ᐅ Handleless kitchen fronts, good quality and affordable – which manufacturer?
Created on: 2 Mar 2020 17:21
P
PeterHawaii
Hello everyone,
we are currently looking into the kitchen for our newly built single-family home. After the first visits to suppliers (2 large chains and 1 small studio), the general conclusion is: a frustrating black box with no price transparency – the estimates were often well above the stated budget, and none of the appointments included a written quote to prevent easy comparison.
My question is: which provider/manufacturer would you consider for the following requirements:
Kitchen layout: G-shaped kitchen, no wall cabinets
Design: handleless kitchen
Kitchen length: just under 11m (36 feet), all base cabinets except for 2 tall cabinets for fridge-freezer combo and oven + microwave
Worktop height: 90cm (35 inches)
Worktop: integrated into window frame, replacing the windowsill. Option 1: laminate, thickness approx. 25mm (1 inch). Option 2: engineered stone, thickness approx. 25mm (1 inch).
Front price category: PG 3 or PG 4, real matte lacquer
Splashback: matte glass
Target price would be under €6,500 (including sink and faucet combined about €400 online) and laminate worktop, without appliances, including delivery and installation (kitchen and externally sourced appliances), so roughly €600 (about $660) per meter.
Current quote for electrical appliances: €5,180 gross including delivery to curbside.
Do you think this is achievable, or do we need to lower our requirements (fronts price group / appliances) to stay under €12,000? At Ikea, we would be around €3,500 plus assembly without appliances, but their selection of handleless fronts does not suit us.
Thank you very much for your advice.
we are currently looking into the kitchen for our newly built single-family home. After the first visits to suppliers (2 large chains and 1 small studio), the general conclusion is: a frustrating black box with no price transparency – the estimates were often well above the stated budget, and none of the appointments included a written quote to prevent easy comparison.
My question is: which provider/manufacturer would you consider for the following requirements:
Kitchen layout: G-shaped kitchen, no wall cabinets
Design: handleless kitchen
Kitchen length: just under 11m (36 feet), all base cabinets except for 2 tall cabinets for fridge-freezer combo and oven + microwave
Worktop height: 90cm (35 inches)
Worktop: integrated into window frame, replacing the windowsill. Option 1: laminate, thickness approx. 25mm (1 inch). Option 2: engineered stone, thickness approx. 25mm (1 inch).
Front price category: PG 3 or PG 4, real matte lacquer
Splashback: matte glass
Target price would be under €6,500 (including sink and faucet combined about €400 online) and laminate worktop, without appliances, including delivery and installation (kitchen and externally sourced appliances), so roughly €600 (about $660) per meter.
Current quote for electrical appliances: €5,180 gross including delivery to curbside.
Do you think this is achievable, or do we need to lower our requirements (fronts price group / appliances) to stay under €12,000? At Ikea, we would be around €3,500 plus assembly without appliances, but their selection of handleless fronts does not suit us.
Thank you very much for your advice.
Bertram100 schrieb:
You need to make sure the dishwasher is XXL (so you can check if an 80cm (31.5 inches) front panel can be installed) and has a Vario hinge. So, to fit a third-party dishwasher into an IKEA dishwasher cabinet, we need an XXL dishwasher with a Vario hinge?
I thought I had read somewhere that XXL dishwashers don’t fit into IKEA cabinets? Or did I misunderstand that?
P
pagoni202016 Jun 2020 16:12You can have it planned there by an employee or first go with your idea. On site, you can see and try out everything live—the dimensions, the look, and the functionality, all the way to the furnishings. We have an IKEA nearby and have been there countless times to try out things like the countertop, spacing, lighting, etc. You don’t have to go that often, but we are probably just detail-oriented. 🙂
The IKEA appliances are good since they actually source them from a well-known manufacturer. You just have a limited selection, and if you want a specific style, you sometimes end up going to other suppliers. But basically, you can get everything there in good quality. True, we have a Siemens dishwasher; I couldn’t have installed that on my own, but the kitchen fitter was there to help.
The rest always fits because items are either just slid in (oven, steam oven) or placed in (cooktop).
Note: The standard countertops are, I believe, 61 or 61.5 cm (24 or 24.2 inches) deep, so a typical hardware store countertop with 60 cm (23.6 inches) won’t fit. But IKEA offers plenty of options or can customize one for you in the store.
Right, the extractor hood didn’t have a good rating from Stiftung Warentest (like many others). I bought a Miele one with good test results back then for €500.-
The idea of buying something used, like a steam oven or similar, is good because these are often barely used and then sold again. On the other hand, the look also needs to fit.
We have these from Siemens, and everything fits perfectly:
Siemens SX678X36TE
All necessary parts were included.
The IKEA appliances are good since they actually source them from a well-known manufacturer. You just have a limited selection, and if you want a specific style, you sometimes end up going to other suppliers. But basically, you can get everything there in good quality. True, we have a Siemens dishwasher; I couldn’t have installed that on my own, but the kitchen fitter was there to help.
The rest always fits because items are either just slid in (oven, steam oven) or placed in (cooktop).
Note: The standard countertops are, I believe, 61 or 61.5 cm (24 or 24.2 inches) deep, so a typical hardware store countertop with 60 cm (23.6 inches) won’t fit. But IKEA offers plenty of options or can customize one for you in the store.
Right, the extractor hood didn’t have a good rating from Stiftung Warentest (like many others). I bought a Miele one with good test results back then for €500.-
The idea of buying something used, like a steam oven or similar, is good because these are often barely used and then sold again. On the other hand, the look also needs to fit.
We have these from Siemens, and everything fits perfectly:
Siemens SX678X36TE
All necessary parts were included.
A
Anmacatili17 Jun 2020 06:36That all sounds pretty good. I’ll try out the Ikea planner in the next few days. Ikea is also very close to us, so we can easily test and look at everything there. We’ll probably do that in the next few days as well!
The real problems are those mentioned, such as the height (not everyone wants such a thick slab) and the limitation of the grid. It wouldn’t work with my somewhat quirky layout.
In the past, the built-in Ikea units were absolutely terribly unstable... but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. I would probably connect the cabinets two or three times to make sure they don’t warp. I know it differently.
In the past, the built-in Ikea units were absolutely terribly unstable... but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. I would probably connect the cabinets two or three times to make sure they don’t warp. I know it differently.
ypg schrieb:
I would probably connect the cabinets twice or even three times over to make sure they don’t warp. That’s just my experience.Yes, those are also my experiences, but with IKEA kitchens from 20 years ago or more. Apparently, IKEA has changed something in recent years, including their appliances…P
pagoni202017 Jun 2020 11:39ypg schrieb:
The issues are really the ones mentioned, like the height (not everyone wants such a thick worktop) and the limitation of the module grid. That wouldn’t work with my quirky layout.
In the past, Ikea cabinets were really unstable... but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. I would probably screw the cabinets together multiple times to make sure they don’t warp. My experience has been different. Of course, there are technical limitations with IKEA, like the working height. I have just noticed that in terms of the cost/performance ratio, you hit design limits much faster. To put it this way: if someone likes IKEA kitchens and can create a kitchen they find attractive within the available options, then I see no reason not to buy them. Multiple screwing is definitely not necessary; it’s the same as with most other kitchens. Nothing sags or warps here. As I said, even after the second move.
It’s true that if you want a significantly higher base unit, you need either a thick worktop, which may not appeal to everyone. But this is not a makeshift solution; it’s a deliberate design choice. In the photo from @Bertram100, you can see what can be achieved with a standard-thickness worktop.
I have had several kitchens from the usual suspects over the past few years, so I can reassure you on this concern. We had Nolte in the attic and IKEA on the ground floor. The difference: zero. Durability and function: identical.
For me, in terms of price/performance and appearance, the IKEA kitchen is unbeatable right now—and I say that without receiving any incentives... unfortunately. But of course, that’s just my opinion, and there are countless other options that can be just as suitable.
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