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Designing a new kitchen can be a tedious task consisting of critical decisions that can ultimately affect the convenience and functionality of the space. One important aspect that drives the kitchen area is how you store items. Traditionally, filling the room with kitchen cabinets was the way to go, but choosing to include more drawer storage has become a recent trend.
If you are weighing kitchen drawers vs. cabinets to keep your kitchen necessities handy, then keep reading to discover the pros and cons of each option and what experts recommend.
Pros of Deep Drawers
Deep kitchen drawers offer many benefits to homeowners of varying ages and heights. “Deep drawers are generally considered more efficient, as they offer better accessibility and organization of kitchen items,” says Nicole Saunders, interior design specialist and founder of The Design Build Vault. You can easily section drawers by adding dividers or organizers to help maximize storage space and prevent clutter. Plus, drawers are great for storing large and bulky items, providing easy access to frequently used items, and helping you see and access all contents without having to dig through layers, says Saunders.
Home design expert Jasmine Charbonier of Tampa, Florida, adds that drawers also offer ergonomic and space efficiency advantages. “Drawers can be pulled out completely, reducing the need to bend down or reach into the back of a cabinet, which can be more comfortable for users,” she says. As for efficient use of kitchen space, she believes that “deep drawers can maximize the use of vertical space, making it easier to store bulky items like pots and pans.”
Finally, designers often consider drawers more aesthetically pleasing to enhance the overall design of the kitchen, especially when pulls and finishes are carefully chosen to create a certain look and feel.
Cons of Deep Drawers
On the other hand, deep drawers have a few drawbacks to consider. First of all, they tend to be more expensive to build than traditional cabinets, especially if they come with upgrades like high-quality glides and organizers. In addition, says Saunders, “The biggest risk is the possibility of drawers becoming overfilled and messy, making it difficult to find items.” If the items you want to store are taller than the drawers, that can become a problem. Be sure to measure your tallest kitchen appliances and gadgets before finalizing drawer size.
Weight limits can also become a problem, says Charbonier. “Drawers can be heavy when fully loaded, which may require sturdy hardware and construction to support the weight.” Consider the weight of the items that you want to store in drawers when discussing cabinets with your vendor or designer. For example, copper pans and Dutch ovens are heavier than other pans.
Pros of Cabinets
As the traditional choice, kitchen cabinets have been around a long time and offer several key benefits. “Cabinets provide a sleeker look and can be customized with shelves or dividers,” says Saunders. They can also make a small kitchen look larger, while open drawers might make the room feel too cramped.
Cabinets are also generally more affordable than deep drawers, given their more simple structure, says Charbonier. Cabinets are more timeless in some ways, since they are versatile in function and aesthetically pleasing. “Cabinets can be used to store a wide variety of items, from dishes and glassware to small appliances and pantry items,” says Charbonier. “They can also be designed with various door styles and finishes, adding to the overall aesthetic of the kitchen,” she adds.
Finally, Amber Brandt, interior decorator known as The Coziness Consultant, explains that “shelves often have a greater weight capacity than drawers.”
Cons of Cabinets
The drawbacks of cabinets include limited storage space for larger items, difficulty in seeing and reaching items at the back of shelves, and a higher risk of clutter due to unevenly stacked items, says Saunders. “Cabinets require careful stacking and organizing to fully utilize the space, and it can be more challenging to access items at the back of a deep cabinet.”
“They can quickly become disorganized as items are often precariously stacked, and there’s almost always wasted or under-utilized space around corners or up high,” notes Brandt.
Converting from One to the Other
Converting existing kitchen cabinets into deep drawers can be a complex and pricey endeavor requiring professional installation; it is not a DIY project. “The difficulty and cost of transferring from one to the other depends on a variety of considerations including matching the paint color and sizing of the new to the old and determining if something needs to be custom-fit,” says Brandt.
The conversion “involves removing shelves, installing drawer glides, and ensuring the structure can handle the weight,” says Charbonier. Many of her older clients found they struggle with bending down to reach into the back of lower cabinets and that it can be difficult to access and organize their kitchen items, so they opted to convert to drawers. “The transformation not only improves accessibility and organization but also enhances the overall functionality and aesthetics of the kitchen,” she says. Converting deep drawers to cabinets is less common but doable; it involves removing drawer hardware and adding shelves.
Why Most Experts Recommend a Combination
The answer often lies in the middle. While deep drawers tend to be more user-friendly, you still wouldn’t want your entire kitchen filled only with drawers. “When it comes to the big debate of kitchen drawers vs. cabinets, the best approach is actually a combination,” says Brandt. “Both have strengths and weaknesses but can play well together.” She believes that the ideal combination is having lower drawers for the most-used kitchen items (e.g., plates, bowls, small kitchen tools, and large pots and pans) and upper cabinets with vertical dividers for storing appliances, heavy stockpots, and baking sheets.
