What Kitchen drawer mechanism?

[Helvetica]

Hi lads, I'm building a kitchen in my own house, wondering what brand of kitchen hardware would you go for yourselves? I want it to be really well built, last a long time, and have a nice smooth action, but not necessarily be at the top end of the price bracket - the holy grail eh!

I seem to remember axminster had an offer on some German brand last year, anyone remember what they were, or if they were any good?

Cheers

 

[Normancb]

Blum tandem have a good reputation and many people sell them. I've had good service from Isaac Lord.

 

[Distinterior]

Pretty much any kind of Blum hinges, drawer runners and drawer boxes, etc would serve you well for many years.
As for internal pull-out mechanism's, carousels etc, try searching for Vauth Sagel or Kessebohmer. Both are quality brands and offer a wide selection of fittings.

 

[Lons]

I always use Blum drawer boxes and hinges and found them to be excellent. Some of the cheapies can be suspect.

I've actually just ordered a couple of 800mm wide pan drawers from a dealer on ebay which seem reasonable value though usually I'd get them from one of my suppliers.

Bob

 

[RobinBHM]

Blum tandem are certainly rolls royce concealed soft close runners. A mid range runner would be Hettich quadro.

 

[Helvetica]

Thanks a mill lads, almost unanimous for Blum

 

[JonnyD]

For wooden drawer boxes I would recommend grass dynapro as they have better adjustments over the Blum tandems which are also good. For metal drawers boxes grass and Blum do some good runners

Cheers

Jon

 

[Jacob]

Said it before - will say it again, lest we forget. The trad wooden drawer construction will work very well if done properly and will far outlast the usual metal hardware. Also will be effectively free as the runners, kickers, guides are usually cobbled together from off-cuts.
That's what I'll be doing in my next kitchen (scheduled for before Christmas but no one said what year).

 

[Helvetica]

I agree with you Jacob, for most drawers, but in a kitchen I want to be able to access the very back of the drawer to reach the out-of-date coriander!

 

[Lons]

Said it before - will say it again, lest we forget. The trad wooden drawer construction will work very well if done properly and will far outlast the usual metal hardware. Also will be effectively free as the runners, kickers, guides are usually cobbled together from off-cuts.
That's what I'll be doing in my next kitchen (scheduled for before Christmas but no one said what year).

Not much in there to disagree with but depends if it's for a customer of yourelf of course.
I fit a fair number of kitchens and every single one for years has been specifically requested as soft close and TBH I personally haven't yet found a better soft close action than Blum.
I tried several "add on" soft close mechanisms on our own kitchen under pressure from the missus, before I put in a new one and they were all pretty rubbish.

Bottom line is, women want smooth action, fully extendable and above all, soft close.

cheers
Bob

 

[Fat ferret]

Jacob, what traditional drawer construction?

I made my own kitchen drawers just rectangular boxes in slightly larger rectangular holes. They work ok but I did painted front and oil finished sides which keeps them fairly slick especially when you consider I made them from PAR red pine. However they get more difficult to shift if there is really heavy stuff in them. I've a few bits of old furniture with drawers made this way.

Or I've seen drawers with grooves down the sides that accept a bit of wood grooved into the carcass. I suppose this reduces wood to wood friction. Is that the way you mean?

 

[Mike Vastano]

Bottom line is, women want smooth action, fully extendable and above all, soft close.

cheers
Bob

We still talking drawer runners here?

 

[Giff]

Trad drawers are good but what sort of elastic do you use for the self close

 

[Lons]

Bottom line is, women want smooth action, fully extendable and above all, soft close.

cheers
Bob

We still talking drawer runners here?

I'm surprised you're the only one who picked that up :lol: :wink:

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, what traditional drawer construction?

I made my own kitchen drawers just rectangular boxes in slightly larger rectangular holes. They work ok but I did painted front and oil finished sides which keeps them fairly slick especially when you consider I made them from PAR red pine. However they get more difficult to shift if there is really heavy stuff in them. I've a few bits of old furniture with drawers made this way.

Drawers have to have "slips" for the bottom, which also widens the bearing surface of the sides. These sit on "runners" which must be as wide if not wider. The sides of the drawers slide against "guides" (which don't have to be full length). The top edges of the sides have "kickers" above (which also don't have to be full length). Google runners kickers guides and you will get masses of info.
Just traditional tried and tested drawer construction.

Or I've seen drawers with grooves down the sides that accept a bit of wood grooved into the carcass. I suppose this reduces wood to wood friction. Is that the way you mean?

No this is the worst option. They wear out very quickly. You want more bearing area, not less.

 

[G S Haydon]

Go with some undermount runners from Grass, Blum etc. A drawer with a heavy loading of cutlery glides so easily with this type of runner. If one breaks, which I have not had yet you just put in a new set. Within a kitchen setting traditional drawers would normally be reserved for small and narrow drawers or a free standing piece of furniture. Best bet is operate a undermount runner drawer and a normal drawer first and imagine doing it many, many times a day and see how you feel about it.