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izzbudcan23

Kitchen pulls/knobs - ISO Alternative to Top Knobs Aspen line?

izzbudcan23
2 years ago

Hi all - I'm having a bit of sticker shock over some (seemingly simple) pulls and knobs we picked out from Top Knobs. https://www.topknobs.com/collections/aspen-rounded-pull.html Holy cow: $75 for one 6" pull? Am I out of step with the world or is this a lot? Bear in mind that I am pretty numb to the expense of doing our kitchen, and we are coming down the home stretch of purchases of materials, so I feel like it's not my first rodeo! And yet.... these are SO pricey. Thus, I come to this group ISO suggestions for quality alternatives to these pieces. Bonus: soon I will be able to share what I hope will be great before/after photos!!

Comments (48)

  • colonialgp
    2 years ago

    Check out Lowes and HD. While I have no idea of the quality of a $6 pull, Directdoorhardware.com has them.

    izzbudcan23 thanked colonialgp
  • houssaon
    2 years ago

    A selection of hardware manufactured by Amerock came with my Brookhaven cabinets. I have had them for about five years and they are just fine.

    Here is a pull similar to your pricy one. Amerock - Factor Collection

    izzbudcan23 thanked houssaon
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  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Why that particular pull ? What are the rest of the materials in your kitchen? What is the look and feel? How many do you need?

    Rather than ask for a duplicate/ or close, provide more info and get more alternatives.

    Top knobs has marvelous hardware to be sure.. That pull has a distinct look in finish. Doesn't mean it's the ONLY one that suits the feel you are after.

    izzbudcan23 thanked JAN MOYER
  • M Riz
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I used top knobs for appliance pulls, they had reasonable prices for what i wanted. Im guessing you have a knack for being drawn to the pricy stuff (im like that w shoes lol,) Keep looking, even Amazon has reasonable knobs. Cant wait to see your kitchen, good luck

    izzbudcan23 thanked M Riz
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @JAN MOYER thanks for your questions! all good one... here are my answers, in order:


    why that particular pull? the pulls and knobs are very heavy, with a through and through finish - we like that they are solid cast bronze, whereas the zinc ones are not the same "feel"


    what are the rest of the materials? cabinets are natural maple, solid wood, flat front (not slab, but rather angled on the edges - mid-century vibe), floors are natural white oak varied width with walnut pegs, appliances stainless, counters green soapstone (waxed), one area of color behind the stove (bright mosaic of handcrafted 2x2 tiles), lights are lightolier white eyeball cans (original, and awesome), windows are vertical casement


    look and feel? mid-century-ish.


    how many? we need a lot!! the kitchen is a long (23') galley with a pocket door at one end and that we're opening up to the DR at one end. we're adding cabinets where there were none, so the total tally for cabinet hardware from top knobs is over $1600.


    any suggestions would be welcome!


  • M Riz
    2 years ago

    when the pulls are mounted on the cabinet, there is really no ”feel”. Thats the weight in your hand. We tried many pulls, some heavy and some lighter, but then they are put on the cabinet, you really cant determine the weight, so dont let that be the determining factor (non pro opinion)

  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @M Riz, thanks for that - i do realize that it's not actually going to be a heft we will feel once they are mounted - you're 100% right! but the through-and-through color (not a surface finish) seems to go along with that heft, which appeals to me a lot - i've ready many reviews of hardware with a dark finish where owners are disappointed to have the finish rub or wear off after a year or two (or even less in some cases). that's one of the things on my mind....

  • ci_lantro
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    The 4" pulls are $27 each so you could cut the cost more than in half. If you can live with the shorter pull.

    I don't think that the Aspen has a mid-century vibe so misses the mark if that is the aim. The Aspen reminds me of old time screen door pulls.

  • izzbudcan23 thanked ci_lantro
  • M Riz
    2 years ago

    Youre right about wear on a dark finish, I wouldnt want to worry about that either. I have to look and see where we purchased the bath knobs, I think they were pretty raesonable. Ill update here

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Well ..... They don't feel all that mid century to me. BUT. On a total re do of what $$ is what you consider. Why? A pull change will be a long way out. Once drilled. you need same centers if ever a change. If you spent 50k on a re do? And you love the pull? You're talking about .032 % of the total and you're happy.

    That said? What does "coming down the stretch mean?" Selected....or INSTALLED. They are different. : ) Check that there is NO possibility of a mind change. If you're installed? Buy one and hold it up.

    Solid brass.........

    https://www.signaturehardware.com/belfast-solid-brass-cabinet-pull.html?pids=245734&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0umSBhDrARIsAH7FCofH5B5-PXbxDVS0NO07-necdw4YctylcYxH73hxnvE6lLQsQ8nVA3EaAo-sEALw_wcB

    izzbudcan23 thanked JAN MOYER
  • Susan S
    2 years ago

    I was looking at the Aspen pull, but it doesn't come in matte black, so I found the Malin pull by Atlas Homewares. https://www.atlashomewares.com/products/malin-pull.html

    I ordered one each of a few sizes on Amazon (the 6 5/16" size is about $17), and they're heavy and solid. According to their website, they have a lifetime warranty and a free sample program (wish I had known about that before I ordered on Amazon!), so you could always order a sample and see what you think.

    izzbudcan23 thanked Susan S
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @JAN MOYER @Susan S i should have clarified one detail: we started out saying "black" hardware but when looking at the black options, matte black seemed like it would be too harsh an effect on our very light cabinets. but when we held up the dark bronze, which "reads" as black(ish), it was a softer effect yet still not shiny, which we are avoiding. @ci_lantro those mockett cast iron pulls are really nice looking and more towards the bronze effect! but it seems they don't come in the two sizes that we need, only only the larger (6" range) size.

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Just get the ones you love. . How many things cost 1600 per YEAR? A simple stop at a Starbucks for a venti latte every day? Many don't blink, or think twice. It's 1635.00........per SINGLE YEAR.

    What do you spend on hair or nails or, or, or.

    It seems far more staggering when spent in a one time swoop. .........but these are a lot more "forever". If you find one for a lot less? It won't be close.

    Or do the knobs above, and the pulls below : )?

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Just remember.........visual length is different than center to center. Even MORE finishes below.

    Rocky mountain Hardware... Sash pull, finishes, prices


    "

    Our products are 100% made in the USA and touch no fewer than 30 hands as they are individually cast. Each piece undergoes a rigorous 20+ step process, which includes a state-of-the-art precision operation to ensure that each piece of our hardware functions precisely and reliably, the way it was intended."





    https://www.rockymountainhardware.com/product/sash-cabinet-pull/







    izzbudcan23 thanked JAN MOYER
  • Jennifer Hogan
    2 years ago

    hardwarehut.com carries 50+ brands and has hardware at any price point.

    The pull that you are looking at is hand finished cast bronze. I have a few cast bronze sculptures that were quite pricey, but I really don't need anything that fancy on my cabinets.


    My test on how much to spend for aesthetic purposes is thinking about the homes I visit and how often I have given a second thought or noticed something in their home.


    For hardware, I will notice if hardware has been painted over (especially hinges). This is a pet peeve for me - hate sloppy painters. I will notice if the finish on oil rubbed bronze has worn off. I have taken note to the hardware in my sister's study because we were discussing hardware and she showed me the drawer pulls that she had in her office that are attached at the top of the drawers and I always notice my other sister's knobs and pulls because they are pretty different than what most homes have. Other than that I can't tell you what anyone else has, so I am not willing to spend a lot for something that is very unlikely to be noticed. No one else will notice or care if you spent $75 a piece or $10 a piece for your kitchen pulls.




    izzbudcan23 thanked Jennifer Hogan
  • Helen
    2 years ago

    I don't think anyone can advise OP on whether or not to purchase specific hardware. Obviously one can get knobs and pulls at different prices points.


    I do disagree that it is wasted money because "nobody" will appreciate expensive ones. I got my knobs and pulls from Notting Hill Hardware and they give me pleasure every time I am in the kitchen or the bathrooms. They weren't quite as expensive as OP's choice but they were expensive - a smaller 3 3/4" pull is $59 in copper (my choice) or $70 in brass.


    I don't regret spending the money on them and would have regretted getting a less aesthetically pleasing choice every day when I used my kitchen and bathrooms.


    There are lots of aspects of my remodel where the money spent isn't apparent but that doesn't mean that I feel that I wasted money by not getting a less expensive alternative. I doubt anyone visiting me knows the cost of my handfired tiles but I appreciate their beauty - no comparison when I looked at cheaper tiles at the tile store when I was told what the price was for the tiles I loved.


    If one can afford to buy expensive hardware - or anything else - that one loves then why not? Over the course of years of use, the amortized cost is minimal and most people will have frittered away more money on Starbucks.

    izzbudcan23 thanked Helen
  • chispa
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I used Top Knobs for most of my pulls because I had a whole house to outfit with lots of built-ins and stacked cabinets, so 211 pulls/knobs total. I also used Rocky Mountain Hardware for the knobs in my powder and master bathroom.

    The ones shown are more expensive than the standard Top Knobs offering because they are all Bronze construction.

    If I was going to upgrade to all Bronze then go with RMH that is made in the US.

    izzbudcan23 thanked chispa
  • stiley
    2 years ago

    It sounds like you do care and will notice the weight/quality of hardware. But I also understand getting frustrated at the cost of everything, especially toward the end of a remodel. Have you looked at Rejuvenation? Solid cast brass hardware, and they have periodic sales. We're using a mix of those and Top Knob for our remodel. Like Jan said, the hardware is a small % of the total and something you will touch every single day. In my opinion, totally worth the price.


    This one looks like a similar shape to the Top Knob one you're looking at, and it's currently on sale!



    izzbudcan23 thanked stiley
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you, all , for the many quick responses and sharing info. We decided to go with the Top Knobs products, but made a couple of tweaks and also got a discount, plus we had some free samples, so all in all, still pricey BUT as some have noted, I'll appreciate them every time I touch them!


    As an FYI we definitely (for better or worse) don't fall into the category of buying whatever we want just because we can! We've sweated the budget on this project because we've been in this mid-60s house for 21+ years and until now have only done maintenance and non-sexy stuff (e.g. new roof, replacement windows), never a real renovation. I'll admit that it has been a bit of slippery slope, though, and I'm sure others can attest to that experience!


    One way we've managed to keep things in check is by doing some of the work ourselves e.g. loading and hauling demo refuse, doing all the painting, installing the tile backsplash behind the stove, and being the "helper" to our contractor for the laying of the flooring. (Funny story: we spent last Sunday using his drill press to cut 1000 walnut plugs! more than we needed but some came out better than others :) - and then my husband drilled all the holes for the plugs and he and I put them in.) We'll continue to assist wherever we can - our contractor is great about that. HOURS of time = sweat equity! We are also not moving any walls or adding new plumbing, and we're luckily able to keep our recessed lights, and just add one pendant and new under-cab lighting.


    Still, it's already an amazing before/after situation - once it's done, I'll definitely post pictures - B/A stories are my favorite on Houzz!!!

  • clt3
    2 years ago

    Emtek has some similar sandcast bronze for a substantially lower price point. Emtek

  • julieste
    2 years ago

    This is an interesting discussion because I am in the final stages of a gut kitchen remodel and have made many, many similar design choices--natural maple cabinets with slab doors, soapstone counters with a somewhat greenish tone, light oak floors, and I am going for a more modern look but with a bit of an Asian twist to it. But, I have been looking at much, much less expensive pulls than you are thinking about. At one point I even brought home a bunch of samples and one of them was a wrought iron type look that was very similar to what you are looking at but at perhaps $6 or $7 a pull.


    This entire discussion has made me reconsider and rethink abut how much I should be willing to spend on pulls. I know that solid brass is more desirable than the zinc but have been hesitant to up my price point to cover those. Yet, I too am concerned about a finish wearing off on the less expensive zinc alloy ones.


    I will be very interested to see what you ultimately decide on.

    izzbudcan23 thanked julieste
  • chinacatpeekin
    2 years ago

    Another recommendation for Emtek cabinet hardware. I chose the Trail pulls in ORB; they read black. They are solid, heavy, smooth to the touch, and show no signs of wear. As I recall, my 4 inch pulls were approximately $10 each last year. They do come in 6 inch as well as other sizes.

    izzbudcan23 thanked chinacatpeekin
  • chinacatpeekin
    2 years ago

    Izzbudcan23, this is the Emtek Trail pull. It also comes in flat black.

    izzbudcan23 thanked chinacatpeekin
  • spagano
    2 years ago

    We are in the process of a partial kitchen remodel and I swear the knobs and pulls were far more time consuming than they had any right to be! Your probably don't want to go without for a few weeks but what about finding a few you like (including the Top Knobs "Aspen") and trying them out? I was surprised that the knobs and pulls I thought I liked the best ended up being the ones I liked the least. I purchased from Etsy, Forge Hardware, Build, Top Knobs, and Lowes and tried them all for about a month. It was interesting to note how well the different sizes looked with our cabinets (for the knobs, we were limited to a 3" center-to-center pull), which pulls felt sturdier on the drawer fronts, etc. The only downside was we spent several hunderd on the hardware and now I have a bag full of indivudual knobs and pulls, but the upside of having hardware I love was worth it. Good luck! Oh-those pulls are really nice!


  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    hi again - i just looked at the emtek and crofts pulls - thank you @julieste and @chinacatpeekin. my issue with those (and it's mine, not my husband's) is that any style with a squared off shape where you grab the handle is uncomfortable for me - not sure why, but that set me off on the path of looking for fully rounded handle grab areas. @julieste i think you were one of the commenters on an earlier post of mine when i was trying to decide about induction v radiant. i ended up w radiant - mainly b/c of the aforementioned budget management needs! we HAVE to compare finished pictures once we're all done - there are so many similarities... ;)

  • faftris
    2 years ago

    I feel that spending more money on things that take a beating is the way to save money in the long run. Items like cabinet hardware and faucets get used so much, that you have to buy quality. That being said, $75 sounds like a lot. My Top Knobs were about $12 each, but the quote from the people doing the kitchen included hardware, and they even made sure to give me 6 extras, so if I needed to replace any down the road, I had them. Whatever you decide on, try to get a few extra (6 is overkill).

    izzbudcan23 thanked faftris
  • rnonwheels
    2 years ago

    Any pics of the Kitchen?

    izzbudcan23 thanked rnonwheels
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @faftris thanks for the supportive comment! and the GREAT suggestion to ask for extras - i just put in that request and let's see what happens. :) also, the $75 is for the priciest item - the 4" pulls are about $28, less the discount. but still - YES, on the high end.


    @rnonwheels no pix yet - only befores, demo and partial work. in about three weeks i should have some more finished ones, and then i'll do an update on a new post.

  • chispa
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Buying cheap Chinese stuff and American companies manufacturing in China is what negatively affects the American Dream. People who are willing to pay more to support local/US made goods are trying to keep the American Dream alive. It isn't always easy to figure out where something is sourced, manufactured and/or assembled.

    In my previous house I was very careful not to buy goods made in China for my remodel and it was easier to do when I was only doing one project at a time. It was impossible to be as strict with a new build, deciding to go with Top Knobs was one of the compromises, specially when I needed so many knobs all at once.

  • calidesign
    2 years ago

    I got expensive top knobs for our kitchen because we loved them and couldn't find ones we loved anywhere else. You will use the knobs and pulls numerous times every single day. On a full kitchen remodel, pricey knobs are such a small expense for something you really love. Cut back on something else if you need to. Knobs and lighting are two places that can make or break an otherwise basic kitchen.

    izzbudcan23 thanked calidesign
  • faftris
    2 years ago

    I am very happy with the quality of my Top Knob hardware, Chinese though they are. After 5 years, they look like they are brand new, even the trash cabinet and the under sink ones. Here they are : https://www.myknobs.com/somersetm374.html I chose the dual finish because I have an amazing antique polished brass chandelier over my kitchen table, and I wanted to tie it in with the rest of the space. These felt right. And LOL, my KD was right about extras--they're discontinued!

    izzbudcan23 thanked faftris
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @julieste thanks for the additional emtek product - because the black is "flat black" (matte) and the bronze is on the lighter side, those won't work for us. i need dark bronze that reads as black, but not a full-on matte black. thank you though!

  • Rachel
    2 years ago

    I think you are going to have a difficult time finding something just like that pull for substantially less. The pull looks to be hand-forged and no machine-made hardware can mimic that. I totally understand why you like it as I'm a very tactile person myself. I recently built a new home and ordered about 10 samples so that I could feel each pull prior to making my decision. I went with a pull by Atlas Homewares (division of Top Knobs?), called 'Sleek'. My style is much more contemporary than yours, but my tactile sense is similar. This pull is solid and curved on the underside as well. Of course nobody will ever see this, but it brings me pleasure every time I used the handle! I like the weight and the curve . . . no squared surfaces for me!

    Atlas Homewares | Sleek Pull 6 5/16 Inch (c-c) · More Info


    izzbudcan23 thanked Rachel
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @Rachel you're right: i was researching the different hardware companies and learned that some years back top knobs was bought by a private equity company which also acquired atlas, originally a woman-founded/woman-owned company. :)


    anyway, you're also right about the difficultly of finding a lower price point for what the aspen (top knobs) hardware offers (cast bronze). thanks for saying it so well: "My style is much more contemporary than yours, but my tactile sense is similar. This pull is solid and curved on the underside as well. Of course nobody will ever see this, but it brings me pleasure every time I used the handle! I like the weight and the curve . . . no squared surfaces for me!"


    nicely put!!

  • Toni Hamlett
    2 years ago

    Try Build.com for that exact handle. The 6” is $67.55 in all finishes. I used Top Knob for both a bathroom and kitchen renovation over the last 6 years. I ordered the sample (in the size I would use) for $5.00 from Top Knob but when I went to purchase Build.com had better price. If you decide to go Top Knob the quality makes it worth the price. Also having 6 extra is overkill. Have you every had to actually replace a knob? If I replace knobs I’m doing the whole kitchen because I want something different.

    izzbudcan23 thanked Toni Hamlett
  • chinacatpeekin
    2 years ago

    Well, this thread took a turn. I wish Houzz gave me the opportunity to block those posters whose comments I find particularly egregious, as I can on FB. Who invited the conspiracy theorist (and worse) My Pillow Guy to wander through here? And yet, it happened.
    I’m losing hope that our democracy can survive while reading a thread about cabinet pulls on a home decorating site. And yet here we are.

  • chinacatpeekin
    2 years ago

    ^^^I do want to apologize to the OP for adding to the inappropriate political comments on her innocent cabinet pull thread.

    izzbudcan23 thanked chinacatpeekin
  • izzbudcan23
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    hi all - again, thank you to those whose on-topic questions and suggestions helped me out. happy passover, easter and ramadan to those who celebrate/observe. peace!

  • PRO
    Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    2 years ago

    I've had great luck with Restoration Hardware pulls and knobs. And amazingly, they aren't over the top priced, even though most of their products are.

    The Dakota pull is similar, priced at $26 for a 6" pull:

    https://rh.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1283097&sale=false

  • ntinksrus
    2 years ago

    I haven’t purchased hardware for my remodel yet, but knobs and pulls from this site look promising… https://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections/arched-mission-drawer-pull/products/5ccca2f39d9887258cdedbb0

  • ci_lantro
    2 years ago

    cabinets are natural maple, solid wood, flat front (not slab, but rather angled on the edges - mid-century vibe),

    I'm confused. Do you mean that the edges are beveled, like this:


    Or do you mean a 5 piece cabinet door with a mitered frame and a flat panel insert?


    IMO, the Aspen is too rustic for the contemporary feel of the first door.

    The gist of which is that the style of the cabinets matters.

    The other thing to ponder is if, in 6-8-10 years when you want a kitchen refresh...are you going to feel married to expensive pulls?

    I know that I would have no hesitation in replacing $10 hardware; but trashing pulls that are 7x that cost??

    The other factor is that you have a galley kitchen where no one will really see the pulls because the nature of a galley is there are no long views to admire from.

    In reality, within a year, you're not going to give a second thought to whatever you choose. The hardware will become what it was all along. Just a tool to open & close things.



  • PRO
    Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    2 years ago

    The first thing I look for in hardware is the look--the material, finish and style. Once I've settled on that, it's SUPER important that the pull or knob FEELS good in my hand. It has to feel smooth and sturdy. It shouldn't jut out and catch my clothing. I don't care for square or hard edges, rather a rounded profile. But I'm very tactile, so that's very important to me. I also stay away from anything with lots of detailing that can trap dirt. A smooth profile is easy to clean.

  • Emily H
    2 years ago

    Hey all, I've trimmed a handful of off topic comments from this thread. Let's try to stay on topic for the question being asked and leave political bickering to those sites dedicated to it. Thanks!

  • julieste
    last year

    I just ran across these that are nearly identical and a lot cheaper.


    https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/handles/cabinet/101156-sierra-handles?item=02W4506