KITCHEN CABINET MAKERS

by **mgarry** on Fri Jul 25, 2003 8:29 am

What are the 10 best quality cabinet makers

out there from Alno down? Do you have a view on Pyram?

by **timfoley** on Fri Jul 25, 2003 8:48 pm

It seems you have

made your mind up about Alno already Richard and doubtless many of their competitors would disagree as I do.
Personally I think most manufacturers still fall short of the criteria to aim for when choosing a kitchen and my top ten list would not contain many recognisable names nor would they

contain names that the general public can directly deal with.

The best quality kitchens have no name as the components that make up the finished product can only be sourced from different suppliers.
The only title applicable to them is Bespoke and although this normally conjurs up an immediate thought of great expense it is only comparable to costs

incurred when using a recognised prestigious brand.

The quality of any kitchen in my opinion, is determined by the cabinets and there are a number of factors that decide how good a kitchen is, such as:
Cabinet strength - the build quality of some cabinets is so poor that to even lift them into place is a risk of them falling apart.
Board width - varies from 15, 16, 18 or 19mm. The wider, the better.
Design - cabinets that employ a hardboard back are evidently inferior to carcasses built using a solid board back.
Depth - standard cabinet depth is between 560-575mm substantially less than this will lose valuable space in a large kitchen.
Hinge and drawer quality - extremely important due to everyday use of both.
Drawers should be metal sided with a solid base. Hinges should be of a quality manufacture such as Blum. Blumotion drawers offer a new anti slam, shock absorbed excellence in drawer

design and are the standard bearer.
How are the cabinets constructed ? Cam fixings, Screws or Glued and dowelled(the preferred option).
Chipboard quality is another factor - normal, medium and high density board is used in kitchen manufacture, high being the best quality.
Are the cabinets fitter friendly ? Can plumbing and electrical services be accommodated within the void at the back of a cabinet ? A 45mm void is

desirable as this is large enough to accommodate and hide kitchen waste pipes along with all other services

I know of manufacturers of so called quality who offer their customers cabinets with hardboard backs and in addition supply sink cabinets without a back. Their reason - it makes

things easier for the plumbing and waste services
What they ignore is that it also makes things easier for the spiders and insects wishing to make your sink their home. To the buyer it should make things easier to buy elsewhere.

The door quality is a major factor in determining the cost and it's important to ask about their construction. Are they solid wood, mdf, veneered, foil wrapped, laminate or stainless

steel and is this reflected in the comparitive costs with other suppliers?

One fact that is ignored by many kitchen buyers, and more importantly, manufacturers is the protection of the sink base cabinet against leaks which will ultimately ruin your sink

cabinet in particular.

Only now are steps being taken by MFI but even their protective tray will not eradicate the problem due to it's ineffective design.

I may be plugging my own invention, Unitsaver, here, that MFI decided, in their wisdom, not to proceed with, but I feel I have a duty to alert potential

buyers that the design of the MFI product will not solve the problem of water ingress and extremely costly repairs should it happen. Worktop removal, fitter costs etc.

One of my aims is to educate the buyer of the importance of buying quality and even though your intial outlay may cost more, quality goods are more cost effective in the long term.

A shorter answer to your question is that, in my opinion, any manufacturer that meets the standard outlined and offers the customer a dedicated personal sevice, a contact who will

answer or return your calls and a commitment to earning your full satisfaction will have my vote.
As for overall quality and made to measure cabinets, the reason we source components seperately for our own clients is that no major supplier I am aware of, currently offers this.
Manufacturers wishing to prove me wrong on any of these points may wish to post here and invite me to examine their goods and services.

Anyone interested in sourcing quality and avoiding the pitfalls whilst seeking a kitchen may wish to look at our Announcement Board where you will find details of our In-Depth

advisory service. We will tailor our service to suit your requirements.

by **mgarry** on Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:00 am

THANKS TIM FOR YOUR ANSWER - WE HAVE NOT MADE UP OUR MINDS ABOUT ALNO - WE JUST LIKE THE

APPEARANCE AND THE APPARENT QUALITY OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.

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