What to look for

• Pay attention to hardware. You want the rollers to be smooth with no catches. You don't want to have to "pull" out a drawer; it should glide out easily. The best drawer guides will pull the drawer shut when you push the drawer within about 2 inches of its closed position. Likewise, cabinet doors should close automatically when they are within a couple inches of the cabinets.
• Check to see how wide you can open the cabinet door. Some hinges allow you to open the door all they way to 180 degrees, while some only go to 90 degrees. The wider you can open the door, the more convenient the cabinet will be.
• Door hinges should be adjustable. If the door is out of alignment, you should be able to make it right with a turn of a screwdriver.
• Shelving should be adjustable. Consider roll-out shelves for some of your lower cabinets—they can really save your back.
• Drawers should be strong, square and glide in and out of the cabinet effortlessly. The drawer box should be double doweled, rather than stapled and glued.
• Doors should also have bumpers at the bottom of the door frame so that constant closing of the door does not wear away the surface of the cabinet frame or shelving.
• Test the quality of the wood finish by rubbing your hand lightly up and down on the door panels. It should feel smooth and consistent.