I say if the inside is in good shape, I'd leave them. We have a clear finish on the wood inside our painted cabinets. They are brighter, since we have burgundy paint, and I don't worry about chipping or scratching. I think it is a personal preference thing. What do you want to see when you open your cupboards?

I can't imagine it'd be less work to paint the insides, if done correctly. Wouldn't they need some sanding, and the shelves would have to come out and have the tops and bottoms sprayed? I'm not sure I'd leave the cabinets full, in any case. Will you want to access any of the contents while the paint is still drying?

It's personal preference, I think.

I like having the inside of mine painted. You can either paint the same color or a contrasting color and have some fun.

If you are concerned about chipping (it has never been a problem for me, and I have had hand-painted cabinets in just about every apartment and house I have ever lived in), one option is either to leave the shelf surface unpainted (or paint it and use shelf liners).

You can always just paint the thin front of the shelf if it needs a touch-up, not the whole thing.

This should not influence your decision, but I think it's unusual that there is no difference in price. Sounds like a good deal. But only if it's what you want.

I would think you'd have to unload the cupboards anyway for them to paint the outsides properly, as they may want to take the doors off and be banging around in there. You should probably ask, if avoiding that step is a major consideration.

Good luck!

You all bring up good points. I do need to ask more questions of the painter that I choose. Apparently, if painted, the insides would be sprayed and the shelves are "fixed" and no one has indicated that the shelves would be removed but I would assume they would need to be sanded. I agree, I was surprised at there not being a price difference but all three told me there wouldn't be and I also assumed painting the inside would be more time consuming for the painters. I do intend on removing any delicate items even if I don't paint the insides. The painter that suggested not painting them assured me that there would be no overspray on the insides but I'm not sure how convinced I am. Most of my cabinets are used to almost full capacity (neat but full) so I'm not sure how much I would gain by having them painted. I would have to think that it would look more appealing but I can honestly say that I couldn't tell you of any one else's cabinets that I have opened that I have noticed if they were painted or not. Maybe I am over thinking this, which I tend to do sometimes. Just hoping not to have regrets once it is all said and done.