Kraftmaid vs Merillat

13 years ago

2 KD recommend Merillat, the 3rd says Merillat is builder grade cabs and we should upgrade to Kraftmaid. The Kraftmaid are approx 11K, almost 5k more. Are Kraftmaid cabs that much better??

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happy2learn

13 years ago

Hi. I had Kraftmaid solid maple (honey spice stain) cabinets installed 10 years ago and they are still beautiful--and we are hard on things in this house! And I have only really given them a thorough cleaning maybe 3 or 4 times. They have a beautiful finish. We just did some minor remodeling and I was glad that I could still order another cabinet in the same style and color--one reason to go with a company that will be around for awhile I guess. (Both Merrillat and Kraftmaid have been in business a long time.) My older cabinets were a builder grade Merillat,(terrible- didn't even have adjustable shelves in the wall cabinets!) but I think that they might have a higher grade of cabinet available. Didn't Reico buy them out? However, yes, Kraftmaid is pricey for stock cabinets compared to some other lines, especially for their trim pieces and accessories! (You could buy after-market accessories) One nice thing about Kraftmaid is that they replaced a few cabinet doors for free when I complained about some of the natural markings that I didn't like (even though I signed something that said I understand that "this is a natural product that has natural markings, etc." Another good thing about Kraftmaid is they have so many sizes and trims, and special cabinets that it is almost like a custom cabinet shop. I'm not sure if it is worth $6K more, however. I can just vouch for how well they hold up. One tip to save money--if you need something like corbels you can just order stain (I know Kraftmaid will sell it) and order corbels online. I did! I got unfinished solid maple corbels for $20 instead of the $100+ or so it would have cost to get them from Kraftmaid. Hope this helps.

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Comments (10)

Adrienne2011
13 years ago
Fun2Learn, that is a fantastic idea about staining my own corbels. Thank you!
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avcs
13 years ago
We have builder grade Merillat cabinets and they have held up really well. Ugly as sin but well made.

There are different product lines that you can choose from that are much better made (than builder grade). Also, I really like merilat's web site!
corgi_mom
13 years ago
We've had Kraftmaid for over 12 years with no complaints.
caryscott
13 years ago
Both are still owned buy Masco I think. Compare what you are getting in both lines and see if you are getting more with the Kraftmaid.Assuming you are getting more from Kraftmaid - do you need or want what you are getting for that 5 grand? Is what you would be getting worth 5 grand to you? No to either means stick with Merillat. In the end it will be the function, durability and appearance of the cabs that determines their value to you not the brand.

Not sure what the base construction on Kraftmaid is but I think the base on Merillat is not that great.
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Dream Kitchens
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Depends what level of Merillat you are looking at. I've heard word from our reps that Merillat Masterpiece is made by Kraftmaid for Merillat. So anything that's not Masterpiece would be lower in quality since Masterpiece is their highest line
cfillyaw
5 years ago
We considered the Merillat Medallion cabinets, but went with Kraftmaid because the Kraftmaid is a true painted wood exterior. Merillat used a glue on veneer from my research for white painted cabinets. If we were going with a stained wood it would have been different.
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User
5 years ago
It’s the same exact cabinets, from the same exact factories. KM usually ends up more $$ because of their advertising budget though.
A G
5 years ago
I would not get Kraftmaid or Merillat. Agree with "The Cook's Kitchen" as a few retailers have told me this. Bottom line, we believe Kraftmaid once deserved a good reputation but big corporate ownership or big box volumes or cost cutting, or something else have led to what seem to us to be big slips in quality. Our kitchen was so bad we refused it and are now waiting for new cabinets from a different manufacturer. If you do order, open every box before the delivery folks leave. Search the web. Our six week kitchen remodel is nearing it's fourth month and will now be at least four months before it is completed solely due to cabinet issues. You may decide to spend a few dollars more to avoid our nightmare. I really thought I understood current state of Kraftmaid quality. I was quite wrong. Good luck!
cfillyaw
5 years ago
Just moved into a new house with Kraftmaid cabinets purchased from a local lumber yard. I am quite happy with the quality.

Kraftmaid vs Merillat

happy2learn

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