130K kitchen territory? Crystal, Omega, Plain and Fancy, Mauser, Rutt, Smallbone, Poggenpohl , Snaderio, Bulthaup.... It depends on what you’re looking for. Inset or frameless.

Wood-mode/Brookhaven has closed its doors sadly, so I would check with that cabinet shop on which company they are now using. That is a high-priced tier of cabinets; is that the price point you want to look at? Then I would suggest Plain & Fancy. If you want lower-cost options there are some, but they wouldn't be the "best" that you said in your OP subject title, just very good.

Thank you for the responses.

Honestly, I'm not sure on if I want/need "the best" or just "very good." Because it is an office, I am not as obsessed with having the perfect drawer for pots. What will likely differentiate one cabinet line from another for me will be which offers the best office features (like file drawer etc.) and which allows me the best customization to get the most out of the space, in the style I want. (Which, btw, is likely full overlay frameless. I prefer inset, but want to maximize ease of storage in this room.)

Because I know myself and I know I will find myself focusing on the aesthetics of what the lines offer, I felt it was best to just focus my searching on the best brands, to thus only being choosing from great options from the start.

I had NO IDEA Wood-Mode had closed down, thank you for that info! Looking at the dealer's site, they still have it listed, but most of my local cabinet companies don't keep very updated sites, so that doesn't surprise me. The only other brands they list are Urban Effects and MidContinent. But I know they really focused almost exclusively on WoodMode, so I don't know how much they really sell of the other two.

I have seen Plain and Fancy rec'd here quite a bit, but there are no distributors in my area.

The other shop near me recommended sells Diamond, Decora, Aristokraft, Kitchencraft and Contractor's Choice. The third rec'd shop sells Kitchen Kompact, Norcraft, Schrock, Kountry Wood, Tru, and Omega. But most people around me used the WoodMode store, so I don't know much about the other stores, beyond some good feedback from the contractor/plumber.

From GreenDesigns list, only Omega seems to make the cut on good. I will check out the other brands to see if they are sold somewhere around me.

Go to the websites of cabinet lines you are considering and see what kind of office functionality is offered.

I just finished a remodel with a wall for a built in for my office. I had it done by a local cabinet maker who did the rest of my cabinets and I really like the ability to completely customize for my needs. One of the best is that my printer is in a lower cabinet that rolls out. I also have task lighting above the desk and counter areas as well as a plugs mounted above the desk and countercso I don’t have to crawl below to connect. The printer cabinet also has its own internal plug.

I don't keep many paper files anymore since I file digitally so I only have one relatively small cabinet for paper files.

Anything at that level can customize office anything. Even standard middle of the road cabinets do office.

Did you have a bad experience with the custom cabinets? With a custom cabinetmaker, you have the best chance of maximizing of space.

Thank you for posting this question.

I too feel it is mind boggling trying to figure out ranking of cabinet brands.

I wonder if there is a trustworthy site provides this information along with criteria the evaluations are based on that separate cabinet brands in Best, Good, Poor categories.

"With a custom cabinetmaker, you have the best chance of maximizing of space."

This is simply not true. A good-quality, semi-custom, factory-made cabinet can be customized to any space. The type of cabinetry, semi-custom or custom, is no matter. The person designing the cabinetry is the one that can best maximize space.

My advice is always to look at a number of factors...years in business, warranty, finish and construction. And then find a designer that will work with you to give you the custom look you want.

Are you anywhere near an Amish/Mennonite community? If so, I'd check them out. All my cabinetry was done by them and the quality is up there with Plain and Fancy, Crystal, etc.

I can't believe that a semi-custom can offer as many options as a true custom that is completely designed for the space and for the needs of the individual end user.

Also - at least for remodel - the cost of the "customization" I wanted for all of my cabinets would have been more expensive than just having it made completely custom from scratch by a local cabinetmaker.

However, in terms of longevity - i.e. "quality" of cabinets, I don't think one needs to be as concerned as one might with a kitchen cabinet because office or den cabinets simply aren't subject to the same kind of wear and tear as cabinets in a kitchen are.

Because others here will click on this thread looking for advice on kitchens, and because we are going with the same cabinetry in our laundry room and for our custom built-in in the TV room... No, I also cannot believe semi-custom offers the advantages of custom. We looked at higher-end semi-custom (so discouraging I didn't keep track of the brands/manufacturers) and they did not offer the customization, they were not as well-built as those we found through custom cabinet makers. Also, as Helen (above) states, we also found to get even close to what our custom cabinet maker offered, we'd have paid twice as much. I'd have checked out the local Amish as cpartist mentions but they''ve moved out of our area years ago. It's worth the time to see if you can find custom cabinet makers whose work and options you like, IMO. Additionally, 2 of the semi-customs we looked at used subcontractors for installation. No thank you. I want the people who build mine to install them. The install (still ongoing due to one of our cabinet makers breaking 5 ribs) was/is amazing... everything was checked for level multiple times, every piece of cabinetry handled with the utmost care. They even insisted the glass people install the glass on site, in their presence. It's worth the time to see if you can find custom cabinet makers whose work and options you like, IMO.

Kristen, I don't think anyone's making assumptions, people are offering choices via their opinions and experiences and saying to check out all options - not just semi-custom. If I'd had a great experience with Home Depot I'd be singing their praises via my personal experience. Regarding the differences we found, deeper drawers of the size I wanted were not available, or if deeper drawers were, not in the depths we could use (i.e. they'd offer 30" deep but not 27" deep). I didn't want deeper base cabinets without the drawers also taking advantage of that space. And no line we saw offered custom drawer heights down the the 1/4".

I've worked with Seville (dealer), Jay Rambo (dealer), Starmark, Woodmode (out of business) and Omega cabinetry. They can all customize to a 1/4" of an inch (or did when I worked with them). I haven't worked with Plain and Fancy, but I've toured their factory and spoken to their rep and I believe they can also customize to 1/4" of an inch. Some less expensive semi-custom lines are more limited. I have worked with Homecrest and Shiloh and I'm not sure if they offer that level of customization. I've also worked with J and K and they do not offer any customization. I'm currently working with DuraSupreme on a kitchen that includes many custom modifications. I've worked with nine local custom cabinet manufacturers over the last fifteen years. Some do very quality work but many have been in business for less than ten years so it's difficult to speak to the longevity of the product. One custom line lasted about a month before the finish started to wear. Another custom manufacturer has a finish that lasts about seven years...I know because I've been called to replace many of these kitchens over the years.

Again, to the OP, look at all of the factors when deciding on a cabinet line and weigh what is most important to you...price, durability, customization, warranty, etc. And also look at the person who will be designing the space for you. If two lines are equal in value to you, you may want to make your selection based on the quality of the designer.

Its the rare kitchen that needs more than a single size customization in width. Depth is another matter. Even many pretty cheap cabinet lines offer depth customization. People simply do not need the level of customization that they think they do. Otherwise, IKEA would be out of business entirely. They don’t even offer the amount of sizes that most decent stock cabinet lines offer.

Go to the websites of cabinet lines you are considering and see what kind of office functionality is offered.

I actually find that most cabinet lines do not provide very extensive info on their sites. Which is why I want to find a good line that is sold at a distributor near me. So someone can go through all the options.

Anything at that level can customize office anything.

Thank you for the help. From your list, only two are in my area - Mauser and Omega.

Did you have a bad experience with the custom cabinets? With a custom cabinetmaker, you have the best chance of maximizing of space.

I actually have had a bad experience. The first custom cabinet company I used (in business for over 30 years) declared bankruptcy, taking my deposit with them. Which could happen with any company, I know. But honestly, it was a struggle to even find that company an hour away from me. I could not find a SINGLE person, in real life or on Nextdoor, who could recommend a custom cabinet maker they really liked. The architect and contractor - both of whom exclusively do very high end homes - said they just have never found one who had a good track record on the finish. The cabinets themselves are beautifully constructed, but the finish is just not factory-level. Which is fine and I still used custom cabinetry elsewhere, and it looked gorgeous. The finish is definitely taking a beating right from the start, but again, fine. But the office actually gets heavy use, banging drawers, chair hitting cabinets, etc. And while I will try to maximize storage, I actually don't need to eek out every inch of it like I did in other rooms. So for this room, my priority is a factory applied finish.

I wonder if there is a trustworthy site provides this information along with criteria the evaluations are based on that separate cabinet brands in Best, Good, Poor categories.

Honestly, this would be wonderful. I have found Starcraft Builder's website so helpful when it comes to faucets, but there is nothing even remotely similar for cabinets, which is a MUCH costlier purchase. When people say mid-level versus best, I really have no idea what the criteria is separating the two, to know if it matters.

Are you anywhere near an Amish/Mennonite community?

Nope.

I don't think one needs to be as concerned as one might with a kitchen cabinet because office or den cabinets simply aren't subject to the same kind of wear and tear as cabinets in a kitchen are.

Maybe it's because I'm not a big cook, but the office gets WAY more use than the kitchen. Hours and hours more per day. So yeah - defs more wear and tear, at least for me.

Its the rare kitchen that needs more than a single size customization in width. People simply do not need the level of customization that they think they do. Otherwise, IKEA would be out of business entirely.

So this hasn't proven true for me. Maybe it's because I'm in an 1860s home, and am working around big windows and lots of molding etc. But in order to get good storage into various rooms, I usually need a LOT of customization. But as it happens, the office room has a long straight wall, with only one window on it. Custom cabinets would probably allow me to eek out a better cabinet on the small side of the window, but again - I don't actually need to eek out all the possible storage in this room, because there's actually plenty of space for what is going in there. So the finish is what is primarily drawing me towards a factory cabinet line.

Oh, and no Ikea near me, either.

I appreciate all the help, and if people could keep the suggestions coming on good cabinet lines, it helps a lot!

I have Shiloh cabinets in my kitchen. They are "semi-custom". The only thing that cannot be change is cabinet height. Uppers can be had in 11 different heights but they are by inch, not 1/4 inch. Widths can be any width. There are no "filler strips" in my kitchen - they were all made to the width I needed.

My KD (who has been in business many, many years) said that semi-custom has changed everything. In the past, it was "stock sizes" or custom. Those were one's choices and with "stock", there were a lot of fillers strips used. Semi-custom changed all that. Very few people have a kitchen that needs fully custom cabinets.

Also have Shiloh cabinets (inset); they exceeded my expectations in both quality and value.

Have anyone used Woodharbor? Years ago a local kitchen designer highly recommended the product line for its wide range sizes that are easy to fit any design. Unfortunately the designer has left the area.

I am interested in knowing the product line's material quality, workmanship and customer support, as well as what other product lines are similar/comparable to this product line.

You may want to check out Crown Point. I was very happy with their work in my kitchen.