3 easy ways to spot a quality kitchen
To ensure you’re getting the best deal when buying a kitchen, it’s important to take into account quality. Just like cars, kitchens vary in quality. However, comparing the quality is easier said than done.
Once you’ve visited several retailers, you’ll probably think that all of the kitchens you’ve seen are the same. Therefore, how can you tell a high-quality kitchen apart from a low-quality kitchen? Here are three things to look at that will give you the answer:
Look at the finish on the doors
A high-quality door will have a smooth finish. A low quality door will have a bobbly, rippled finish. Painted and lacquered, laminate and lacquered laminate doors are the high-quality type. In contrast, foil, vinyl and PVC wrapped doors are the low-quality type.
The other advantage of buying the high-quality type of doors is that they’ll never peel like wrapped doors will. Below are pictures of peeling wrapped doors.
Places like Howdens, Wren, Magnet & Wickes mainly sell the low-quality wrapped type doors. You’ll find the best selection of painted and lacquered, laminate and lacquered laminate doors at independent kitchen showrooms.
Look at the edging on the cabinets
Hi-quality cabinets will have a thick durable ABS or PVC edging, as shown below. The purpose of this edging is to protect the delicate front edges of the carcass from chips and damage. It also protects the carcass from any moisture ingress.
low-quality cabinets will have a thin melamine type edging that offers little or no protection.
Again, the units you will find in places like Howdens, Wren, Magnet & Wickes usually come with the low-quality melamine type edging. In contrast, many of the units sold in independent kitchen showrooms come with the high quality PVC or ABS type edging.
Look at the backs of the cabinets
High-quality cabinets will have 18mm thick solid backs. These will support the weight of the heaviest worktops and will never bow. Low- quality cabinets carcasses will have thin hardboard backs that will soon start to bow under under the weight of the worktops.
The first signs of bowing can usually be seen on the backs of the units. Over time, a large gap will appear that can cause the contents of the cabinets to start falling through the gap.
Our free service recommends the best value kitchen suppliers in your area. Their kitchens start at similar prices to places like Wren, Howdens and Magnet, but are higher-quality.
All showrooms offer free, no-obligation quotes.
Read what our customers say about our service below:
“Kitchenfindr recommended a showroom who were much better value than most of the other showrooms I’d previously looked at”
Hannah Malone, Esher, Surrey
“The kitchen your guys came up with is far more competitive than anything I have had quoted so far”
Samantha Michaels, Watford, Herts
“No-one should buy a kitchen without speaking to Kitchenfindr first”
Bal Pabla, Romford, Essex
“Lloyd was able to point me to local independent kitchen retailers offering greater quality and value compared to the high street chains”
Mohammed Hashi, Northolt, Herts
“If you’re looking for a good value kitchen supplier, these are the people to speak to first!”
Natalie D R, Stanmore, Middx
