Walk-In Pantries vs. Cabinet Pantries
We explore the pros and cons of these popular kitchen storage options
Sam Ferris
November 20, 2022
Houzz Contributor. I have more than seven years of experience in the design industry, including residential renovation, cabinet, and flooring design. I currently work for RVK Architecture, a professional design firm that delivers successful architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture solutions to public and private clients.
Houzz Contributor. I have more than seven years of experience in the design industry,... More
It’s only natural to debate whether to go with a walk-in or cabinet pantry when you’re building a new home or redesigning your existing kitchen. Some homeowners want a roomy nook with wall-to-wall shelves and customized inserts, while others are satisfied with just a few shelves and pullouts tucked inside a kitchen cabinet. Here are the pros and cons of both styles.
Con: Storage is more spread out. Bigger isn’t always better, especially when you’re in the mood to whip up a quick dinner. It may take a few extra minutes to gather your ingredients in a large walk-in pantry. Walk-in pantries are also some distance away from appliances and prep space, which can reduce efficiency when you’re cooking. Some homeowners prefer the convenience of having ingredients on hand in their kitchen.
Pro: They can be better organized. Cabinet pantries aren’t inefficient by any means, but walk-in pantries let you get a little more creative with your organization techniques. You can sort your items by row or column, by food group and so on. Consider dedicating a column of shelves to nonrefrigerated fruits and veggies or your most-used oils and spices. You may even have room to house your baking sheets with built-in tray dividers.
Shop for pantry and cabinet organizers
Shop for pantry and cabinet organizers
Con: They can require more upkeep. A highly organized pantry may come at a price. More space plus more shelves equals more to keep clean and tidy. It takes time and effort to dust off dirty surfaces and declutter shelves. If you’re looking to cut back on your weekly to-do list, you may prefer a cabinet pantry with less storage and less upkeep.
Pro: They can store bigger appliances with ease. Cabinet pantries can house toasters, coffee makers and mixers, but it’s usually at the expense of valuable storage space. Walk-in pantries can comfortably fit larger appliances like microwaves, slow cookers, juicers and deep fryers, freeing up kitchen counter space and ensuring they’re ready to grab when you need them. Some pantries may even have enough space for a second refrigerator.
Con: They take up a lot of space. A downside to walk-in pantries is that they require a lot of space to be functional and efficient. If you’re designing a new kitchen or remodeling an existing one, you’ll have to shrink your kitchen’s footprint to accommodate a walk-in pantry. This can be an issue for homeowners who are short on space to begin with and want to maximize the size of their kitchen.
Not sure where to start on your home project? Learn the basics
Not sure where to start on your home project? Learn the basics
Cabinet Pantries
Pro: Storage space is more centralized. Whereas walk-in pantries feature several walls of shelves, cabinet pantries confine all of your snacks, ingredients and small appliances to a single space. You don’t have to spend time searching through several walls of shelves to find what you need. Less time looking means more time cooking.
Pro: Storage space is more centralized. Whereas walk-in pantries feature several walls of shelves, cabinet pantries confine all of your snacks, ingredients and small appliances to a single space. You don’t have to spend time searching through several walls of shelves to find what you need. Less time looking means more time cooking.
Con: They have limited storage space. A single cabinet devoted to pantry storage won’t be enough for some homeowners, especially avid cooks. While you can fit larger appliances inside a cabinet pantry, they use a good chunk of the limited space. One way to get an excellent storage capacity with cabinet pantries is to insert more than one into your kitchen, but that will eat up more counter space.
Pro: Storage is more accessible. Having your pantry smack dab in the middle of your kitchen will cut down on the time you spend walking to and from your pantry. Placing it next to your refrigerator and across from your range will create hyper-efficient workstations.
Inside features can also increase your cabinet pantry’s accessibility. Pullout drawers, for instance, allow you to see every snack and ingredient at once, which reduces the amount of time you’ll spend rummaging. They’re easy on your back too.
Inside features can also increase your cabinet pantry’s accessibility. Pullout drawers, for instance, allow you to see every snack and ingredient at once, which reduces the amount of time you’ll spend rummaging. They’re easy on your back too.
Pro: They don’t take up a lot of space. Cabinet pantries are on the smaller side compared with walk-in pantries, which require a large footprint. Most measure 24 to 36 inches wide. They’re an efficient storage solution for small or medium-size kitchens, providing a little extra shelf and drawer space without giving up too much in return.
Con: They take up counter space. You’ll definitely lose some counter space, no matter how small your cabinet pantry may be. If you’re designating multiple cabinets as pantry storage, be prepared to give up a significant amount of prep space. Either way, it’s important to navigate the delicate balance of storage and counter space with due diligence. This loss is felt less in larger kitchens but can impact the way a smaller kitchen functions. Consider the size of your kitchen and the way you cook when deciding.
Share: Which storage solution do you prefer — walk-in pantry or cabinet pantry? Tell us in the Comments.
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I think the most unusual thing about this article is the assumption that if you have a walk in pantry, it's a model of organizational perfection as seen in the first picture. Unless you've custom built your home, it's likely that your walk in pantry is the result of someone else's creation, possibly decades ago if it's an older home. That's why so many folks remodel, to update their space to fit their own specific needs. My walk in pantry sits in the southern corner of our home, and is not big enough. I'm hoping to use passive solar to improve my winter heating, so my walk in will be going away. Given that we're a farm and grow much of our own food, I have to balance the passive solar plus with whatever I can come up with for my new pantry. The best part is that this is our 5 year plan, so I don't have to find a solution right now. We'll get there, we always do.
I've had both, and would definitely prefer a walk-in built to my specifications. I cureently have a sort of "closet" pantry in which I have installed pull-out drawers. I have other cabinets for appliances, the pantry is strictly for food stuffs.
Great if you have the necessary space. I don't so cabinet in the kitchen it is.