Please tell me about your experience with appliance pulls

last year

last modified: last year

I've searched old posts and haven't found info, the appliance store was busy and I didn't get all my q's answered, so asking all you great folks here.

I'm just starting my search for appliance pulls (Bosch panel ready fridge, DW, maybe KA warming drawer) and I'd like to get coordinating cabinet pulls.

So many questions:

Is zinc sturdy enough for an appliance pull? (I started looking for solid brass, but mostly finding zinc.)
Is it better to order pulls from the fridge manufacturer and not worry about matching to cabinets? (I couldn't find info on metal used for Bosch pulls.)
Bosch (and other brands) appliance pulls are super long - like 30". Is that length necessary for fridge doors? (I've seen so many that are much shorter, including on my KD's own fridge and she has had no issues after 4+ years.) I'm looking at 18" pulls -- too short?
Have you mixed pull styles between different types of appliances? (e.g. fridge vs DW) How about mixed between appliances and cabinets?

If it matters and you don't mind reading on... we're planning white cabinets warmed up with wood accents in a contemporary look (we have some beautiful Herman Miller chairs and other MCM items that will be in an adjoining room, but don't want a strictly modern vibe.) We considered flat panel, but are leaning toward Shaker cabinets with a thin stile as below. Probably satin nickel pulls and faucet.

TIA!

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Comments (13)

chicagoans
Original Author
last year
Thank you @User. I edited my post to say that I'm looking at 18" for the fridge (not 6" as you mentioned.) Too bad about zinc... even brands I thought were good (Amerock) use zinc for pulls. Maybe they're not such great brands? I will try to avoid fraughtness :)
darbuka
last year
last modified: last year
We used Top Knobs. Terrific quality, very heavty in the hand. Brass interior. Used only pulls for uppers doors, and lower drawers…in a variety of sizes.

Had zinc in our former home, and the screws kept loosening as the zinc couldn’t handle the constant use. No way would zinc be able to withstand the constant tugging power needed to break the seal on a fridge door. Certainly not on my SubZero.

Not sure what size my cabinet pulls are, as i can’t locate the paperwork right now. Will have to measure a little later.

Here’s a couple of pics of the fridge side of the kitchen, and a closeup.
chicagoans thanked darbuka
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chicagoans
Original Author
last year
@darbuka thank you! Heading over to Top Knobs...
kaseki
last year
My SZ 635 handles are slightly longer than 30 inches. I wouldn't go smaller for such a large refrigerator, and handles need to be accessible by all user heights.

I liked the SZ pulls so much I also put one on my overlay Miele dishwasher. The kitchen drawers use a similar shape (scaled down). I vaguely recall these are by Hafele. Trim on my Pro Island Wolf hood also repeats this shape, as do the handles on my Wolf wall ovens. This is all circa 2010, so I cannot comment on present SZ/Wolf handle styles, if different.
chicagoans thanked kaseki
chispa
last year
last modified: last year
Previous kitchen, matching custom hand forged bronze appliance pulls. On left, 18" pull on 24" freezer column. On right, 10" pull on fridge drawers on 36" SZ column.

Current kitchen. Top knobs 18" matching pulls on 42" SZ

The issue is going to be your thin rails, so you need to think ahead how that will be designed and installed.
chicagoans thanked chispa
chicagoans
Original Author
last year
@chispa thank you - I hadn't thought about the thin rails / relationship to pulls. Oy. So many decisions and I'll put that one to my KD. (I don't know what I don't know... so this Forum is really helpful!)
coray
last year
I second Top Knobs! We have their Aspen Flat, they are super sturdy and solid cast bronze….not cheap, but worth it. 18” will absolutely work. (Darbuka’s look like Aspen pulls.)
chicagoans thanked coray
darbuka
last year
30” is unecessarily large. It’s going on 7 years in this kitchen. The 18” pulls on my SubZero, are sturdy and easy to grab, whatever the height of the person opening the fridge.
chicagoans thanked darbuka
chicagoans
Original Author
last year
@darbuka I've always loved your kitchen :) Thank you for the input!
darbuka
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks, chicagoans! Much appreciated!

Good luck with your kitchen!
chicagoans thanked darbuka
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
I do panel dishwashers all the time and if that's what you are doing, the pull just matches your other base cabinets (for instance I have IKEA edge pulls throughout my kitchen) Fridge pulls have to be larger as noted for strength and to accommodate different sized humans, even so 18" sounds like plenty. The image you posted with the handle in the middle of the door panel seems like it would not function well, those doors tend to seal shut tightly.
chicagoans thanked HALLETT & Co.
chicagoans
Original Author
last year
Thank you @HALLETT & Co.! I agree that a pull in the middle of a fridge door would be problematic for sure. I was just posting that image because it has the thin rail/stile type cabinets I'm considering; I'm not even sure if that picture is a pantry or a fridge to be honest.

Pulls are starting to feel like lightbulbs... more variations and more to think about than I realized.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
Always!

Please tell me about your experience with appliance pulls

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