ᐅ Push-to-Open Door Mechanism Too Weak?

Hi,

and here’s my first question as a beginner...

I inherited an old kitchen from my neighbor (probably about 12 years old). I’ve since replaced the door fronts, so the whole thing looks quite neat and modern now.

However, I don’t want to install handles on the new doors. For the doors themselves, the Utrusta push-to-open mechanism works fine. But for the three drawers, it’s just too weak. Even if I install two, it barely works – or I end up with the problem that only one drawer opens at a time, and when closing, the other one pops open, so I get stuck in a “vicious circle.”

Any ideas how I can fix this? Unfortunately, I can’t say exactly what kind of kitchen it is, but I guess it’s a combination of Faktum cabinets.

*thx*

Hello,
the electric strike releases are not designed to be used as push-to-open drawer triggers. I can think of three options that I would try if I absolutely wanted to have no handles.
1. Install two electric strike releases side by side.
2. Remove the pull-in mechanism from one of the two rails.
3. Replace the drawers with push-to-open drawers.

Hey, thanks in advance for the replies.

- I’ve tried two options... whether left/right or stacked vertically, the "vicious circle" occurs with both.
- Insertion mechanism? You mean that it closes the last few centimeters by itself? It doesn’t have that (it’s already about 12 years old).
- Are these available at Ikea?

In the end, I found plan B – the small top one opens with one movement.
I would simply replace the lower ones with a door and a shelf. I could live with that if necessary...

- I tried two of them... whether side by side or one above the other, the "vicious circle" is present in both.

Is it always the same soft-close mechanism on both that initially doesn’t close properly?

- Insertion mechanism? You mean it closes itself in the last few centimeters? It doesn’t have that (it’s already a good 12 years old).

That feature existed 12 years ago as well, just without damping. Does the drawer slide on the side have a rectangular cover cap or just a hole where a screw attaches the front?

- Are those available at IKEA?

No.

[Quote]
I finally found plan B – the very top small one opens with a push.
I’d then just replace the lower ones with a door and a shelf.

[/Quote]

That would cause a significant loss of convenience.

- always different – completely random

- just one hole with a screw in it

- okay, so it’s not all the drawers you mean, but only the drawer slides, right?

- always a different one - completely random principle

Then nothing can be achieved in this regard.

- just a hole with a screw in it

You still have the old partial drawer slides. About 10cm (4 inches) of the slide remain inside the cabinet. Therefore, the kitchen is older than 12 years. They probably haven’t been sold since around 2000.

- ok, so it’s not all the drawers you mean, just the runners for them, right?

No, no other runners are compatible with these slides.

The cheapest option is probably from Poland. For a German or Austrian buyer, you would easily pay double or more.

If you want to use a door, you could also move the runners 2cm (0.8 inches) back and mount a small front panel on the drawer slides. That way, you would have inner drawers inside the cabinet. The 2-piece Härlig front costs only €11 (60cm (24 inches) wide). Cut it around, add an edge band, and you’re done. For the door, you would need the 153° hinge.

By the way, the railing bars are easiest to remove from the back panel by inserting a flat screwdriver into the dark gray plastic holder from behind and turning the screwdriver outward.