What are Some Advantages of Soft-Close Cabinet Hinges and Drawer Glides?

If you are thinking of getting new cabinets in your kitchen or bathroom, you may consider getting extra features that make them more functional. For example, you may opt for soft-close cabinet hinges for your cabinets and drawer glides for your drawers. Both items offer their share of advantages. 

This article will discuss soft-close cabinet hinges and drawer glides so you can decide if you want to add these features to your installation. 

What are Soft-Close Cabinet Hinges?

A soft-close hinge is a type of hinge with a hydraulic mechanism built into it. When you close the drawer, the hydraulics take over, so the door closes silently in a gliding motion. It reduces the noise of slamming cabinets. Soft-close cabinets can be self-closing, but this is not always the case. 

What are Drawer Glides?

Drawer glides are pieces of hardware that can be attached beneath or to the side of the drawer. They help the drawer easily slide open and close. All drawers have drawer glides which can be under-mount, side-mount, or center-mount. We’ll review the pros and cons of each. 

Benefits of Soft-Close Cabinet Hinges

Soft-close cabinet hinges provide the following benefits:

1. Prevents noisy cabinet slamming, which can be disruptive to the environment
2. Adds a sense of luxury to the kitchen area- this can add value to the home when it’s time to sell
3. Slamming doors can cause wear and tear on your cabinets. Soft-close hinges reduce wear and tear, prolonging your cabinet’s lifespan and reducing the need for repairs and replacements.
4. The soft-close feature keeps you and your family members from getting your fingers caught in cabinet drawers.
5. The fact that the door closes softly means contents are more likely to stay in place and not shift around and break.
6. Soft-close cabinet hinges may come with self-closing features, which are ideal for people that hate the look of open cabinets. 

Benefits of Different Types of Drawer Glides

This section will discuss the pros and cons of the different types of drawer glides. 

Side-Mount: A side-mount drawer glide is attached to the sides of the drawer. They are available in ball-bearing versions and epoxy/Euro versions, which have a nylon roller that rides on the track. The ball-bearing versions are ideal as they can handle high-weight capacities and offer options for full extension. They can also keep the drawer from staying open. The epoxy-coated version offers self-closing features and a detent that keeps the drawer open for easy access while you work. 

Under-mount: And under-mount drawer glide is located on either side of the bottom of the drawer. As such, it is completely concealed. It also often has a soft-close feature. On the downside, the under-mount lifts the drawer slightly, reducing drawer space. 

Center-Mount: Center-mounts are often found on older drawers. Like an under-mount, they are located beneath the drawer and, therefore, completely concealed. However, they differ from an under-mount in that they are located in the center of the bottom of the drawer rather than on both sides. Because they are older, they are rarely found with self-closing features, and they are typically available only in a ¾” extension. Their raised position means they take up drawer space. And because they only feature a single arm, it’s easy for them to get off track.