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carriebor

Extra - Deep Pantry Cabinet

Carrie B
9 years ago

It looks like I may have an extra deep (30"D) pantry cabinet to utilize a "cubby" in my kitchen space. My KD is recommending pull outs over drawers for the lower part of the pantry, saying that at that depth, pullouts will make it easier to access the stuff in the way back. I'm not sure that I understand why pullouts (same as a rollout?) would be easier than a drawer, assuming the draw is full extension. Thoughts?

Comments (17)

  • avntgardnr
    9 years ago

    What are you storing in there? My pantry has pull outs (roll outs) for the bottom 4 shelves - my bottom pantry, about 6 ft high cabinets.

    I can see everything that's in there easily, fronts of cans, so I know which soup is which, which spice is which, easily at a glance. I wouldn't have it any other way.

    I have pull outs in some of my regular cabinets as well, where I store my mixing bowls, colanders, the kids "school supply station"...I have drawers elsewhere (under my stove). It's a different look too...pantry doors vs. drawer fronts? So visually on the outside, what do you like,

    We have an even pairing of drawers vs cabinets so the kitchen looks balanced.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    You know, I haven't figured out the exact what/where, but I'm thinking: breakfast cereal, pasta, cooking oils, snack food...

    I hadn't really thought of the different look, either. This is all so new to me. I'm glad you like the pullouts!


  • funkycamper
    9 years ago

    I love drawers for most things but I can see canned goods being better on a pull-out. Most jars and boxes have identifying info on the tops of them so drawers might be better for them. I agree that it probably depends on what you're storing and what you prefer the looks of and function of. For me, I like the horizontal lines of drawers and would rather do one movement, that of opening a drawer, than two movements, opening the door and then pulling out the pull-out. So I would probably choose drawers and then put canned goods up on higher shelves. YMMV.

  • Brenda Gravelle
    9 years ago

    I have 2 pantries currently. One in a 24-inch pantry cabinet and the other in a small closet (39 inches wide by 31 inches deep). Neither has rollouts. Just last week I cleaned out the smaller pantry and threw out probably 1/3 of the food because it was expired. When we reno the kitchen, the small cabinet will be gone because part of that wall will be coming down. The pantry closet will be outfitted with a wider door to accommodate 2 side-by-side sets of full-extension rollouts (ROTS) The rollouts are the best way I've come up with to maximize the storage in my remaining pantry. IMO, drawers would be harder to find specific canned goods because of the higher sides.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, Funkycamper & flowrs_n_c. I think I'm going out to look at the KD's cabinet showroom next week, so I'll get a chance to look at the pullouts & get a visual. Guess I should really look at all my stuff that will be stored there (I know, several have suggested that I do that for all my stuff long ago...) before I go.

    The KD is also suggesting (I know, I should probably start a new topic, but...) that I go with the companies inserts for some of the drawers. They're quite expensive, and I think that I can probably get IKEA/other brands that would pretty much do the same job for lots less $. The KD says that I could, but the others won't fit as perfectly. Also open to your thoughts on that.


  • catbuilder
    9 years ago

    The drawers don't have to have high sides. In other words, the sides of the drawers don't have to match the height of the opening. The drawer front is made to fit the opening, but the drawer sides themselves can be shallow so you can easily see everything from the side.

  • soonermagicmama
    9 years ago


    Here's the pantry we're doing in our current remodel Haven't lived in it yet. these are more like drawers. had more shallow pullouts in last pantry and cans were easy to store here I'm thinking cans will go on a shelf w can organizers I only use canned beans and tomatoes

  • cluelessincolorado
    9 years ago

    How wide will it be?

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Clueless - 21"


  • User
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    One thing to watch for is that a 30" deep cabinet may end up using the standard 21" deep drawer runners unless you specify the deeper 27" ones. Those are NOT cheap when they are weight rated for heavy stuff. And they take up more room when fully extended. So think about your aisle spacing in front as well.

    I personally prefer pullouts in a pantry rather than drawers. With the right hardware, they're adjustable, which drawers are not. Most pantry cabinets are already the most expensive single cabinet that you will every buy, and loading it up with expensive choices makes it even more so. I've done stacked pantries with glass on top and all kinds of swing outs and pull outs inside that topped 5K in price. Even a plain jane "standard" pantry with shelves instead of pullouts will easily be close to 2K in a mid grade line. You can look at pulling forward a standard 24" deep pantry with blocking at the rear to save on costs.

    This is why drywall pantries are popular if at all possible. Lumber and drywall is a heck of a lot cheaper!


  • szruns
    9 years ago

    I have one 24" wide cabinet run that is 30" deep (front to back) and the 30" deep drawers (stack of three, so two deeper and one standard top 5" deep) are AWESOME. They hold SO MUCH stuff! One of those drawers has ALL of our sports bottles and travel mugs and had so much room that I tossed a couple plastic pitchers in the back of the drawer! Ours were made by a local custom shop, so I can imagine that if they can't get you full depth drawers in some non-custom line, well, that'd be a waste. But, FWIW, I love, love, love the super deep drawers. The lower of the two drawers holds tons and tons of tupperware. I wouldn't hesitate to get drawers.


    I have one (large) cabinet with (two) ROTs, and they are great. I use them to store tons of serving ware (cabinet is in the dining room), and it is nice to be able to see everything at once. I'd say that is the advantage of ROTs for a pantry cabinet, in that you can quickly see pretty much everything instead of having to open drawer after drawer to find that cornmeal you are searching for. This is especially important if you share your home with others who might not 1) know where you keep stuff or 2) put stuff where it belongs. :) So, I'd make my final decision after considering what you will store in there. If it's for food stuff, ROTs might be more useful.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you so much, everyone! It sounds like I can't lose, either way.


  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    Once you complete the 'fill in the cabinets' homework, one or the other may bubble to the surface for your needs. Someone already mentioned it; I think you have to specify the deeper rollouts. I put drawers under my food pantry.



  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    " The KD says that I could, but the others won't fit as perfectly"


    and she wouldn't get her cut of those innards either! Go with what is best for YOU and what you can afford. Some innards you can add cheaper later when the shock of the cost of the reno wears off your bank acct.


    good to hear someone w/ drawers that are so deep and long work out good in the kitchen. can you use a bottom deep drawer (pantry space) for your cat food cans? extra stored in the far back?

    I do think a rot or 2 up higher for canned goods/bottled items would be better than a drawer. figure out about how many types of canned goods you use and how many of each you like to have on hand. I found I don't use as many canned goods as I did yrs ago. And even if I keep a 6 mo. supply on hand (it's just me here) in many cases that might only mean 6-8 cans of the 'type'. If you get a basic idea of the types and # needed you can probably figure out how many rots you'd need. Wouldn't use 1 whole rot for say canned soup, would you? But you could put like items on the same rot. veggies, misc (beans, tomato types) etc.

    Might want a bit deeper sided rot for bottles depending on what size you usually buy in. largest size? medium? small size? lots in bottles - mayo, pickles, salad dressings, vinegar etc.

    you might do them in rows on the rot - soups in left row, beans in center left row, tomato stuff in center right row, veggies in right row...

    these days I only keep 2 types of soup on hand. crm mushroom for cooking and chicken noodle in case I get sick and need it. 3-4 in a yr would be enough for me (alone).

    maybe you could use a sort of deep drawer in the pantry area (above cat food?) for snack stuff - chips, pretzels, popcorn...

    just stuff to help jog your thinking as you go forward. I understand it all being overwhelming. It doesn't take much to do that to me these days. I got overwhelmed with moving and dropped the idea of changes in the kitchen! well, until maybe this coming yr changing one lower cabinet into drawers... but that's not that major.

    When I moved I put all gadget things that I didn't use at least every week into a plastic bin on the pantry shelf. Took them out as I used them. If it then made sense to keep the thing I put it in a drawer or another bin. As the yr went on everything still in the 1st bin got tossed or if something used once a yr into a plastic bin to live in the laundry room. the other bin in the pantry now holds things I do need occasionally (I only have 6 drawers in the kitchen).


  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Desertsteph - Of course, I will try to do what's best for me. It's not always easy to figure out exactly what that is. On the one hand, yes, of course, the KD has a vested interest in getting her commission - it's her lively hood. But we also hire pros because (for the most part) we trust them, and they know more than we do about the their field.

    I garden for a living. I generally recommend mulch to my clients. Do I make money off of the mulch sale? Absolutely. But I also believe that my clients' will be much happier with a mulched garden.

    Tomorrow, maybe I'll work on actually trying to sort out the what goes where issues!


  • User
    9 years ago

    For a pantry, I recommend a deep floor mounted ROT for the bottom, and just buy separate non-factory installed ones to be installed at installation time to fit the contents that the HO specifically stores. If you cannot DIY a ROT yourself, then absolutely get the ones that your cabinet company offers. You will save zero on costs if you have to pay install labor. In fact, you will pay more than factory installed.