FixitUpFind: KraftMaid Cabinets

J.D. Power Survey—and great kitchen cabinet purchase advice: KraftMaid ranks highest in customer satisfaction among cabinet manufacturers, excelling in 3 of 5 factors: design, performance and ordering and delivery. The study finds that 81 percent of cabinet purchasers personally made the decision of which brand to buy, rather than an installer, contractor, retailer or architect.

Cabinet purchasers cite price, quality and cabinet styling and feel as the primary reasons for selecting a particular brand. In 2011, 59 percent of cabinet purchasers say they bought stock-sized units, rather than semi- or fully-custom cabinets. In comparison, 46 percent of cabinet purchasers in 2010 said the same.

According to Christina Cooley, senior manager of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates, this shift suggests budgetary constraints are increasingly influential.  The study finds that 45 percent of purchasers are replacing their cabinets as part of a full kitchen remodel and are spending approximately $4,500, on average, for cabinets. “Customers should keep in mind that the service they receive during the ordering and delivery process is key to overall satisfaction, so selecting a cabinet retailer carefully is also important.”