We considered Kraftmaid - but the base price was minimal compared to all of the "important" pieces - the end piece that cost $200, etc It all got more pricey than we expected, and the KD still couldn't give us a good place for our MW or the broom closet that we wanted (grrr!)...so we went custom and got better quality for the same amount of money...don't know if custom is an option for you, though.

KM is a pretty good middle of the road line. There is NOTHING wrong with using veneer over furniture board for a slab door or center panel on a recessed panel door. It's the only way you can get some doors and get that pretty grain to show. And it's a lot more stable than a solid wood door. A solid wood slab door has to be pieced together with many little strips and have a bulky batten on the back to keep it from splitting due to wood's natural expansion and contraction. Don't be seduced by wood snobs who exploit that loaded term "solid wood". It doesn't mean that is automatically a better product at all. Sometimes, it's a much less functional product.

We ordered a cherry vanity with the Kaffe stain a few months ago. For the most part, the stain is consistent and very pretty. We have accent pieces down the sides of the cabinet, and they are stained lighter than the rest of the vanity--might not even be cherry for all I know. There were drips in the varnish. Despite adjusting the hinges, the door doesn't close quite flush to the cabinet. I think for what we paid for a 36" vanity, about $1100, that sloppiness should not have happened. Based on this one cabinet, I think you might have to be prepared to have a lot of pieces replaced if you did an entire kitchen in KM.

We would have preferred Schuler from Lowe's based on their better finish reviews, but they didn't have the drawer configuration we wanted.

LindaNew,

I was looking at the Schuler line at Lowe's a few weeks ago and I think their finish is very nice quality. The KD told me Medallion makes them for Lowe's, which I also heard that said on this site I believe. I also like Medallion cabinets and their finish. If I was personally considering Kraftmaid at Lowe's then I would also look at this line and compare.

Check with a local kitchen place. I was looking at KM, then realized they no longer have a frameless line. I went to another local place that does a lot of frameless kitchens, and they said they could offer me a few different lines in that price range that were better quality. I ended up with Bellmont, which I am very happy with.

I chose KM two years ago for the following: a small kitchen, cabinets for a formal DR, a fireplace mantle and surround custom built to match kitchen cabs, and 9 ft. of cabinets in the master bath. No problems except one drawer slide was missing & promptly replaced. Also, KM wall oven cabinet could not be used as the specs would not work with my oven. The installers built a new oven cabinet from the KM pieces already available. So far, everything still looks like new. I also was nervous about the negative KM reviews online. I suspect quality problems when the economy was good and difficulty keeping up with production demands. Select the cabinet line that has the cabinet finish and door style you love within your budget. Also, see how well standard cabinet sizes fit for your space. Good luck with your decision.