Alder stains a nice true brown. Cherry there? try more cinnamon or amber..But i favor the middle choice.

I think cabinets can really pick up the other colors in the room so I think I'd need more information. Ad unfortunately subtle color differences are really hard to pick up/portray on the computer screens as all monitors will read the colors differently.
Personally I was afraid my cabinets would be too orange in certain lights, and they do photograph that way sometimes, but overall, in person, I couldn't be happier with my choice.

But anyway, what are you doing for a floor, wall color, countertop? That would probably help.

But if all you want is an opinion based on your picture here, I like the one in the middle the best. but the differences (to my eye) are negligible.

thank you craftlady and herbflavor.

ironically, the middle piece that both of you chose is the sample cabinet front i gave the cabinet maker and said, "i want something like this!"

the one on the left is too reddish and the one on the right is too light. and yes, i agree that the differences are so negligible as to be exceedingly difficult to read on a computer monitor. i just wanted to see if anyone else saw what i saw.

the wall color is a neutral taupe (restoration hardware's "stone", but in a benjamin moore paint.) the counters are kashmir gold granite and the appliances are stainless. there are 4 inch pot lights as well as under cabinet lighting. unfortunately, everything is down to the studs right now and no electrical, so i am not getting an accurate read in the space.

I know the exact scene you're describing.... looking at small chips and samples and printed pictures with 1 eye closed squinting, trying to see if it'll "make sense" when in reality you don't even have a blank canvas, all you really have is a diseaster area/construction zone. Boy was that ever difficult!

But when I picture in my head all the pieces you're describing, I still think I like the middle one the best and I really do think it'll all work out very nicely!

Good luck!

Here is another vote for the middle one.

This is what I would do. I would check out a door at a big box retailer in the stain you like. Then you or your cabinetmaker will the stain colormatched. I think you will get the best results this way and save a bunch of time.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

I like the middle best too, but I see that that is a sample you asked the cabinet maker to match. Neither of the others is a match YET. I wonder if the middle also has a glaze--maybe a black or brown that is giving it depth that the other two do not have.

I think the one on the right could be enhanced to look like the middle board. The one on the left looks like "cherry" stain.

What is the wood? You might also post on the woodworking forum for stain suggestions.