If you could redo it -- shallower or deeper drawers?

14 years ago

If you could redo the configuration of a drawer stack, would you have made a 4 drawer stack into a 3 stacker, or vice versa?

Because we've decided not to have a 2nd dishwasher, I have another 4-drawer stack -- and it makes the adjacent 4 drawer stack wider.

In addition to these stacks, I have 2 - 3 drawer stacks for pots/pans/mixing bowls, and 2 - 4 drawer stacks for silverware, utensils. I have room in the new pantry for the crockpots, etc. I've opened every drawer and door of my current kitchen and assigned the stuff in it a home in the new layout, according to the "zones" that have been recommended. I've read the "read me" thread to see if I'm overlooking something. I have 2 junk drawers!

So now, I have the above mentioned 2-4 drawer stacks planned that are under the peninsula, closest to the clean-up zone, but not in it. I've only assigned 1 of those drawers to a purpose: junk drawer. I'm left with 7 empty drawers. Which makes me wonder: what would GW'ers do?

1. Continue with plan to have 2- 4 stack drawers, each 19.5 inches wide?

2. Have 2 - 3 stack drawers, each 19.5 inches wide?

If you had to do it over, would you have less drawers or more drawers in a stack? I am thinking that the 3 stack is more versatile -- am I thinking right? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I can't find the thread . . .

Rita

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Comments (9)

ccoombs1
14 years ago
I don't have any 4 drawer stacks and I love the drawers the way they are.....nice and deep. I really don't think I'd like them to be any shallower. I have the shallow ones along the top and then two deep ones below throughout the entire kitchen. I would not change a thing!
brickmanhouse
14 years ago
Definitely LESS drawers in a stack-- the deeper the better!

I made a conscious decision to put drawers every where I could, and am so glad I did. They're mostly deep, but I did end up with a few shallow drawers, and those are the ones that are still empty. The rest filled up REALLY fast!

At least for me, I find shallow drawers less useful than the deep ones, so I'd go for three drawer stacks as opposed to four.
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Read the plans from the cabinet maker more closely and not assume they know what I mean. I saw the 2D view of the cabinetry and missed that the plan showed the fridge and the freexer drawer bumping out by 6 inches instead being flush and in the same line as the rest of the cabinets in that run. The cabinet maker apparently always does this for paneled appliances and this is totally unnecessary for my fully integrated Miele fridge and SZ freezer drawers. I also wanted full pane of glass on the upper door with wood shelves inside and not divided doors and glass shelves. I am trying to work with the cabinet maker on this and both of us are not happy. I had already compromised on the oven section of the cabinet being deeper than necessary. Make sure you print and show the installaton requirements for your appliances in person and understand what is required. The plumbing work for the steam oven had to be redone twice despite detailed emails.
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i have never seen 'deep' drawers that are so shallow!
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some time back on a thread about the height of drawers buehl posted hers. the url doesn't work anymore but i did copy out her post. here it is: (I hope it's ok to post this buehl!) * d by buehl (My Page) on Wed, Sep 2, 09 at 7:43 * Cabinet Line: Omega Dynasty * Face Frame: 1-1/2" * Drawer box wall thickness: 5/8" * Interior Depth of drawer box (front-to-back): 19-3/4" * Approx interior width of any drawer box = cabinet width" - 4-1/2" * Drawer Heights/Depths (interior drawer bottom-to-stile b/w drawers): o 3-drawer stack: Drawer 1 (Top) = 3-1/4" Drawer 2 = 8-1/4" Drawer 3 = 8-1/4" o 4-drawer stack: Drawer 1 (Top) = 3-1/4" Drawer 2 = 4-3/8" Drawer 3 = 4-3/8" Drawer 4 = 6" o Drawer of 'Top Drawer + Doors' Cabinet = 3-1/4"
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I wouldn't worry -- get what you want. You might need to find another vendor who has it. I was looking at something on Amazon today -- I can get it now elsewhere, but Amazon is saying ships in 1-2 months. Worst case -- the microwave is the one appliance that you don't have to sweat over if you have to wait. You can generally make do or use a small countertop one until you get it in. We had put a countertop model into the built-in space in our old kitchen and kept it through the remodel. If ours hadn't been here when everything else was ready, I would have slid it into the cabinet for the drawer and used it as a temp. Won't you have one somewhere for your temp kitchen?
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Mine is also 1.5" (exactly) on the inside, though it's about 45" wide. There's a bite out of the back (it was built that way with edges around), for the services behind it. Besides what I mentioned above, there are a couple of spatulas that I had forgotten (besides the one that didn't fit so easily), a bag of bamboo skewers, cooking chopsticks, the bars that hold a steamer basket inside a wok, a big spoon rest and a couple of pasta measures. Truth, though, the small grill plate sits on the large one, the pot holders are in the asador grate, and the wooden spoons are all over the big spatter screen (which I hardly ever use). This picture is years old but it shows a lot of stuff. It's better organized now, and has more in it. I wouldn't actually do towels. It's too easy for one to get squished and then jam the drawer. The manual is a good idea if it's fairly stiff and flat (i.e., won't blow open and jam), and the trivets and rack are perfect. It's hard putting those away anyhow. :)
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rhome410
14 years ago
I also have only 3-drawer stacks and wouldn't change any.
olga_d
14 years ago
I only have 1 4-drawer stack which holds cutlery, spatulas/cooking tools, and aluminum foil/plastic wrap/baggies. I'm glad for that one stack and wouldn't change it, but I also wouldn't want to have more. The deep drawers are used for measuring cups, mixing bowls, food processor/mixer attachments, tall glasses, stacked tupperware.
artemis78
14 years ago
I think it depends on what you plan to store in them and how wide the drawers are. We have one 12" 4-drawer and one 12" 3-drawer bank, plus wide 30" and 36" deep drawer banks (two over two). The wide deep ones are fabulous for storing pans, tupperware, jars, etc., and we are having more in the new kitchen. The narrow deep ones are just annoying---we keep gadgets and towels in them, but they would be far more useful if they were shallower since I'm constantly rooting around in them for things. I do like the one we use for linens, but that's about it. In the new kitchen, we're limiting the 12" wide drawers to just the top row (where they'll be shallow) in pairs over wide deep drawers. I think with 18" or greater width, you'd be set with deep drawers, though.

What's interesting, though, is that our current kitchen is 75 years old---definitely before its time in the number of drawer banks! (The only cabs are sink, broom closet, and the two blind corners.) So it has definitely given us an appreciation for drawers over doors (though I can't wait to have drawers that slide smoothly...)
Buehl
14 years ago
Other items that work great in those shallower drawers in a 4-drawer stack:
Plastic wraps & baggies in Prep/Cleanup Zone
Foils & Parchment paper in Baking Center
Flashlights & Batteries
Extension Cords & other electrical items
Linens - probably 2 drawers if your drawer stacks are only 19" or so wide
Pot holders (a drawer each in Cooking Zone & Baking Center)
Placemats
Spices
Knives
Meat thermometers, baster, etc. in Baking Center or Cooking Zone
desertsteph
14 years ago
"I have 2 junk drawers! "

do you need 2?

I think shallow drawers are good for lots of things.

spices, hot pads, trivets...

paper, pens, area phone book (local area), my phone book (family/friends), often used appl info (I copy / enlarge those I might use often), small appl booklets, coupons

flashlights, batteries, tools (screw driver, small hammer, stapler, scissors, tape, etc)

place mats, cloth napkins, trivets, coasters, etc

are they deep enough for cans of soup? veggies? canned pet food...

cups?

paper plates, paper napkins, plasticware - for mw (or at my house - for me since I don't have a dw)

dish towels, sponges/rags/micorfiber, scratcher pads /sos, cleaning brush

I think a shallow drawer will be deep enough for my dish set for 4.

and for me a few glass dishes / 'pans' I use mostly in the mw - a pie pan type one. several oval ones, a square one, etc.
mulemom
14 years ago
Funny, I was just trying to figure out the maximum number of drawers I could put in a stack. I don't like rooting through the drawers for stuff and was thinking more in-line of my roll around tool chests (one in the workshop and one in the sewing room) that have very shallow drawers which glide on ball bearings, where I can layout the "tools" in a single layer. I am thinking that there must be a way to actually use them in the kitchen.
rjr220
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for all the clarification! I believe that I will change these to 3- drawer stacks. And then I started thinking again . . . . Should I keep the 2 top drawers as 19.5 wide, and then make the 2 bottom drawers 39 inches wide? Of course, reinforcing the drawer bottoms . . . .

This is the problem with custom cabs. Too many choices.

If you could redo it -- shallower or deeper drawers?

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ccoombs1

brickmanhouse

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If you could redo it -- shallower or deeper drawers?

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