a pretty well made vanity (mabey not quite as well made as the Faircrest) buy still OK for a vanity and a top right on the spot, save money and be done! Pick up a faucet, handles, and a new medicine cabinet while you are there. No assembling, or shipping damage or other inconveniences that can’t be resolved easily.
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Home centers have thier place and while many people think they only sell junk this is actually not true. You just have to be able to tell which products that they sell are quality and which are not. They fall flat usually on special orders. Because once you are special ordering cabinets, or faucets, or windows and doors, you are not saving very much money if any at all. And ordering from less experienced sales people and a disorganized home center can put you on thier well traveled road to frustration.
Bill
Paul, We just stumbled across your site, and I am blown away by the useful information. We are looking at putting an 84″ vanity in our master bathroom. We are getting quotes of approximately $3100 for a Homecrest cabinet vs. $4300 for an Omega Dynasty cabinet. I know that you think highly of Omega. Do you think it is worth the extra cost?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I don’t think it is a quality issue if both lines are upgraded. You will have more door style, finishes and customizations available in Dynasty. And the finishes are more stylish. Pick the cabinet that’s worth the money for the look you like. Especially in a bath there is no advantage contruction wise between lines.
Catherine
John
after reading your blogs I came to the conclusion that I needed a designer.They recommended a cabinet line by BJ Tidwell. They said it was a good cabinet, it had Dove tail and soft close. I hear those two things about a lot of cabinets and want to think there is more to a good cabinet then that. could you tell me if BJ Tidwell is a good cabinet and how you would rate them. Thanks for your time
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
B.J Tidwell does a lot of talking about quality on their web site and Youtube but I can’t find any specifications on how their cabinetry is constructed. Our web site discusses what makes a cabinet well made. For framed cabinetry like BJ Tidwell it means 1/2 inch Plywood sides, and either a complete 1/2 plywood back or a solid 3/4″ x 3″ hanging rail on the back. 3/4″ thick plywood shelves, Blum soft close doors and drawers come with all the better made cabinetry. Not being transparrent about how your cabinetry is made is concerning. And most kitchen designers are not very good so advice from any kitchen designer is not meaningful. We reccomend good cabinet dealers across the US. Possibly you are close to one of those dealers.
Catherine
John, January 14, 2019
After reading a lot of your blogs I came to the conclusion that I needed a designer to get me started. They recommended that I use a cabinet line called BJ Tidwell. Can you tell me if this would be a good cabinet line to go with. Dove Tail and soft close has become the line that a lot of them have now. thinking that there may be more than that to a good cabinet, can you tell me if BJ Tidwell is a good cabinet to purchase and how you would rate them. Thank you very much
John
Thank you. If we went with the modern European look with slab doors, would having wood inside (vs white melamine-finished MDF) be strange or does that not matter since that’s inside the drawer face and and cabinet doors hence hidden when not opened?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Usually the inside of a contemporary frameless box is white or grey and the drawers and roll outs are metal and plastic to be more modern. Slab wood doors would look fine with a wood interior. Even exotic wood veneers like Zebrawood or Bamboo. But a very modern style door like a red acrylic or a Wenge laminate would look odd with a birch natural wood interior IMO.
Paul McAlary
Wood in Europe is outragesly expensive and so that is what created the whole frameless MDF European cabinet industry. Acrylic doors are not therafoils and laminates or foils so you are getting confused somewhere. Acrylic doors are very expensive and heavy and are sheets of esentially Corian mounted in 1/8 thick flat sheets to the face of doors. Christiania makes frameless cabinetry well.
John
Hi Paul,
This is a fantastic blog and really appreciate the time you take to answer questions.
So, we are thinking of acrylic cabinets and wanted to know your thoughts on US companies that make quality ones.
The European makers use MDF for their boxes, not plywood, AND they are expensive. I think IKEA uses MDF for their boxes as well. I believe the doors have to be MDF to adhere the laminate/melamine then with the acrylic on top. I am fine with that, just not with MDF boxes.
One US cabinet company we saw (Christiana Cabinetry) does acrylic doors with plywood boxes. Any knowledge of this company? I assume this is better than MDF for the boxes. But if so, I wonder about the quality of the high-end European cabinetry which use MDF boxes? So I’m puzzled. Maybe plywood is harder to source in Europe?
Also, would it be weird to have acrylic slab doors, drawers faces, and sides, but then the drawers and box insides are made of maple (maple veneer for the inside of the box)? Too incongruous? I think the non-metal European-made drawers are usually made of MDF as well.
Do you know of good cabinet makers in the US that can do acrylic, and if it makes sense only to use them with plywood boxes? Thank you!
David Phillips
Hi
Great blog. Quick question. I’m considering taking on a diy project since I can’t find the color cabinets that I want. I’m looking to buy shaker style cabinets with unfinished wood to paint the color I want. Do you have any recommendations where to buy decent unfinished cabinets?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Sorry David,
This type of thinking points to your possibly being beyond the help of professionals. Stop managing a project far above your expertise and put your efforts towards finding a great kitchen designer.
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When you need your auto transmission replaced do you try to build one yourself? I don’t I look for a great mechanic.
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Many cabinet companies custom color match so buying unfinished cabinets makes no sense. And most cabinet companies assume when consumers want to buy unfinished cabinets that they are difficult and controling and so they actually sell thier cabinetry for the same price unfinished as finished. This makes the problem customers pay a premium for being high mantenance.
Paul McAlary
Grabil is a great line. They are known for thier finishes. And they should look much nicer than any of these other lines. However I would guess that they would be 20 to 30% more expensive. Depending on the door style and finish you are getting as well as the customizations the added cost might not be worth it.
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If you are getting beaded inset cabinetry and stacking cabinetry to the ceiling in a 9 or 10 foot high room, Grabil will certianly be worth it. My problem with the really expensive and beautiful cabinet lines is that few kitchen designers are able to effectively design well in these lines and even fewer designs take advantage of what makes the cabinetry worth the price.
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Certianly if the kitchen design was done by an architect or an independent designer or heaven forbid the home owner themselves these expensive lines are just a waste. In general, the less experienced the designer the more they focus on expensive “stuff”. The most experienced kitchen designers know that the design itself is what makes a kitchen beautiful.
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Moving doors, walls, and windows, removing soffits or creating tray and coffered ceilings along with the knowledge of what proportions and considerations make a kitchen great are the highest priorities. Professional appliances, custom cabinetry, exotic countertops, are all expensive finishing touches that cost a lot but have much less impact.
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For example we get sent designs every week from people looking to price out kitchens. Many designs we get were done in custom cabinet lines and might have a budget of over 40K for appliances. Only maybe one design we get per year is even paticularly good and would make sense spluging on the most expensive materials.
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Even the kitchens we sell sometimes have been compromised by customers that have poor taste and terrible design sensibilities. We insist that our customers at least see better designs during our design process but the kitchen is in thier home and so they make all the final decisions.
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Ironicly, usually the customers with the least ablity insist on micro managing thier kitchens while the those with the most natural ability and taste sometimes needlessly seek to defer to us. The best kitchens are compromises between what customers like when they are given comprehensive choices by professionals, and what the designers recomend.
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If your kitchen designer is not saying no and giving you a hard time about at least some aspects of what you propose to them, you can be certian that they care little about creating the best kitchen for you and primarily just want to sell you cabinetry.
Denise
Thanks so much for the quick response. You have given me something to think about. One more question; if we decide to go up a level, what are your thoughts on Grabill?
Denise
Hi Paul,
You have such an informative site here. As of yesterday, we were all set on a Dura Supreme Kitchen, but after reading your reviews, and other reviews all over, I have decided to put a pause on it. We are looking for a line that can do a great painted cabinet with a glaze, which would also minimize the line from seams. Can you offer any recommendations for a great line? We have cabinets now that are 40 years old, and I would like our next ones to last the same!! We are mostly happy with our design (still some tweaks needed), but would like to find a quality all wood line, that does especially good paint!! Thanks for your suggestions, any and all are appreciated!! Also, what is your opinion on going with a local reputable cabinet maker?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
There are lots of great cabinet lines. Just make sure to upgrade to all plywood construction and soft close doors and drawers if needed. Even inexpensive lines like Fabuwood can have nice finishes, just few to choose from. Starmark, Fieldstone, Medallion, Decora, and Kraftmaid are probably the most popular brands in the Dura Supreme price range. Dura Suprem makes a nice cabinet and has beautiful finishes, my complaint with them is that as a company I didn’t find them ethical or honorable when we carried thier product. They are the only cabinet company I know that has gotten complaints to the Better Business Bureau from their own dealers. However, if the dealer that is selling them has a stellar reputation you are probably safe buying Dura Supreme.
Andrew
Paul,
I read your blog and we have narrowed it down to 3 cabinet lines for our kitchen and would love to get your opinion.
Starmark Inset, doesnt have the preferred door style due to being inset but seems to be a great price for the product even if we are settling on the door style. 31K
Kraftmaid, cheapest price, has the door style and finishes wanted, good quality but from reading not the quality of the other options. 28k
Dura Supreme, Most expensive, but seem to have everything, better quality than kraftmaid, door style and finishes, hurts budget a little bit. 35K
We did quote Brighton but they were significantly higher and not affordable unfortunately.
Your opinion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Both the Kraftmaid and the Starmark cabinetry are good deals assuming they are upgraded to the same level. Durasupreme I don’t like as a company so I would never recommend them.
kavitha
Hi – Can you please help me to choose Fabuwood Allure Galaxy Horizon vs Onyx Horizon? I am looking for the quality, durability and the dark grey colored cabinets. Are they both stained? Would like to know your recommendation on the highest quality in Fabuwood series? Thank you.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Kavitha,
Both Fabuwood style are finished and made exactly the same. The only reason Onyx is 18% more is that the door style is harder to make.
dan pivin
Hello – I’m in the process of planning a kitchen remodel for our 20 years + home, or until I can talk the wife into moving to Belize.
The contractor recommended Kemper Echo, but all the things I’ve read is bad. How do they compare to Fabuwood Allure Galaxy Horizon. The vendor quote the kemper at 10k for a 10×10 kitchen with island. Are they worth the price?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Fabuwood is a better cabinet and it should also be less expensive. Easy choice here.
Janine
Dear Paul,
Thank you for the amazing blog and ratings. I am getting ready for a whole home remodel. I worked with an excellent designer for a kitchen remodel and paid for the design. Ultimately they came in much higher for labor than I expected, and I have a new contractor that is more reasonable, however, I will use the design. The designer quoted Diamond Cabinets. I have chosen white bead board and, originally, had Medallion in mind due to their amazing finishes. I had inspiration from the Medallion catalog with white bead board for most of the kitchen and silver appaloosa in shaker style for the island. Diamond does not have anything close to the silver appaloosa and so I have settled on white bead board throughout for my design. I have a connection through my family to a company that sells Diamond and Waypoint. The Diamond quote from this company was the almost the same price as the designer’s pricing for Diamond. However, they offer to price Waypoint and said it would be much cheaper but I did not ask them to price it out as yet.
In this case would you favor Diamond (5 piece cabinet), Waypoint ( 4 piece cabinet) or Medallion? Should I get someone to quote the current design with my original plan: white bead board (5 piece cabinet)with silver appaloosa island from Medallion?
For durability which would you recommend-Diamond, Medallion or Waypoint?
Or would you recommend another value brand for white bead board?
Thank you!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I don’t think Durability matters much here if all the lines are upgraded The medallion will probably have nicer looking finishes.
I almost never try to direct customers on style choices but I think that beadboard doors can be a mistake. The reason is that if you like beadboard backs of islands and peninsulas can be done in beadboard. Or room wainscoting or even ceilings can be beadboard. Cabinet doors in beadboard can look very busy and they will not be good for the resale value of a home. I’d think twice about this issue before committing to spend so much money on a beadboard style cabinet door.
Paul McAlary
Not sure what upgrades you aren’t getting in Crystal. They 1/2″ sides need to be plywood. Otherwise I wouldn’t be getting a particle board version of a more expensive line.
Sol
I now found your 2018 ratings and your response to my inquiry under 2017. I am considering the frameless door for St. Martin and the more affordable line under Crystal. Do you still consider Crystal (the affordable line) to be the more sensible option? If so, why?
Nanette
Hi Paul,
First and foremost, I want to thank you for all the information you have given us. MUCH APPRECIATED. I live in New York and truly wish you could design my kitchen. I’m in the process of choosing kitchen cabinets. We live in a townhouse condominium. We want something nice but the too expensive. I was looking at 6 Square, Schrock and Wolf. What are your recommendations?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Nanette,
I like 6square and Wolf better for value than Schrock but if you can find Fabuwood I think for painted cabinets the Fabuwood is the best value by far. For stained finishes Fabuwood only has a few nicer options and no maple or cherry wood, so often other choices make sence.
John
Hi Paul,
This is an amazing resource. Thank you. I was looking at Fieldstone and the price is very high – we are looking at white shaker maybe a grey island. This is for new construction so we can be a bit flexible in the length of run for the cabinets – but we have 9′ ceilings. Does Fabuwood work with 9′ – if so how would you size the wall cabs? Thank you again for this great resource.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi John,
With 9 foot ceilings there are two ways to stack cabinetry to reach the ceiling. There is no question that with full overlay door styles using 36″ high wall cabinets with 12″ high cabinets on top looks best and will not require unusual custom sizes. 6″ of a stacked crown molding is then added on top of the top cabinet to reach the ceiling. Less experienced designers use 30″ wall cabinets with 18″ cabinets on top but this does not look as nice nor is it as functional. In a line like Fabuwood there will usually be a couple of cabinets such as a W1812 that will need to be custom made and so will take an additional 4 weeks to get. However since these cabinets will only be a couple and they can be installed at the end of the project this is not much of an inconvenience to save a huge amount compared to Fieldstone which takes longer to get any cabinet anyway.
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When you are stacking cabinets your kitchen designer needs to be especially knowledgeable and experienced as there are many pitfalls and errors that less experienced people will ALWAYS make.
Gunny
Hi
We are remodeling our kitchen and think of using Starmark Cabinets maple painted white with Cambria quartz (berwyn) counter tops. I have reviewed our site and give them good reviews ( Our costs are $15k cabinets and 3900 for counter) does these sound like good prices? I like them for solid cabinets and quality. They are giving me 10% discount for military.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Having no idea about the size of your kitchen there is no way to know if your pricing is competitive or not. However truly competitive cabinet dealers would usually not offer a discount to the military as they would already be the lowest pricing and not need or be able to discount their pricing further for the military, seniors, or for special sales. Unless the cabinet line was offering a sale,
Klio
Renovating our kitchen and considering Kith or St. Martins cabinetry. Which would you recommend?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
You don’t say what door style. Except for very contemporary kitchens I would always select the framed line. There is a big difference between the B+ in construction for Kitch Framed and the B for St. Martins frameless.
Sam
Hi, I have been doing a lot of research about RTA vs. Semi-custom lines and when comparing Fabuwood to JSI cabinetry it’s seem that are built well according to your rating but what I noticed that most doors in fabuwood are made from solid birch, for JSI doors made from Maple. I was a bit confused because I thought maple is stronger wood than birch? Thank you in advance!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Sam,
Yes Maple is a harder wood then birch. But Asian birch paints better than hard maple so for painted cabinets the birch is better and for stained cabinets the maple is better. If you do an A job assembling JSI yourself I would gibe their construction an A- compared to a factory built Fabuwood cabinet. The tracks and hinges are not Blum which loses them a little. But building cabinets yourself and not working with an experienced kitchen designer almost certainly means your kitchen will be poorly designed.
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We get sent terrible designs people want priced each week that they designed themselves. Less than 5% of these DIY designs are anything short of terrible. But all these DIYers are completely unaware of all the problems and mistakes in their designs. So while JSI could be better rated (although their finishes are not too nice looking) We don’t want to give people the impression that buying these cabinets are a great idea.
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The same holds true with buying any cabinets on line. Buying cabinets online or at IKEA or Costco means you are your own designer. Not all experienced kitchen designers are great designers. However without talent, training, a lot of experience you can not be a good kitchen designer. So much like the saying that a person that acts as their own lawyer has a fool for an attorney, acting as your own kitchen designer, measurer and assembler means you have an novice supervising every complex aspect of your kitchen. I have found over the years that the more confident a person is that they don’t need professional help the worse that are at designing a kitchen.
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Every very good kitchen designer will tell you that the worst designs we see are those done by people with a little kitchen design experience. So Architects, interior designers, contractors, and real estate professionals come up with the worst designs. A little bit of knowledge and over confidence are calamitous in our world of kitchen design.
Jennifer
We are having a very difficult experience with Schrock – cabinets did not remotely match sample, finishing ranged from charcoal to lighter brown, drill holes, finish painted over tape, even have one Diamond drawer (label in drawer) in maple when we ordered Schrock in cherry. Waited weeks for replacements and they are no better. Might rip it all out and start over with a local custom cabinet maker, no more Masterbrands – ever.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Jennifer,
A lot of this very possibly should be expected in any cabinet line. Each piece of wood takes a stain differently so if you are looking at only one small sample and assuming that there will not be a variation between wood pieces across an entire kitchen then your expectations are not realistic. Cherry wood in particular takes brown and grey stains inconsistently. Homeowners sometimes call dealers complaining that they have stripes on their doors when they buy a kitchen especially in Cherry or Hickory. But this is the property of the wood so why did they buy a species that guaranteed getting that look? The answer is that their designer didn’t make this clear to them or they didn’t listen.
Since Schrock makes Diamond I can see a drawer getting mixed up on a reorder. Drill holes for shelf adjustments are normal if that is what you are referring to.
It is up to the designer to make sure that you understand the properties of what you are buying. Usually when customers have such bad experiences we find that it is a combination of problems. Even in the cabinet lines that we don’t rate well these kind of complaints are more about expectations than actual defects. And then there are always some real problems that all kitchen will have since they are so complex.
Elizabeth
Hi. 22 years ago I put in a custom kitchen which was well made. I now want to go to a white painted recessed panel in a more modest price range. Do I need to look for a 100percent MDF panel so it won’t crack or am I ok with interior panel as MDF and frame of panel in wood.
2. Is there a big jump in quality from a 2 type cabinet ie (/Wolf/fabuwood) to a 3 or 4? Or Can you give an example of a difference between fabuwood vs. kraftmaid
3. Do you recommend a cabinet wholesaler in or close to Bergen County NJ? Thank you so much. Your site is wonderful.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Fabuwood is the best looking, the best value, and almost as versatile as Kraftmaid for a fraction of the price. No cabinets are sold wholesale and there are many Fabuwood dealers in Bergen county although I don’t know any to recommend.
Kay
Can you give me some insight on painted white cabinets vs Thermofoils.
I need to redo my kitchen and plan on living in this house maybe 8 years.
I will get NO $ return for an updated kitchen in my area.
I am looking at Kraftmaid painted white or thermofoils or painted Fabuwood.
I have had Thermafoils for 20 yrs and have had no problem with the doors or drawers, however my boxes have turned a yellowish color. I do have a designer coming out, but they just started to carry Kraftmaid.
Thanks for any suggestions!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Kay,
Many customers tell us that they will get no resale value out of remodeling their kitchen. However most are incorrect. If your home will be a tear down and the land only has value this is true but if this is not the case then you will always get some value on the renovation depending on how well the kitchen is designed. Selecting unpopular styles and finishes like Thermafoil would have much less value. Or redoing a bad design exactly as it is now would have little value. However redesigning the space in a better layout in a popular style and finish could not only add a lot of value to your home but also make it sell much faster which has value.
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Unfortunately since homeowners and real estate agents are not kitchen designers they do not appreciate how much resale value there is in good design and well chosen materials. There will be little value in selecting more expensive cabinetry and countertops such as Kraftmaid over Fabuwood or Quartz tops over the least expensive granite tops. So make sensible choices and do not splurge on things that have little resale value but also do not keep things like white appliances or out of date floor tile that will make your renovation unpopular.
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This is where good kitchen designers can keep you on track. Make sure you tell them your plan to sell in 8 years and your desire to get the best resale value and do not select things like thermafoil cabinetry that is unpopular or not remove a wall or soffit if the designer recommends it. Saving two thousand dollars not removing a wall that the new owners will want could make the entire renovation valueless. Also just before you sell your home have the paint touched up by furniture refinishers like Guardsman. They will charge a few hundred dollars to make your kitchen look brand new.
paul mcalary
The upgraded APC constructed Kemper is what we give a B for construction. They are close to a B+ but don’t quite get there. Upgraded Kemper gets a lower value because there are many better constructed less expensive lines. Part of the reason Decora gets such a good value rating is that they will do many customizations and offer inset cabinetry at a lower price point. If you aren’t taking advantage of the reasons Decora gets such good reviews you could be wasting money on both these lines.
Barbara
Hi Paul,
A kitchen designer is going to give me a quote on Decora cabinets for my kitchen which get high marks on your cabinet reviews. They also sell Kemper which did not get high ratings. I mentioned your ratings and he knew how they were rated. He said the ratings were for the entry line not their top line. Is this correct information? If your ratings are for the entry line what do you think of their top line? How does the top line of Kemper compare to Decora.
Thank you for your input.
Jon Partsch
Thank you for being so responsive to all these questions! I am considering All Wood cabinets sold by distributor TimberPro, which is itself apparently an arm of Floor and Decor. All Wood brand cabinets are a line of Ideal brand cabinets. I see that you have separate ratings for Ideal and All Wood, but are these actually the same cabinets? I am confused. I am looking to get the best cabinets I can in the level 2 price tier. Are All Wood cabinets from TimberPro a good way to go, or is there a better option?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Yes these lines both come from the same plant. The framed line gets slightly different reviews from us for two separate reasons. First that our left arm didn’t know what our right arm was doing and one of our designers was reviewing the Costco brands and the another Ideal on line. The second reason is that Costco appears to do a better job assembling and selling the cabinetry. Pricing will vary based on where you are buying All Wood Cabinets. So depending on how you buy these cabinets and how much you pay for them there review will be somewhere between the two very close reviews.
Keep in mind that these lines are not sold by competent kitchen cabinet dealers so you are giving up the most valuable component when renovating a kitchen. That of working with an experienced kitchen design professional. Some other inexpensive lines like Wolf, Fabuwood, J&K and others are sold at cabinet dealerships and there will be experienced pros to work with free of charge.
Esther Lorenzo
Omegas cabinets? These are available at a local cabinet store. They have the fabuwood and Shiloh brands, and just started working with Marsh come up but I see from your reviews that there are better options for value out there. How does Omega compare?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
We give Omega good reviews especially for their framed cabinetry. They will be significantly more expensive then these other brands. Fabuwood is a particularly good value if you are on a budget or are getting painted cabinetry.
Kelly
Hi – Due to water damage in my home my insurance co has a preferred reno co suggesting Lifeart cabinets as a replacement. They are replacing 2005 Aristocraft non dovetail wood cabinets. Sounds like Lifeart is not an equivalent swap. I also see CNC on your list is that CNC Associates? there are 2 CNC cabinets. I also noticed your group no longer carries CNC is that due to quality concerns? We have Fabuwood dealers in town – probably best to upgrade to them? Its not a big kitchen and going to open shelving for most of the replacement but want quality drawer base cabinets. Thank you for your insight.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
We would still sell CNC and also LifeArt if someone was flipping a home. But the quality of those less expensive lines is not equal to Fabuwoods. When the cabinetry is for a customers home Fabuwood is what we sell. While LifeArt and CNC can be well constructed you can NOT be picky about finish quality or shipping damage with these discount lines.
kelley Hart
Checking out a few different companies local. I found one Fabuwood company. They carry that line and Aristokraft. Know much about the latter one?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Yes we rate Aristocraft in this blog. We rate it poorly C,C
Geeta
Thank you Paul. You are so very helpful. I really wish you were in San Jose. I would have worked with you without a moments hesitation.
Thanks a bunch.
Geeta
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Geeta,
You would need to ask the dealer if there is any difference between the two levels of door style other than simply the style and price point of the door style. We do not sell Waypoint so this is beyond what we know.
Geeta
Hi Paul,
I’m taking your advice and going with waypoint instead of design craft. Can you please tell me if going with a 600 series door is ok or spending more money with a 700 series door makes more sense? I have 21 cabinets including my island. The box is plywood construction. I’m going with a white kitchen with an expresso island.
Thanks
Geeta
Lisa
Pmcalary
So glad to find your website. We are currently comparing Fieldstone vs DuraSupreme in quarter sawn oak. We have pricing from 2 different dealer, and came back very close in pricing for similar designs.
Do you have any feedback on one company over the other? Would appreciate your insight!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Lisa,
Both lines are similar in what they offer and the quality of their upgraded products. However we have had issues with DuraSuprems not honoring warranties when we carried their line so I would recommend Fieldstone which.
Dee
Thank you so much. I appreciate your honest and knowledgeable advice!
Dee
I am so impressed by this blog–it is really helpful when trying to make informed decisions about which cabinets to invest in (and be happy with for many years to come).
I have talked with a designer who recommended Wellborn. From your list, this product got good marks (A in both Quality and Value). The article says that all brands were evaluated using the highest level of offerings. For Wellborn, does that mean it was the Estate level that received the good ratings? What about the Premier level? It looks like there is an all plywood option at the Premier level, but thicknesses may not be as great as the Estate level. I am looking for a painted shaker cabinet. The designer was also suggesting MDF doors, rather than solid wood. I had a bias toward wood, but from the articles I’ve read, it seems MDF for a painted cabinet (where you can’t see the wood anyway) may be a better option. Do you agree? Does paint adhere any differently to MDF than solid wood? Thank you again for all the time you put into answering people’s questions!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Upgraded Premier gets the same ratings as Estate for construction and value although the Estate is nicer. A center MDF panel on a shaker door is a good idea. An all MDF door will be easily damaged. The door finish will look better upon arrival nut if you are at all hard on things it can get dinged and scratched very easily and is very hard to repair. Replacing dented doors can be a problem years down the road.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
The numbers all look right except Medallion. Something is wrong there. You must upgrade Medallion to 1/2″ plywood sides otherwise they are terribly constructed. That could be part of it. But there is more here. Door styles and finishes are possibly different levels that you are comparing in each line. I’ll bet the Medallion is a standard overlay door which would be 25% less. That’s why customers shopping for cabinets makes little sense – they should shop for a dealer and designer that they trust and that is very experienced.
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The designer can help them compare apples to apples in the lines they sell. Running all over town usually ends with a customer running into an unscrupulous designer that sells them an inferior door style and cabinet box.
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As an ethical designer I can admit that good designers try to avoid customers that shop till they drop. They are often bad listeners which makes them bad customers because they think they know it all and don’t need our help. They just want prices. Here’s our video that gently makes this point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxJgxCeeNTo
Leslie King
Hi again, Paul. I have just received bids from Wood Mode, Brookhaven, Wellborn, and Medallion for the same project. The Brookhaven and Wellborn are upgraded. Following the guide of your price categories, I expected Medallion & Wood Mode to be close in price and Brookhaven and Wellborn to be close. Interestingly, here’s what I got:
Wood Mode $23,912 (rated 5 price) (dealer)
Wellborn. $18,300 (rated 4 price) (builder surplus)
Brookhaven. $17,946, but $14,946 if I switch doors (rated 4 price) (same dealer)
Medallion. $10,400 (rated 5 price) (menards)
I have triple checked the Medallion quote and he’s got all the right stuff there. Any thoughts on this? The Wood Mode seems high and/or the Medallion low.
kelley
Also, is this the same solid wood cabinet company in your list?
LINK REMOVED COMPANY BANKRUPT
If so, are they comparable to wolf or fabuwood in quality?
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Kelley,
Yes that’s solid wood cabinets. They are built well if put together at the dealer. However they are a cut below Wolf and two below Fabuwood in what they offer. If you just want durable and don’t care too much about design or style they do the trick.
kelley
Hi, Wolf has several lines:Designer, Signature, Transition, Classic, Builders Grade…
Which of those got the B rating?
Do you prefer Fabuwood brand over Wolf?
I am looking at the most reasonable for Classic Shaker White kitchen cabinets. The person installing them will be the person who built our house 20 years ago, so he is very knowledgeable of our property and design.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Yikes Kelly I think you are missing the message. Find a good kitchen designer to help you! Yes I prefer Fabuwood to Wolf but the Wolf lines with the best construction are equal in construction to Fabuwood. But offer less design flexibility and style.
Paul Mcalary
Frameless cabinets will have 1 1/2 wider drawers but they will be less durable. Usually unless you are getting a slab door style that looks better in frameless we recommend framed cabinetry. Here is the difference:
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/2015-popular-kitchen-cabinetry-brand-comparison/
Geeta
Thank you so much for your response. Can you pls tell me why go with framed vs framless? The waypoint is the 600 series. In the design craft it’s the brokkhill door. Yes the design craft is $3500 more. The only reason I was thinking of deisgn crfat is that because it’s framless, they have deeper draws. Am I being super picky? I wonder if I’m being sold things vs what I really need. Pls can you help. Also the lead time is lesser I really appreciate your help. This blog is just amazing and so very very helpful.
Thanks
Geeta
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Shana,
First off we rate Kraftmaid well. That said, the Kraftmaid Duracraft paint finish is misleading. As is Kraftmaid’s Veriguard interior finish. As are all cabinet companies claims that they meet the KCMA “high” standards.
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Most major cabinet brands use a baked on conversion Varnish. Many brands give it a fancy name but that doesn’t make it better. And all brands sold meet the very lax KCMA standards.
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Some cabinet lines especially some custom lines do use a catalyzed conversion varnish. This paint hardens from a rapid chemical reaction and not from heat in ovens.
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I haven’t noticed a difference between the durability of the two types of finish, but many less skeptical people in our industry seem to feel that the baked on finish has advantages.
But as I said that would apply to most major brands.
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Quartzite is very popular right now because it is natural stone and looks more like marble while having more of the properties of granite. True Quartzite should not etch. However lots of “quartzite” slabs at granite yards can have marble mixed in them and these can etch. We tell all our customers to get a small piece of the stone they are considering and to put lemon juice on it to see if it etches like marble and scratches more easily like marble.
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Even the granite yard might not realize that their slab is mostly marble and etches, scratches, and stains easily. The name of any stone means nothing as anyone can name any stone anything they want.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
You don’t say what type of door style or which line was quoted to cost more. But assuming a shaker style door and that you like the finish on both cabinets equally I would get the framed cabinet over the frameless and buy Waypoint. I’ll guess that it is also the less expensive quote so win win.