go local with a browsing initially. Kitchen design centers w planners to talk to .... and if they have time they will offer bare bones answers and show you things at the displays. I think there's a lot of value in handling/ taking note of the doors/drawers /storage as well as finishes/ colors/ wood species in person. Certainly reading up and doing the basic education is important too. I havent been to a showroom to speak of since Covid and it would be interesting to hear about what the makers are doing about costs now , as that has been a recent development [ price escalations w everything] . Do you want painted cabinets as opposed to stained wood? Depending on the plan... [lots of complexities vs simple] ..RTA cabinets can work well for many. Do you have a plan?

That’s good advice! I have an kitchen design already and we going with painted cabinets. I’m assuming that’s less than painting them ourselves.

I have read on this forum that quality MDF is more stable than wood, and takes paint better, so is often preferred for a painted insert. However, MDF is not water resistant, so all faces and edges have to be thoroughly sealed, otherwise there is the risk of swelling or warping if it is exposed to more than brief splashes of water.

@Nichole Campos I understood MDF is recommended for painted cabinets because it is so smooth, compared to wood, which has a grain to it. Wood isn't exactly water resistant either.

https://na.arauco.com/en/p/trupan-moisture-resistant-mdf-mr-trupan-moistureresistant#:~:text=Trupan Moisture Resistant is an,the requirements for ANSI MR10.

It seems white shaker cabinets are not as hot as they were a few years ago. There is a bit more of a trend towards wood again. Get white shaker if you love it or if it goes with the house, but don't get it if you are just doing it because everyone else is. It has been SO popular it and white subway tile are bound to "date" homes to the past couple decades. Get it if you love it, but feel free to get something else... Unless you have an all-white farmhouse inside.

I’m personally not into the farmhouse style. Going for more of a clean, transitional and timeless look.

Thank you Susie! That’s very helpful and good to know they’re holding up well for you. I just recently learned about Wellborn cabinets as well.

I have white shaker that are made of maple and they have held up wonderfully. This is an empty nester home though, so if I had littles in the house again I would absolutely have wood again. Wood hides so much.

Following

@Nicole Campos, how do you feel about slab cabinets? They have a very clean look and have been around since before the supposedly traditional look.

Not bad but I love the shaker style the most.

Wood cabinets are far superior to MDF…MDF is made of sawdust that is mixed/molded with glue …coated with a plastic layer finish…not capable changing the finish or repairing damage…MDF is very heavy…more likely to stress the hinges from the weight…wood is lighter but repairable and refinish-able….the slab cabinet styles are more simple and more likely to warp..without the stability provided by the frames…

MDF…medium density fiberboard

Not wood

@Nichole Campos you said the magic word. Haha... Love... If you are drawn strongly to white Shaker cabinets, because YOU LOVE them, that is perfection. So, back to your question, maybe you've googled and already read this: https://www.nieucabinetdoors.com/mdf-vs-solid-wood/

Trouble is with the other part of your question...where to buy high quality MDF cabinets.  And then read this and pulled your hair out: https://www.thespruce.com/purchasing-high-end-kitchen-cabinets-1822030

And this link was at the end of the other Spruce article: https://www.thespruce.com/kitchen-cabinet-manufacturers-and-retailers-1822065

Do any of these sound familiar? Have you been shopping locally? Have you asked local contractors where they source their cabinets?

@K L we have looked locally and most provide the same MDF panel for the shaker style cabinets. I’m sure they’ll be fine it’s just overwhelming to know what the “right” purchase is. This is our forever home and while nothing last forever we definitely want to make the best choice as far as cabinets that will last. My husband reminded me though that are 1970s laminate cabinets that were ugly and old were still standing strong.

@User I've been forever bad at acronyms. I looked up yours, and I think HDF is a superior thing similar to MDF... next generation sort of. Right? HDF Kitchen Cabinets (Designs & Pros and Cons) - Designing Idea

And I think CNC is a type of manufacturer? that is somehow involved with Durasupreme, right?

@Loma what do you think of the advice that the box of the cabinet is best made of solid wood fo strength and the doors are best made of HDF for non-warping and great painting (if they will be painted)? I think that is ultimately what @Nichole Campos is trying to figure out, though I could be mistaken. And I am trying to find out with her, not claiming I know the answer or arguing with you or anyone.

CNC is the machine they cut it with - computer numerical control. Very precise.

HDF is high density fiberboard versus MDF, medium density fiberboard.

All of this info is so helpful. I appreciate all of the feedback. Most recently we visited Home Depot and they said the same thing. The flat panel in a shaker style is more often than not MDF (assuming it’s purchased painted) because it’s a flat/smooth surface and the paint adheres best. They also say the MDF won’t contract like solid wood will. This eliminates the paint showing around the edges of the panel. Lastly the joints/seams are less visible. My other concern was just durability. We’re in a rental while our house is being remodeled and the cabinets although nice in appearance are very inexpensive. Something hit one of the cabinets at about knee level and now there’s a hole in it.

Some thoughts:

Quality: There is significant variation in quality of most wood products. So those with an agenda may compare poor quality plywood with great quality MDF or vice versa. Good quality veneer core plywood (comparable to a Baltic Birch) avoids most of the problems that plywoods with cheaper cores have.

Wood stability: MDF is made of wood, wood is hygroscopic... MDF, like all other wood products does "move" (expands and contracts with changes in relative humidity). Unlike many other wood products MDF moves equally in all directions, and doesn't have to deal with tangential versus radial movement. This consistency is often noted as stability, but in fact, good quality veneer core plywood is actually more stable (wood is incredibly stable longitudinally) and good veneer core plywood moves less than MDF.

Moisture Resistance: Both are wood products and moisture is often going to be a problem with wood products. Many engineered wood products use a water soluble adhesive and can be pretty susceptible to water damage. That adhesive can be replaced with an adhesive that is not water soluble and can sometimes get really impressive moisture resistance. This is the MR MDF (moisture resistant MDF) we often see discussed here. However, it is unfair to compare MR MDF with standard plywood, there are marine grades of plywood that are much more moisture resistant then MR MDF. They are suitable for boats...

Furthermore, most manufacturers are not using MR MDF. There just isn't enough benefit to justify the increased cost. You would need a fairly substantial fail rate of MDF cabinets to justify the marginal cost. Many small custom shops use it because small custom shops usually don't have the cash flows to absorb those failures.

Durability/Strength: MDF's Achilles heel is impact resistance and strength. Because there are no long fiber strings in MDF it has little strength. This is exactly why MDF can machine so cleanly, because the machinery isn't ripping the fibers apart, they were already ripped apart. This is why many companies use wood rails and stiles surrounding MDF doors. This gives the door frames some impact resistance. Another option is to skin the MDF in either some plastic or wood veneer that will add strength, which is what happens in most slab cabinets.

Most people are not so rough on their kitchen cabinets that impact resistance should be the deciding factor and MDF is not exactly fragile, it just is not nearly as impact resistant as wood.

Suitability/Cost: MDF is much cheaper than any suitable plywood and is sufficient for most kitchens. In reality, most people don't need kitchens that are going to last 200 years. There is no reason to spend money on quality in excess of your needs, it is just a waste of money. MDF is a fine product for most kitchens, so unless you have some specific requirements spending the extra money for good plywood is just a waste. There are probably better uses for that money somewhere else in your kitchen.

@Nichole Campos the hole at knee height is concerning to me. I wouldn't like that. If I thought it indicated a MDF or HDF weakness, I would have second thoughts. Maybe someone can allay this concern?

Not 100% sure of the material but the hole/damage is there.

Front and back

Looks like some thin veneer, not MDF or HDF.

It appears to be some sort of furnitureboard to me (MDF or HDF). In the second pic, you can see the particles from the furnitureboard.

The veneer will typically add a bit of strength over MDF but a piece of wood less than 1/32 of an inch doesn’t add much strength and that looks to be a good whack. I am not sure wood or plywood could have made it out unscathed, it just wouldn’t look as bad.

I've learned a lot from the posts here. Thank you @Nichole Campos. What have you decided?

We haven’t finalized anything just yet. We have a design that includes solid wood with MDF panels (shaker) and another designer just got back to me yesterday. We haven’t met with him yet but he did say that his suppliers are using the MDF panels now too, depending on the style of cabinet. I think it’ll now just come down to price.

@Nichole Campos does it matter to you if the bottoms of the upper panels are finished or are raw unpainted plywood? I have been wondering about that question ever since I learned you can pay extra to have the vendor finish the bottoms. There was a long discussion on a HOOUZZ post.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1072657/should-the-underside-of-white-painted-semi-custom-upper-cabinets-be-fi

I don't know if it would matter to you or not. I am curious to hear what you think. This from a person who never even knew finished bottoms on upper cabinets was even possible until I read this post.

Wow! I had no clue that was a thing. Thank you so much for sharing. I’ll be sure to ask because now I’m very curious. Hopefully they’re finished because if not that would drive me crazy.

Let me know what you learn, OK? I didn't know it was a thing either, so you're not alone!

I’ll update you for sure! Again, thanks for sharing this info.

Don't beat yourself up if you don't get finished bottoms. I never had them.