The Best Kitchen Cabinets for Your Kitchen Renovation

The best kitchen cabinets are ones that are durable enough to last a lifetime, are made from high-quality materials like plywood and hardwood rather than MDF and particle board, use superior joinery like dovetail joints on drawer pulls, and provide you with the customization options you need to create your dream kitchen. 

In our opinion, Hampton Bay makes the best kitchen cabinets for the money, but brands like KraftMaid, Fabuwood, IKEA, Omega, and Starmark are solid alternatives, depending on what you’re looking for.

Quick Takeaways

• Hampton Bay cabinets are some of the most popular in kitchens, as they balance affordability with quality.

• Pay attention to the materials and choose cabinets with 1/2” to 3/4” plywood over MDF or particle board for durability.

• Frameless cabinets are better options in small kitchens where every inch counts, but framed cabinets have a more traditional appearance.

Hampton Bay: Best Value for the Money

Hampton Bay is one of the most popular kitchen cabinet brands across the country, in large part because it’s owned by Home Depot. The cabinets are, therefore, widely available, which means you’ll experience few delays in getting your cabinets delivered, and you’re also likely to be able to get repairs or a full kitchen cabinet replaced down the road without any issues.

Hampton Bay cabinets are made primarily using plywood construction, which is more durable than medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board. The drawers are made from hardwood, and shelves are made from 3/4” plywood for sturdy support.

These are stock cabinets, which means you’ll be limited in the dimensions, colors, and finishes you can choose. The company also only makes frameless cabinets, which are generally preferred but may not be your style.

KraftMaid: Best for Customization

KraftMaid cabinets aren’t custom, but the company does an outstanding job of offering tons of customization options to make its stock cabinets look more unique. There are an astounding 59 colorways available — ranging from flat paint to various natural wood stain colors — 40 door styles, and close to 200 hardware colors and styles to choose from.

The benefit of buying from a cabinet company like KraftMaid is that you can buy custom-looking kitchen cabinetry without waiting months for the company to manufacture and ship them. The average lead time is 4 to 6 weeks, which is a fraction of what you’d expect if you ordered truly custom cabinets.

KraftMaid cabinets can be up to twice as expensive as Hampton Bay cabinets, but they might be a solid investment if you’re looking for that custom appearance. They’re also made with similar quality, including 1/2” to 3/4” cabinet walls, solid wood drawers, dovetail drawer joinery, and soft-close hardware.

Fabuwood: Best Stock Cabinets

Fabuwood is a brand that’s similar to KraftMaid in that it offers the look of custom cabinetry without the high price tag. Fabuwood cabinets are stock cabinets that the company assembles and finishes based on your specifications.

It offers 42 color options, including modern, solid-color shaker cabinets and more traditional wood-stain cabinets, as well as a range of add-ons and accessories to provide further customization, like stemware racks, lighting, and extra-thin cabinets to make the most of your available space. It also manufactures range hood covers in five styles and dozens of colors so you can match or complement your cabinets.

Since these are stock cabinets, you’ll see much shorter lead times — as little as five days, according to the company’s website — than you would with semi-custom or fully custom cabinets. The streamlined production process also helps keep costs to a minimum.

Fabuwood fits into the mid-grade cabinet category, as it uses high-density fiberboard (HDF) and MDF for the cabinet doors, but unlike true budget brands, it includes hardwood drawers with dovetail construction and soft-close hardware.

IKEA: Best Kitchen Cabinets On a Budget

IKEA cabinets are some of the most affordable kitchen cabinets you can buy, so they’re ideal for homeowners on a tight budget. With kitchen renovation costs averaging around $22,500, these are a great way to keep costs as low as possible.

These are stock cabinets made with lower-quality materials, like MDF and particle board, so they’re more likely to get damaged during installation and from general wear and tear. However, repairs are simple and affordable, as IKEA kitchens are modular and you can easily find replacement parts.

You can choose from dozens of colorways, although some premium colors come with an upcharge. You can also upgrade to soft-close hinges and drawer slides, and there are plenty of options for drawer pulls and cabinet door handles. Most IKEA kitchen cabinets can also be painted, so if you want to switch up their appearance down the road, you can DIY the project relatively easily.

The biggest downside of IKEA cabinets is that they won’t last as long as those made with plywood and hardwood. They’ll also expand and warp easily if exposed to water and excessive moisture, so a plumbing or appliance leak and even heavy moisture from cooking will shorten their lifespan. They come with a 25-year limited warranty, which pales in comparison to the lifetime warranty you’d get from higher-end cabinets.

Omega Cabinetry: Best Custom Cabinets

Omega Cabinetry is the best custom kitchen cabinet brand. It’s owned by MasterBrand, which also owns Starmark Cabinetry, our pick for the best luxury kitchen cabinets. MasterBrand has been around since 1998, so the likelihood is that your Omega cabinets will be serviceable, repairable, and replaceable should the need ever arise.

With custom cabinets like these, you can specify exactly what you want in your dream kitchen. Not only can you choose custom colors and finishes that you won’t see from stock cabinet manufacturers, but you can also opt for unique cabinet sizes to suit your space and your specific needs. Omega cabinets are the best option if you’re working with a kitchen designer for a one-of-a-kind kitchen that blends seamlessly with the rest of your home.

These cabinets are expensive, but you get what you pay for. The company uses 1/2” to 3/4” plywood and hardwood for cabinet, door, and drawer construction; concealed joinery for a more streamlined appearance inside and out; and high-end, soft-close hardware.

The downside of custom cabinet brands like Omega are the high cost and the long lead time.

Starmark Cabinetry: Best Kitchen Cabinets for High-End Kitchens

Starmark Cabinetry is another cabinet maker owned by MasterBrand, and it’s one of the parent company’s luxury brands. These cabinets are fully custom and handcrafted. Not only do you have free reign when it comes to cabinet dimensions, colors, and finishes, but you can also rest assured that the craftsmanship will be the best that money can buy.

You’ll never find low-quality components on Starmark cabinets. They’re all made from plywood and hardwood, have premium joinery, and feature durable, soft-close door hinges and drawer slides.

As is the case with all fully custom kitchen cabinetry, Starmark cabinets are more expensive than stock and semi-custom brands, and you can expect to wait months for your cabinets to be finished and delivered. But if you’re looking for cabinets that scream luxury and will last a lifetime, it’s a tough option to beat.

What to Consider When Choosing Kitchen Cabinets

When choosing the best kitchen cabinets for your renovation, you’ll consider many factors, from the design options and colors available to the quality of the construction and the pricing.

Stock vs. Semi-Custom vs. Custom

One of the first decisions you’ll have to make when choosing kitchen cabinets is whether you want stock, semi-custom, or fully custom cabinetry. Each comes with its own upsides and drawbacks.

Stock cabinets don’t give you any opportunity to customize cabinet size, and you’ll have fewer options when it comes to colors, finishes, and hardware. Stock cabinets are also more likely to include lower-quality materials, which won’t last as long. However, they’re widely available, and they’re the most affordable, so they’re best for homeowners on a budget.

Semi-custom cabinets are more likely to be made with high-quality, durable materials, but some semi-custom brands still use MDF for certain components. Semi-custom cabinets typically give you more variety when it comes to colors and finishes, but cabinet sizes are still pre-determined. These are more expensive than stock cabinets, but they should fit into most kitchen renovation budgets.

Custom cabinets can give you unlimited options in terms of cabinet sizes, colors, finishes, and hardware choices. They almost always use the highest-quality materials and rarely include MDF, particle board, or other materials with a limited lifespan. Most include lifetime warranties, too. However, they also have the longest lead time, and they’re the most expensive.

Framed vs. Frameless

Framed cabinets have doors and drawer faces that sit in front of a frame on your cabinets, so they either offer less interior storage space or take up a bit more space in your kitchen. They create a more traditional look, so they’re not ideal for more modern kitchens.

Frameless cabinets have doors and drawers that take up the entire face of the cabinet. It’s a more modern look, and they’re a slightly better option for smaller kitchen remodels since the drawer pulls and handles usually don’t stick out quite as far.

Colors and Finishes

Of course, color and finish options are crucial considerations when designing a new kitchen or remodeling, as they can play a major role in how your kitchen looks and feels. It’s best to speak with an interior designer to pick a cabinet color that works with the rest of your decor. They can help you choose two-tone cabinets or play with colors and finishes to make a small kitchen appear larger or an oversized kitchen feel cozier.

Materials

Kitchen cabinets can be made using plywood, HDF, MDF, particle board, solid hardwood, and, in most cases, a combination of these options. For durability and longevity, choose cabinets made with 1/2” or 3/4” plywood with solid hardwood drawers for stability. 

HDF and MDF are mid-grade materials that are more affordable but won’t last as long, and particle board cabinets are the most affordable but have the shortest lifespan. Plywood also stands up best to moisture and water, so leaks and steam from cooking are less likely to damage the material.

You should also consider how your cabinets are constructed. Look for dovetail joinery on drawer faces — which will never come off from repeated use — over screwed-on faceplates, which can loosen and disconnect over time. Keep an eye out for other construction methods that can signal low-quality cabinets, like the use of staples over screws for back panels.

Finally, consider the hardware options you have. Soft-close drawer slides and cabinet hinges are standard in modern kitchens, though they’re more expensive than standard hardware. Look at your color and design options for drawer pulls and cabinet handles, too, as these can play into how customizable the appearance of your new kitchen cabinets is.

Cost

Finally, think about your kitchen remodel budget and how the cost of your cabinets will fit into it. Most kitchen cabinets cost between $100 and $300 per linear foot, with the lower-quality stock cabinets falling toward the end of that range and the higher-quality stock or semi-custom cabinetry pushing toward the higher end. Fully custom or luxury cabinets can cost as much as $500 per linear foot.

A standard kitchen can have anywhere from 25 to 40 linear feet of cabinets, including both upper cabinets and lower cabinets. That puts the average cost of kitchen cabinets at between $2,500 and $12,000. For luxury, custom cabinets in a similarly-sized kitchen, you’re looking at between $12,000 and $20,000.

Think about your total kitchen remodel budget. With an average of 20% to 35% of that going toward cabinets, you can figure out which are the best kitchen cabinets for your project.

FAQ: Best Kitchen Cabinets

In our opinion, Hampton Bay makes the best kitchen cabinets for the money. The cabinets are mid-range in terms of cost thanks to mass manufacturing, but they use high-quality plywood and solid hardwood that outlast MDF and particle board, and they include a limited lifetime warranty. They’re also widely available, so lead times are relatively short, and repairs and replacements shouldn’t be too difficult.

Kitchen cabinets made from plywood or solid hardwood are the most durable. They’ll resist scratches and dents better than cabinets made from MDF or particle board, and they stand up better and are less likely to swell and warp in the presence of water from leaks and steam from cooking.

Look for cabinet boxes made from plywood that’s 1/2” to 3/4” thick, especially on lower cabinets that need to support the weight of your countertop. MDF and particle board are less durable, so avoid those if you’re looking for quality. You can also look for dovetail joinery on drawer faces, drawers made out of hardwood instead of plywood, and soft-close hinges and drawer slides. Check the warranty on your cabinets, as well, as higher-quality components typically come with lifetime coverage.

The four grades of kitchen cabinets are: ready-to-assemble (RTA), stock, semi-custom, and fully custom. RTA cabinets, which you’ll find from manufacturers like IKEA, tend to be the most affordable but the least durable. Stock cabinets, which companies like Hampton Bay and KraftMaid offer, can range in durability and quality, but they’re never available in custom sizes. Semi-custom cabinets are typically high-end and give you some customization when it comes to hardware, colors, and finishes. Fully custom cabinets are available in any dimension and with any color, finish, and hardware options you choose.