This is a great topic on which there has been much written here. My Google search below yielded pages of results for you to peruse. Enjoy.

Drawers. Much more functional.

We have a mix, but I put drawers everywhere I could, for the reasons you mentioned. I'd suggest mapping out what you want to store where (ie. silverware and dishes near dishwasher, knives in the prep area, spices near the range, less frequently used items in more inconvenient places, etc) and then decide what type of storage would be best for each group of items. I think you'll find yourself wanting drawers more often than not, and will find them especially helpful as you age (less bending over).

Drawers. All drawers for us,

I went all drawers in my new kitchen. I have one small cabinet for the cookie sheets and those types of pans. It's got slots for them and it has my fire extinguisher in it. I can't be crawling around on the floor to get into the back of a cabinet. I can easily get to everything in the drawers while sitting in my wheelchair. Some of my biggest stock pots don't fit but I have a metal shelving unit for those.

Drawers are the best thing that's happened to kitchens since the invention of the dishwasher! The only excuse for lower cabinets is some specialty use like a lift for a mixer, or cookie sheet storage, or something like that.

Drawers (and I have a drawer dishwasher!).

I have doors on a triangle shaped cabinet because, well, it's a triangle, and in front of my sinks. Unless you have special items that can't go in drawers or special cabinets that can't have drawers, I think it's worth the splurge.

Drawers, drawers, drawers! They're why I remodeled my kitchen! I can now just ope a drawer and find EVERYTHING and get to it easily. Before, it involved getting down on my hands and knees with a flashlight to root out what was in the back when I needed it. At age 73, that was a BIG problem! I do have three regular cabinets; a double under the sink, one next to the stove with a drawer in it for pot lids and pot holders, and underneath, dividers for trays, and one that has no drawer or shelf at this time as it's a cubby for my dog. Other than that, ALL drawers!

I have all drawers except for farmhouse sink and a 15" base cab, thought (in error) I might need a base cab. I regret not making them drawers. I even have bottles if wine in a drawer base cabinet.

Only reason to not do drawers is to save money, or if you like wearing kneepads and a headlamp - to see what is in base cabs.

Why did it take so long for drawers to become popular?

Base cabs with doors can be useful in certain instances, for example allowing multiple cooks to move around in very narrow kitchens. My mother wanted to put a shelving unit on a wall at the end of her kitchen, a drawer on the adjacent cabinet run would not be able to open fully so there is a door. Opening an 8" door to get a sheet pan or cutting board might be less cumbersome for some people than a pullout. Also, shallow spaces might be better accessed with a door. My friend has 12" deep base cabinets on the back side of her island, I think drawers would have been a waste there.

Generally I like drawers though :-)

I will have mostly drawers, the only things I will have door are: trash cabinet; spice pull out rack; cookie sheets and cutting boards cabinet, corner cabinet (because line of cabinets did not offer option to have corner drawers) and alcohol/liquor cabinet. I thought about doing the last one drawer, but at the end decided for door with pull out tray because I think it makes more sense to look for an specific bottle this way.

All the rest: drawers - cannot wait!

I think drawers took a while to become fashionable because before modern hardware, drawers pretty much sucked. You got tired of waxing your wooden drawer rails, or not having them come all the way out. Or coming all the way out and crushing your feet.

And they cost more.

I have one base cabinet for extra large items like my mixer. I didn't want to have to pull it down from an upper cabinet because it's so heavy.

Drawers. Did I say drawers. Yes, I did. Drawers.

As many drawers as possible. It's becoming the standard for a reason; more usable space. I have almost all drawers with the exception of my shallow pantry, the sink cabinets, a narrow cupboard for cutting boards on the prep island, and above my ovens where baking sheets and pans are stored vertically.

Inside the cutting board cabinet I had them install a shelf that is about 9" from the top, well above the cutting boards, for plastic wrap, aluminum foil, parchment paper, etc. I love that little shelf.

You mentioned a garbage cabinet; we love ours. It's on the prep island and is easily accessible from the clean-up sink, too. We added a Utrusta push opener from Ikea, and it's fantastic. Well worth the $139. The cabinet has a drawer above the bins. Our cabinet line (Woodland) did not put a barrier between the drawer and the open trash below, so we had the cabinet installers add one.

We have a Wolf induction cooktop and we were able to make the top drawer under the cooktop a functioning drawer. The cabinet installers needed to cut the drawer down 1/2" all the way around and cut a 2-3" square out of the back corner for electrical, but it doesn't hamper the function of the drawer in any way whatsoever. (I think the amount of useful space in the top drawer under induction may vary by brand.) We use the drawer for kitchen utensils. Our KD wasn't going to order the cabinet that way until we asked if it was possible. I love having this drawer. Very convenient placement for utensils! I'm so glad that we inquired about making it a functional drawer.

Drawers! I have all drawers except for the pantry cabinet and farm sink cabinet.

Wow so many really great responses :) Thank you! Would any of you mind sharing pics of your kitchens showcasing these amazing drawers? Would I rely on my kitchen designer to let me know which size drawers would work in which spaces? Also, where do you guys suggest storing a Kitchen Aid mixer and small appliances like food processor etc.? Did any of you just forego upper cabs and do you have enough storage with just the drawers at the base? Should I worry about the deep drawers bowing over time if i store dishes, pots and pans etc. in them? Bring on some pics for inspirarion :)

I put small appliances in upper cabs, works well as they are less deep = less wasted space & less pulling one thing out, just to get another.

Drawers!