When purchasing any new product from a pair of shoes to a new car what are the biggest driving points that stear us one way or the other,  Durability, Quality, Style and Value. The same principles apply when we buy a new kitchen.

Think how long you expect to get out of a new kitchen what ever you think maybe add another 5 years onto it for it may take you this to finally do and turn a thought into an action. Think about how much use a kitchen gets and how much abuse a kitchen has to with stand. A Kitchen will be probally the biggest single purchase in your home. 

 Given its hardworking nature, any compromise on the quality of a new kitchen might mean inconvenience, frustration and also having to replace it far sooner than intended. So that said, ensuring a quality kitchen , and engineered from top grade materials is absolutely essential. At Contemporary Kitchens Cork all of our kitchens are manufactured and finished to an extremely high calibre, for a kitchen that you can continue to enjoy for many many years.

How to ensure you are choosing a quality kitchen?

The quality of kitchen products varies greatly between different suppliers but there are a number of considerations you can look for when assessing a kitchen’s standard:-

Quality kitchens: is it rigid or flatpack?

The very first thing to look for is whether a kitchen is a rigid or flatpack kitchen. We fully recommend rigidly manufactured kitchens every time as the quality of materials, construction, finish and delivery is simply incomparable! All of our kitchens are bespoke, rigidly manufactured kitchens which are cut, edged, drilled, glued and constructed by machine (also known as a CAD/CAM system). The major benefit of this is the individual kitchen components are guaranteed an exact fit, look better and last much longer. Machine manufcture also eliminates any likelihood of missing or incorrect parts.

Ensure quality kitchen materials for carcass and doors

All kitchens are subject to various spills, marks, splashes and temperatures so along with the material of the carcass and door, the quality of a kitchen finish must also be extremely high to protect against damage. At Contemporary Kitchens we have a selection of different kitchen finishes available yet even our lowest grade of finish offers resistance against high temperatures, as well against the ingress of moisture, water and bacteria. This is achieved through a water-resist bonding process based on a physical and chemical adhesive, which forms a protective barrier when it sets. Failure to achieve a high standard within your doors and furniture will leave them prone to damage, often beyond repair. Of course, as well as durability you also want a high quality look for your door, such as the high gloss lacquer kitchen’s impressive lustre and reflective shine. This appearance is the end result of a sophisticated, deep and even lacquering process. We can firmly state that our doors are made of a high grade material and finished to an exceptionally high standard, but finishes vary significantly between manufacturers so establishing the quality of different supplier’s product is absolutely vital.

Ensure quality of hinges, mechanisms and gas stays

Think about how often a kitchen door or drawer or is opened and closed on a daily basis and throughout its lifespan and you will appreciate the need for high quality kitchen hinges, gas stays and electromechanical opening systems; all must be able to withstand this repeated action whilst maintaining a fluid easy movement. Our kitchen door hinges have an excellent damping effect and long life expectancy, having been machine-tested over 80,000 cycles. They also have full operational reliability within a temperature range from 5 degrees up to 40 degrees. Similarly drawers and shelves must have a high load bearing capacity to support all of your pots, pans, plates etc. Our widest of pan drawers are fully extendable and can hold up to 70kg, whilst our larder units can bear a maximum of 120kg. Even the small metal shelf supports we provide have a high load bearing capacity, as well as a safety pin to ensure they remain in place. The upmost stability of the overall system ensures long life expectancy, even under high demands.

Check a kitchen’s quality for yourself

As stated the quality of products varies enormously between different suppliers so we recommend a showroom visit so you can see and test goods for yourself, whether filling a drawer with weights, running your fingers over different door finishes, or opening and closing drawers to check the runners, alignment and fluidity of movement.

As a kitchen is such a significant investment it is worth ensuring you achieve quality, even if this means having to spend more. Quality equates to enjoyment so how much you enjoy your new kitchen is entirely dependent on its quality and usability. Please call and view our display in Cork where you will find kitchens of the highest standard and finish,