The Biggest Downside To Affordable, Ready-To-Assemble Kitchen Cabinets

Whether you're designing your new home's kitchen or planning a kitchen remodel, ready-to-assemble (RTA) cabinets are a popular choice for a good reason. For starters, they bring down the cost to build kitchen cabinets. With prices typically ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 (as opposed to custom cabinets, which can set you back around $7,500 on average and upwards of over $12,000), RTA cabinets are a no-brainer for any homeowner looking to save a few bucks. Plus, they're quicker to receive and install and come in various styles and finishes to fit any kitchen look you have in mind. But for all their perks, RTA cabinets have one major drawback: they're usually lower in quality than custom cabinets and might not last as long.

While some brands offer decent options, many fall short in their choice of RTA cabinet material, hardware, and cabinet construction methods, which makes for cabinets that don't hold up well over time. While RTA options are a good way to find cheap kitchen cabinets, they may not be worth it in the long run. When it comes to durability, you might want to find an alternative that offers a better balance between cost and quality.

What you need to know before you buy RTA cabinets is that not all of them are created the same. While there are premium RTA cabinets made from higher-end materials like solid wood, most budget-friendly options are made with low-cost alternatives like MDF and particleboard, which last much shorter. That's because these materials can't withstand moisture all that well — and kitchens are bound to see some steam and spills while cooking. While your cabinets might look fine at first, you'll likely notice some swelling or warping of RTA cabinets over time.

Then, there's the hardware. The hinges, screws, and pulls that come with your RTA cabinet may also be of lower quality than those found in custom cabinets, so they might be more susceptible to wear and tear. As a result, you might be in for some unwanted surprises caused by loose hardware, like misaligned cabinet doors or drawers that need repairing sooner than you'd like. Plus, assembling RTA cabinets usually only requires a couple of simple screws, so you might end up with cabinets that are less sturdy than professionally installed ones.

If you like the affordability of RTA cabinets but don't want to compromise on the quality of your kitchen, you can always go for the sweet spot between RTA and custom cabinets: semi-custom cabinets. These cabinets are pre-built in standard sizes, but they're more durable and made from higher-quality materials than RTA cabinets. Plus, they offer a degree of personalization. While they're pricier than RTA cabinets, they're still a cost-effective alternative to custom versions, so you get the best of both worlds.