Recent opinions on Kraftmaid or Medallion cabinets?
Comments (8)
kompy
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Cabinets? Medallion, Shrock or Kraftmaid?
Comments (9)I don't know anything about Shrock or Kraftmaid, but many of my friends and neighbors (I live in NJ) have remodeled their kitchens in the last few years using Medallion cabinets, and they're all delighted with them. The local distributor/installer they've all used (it's that kind of neighborhood - if someone does really good work for one or two people, they get more work than they can handle for years to come) uses Medallion almost exclusively. In fact, when the job has been completed, the owner (he's very involved throughtout) typically comes by for a walk through and even suggests which doors he thinks need replacing if they're "off" in any way. Remarkable customer service, and I have to believe that Medallion is being very accommodating, not just the dealer. Everyone is very happy with their kitchens, and they're all holding up really well. Full disclosure: I am not going to be using this dealer or Medallion, because I want a very contemporary, Italian-look kitchen, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the look I want with their cabinets. I'm 99% sure I'll be using CraftMaid based in Reading PA(NOT the same as Kraftmaid) for my kitchen. I actually drove 2 hours to their factory (I'm becoming really crazy in my quest to get this kitchen the way I want it) and I was very happy with what I saw....See MoreFrameless Cabinets comparable in cost to Kraftmaid
Comments (21)Thanks all for the replies, I wish gardenweb emails responses correctly (doesn't seem to). kdinca - I will send you an email later tonight, if I do not please send me a message on here to remind me as it has been a long day at work. kompy - That sounds great but I don't know if they would actually do a delivery to my area (I'm PNW, but Seattle). I will definitely check them out. tam184 - I am in the process of getting a quote from Brookhaven I will be surprised if they come under the Kraftmaid price as their site looks a lot nicer, but I would love to have at least a semi-competitive price from Brookhaven. I am going to actually see them on Monday, but their site and the reviews of them + Woodmode on this site have made them look really good already. lotsapatience - Yes I did, though when I got the quote it was only $500 more then the Kraftmaid (the cabinets were only $200 more but the panels and molding were $300+ more). However after the Kraftmaid discount of $1000 + free sink and Innermosts lack of deals currently (have free height modifications but that doesn't help me with 42" cabinets) causes the price to be $1800 higher. That's roughly 28% higher, I'm okay with a premium for frameless but not 28%. However soon with their free sinkmat, trash box and shipping that may lower to $1100 or so which would be more competitive. kompy (again) - I didn't know that Innermost was from Medallion Cabinetry, I thought it was from the Elkay company. I will definetly look at DesignCraft now as I did quite enjoy the Innermost line. One other thing I was wondering about: Lowes in the PNW and California sells a new line of Frameless cabinets which are their version of the Bellmont 1600, they are priced pretty competitively with the Innermost line (though their BMSM program is lower), they lack a lot of things, such as only having 1 type of trash box (15" or 18") instead of the 3 or so different most lines carry. Is this the same for the Bellmont 1600 line and how have people enjoyed them? Also does anyone the glides on those, they were some APB company from what I heard which seems really bad....See MoreKraftmaid vs homecrest kitchen cabinets
Comments (16)My new construction is custom, but the builder uses the upgraded Homecrest with full wood and "deluxe" drawers as their standard. I could get whatever but I thought I'd avoid the awful ordeal of cabinet shopping and just go with those. I'd rather spend a lot of money on a fabulous quartz (love the marble look-alikes) or one of the amazing exotic granites than on cabinets. My thinking is that cabinets are just a backdrop for stunning countertops. Is this a mistake?...See MoreTrying to decide on Kraftmaid Vantage or small Amish company cabinets
Comments (20)@Karen Rose Thanks so much for that recent feedback on KraftMaid. I am so very sorry for your experience. i would encourage you to pursue warranty fulfillment on all of those items to see if some improvements could be made. It would not be out of the question that you'd want to recoat your cabinetry in 7 to 10 years, but you should ask for warranty service now for as much as you can. I've heard of whole kitchens being replaced for free for this type of thing, not from KraftMaid necessarily, but from companies that offer similar warranty terms as KraftMaid does. @Wes Hunt It sounds to me like they are using a pre-catalyzed conversion varnish that is a one-part finish. If they were using two-part, post-catalyzed conversion varnish, they would have additional bragging rights to that and almost certainly would have specified that in their description. The oven curing is simply to save them time versus air drying and does not add substantially to the durability (pros here at Houzz will dispute that last point, but based on my own research including talking to various suppliers that do it both ways, I cannot find any hard evidence that the oven drying adds durability). The one-part pre-cat varnish is better than plain lacquer, but in my opinion, it's not going to be as durable for you as a two-part, post-catalyzed conversion varnish where the hardener is added just before use. If you research the pros and cons of pre-cat vs. post-cat, you'll find some people who claim that they are relatively similar in durability, but almost all of the mass cabinetry manufacturers are using post-cat. The pre-cat doesn't go bad as quickly and thus is more ideal for smaller shops that cannot afford to waste a lot of coating material that must be used immediately after mixing. The pre-cat also simplifies the process as it avoids the pitfalls you can run into with post-cat where the mix proportions might get off and affect the finish. So, if Kemp is a smaller manufacturer, I can definitely see why they are using a one-part pre-cat, not that I agree with that decision in terms of superior quality, however. One piece of information that may really help you out with your decision is finding out how long Kemp guarantees its finish. If they guarantee if for a lifetime, then that indicates their confidence in their process. If they guarantee it for 3 years, I'd say spread your net wider and look at some other options. With Kemp being local to you, that's a big advantage that can save you money on transportation, so it's possible this could be a good option for you. One last word about the Valspar brand: I don't know much about this nor have I heard much about the longevity of it, so do some research if you can to find out more. I'd be more comfortable if they were using a brand like Sayerlack (a high-tech Italian coating available through Sherwin Williams), Milesi (again a high-tech Italian brand that is becoming more widely accessible in the USA as we speak), Renner (a UK brand), or ICA-Ilva (a long-time favorite of high-end cabinetry builders). Any one of those latter brands I mentioned, if sprayed in a 2-part (2K) formulation, would give you the longest-lasting white coating you could possibly find in today's market....See Morelimom_2bts
13 years agokenfused
13 years agokompy
13 years agoNormally, apples for apples, Medallion will price out slightly more....not less than KraftMaid. The two doors you have picked out are not apples for apples. The Lindsey door is one of KraftMaid's most expensive doors. The Brookhill door is a basic raised panel door w/ matching 5pc drawer front. KraftMaid's equivalent to Brookhill is called Marquette.
Have your KM salesperson also quote you Marquette. With a standard finish, the Brookhill will quote out just under KM. But with the premium glaze finishes, Medallion should be a little more. Factory incentives may also affect the price. KM usually has more discounts.
Here's my input on quality:
1. Medallion has a slightly better finish than KraftMaid
2. Medallion has better quality control.
3. When you do a glaze finish with Medallion, it's a matte finish and is really nice! KM's will still have a standard semi-glossy sheen. Which is fine...but I really like the matte finish better.
4. Medallion has a higher upcharge for premium finishes
5. Integrated matching doorstyle end panels are SO much nicer with Medallion. I could post two pics on Tuesday if you're interested in seeing the difference.
6. Medallion offers custom height mods....if that's important.
7. Soft close drawers are standard on KM. An upcharge with Medallions middle line (Designer). Will add about $35 per drawer w/ Medallion.
8. I recommend that you upgrade the end panels to wood....whether you go with Med or KM. I would only upgrade the EXPOSED end panels to save $.
9. Medallion has one flaw that annoys me. They only offer 3 drawer box heights. So, some of their drawer boxes can be shorter than the actual opening in the framework. KM has taller sides of their pot/pan drawers.- Overall....if all things were equal, I would go with Medallion over KM. Just a nicer looking/feeling cabinet. It looks more like a custom finish!
Here is a photo of a maple Brookhill bathroom with one of the glazed finishes. Notice the integrated matching end panel on the wall cabinet??? I like how Medallion does them with corner mitre joints! You don't see a vertical 'seam' along the side of the end panel. This is nicer than how most factory high-end cabinets do this. Some competitors will argue it's not as stable....but we've never had issues with separation at all!
. Both are having promotions right now.
KM: 10% off. Upgrade to all ply construction and receive a free premium finish upgrade. This sale might have ended this weekend.
Medallion: 5% off (except for Silverline...has free sink base)chardonnaykj
13 years agodakota01
13 years agokenfused
13 years ago
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