Kitchen cabinets play an integral role in both form and function of your cooking space. From providing essential storage to serving as a focal point of design, your cabinetry should check all the boxes for your needs and budget.
When researching cabinet options for a kitchen remodel or new build, two brands you may come across are Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid. Both offer beautiful cabinetry but with key differences that impact design, customization, price, and overall value.
This in-depth guide will compare Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid kitchen cabinets across a range of factors. We’ll examine construction and materials, sizing and layout flexibility, design and customization possibilities, cost differences, and overall pros and cons of each brand.
Read on to learn which cabinet solution is better suited for your upcoming kitchen project!
Comparison Chart
Here is a helpful comparison chart summarizing key differences between Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid:
| Comparison Criteria | Quality Cabinets | KraftMaid Cabinets |
| Cabinet Construction | Plywood boxes, solid wood doors | Furniture-grade plywood boxes, solid wood doors |
| Sizing Options | Standard widths, heights, depths | 80+ width, height, depth sizes. Customizable increments. |
| Door Styles | 20+ thermofoil and wood door options | 40+ wood, thermofoil, and painted finishes |
| Customization | Good range of finishes and storage options | Extensive design and accessory customization |
| Cost Per Linear Foot | Approximately $100-$250 | Approximately $200-$500+ |
Brand Overviews
First, let’s look at quick overviews of Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid so you understand their positioning in the cabinet market.
- Quality Cabinets
Quality Cabinets manufactures affordable stock kitchen and bathroom cabinetry.
They focus on providing quality construction and finishes at budget-friendly price points.
As a stock cabinet provider, Quality Cabinets offers a range of standard cabinet sizes and configurations.
They have a decent selection of door styles and finishes to choose from.
The streamlined nature of stock cabinetry keeps costs down.
Quality Cabinets are sold factory-direct through their website as well as some building supply and home improvement stores. They offer both in-store and remote kitchen design services to assist with planning.
- KraftMaid Cabinets
KraftMaid is a leading manufacturer of semi-custom kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room cabinetry. They are sold exclusively through kitchen and bath showrooms as well as home improvement stores.
As a semi-custom brand, KraftMaid provides homeowners more flexibility in sizes, storage solutions, and design compared to stock cabinets. Their wide range of door styles, finishes, and accessories enables greater customization.
KraftMaid is positioned as a mid-to-upper tier cabinetry line with quality materials and construction. Their prices reflect the semi-custom offerings, being higher than stock but less than full custom cabinets.
Now that you understand the landscape these brands occupy, let’s move onto a detailed comparison across several key factors.
Cabinet Construction and Materials
A kitchen cabinet’s construction and materials impact both its appearance and longevity. Sturdy techniques and quality materials are ideal for withstanding daily use.
Here is an overview of how Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid build their cabinet boxes, drawers, doors, and more.
Quality Cabinets Construction
As a stock cabinet supplier, Quality Cabinets focuses on quality materials and workmanship while keeping costs affordable.
- Cabinet Box: Sides, tops, bottoms, and shelves made from 5/8” thick plywood for durability. Hardwood used for frame fronts.
- Doors: Plywood or solid wood center panels with hardwood frames. Concealed hinges provide smooth opening.
- Drawers: Four-sided drawer boxes feature 1⁄2” plywood sides and hardwood fronts. Dovetail joinery adds strength. Side-mounted glides.
- Finishes: Thermofused melamine or vinyl wraps offer durability at affordable price points.
KraftMaid Cabinet Construction
As a semi-custom brand, KraftMaid utilizes higher-end materials and construction techniques.
- Cabinet Box: Cabinet sides, bottoms, and shelves are 3⁄4” premium furniture-grade plywood rather than particleboard for stability.
- Doors: Many styles feature solid wood center panels and frames. Select doors available in oak, maple, hickory, cherry, and thermofoil.
- Drawers: English dovetail joinery on drawer boxes. Full-extension soft-close glides.
- Finishes: Range of durable stain, paint, and glaze finishes to customize look.
KraftMaid utilizes more premium materials especially on doors and drawer boxes. But Quality Cabinets focuses on providing sturdy construction at a more affordable price point.
Sizing and Layout Options
The range of available cabinet sizes and configurations impacts the design flexibility you have for your kitchen layout.
Quality Cabinets Sizes
Quality Cabinets offers standard kitchen cabinet sizes and layouts.
- Widths: Base cabinets in 12”, 15”, 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36” widths. Wall cabinet widths of 12”, 15”, 18”, 24”, 30” and 36”.
- Heights: Base cabinet height of 34 1⁄2”. Wall cabinets in 30”, 36”, and 42” heights.
- Depths: Standard 24” depth on bases and 12” on walls. Deep cabinet option increases depth to 26 1⁄2”.
- Limitations: Cannot modify height, width, or depth. Availability of some sizes limited.
KraftMaid Size Options
KraftMaid provides over 80 different cabinet sizes to customize kitchen designs.
- Widths: Base cabinets from 9”-48” wide. Wall cabinets from 12”-48” wide. Modify in 3” increments.
- Heights: Base heights from 21”-96”. Wall heights from 30”-84”. Modify in 1 1⁄2” increments.
- Depths: Base depths from 23”-37”. Wall depths from 11”-16”. Modify in 1⁄2” increments.
- Flexibility: Exact measurements can be tailored to your unique layout. Greater range of widths, heights, and depths.
KraftMaid’s wider size offering and ability to finely tune dimensions provides more layout possibilities.
Quality Cabinets has some limitations with standard sizing.
Design and Customization Options
Beyond sizing, cabinet brands differ in the variety of door designs, finishes, and accessories available. More choices allow you to customize the look and functionality of your kitchen.
Quality Cabinets Design Options
Quality Cabinets offers a range of options suitable for most kitchen designs.
- Door Styles: Around 20 thermofoil and wood door styles spanning shaker, traditional, and contemporary looks.
- Finishes: Thermofoil finishes in 25 colors. Wood doors available in 10 stain options and several paints.
- Accessories: Utility cabinets like blind corner and lazy susan. Some specialty pull-outs available.
KraftMaid Design Choices
KraftMaid provides extensive choices to customize your kitchen to match your vision.
- Door Styles: 40+ door designs covering painted, stained, and thermofoil finishes. Multiple wood species.
- Finishes: Over 50 stain choices and 35 paint colors. Glazes and distressing techniques available.
- Accessories: Large range of specialty pull-outs, organizational accessories, and hardware.
The wider selection of KraftMaid’s door designs, finishes, and accessories enables fuller customization during design.
Cost Comparison
One of the biggest factors for most homeowners is cost when investing in new kitchen cabinets. Here is an overview of price differences between Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid.
Quality Cabinets Pricing
As a budget-friendly stock cabinetry line, Quality Cabinets offers decent value at lower price points.
- Pricing: Approximately $100-$250 per linear foot, depending on style selection.
- Pros: Provides good construction and finish options at affordable stock cabinet pricing. Great value.
- Cons: Limited flexibility in sizes and customization. May require compromise on ideal design.
KraftMaid Pricing
As a semi-custom product, KraftMaid cabinetry ranges from mid-level to premium prices.
- Pricing: Approximately $200-$500 per linear foot on average. Some collections over $800 per linear foot.
- Pros: Unparalleled selection of sizes, styles, and accessories enable a custom look at semi-custom investment.
- Cons: Much higher cost than stock cabinets with similar core construction. Full customization costs extra.
KraftMaid provides greater customization capabilities but at a higher price point.
Quality Cabinets offer an affordable stock cabinetry option.
Key Differences and Recommendations
Now that we’ve compared Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid across a range of factors, let’s summarize the key differences and provide recommendations on which brand may be better for your upcoming kitchen project.
The essential trade-off between the brands is cost versus customization. Quality Cabinets provides solid cabinet construction at an affordable price point, but limited flexibility in sizing and design.
KraftMaid offers unmatched customization opportunities but at a higher investment, especially for full semi-custom modifications.
Here are some guidelines for choosing between the two:
- For straightforward kitchen layouts on a tight budget, Quality Cabinets are ideal. Their standard sizing can accommodate most basic footprints and their finishes and accessories offer design options without breaking the bank.
- For open concept kitchens or complex layouts, KraftMaid’s vast size offering and ability to modify dimensions enable you to optimize your unique space.
- If you have a very particular kitchen vision or want higher-end finishes, KraftMaid’s expansive selection of door styles, wood species, and accessories can bring that custom look to life.
- If you want a balance of quality construction and great value, Quality Cabinets are hard to beat. You make some trade-offs on customization but the quality and price combination is compelling for many homeowners.
No matter which brand you select, consult with a kitchen designer to ensure the sizing, layout, and options will work well for your kitchen plans and lifestyle needs. Investing in quality cabinetry from either manufacturer will provide beautiful, functional storage for years to come.
FAQs About Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid
Still, trying to decide between Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions for additional guidance:
Yes, KraftMaid is regarded as a quality cabinet brand. Their furniture-grade plywood boxes resist warping, doors feature solid wood components, and drawers have dovetail joinery. Durable finishes and high-end hardware add to the quality construction.
Quality Cabinets is best known for providing stock cabinetry with sturdy construction and attractive finishes at very affordable price points. Their values are quality, service, selection, and affordability.
As a semi-custom brand, KraftMaid is different from stock cabinet companies with their range of sizes, storage accessories, door styles, and finish options. This extensive customization in increment size, design, and accessories makes KraftMaid stand out.
It depends on your budget and how customized you want your kitchen to be. For basic layouts, Quality Cabinets provide good value. For complex kitchens or very specific visions, KraftMaid customization can be worth the higher investment. Evaluate what’s most important for your kitchen.
Quality Cabinets uses many similar grade materials like plywood boxes and solid wood doors. Construction techniques are also comparable. KraftMaid offers more premium options, especially with furniture-grade plywood. But core Quality Cabinets construction and finishes are quite good for the price.
Wrapping Up
Kitchen cabinetry is a big investment, so take the time to understand how different brands compare in terms of quality, customization, cost, and overall value. Both Quality Cabinets and KraftMaid manufacture beautiful, durable kitchen cabinetry.
Picking between them means weighing your budget, kitchen plans, and design priorities.
Quality Cabinets provide homeowners quality construction in stock cabinet sizing and finishes at affordable prices. KraftMaid enables you to fully customize sizes, layouts, and design details for a semi-custom solution.
Carefully assess what matters most for your kitchen. This will determine if Quality Cabinets’ great value or KraftMaid’s customization advantages make the best choice for your upcoming remodeling or new home project.
With guidance from a professional kitchen designer, you can select cabinetry from either brand that both looks amazing and serves your lifestyle for years to come.
