I agree with you. We had a medium-high end reno, but I balked at paying hundreds for hardware. We ordered ours in bulk from Overstock. Still looks perfect.

As long as the hardware has a good, heavy feel, I don't feel like it's necessary to spend a fortune. I would definitely order samples, though, before ordering everything. I was surprised at the cheap feel of some hardware samples I received, and also the poor quality of some very expensive stuff. A sample of one pull had a finish that looked too shiny and plastic-y. I like to see things in person before committing. I ended up with some mid-priced pulls from Top-knobs.

We used cheap bin pulls and glass knobs from Kennedy Hardware - I think they look great. They were in the kitchen when we bought the house and found more to match, so I think they hold up okay. I'm not convinced this is a pay for quality sort of item, having never really noticed hardware wear out in any house I've been in. Worth asking though as it would really be a problem to replace (hence my love of knobs which are easily replaceable!).

We're also in the process of doing a full house reno (but I only have 3 bathrooms to do ;) )

I ordered franklin brass knobs and pulls from amazon. 10 knobs were $25.50 and 10 pulls were $29.75.

i figure that in ten years when I want to do a 'refresh', one of the first things we'll change out is cabinet and door hardware, so I can't justify spending big $$$ on them

My condo kitchen was a custom cherry wood kitchen with what at the time was a higher priced granite with better grade appliances. I found my knobs and pulls at Lowes for under $3 each. I get so many compliments on them and no one is the wiser.

I had more expensive Anne At Home handles on my bathroom vanities. Before I put the condo on the market, I changed them out for some Lowe's simple pulls. Again the buyer wasn't the wiser and actually she commented on the kitchen pulls and how much she likes them.

BTW: My condo is in a higher end building.

I bought both hickory hardware and Richelieu knows for our whole house remodel. Both were on sale for under 1.50 each. People comment on how heave and beautiful they are . No rough edges and solid. There are cheap feeling pulls but that is why ro get samples before committing. I also changed my hardware choice after the cabinets were installed. What looks good in hand does not always look good once you see it either the cabinets.

I just used Amerock for the hinges and pulls for our cabinet overhaul.

Very good prices, excellent quality, and fast shipping.

I'm a dissenter. Your pulls are the "jewelry" for your kitchen. Cheap jewelry can make a high end designer dress look like nothing: so an cheap pulls. Go with solid brass and get quality. You're only talking 400-500 for a typical kitchen for which you've paid thousands.

It depends upon how much you care about feel, I think. We purchased pulls that cost about $5.50 each from a discount place. But we needed slightly larger pulls for the pantry cabinet that were not available in our chosen line, so we purchased two of a different, but visually compatible, style that cost $18 each (discount). While the regular pulls are smooth, comfortable and nice looking, you can feel the extra heft and quality of the pantry pulls, even when just opening the doors. It is similar to comparing shower doors; they can both look nice, but when you open them, you can feel and see the difference in the quality by the weight/thickness and more refined finish of the higher quality product.

As stated above, there is hardware lines (not even necessarily the least expensive) that cut costs by dipping, or even hollowing out the backs of the pulls. Some can be very rough in finish and uncomfortable on your fingers when opening cabinets.

Another heads up: When comparing prices online, be sure to compare using the part number, not the name. Our pulls were sold under at least three different style names by various online retailers! The part number and brand name was the same at all of the sites, but not all companies use the style/line name used on the hardware manufacturer's site.

I would spend a little more in the Kitchen, and then turn to Lowes, Overstock, etc. for bathrooms and laundry.

We are considering pulls from Berenson

http://www.berensonhardware.com

If you are working with a designer/contractor - they order free samples for you. I've been trying out several of their pulls and they are excellent quality. Very heavy and feel great in your hand.

We're also considering Berenson. The pricing through our contractor is much lower than others we were considering (less than half the price of Hickory Greenwich and Emtek -- surprisingly, Greenwich pulls were the most expensive). They all have the same heft, which is important to me. Some of the other samples/brands I tried felt so light and flimsy.

Thanks, this is great feedback. I'm going to try and count up what we need today and price out a couple of options. I was able to pick up a sample of the inexpensive Amerock Allison line at our local hardware store and it's really nice, but I'd like to see what it would cost to upgrade to brass too. I like the advice of higher end in the kitchen and lower end in the bathrooms.

cpartist - I respectively disagree. We have the builders grade cheapo pulls in our kitchen, and I can tell you - they "feel" light and cheap. We installed several Berenson pulls to see what ones we like best, and you can really tell the difference. They just "feel" heavy when you touch them. Hard to explain without actually testing it out.

Knobs may be a different story (we aren't doing any knobs).

Like others have mentioned, get samples before you committed. There are some that are uncomfortable to hold/grab, make sure it feels right when you try it. I ended up ordering Schaub and Company knobs from Build dot com and Amerock Highland Ridge pulls from HD. Good luck!

When the door handle or knob is on the cabinet you'd be hard pressed to be able to tell the difference in the weight.

It would seem logical to think so, but I have found that there is a big difference. We put one of the expensive handles on one pantry door, and a less expensive brand on the other, just to see if we could get away with a less expensive style that didn't quite "go" with the others.

When comparing, the additional handle weight does noticeably change the feel of opening the cabinet door. Granted, some customers may prefer the feel of opening the doors with the lighter weight handles.

We're going with the Amerock Blackrock collection in matte black. Very substantial feel. http://www.myknobs.com/amerock-blackrock.html

Are you happy with them after all this time? I’m concerned about the edges on the pulls vs a round bar pull. But I like a wider pull and most of the round ones are too thin.

Buy 1 sample before buying the rest. Do a scratch test on back to check the durability of finish. See what it looks like on the cabinets. Then order the rest. I know several clients who purchased their hardware in bulk & did not like them. Hardware is heavy. The cost to for return shipping was costly. So, they ended up being donated or in a yard sale.

Thanks. That’s what I have been doing. Buying one on amazon prime and then returning.

I’m working with a designer who is recommending Emtek over the over brands I first looked at (Top Knobs Pennington and Liberty Stratford). The Liberty felt great but is hollow and my contractor told me not to get it. The Pennington has a nice feel but I’m concerned about the crevices getting dirty on the ends. Weird design but feels good.

I’m now considering Emtek Trail pulls. I have one and will do a scratch test. I didn’t think about doing that. Thanks!

In my last kitchen, I did actually buy one each of the pricey ones and cheap ones to see in person how they looked and felt. Honestly, I could not determine a difference. I went with the cheaper ones, and was totally pleased with them. I think we were in the house for a good 8 or 10 years after replacing the hardware so they did wear fine.

I get a lot of hardware here. Good quality.

https://www.hardwareresources.com/decorative/knobs-and-pulls.html

I have gone both ways and from my experience, the question is how long are you going to live there and how much use does your kitchen get? My kitchen is a heavy use kitchen. The big box store did have attractive hardware that “felt” good. The difference was that about 4 years later, all the screws were stripped from use and the knobs constantly had to be tightened which was really annoying and as the screws continued to wear, they left a metal residue on the cabinets. Next kitchen, I went with better, “brand-name” hardware and haven’t had any of the same issues.

Thanks! That’s very helpful. We use our kitchen a lot as well. We cook every meal at home and my kids are learning to cook as well. My daughter actually bakes every weekend. So yes, I’m learning we need the higher quality pulls. Thanks for the advice.

I opted for expensive knobs and pulls because there weren't any other designs which I liked as much. They continue to be a source of aesthetic pleasure a year after I moved back in after the remodel :-). As @Anglophilia posted, they are a jewel on my doors :-).

I would imagine that if you are sourcing the ubiquitous styles that occur at every price point, there isn't a direct correlation with price although I would still order samples of those you are considering to get a true sense of how they look and feel in person.

Which knobs and pulls did you get?

If you're in need of good quality cabinet (and/or door) hardware, be sure to check out the options on our website! Even better, if you need help with the specifics, we have live Project Experts to assist. All you need to do is call us at 800-375-3403, or go to our website and chat with us! https://bit.ly/32F5gy2

I think some of it depends on what you find that go with your other kitchen choices. For us, we couldn't find anything inexpensive that corresponded with our other choices, so paying more was the only option I'd consider, but the sticker shock did a number on me for a day or two!

The old kitchen had cheap looking hardware which I'd purchased from Lowe's (20 years ago my tastes were different, and my pocket book was as well), but I've seen some incredibly attractive, not cheap looking hardware at Lowe's lately (just didn't suit our kitchen). So, yes, I thin it depends. Sometimes you can find something you love for less, and sometimes you can't.

@zookeeper - Not sure who you are asking about hardware.

I got my knobs and pulls from Notting HIll Hardware which is a small business in the US with completely unique styles.

My kitchen has their Praire Tulip pattern in antique copper to complement my Frank Lloyd Wright inspired cabinet doors

My master bath uses their Delaney Rose in a cream enamel background

My guest bath uses their River Irises pattern in Antique Copper which is vaguely Art Nouveau in design.

The hardware was a definite splurge but luckily I had the budget to indulge myself because I didn't see any other stuff that came close to expressing my style :-).

I also had sticker shock for a day but somehow the whole process of remodeling becomes to inure one to sticker shock after awhile. :-).

Notting HIll Hardware

I ordered from Top Knob. I say not the most expensive but not the cheapest. I like the heavy feel.

Thank you, Helen and Jani!

Loved having a little browse through the Notting Hill Hardware site. So many lovely items! Sadly (way) beyond my budget but fun to have a peek! Even a few pieces would be nice on some restored furniture.

I also like top knob, they carry several hues and feel very sturdy opening and closing. I got them through a local contractors supply warehouse- it was so helpful to work with a salesperson to confirm the exact numbe and length of each handle. I like how my salesperson said, listen you are opening and closing the cabinets everyday- you want it to look great but work great too, and you don’t want the finish to be rubbing off prematurely. I am so thankful now I didn’t just grab amerock at HD- having the longer length pulls for taller cabs is really important for the scale. It was worth the extra $, I think my salesperson said top knob ws one of the best values for style and performance.

I think one needs to think about the finish and not just the "feel". Amerock might be hefty but what about the finish as this is now 2022 and quality of things is going down so one needs to be more careful than ever.