Specifying Cabinet Hardware: A Buyer's Checklist

Look for full-overlay European hinges with integrated soft-close and three-way adjustment. Check the opening angle against your layout, because a 110-degree hinge will not clear a drawer in a tight internal corner.

Full-extension runners bring the whole drawer out; partial extension leaves the back unusable. Check the load rating against what the drawer will hold, since a pan drawer loaded to 40kg on a 25kg runner will sag within a year.

Parallel and swing lifts are more comfortable than a hinged door above head height, especially in deeper wall cabinets. They are also the most expensive hardware in a kitchen, so use them where the benefit is real.

Whatever is specified, it should still be purchasable in five years. We keep to established hardware brands precisely so a single failed damper can be replaced rather than forcing a whole door or drawer to be rebuilt.