Schuler vs Starmark cabinets

6 years ago

Anyone hear that Starmark cabinets have taking a bad turn? 1/4 inch back vs 3/4 inch? See Main line kitchen reviews 2020. I have a quote for Starmark and Schuler. Starmark is $8,000 usd more for kitchen . Is it worth it?

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Aglitter

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I don't know how to put those in order, really. None of them stand out as ultra-superior brands, but they also do seem to be in a more reasonable price category than what you would pay for a mid-grade to upper-grade cabinet, so if budget is a concern, then you are on the right track. What I'd recommend is reading reviews of each one from recent times and seeing how they stack up. There are a couple of places online where you can Google recent reviews, not just Houzz, but another website or two that are also collecting current complaints on various ones. Kraftmaid has a lot of design options, but I know that some people have complained about the tolerances and measurements being a little off sometimes which is something I myself have observed from my own local displays, viewing them in person. Schuler might be better in that respect, but again, there have been some recent finishing issues at their factory, though it's possible those could have been corrected. If you are looking for a "superior" cabinet, my suggestion again is to get a quote from the Harmoni cabinetry collection from a dealer in your area. If you are in the North or Northwestern United States, you may also have some outstanding custom shops that service your area, since that is where a lot of the woodworking community as far as cabinetry is concentrated.

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Comments (7)

Aglitter
6 years ago
1/4" Backs on cabinets isn't unusual for framed cabinetry. What they seem to be referring to in their review is inset styles of doors on the front frames and/or boxes that are constructed with 3/4" backs, but it's hard to tell the way it is listed. Starmark isn't the best cabinet you could get, but it's also not the worst. I would try to find more current reviews if you go that direction.

Is the price comparison apples to apples? Are you talking about the same wood, door style, interior accessories, layout, etc.? Schuler is a lovely brand, and you can sometimes get discounts if you wait for sales at Lowe's. However, they aren't a problem-free company and were having some issues with their finishes around a year ago according to reviewers. Warranty service has been a problem for some customers with Schuler, so I'd be very sure that you have a strong support system in place from whomever you ordered Schuler in order to get any damaged or incorrect pieces corrected under warranty. Have you priced the Harmoni cabinetry line? If you'd be willing to go with frameless cabinetry, some dealers offer decent pricing on this brand that has exceptional quality and warranty service. Shiloh is another one that gets moderately good reviews and has good pricing.
Mar H
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi, very helpful . Thank you. It’s apples to apples and the Schuler are from Lowe’s (30% discount) . Kraftmaid is another consideration. Of the 4 below, which is best quality? willing to pay for better quality - what I don’t want to do is pay more for an inferior cabinet .
1. Starmark
2. Schuler
3. Kraftmaid.
4. Thomasville
Thank you!
M.
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AboutToGetDusty
6 years ago
We loved our Schuler cabinets in our former home. We waited for one of the Lowe's sales, which brough the total price of cabinetry from 25K to 12K! (Back in 2012). Great styling and quality for a big box store line. The finish was the best of the Big Box finishes.
AboutToGetDusty
6 years ago

AboutToGetDusty · More Info

We had our contractor add molding (replicated to match the rest of the 1940s home molding) to the top of the Schuler cabs and then spray to match.
User
6 years ago
Get out of the box store. Find a Medallion or Yorktowne dealer. They are the same thing, but not dumbed down for box stores. You’ll get better service and design.
Aglitter
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Someone just liked a comment of mine above, 4 months after I wrote it, and I realized I misspoke about the concentration of what seems to be the most quality custom cabinet builders for people local to those areas, and it would be the north and northeastern regions of the USA (not the northwestern as much, it seems to me), as this is where a lot of the timber and milling industry is based as well. Pennsylvania is notable. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota have impressive numbers, too.