MDF should not be equated with inferior quality. It's stable, extremely paint friendly. You're being told the style you want best suits this material for those reasons.

Do not confuse MDF with particle board. : )

I have a client w/ MDF slab door kitchen/ maple boxes - painted S.W "peppercorn" in 2014. There is not a single chip on those crisp edges.

Much has to do with the quality of paint process and your SOURCE for the cabinetry.

You're better off with a single piece MDF door for that style. A 3/4" wide frame has pretty minimal strength.

Such a style can't be considered to be Shaker, IMO. The Shakers were all about honesty and simplicity in construction; those molded one-piece doors with impractical imitations of structural elements are purely decorative and inconsistent with their ethic. It's not something they would have done.

I agree MDF a much better choice for painted cabinets and with that tiny size just go a nice slab door .

3/4" is VERY narrow and disproportionate, which is probably why you're having trouble finding it. Either use a flat slab or go with the options offered by the cabinet company or manufacturer.

I always thought MDF was cheap crap. I'd never purchase MDF furniture. Yet, I have learned through 2 kitchen renovations that MDF is a different story in cabinetry because of the application. A kitchen has a lot of flux in temperature and moisture levels and MDF expands and contracts more easily and is more stable in this situation than many solid hardwoods. It is truly a preferred material and better for cabinets.

I'm with you that chunky frames look kind of cheap. But be aware that what you are looking for is more of a custom door and you will pay the price. If the frame is skinnier are there different considerations that need to be taken into account to make it structurally sound? I don't know but I do know that what appears to be an aesthetic choice may also impact construction and you will want a company that knows how to do custom work for your needs.

Thank you BeverlyFLADeziner and Jan Moyer for the reassurances about the suitability of MDF for the job.

It makes sense given the other comments that, structurally, MDF is more sound for the style. There are a ton of 3/4” options out there in MDF but none with wood and now that makes sense.