Best Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens for storage of food, cooking equipment, and often silverware and dishes for table service. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens are often integrated into kitchen cabinetry. There are many options for cabinets available at present.

Before buying cabinets, precise measurements are essential otherwise there may be un-utilized space, cabinets may not fit, or there may be interference between various elements of the kitchen, such as doors and drawers. Note that European cabinets typically have different sizes than ones in North America, and are typically built in multiples of 100mm, with 600mm wide being a common size.

Buyers can buy pre-built "stock" cabinets for fast delivery which usually arrive in a week or less. In contrast, custom-made cabinets can have longer delivery times, such as four weeks.

• Base cabinets are usually 24 inches (610 mm) deep and 34+1⁄2 inches (880 mm) high to accommodate a countertop surface normally 36 inches (910 mm) above the floor.
• Wall cabinets are usually 12 inches (300 mm) deep. Their heights are often 30 inches (760 mm), for example, if mounted to a soffit. In a kitchen with 8-foot-high (2.4 m) ceilings, a 36-inch-high (910 mm) wall cabinet will leave about 6 inches (150 mm) of space above the cabinet which can be covered with a crown molding; a full 42-inch-high (1,100 mm) wall cabinet will run straight to the top of the ceiling. Wall cabinets are sometimes called "upper cabinets." The distance from countertop to wall cabinet is usually 18 inches (460 mm), but this distance is sometimes less if there is undercabinet lighting. Cabinets can have an open top for displaying ornaments. Ceilings higher than 9 feet (2.7 m) can permit another level of cabinets.

Cabinet dimensions are specified with width first, height second, depth last. The width–height–depth is a generally accepted convention. A 18x36x12 cabinet is therefore 18 inches (460 mm) wide, 36 inches (910 mm) tall, and 12 inches (300 mm) deep. Sometimes upper cabinets are presumed to be 12 inches (300 mm) deep, so only the width and height are given. For example, a "W1836" label means wall-mounted cabinet [12 inches (300 mm) deep] is 18 inches (460 mm) wide and 36 inches (910 mm) high.

Custom cabinetry, while expensive, can fit the available space attractively, and can fit into walls which aren't exactly flat or straight. They can combine more than one opening and eliminate unsightly doubled stiles in face-frame installations as well as bring aesthetic appeal using unusual woods or finishes. Custom cabinets sometimes offer inset cabinet doors, and can match existing or period furniture styles. It's sometimes possible to mix custom and stock cabinetry which have identical finishes.

Cabinets can be purchased from specialty retailers, kitchen remodelers, home centers, on-line retailers, and ready-to-assemble furniture manufacturers. Some installers offer a package deal from measurement, to construction, to installation.

Cabinets are sometimes delivered in fully assembled form. Carcasses should be inspected carefully before installation, since defects are difficult to repair after installation. Ready-to-assemble furniture cabinets are lower-in-cost and are delivered in a flat box. Some courses teach homeowners how to build their own cabinets.