Lowe's Cabinets Review: Quality and Affordability Insights

By: Andrew Saladino | 10 min
October 2nd, 2024

Considering a kitchen remodel? Lowe's is a popular choice for homeowners seeking convenient and affordable cabinet options. But how good are Lowe's kitchen cabinets?

In this Lowe's cabinets review, we'll delve into the pros, cons, and what to expect when choosing cabinets from this home improvement giant.

Overview of Lowe's Kitchen Cabinets

Lowe's offers three primary cabinet tiers to cater to various budgets and design preferences: stock cabinets, semi-custom, and custom cabinets.

• Stock cabinets are pre-made and readily available in standard sizes and styles, making them the most budget-friendly option. Perfect for quick remodels, they offer limited customization.
• Semi-custom cabinets provide more flexibility with a wider range of sizes, styles, and finishes. Built to order, they offer a balance of affordability and personalization.
• Custom cabinets offer unparalleled design freedom, allowing for unique dimensions, materials, and finishes to perfectly match your kitchen's layout and aesthetic. However, they are the most expensive of the three types.

For this article, we'll look at customer reviews and features of the company's stock cabinets.

Lowe's kitchen cabinet selection is split between ready-to-assemble (RTA) and fully assembled cabinets. The retailer carries five main brands of cabinets:

• Hugo&Borg: This brand offers mid-tier frameless cabinets with convenient features like extra-wide doors and adjustable shelves. They mostly use painted or polyester-wrapped engineered wood cabinet fronts, but the cabinet boxes and cabinet joinery are high-end.
• allen + roth: This is Lowe's in-house brand, typically providing budget-friendly options with a variety of styles to suit different tastes.
• Luxxe Cabinetry: This brand often caters to a more upscale market, offering higher-end finishes, materials, and design features.
• Diamond Express: Known for its quick turnaround times, Diamond Express provides pre-assembled cabinets that often come in standard sizes and styles, making them a good choice for those on a tight schedule.
• Diamond NOW: As a more affordable option within the Diamond line, Diamond NOW cabinets offer a balance of price and quality, focusing on essential features and styles.

You can choose to pick up your order at a local store or have it delivered. The website claims delivery is within seven business days, which is very quick (especially compared to IKEA's weeks or months).

Quality and Construction

Lowe's offers a wide range of cabinet quality to accommodate various kitchen remodeling projects.

At the lower end, brands like Diamond NOW and allen + roth often use materials like particle board and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for cabinet boxes and doors. While these materials can be cost-effective, they don't offer the same durability or longevity as higher-end options like plywood or solid wood. The construction of these mass-produced cabinets is typically focused on efficiency, with simpler joinery methods and less attention to detail.

In contrast, Lowe's also carries premium brands like Luxxe Cabinetry that prioritize quality and craftsmanship. These cabinets often feature high-end plywood boxes, which are known for their strength and resistance to warping. Solid wood or high-quality veneers are commonly used for doors and drawer fronts, providing a more luxurious appearance and feel.

Luxxe cabinets typically employ dovetail joints and other advanced construction techniques, enhancing durability and ensuring a precise fit. Additionally, soft close hinges and drawer slides are often standard features in these higher-end lines.

Price Point

When it comes to pricing, Lowe's cabinet costs generally fall somewhere in the middle compared to other big-box stores. Generally, you can expect to spend between $200 and $500 per linear foot for stock cabinets.

While their budget lines, such as Diamond NOW, can be quite affordable for those on a tight budget, it's important to remember that you often get what you pay for. These cabinets tend to use less expensive materials and construction methods, which means you'll likely need to replace them sooner.

While Lowe's does offer some premium options, you might discover that you can buy similar cabinets at a lower cost from online retailers like Kitchen Cabinet Kings.

To level the playing field, let's compare an all-plywood model by Luxxe Cabinetry to a similar model by Kitchen Cabinet Kings:

Pros and Cons of Lowe's Cabinets

While shopping for kitchen cabinets at your neighborhood Lowe's is convenient and accessible, it's essential to weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks before making a decision. Let's explore the pros and cons of choosing Lowe's cabinets for your kitchen remodel.

Pros

Lowe's offers several advantages when it comes to purchasing kitchen cabinets, like:

• One-stop shopping experience: Lowe's is a one-stop shop for all of your kitchen remodeling needs, including cabinets, countertops, appliances, and flooring.
• Wide selection of brands and styles: With various brands and styles available, Lowe's caters to different remodeling budgets and tastes.
• In-store displays: You can see and touch the cabinets before making a purchase, helping you visualize how they would look in your kitchen.
• Professional installation: Lowe's often provides professional installation services for added convenience.
• Lenient return policy: Most big-box stores, including Lowe's, have relatively lenient return policies, providing peace of mind.

Cons

While Lowe's offers many conveniences when shopping for kitchen cabinets, there are also potential drawbacks to consider:

• Limited customization options: While semi-custom options exist, Lowe's primarily focuses on stock and pre-assembled cabinets, offering less flexibility in terms of size, style, and finish.
• Potential quality concerns: Some customers have reported issues with cabinet quality, especially in lower-priced options.
• Higher prices: Compared to online retailers or specialty cabinet stores, Lowe's prices might be higher for similar cabinets.
• Limited design expertise: Store associates may not have the same level of kitchen design expertise as dedicated cabinet specialists.
• Potential stock shortages: Popular cabinet styles or sizes might be out of stock, leading to delays in your project.

Lowe's Cabinet Reviews

Lowe's cabinet reviews are mixed, with satisfaction often based on specific product lines and customer experiences.

On the positive side, many customers appreciate the convenience of one-stop shopping for cabinets, appliances, and other kitchen essentials. Additionally, in-store displays allow for easier firsthand comparisons and decision-making. Professional installation services and reasonable return policies are also cited as advantages.

However, negative reviews often center around quality concerns, particularly with lower-priced options. Customers frequently mention issues such as poor construction, damaged cabinets upon delivery, and premature wear and tear. The limited customization available compared to specialty cabinet retailers is another common complaint.

While Lowe's offers some higher-end brands, they tend to be more expensive, making direct comparisons to other retailers less favorable. Some reviewers have also mentioned that delivery from Diamond NOW, which is a separate vendor, can take a long time.

Below are some positive and negative Lowe's kitchen cabinet reviews from actual customers. These reviews are for the Diamond lines of cabinets:

Positive Lowe's cabinet reviews:

Negative Lowe's cabinet reviews:

Lowe's vs. Kitchen Cabinet Kings

There are several factors to consider when deciding between purchasing kitchen cabinets from a big-box retailer like Lowe's vs. buying wholesale cabinets online from Kitchen Cabinet Kings. While Lowe's offers convenience and a wide selection, it often comes at the cost of customization and potential quality concerns.

On the other hand, online retailers like Kitchen Cabinet Kings specialize in kitchen cabinetry, providing a wider range of options, potentially higher quality, and often more competitive pricing. To better understand the key differences between these two options, let's compare factors such as quality, cost, customer service, delivery, and cabinet construction:

	Lowe's	Kitchen Cabinet Kings
Quality	Spectrum of low to high	Upper-mid tier and above
Cost	$200-$500	$100-$250
Customer Service	Service varies based on individual cabinet vendors	Live support from NKBA-certified cabinet specialists
Delivery Style	RTA or pre-assembled	RTA or pre-assembled
Cabinet Box Construction	Fiberboard or plywood	½-inch A-grade plywood
Hinges	Concealed soft close on higher-end models	All concealed soft close
Drawer Glides	Under-mounted on higher-end models	All under-mounted with soft close
Door Frame	MDF or solid wood	Solid wood
Drawer Joints	Dovetail joinery on higher-end models	All dovetail joinery

For those seeking superior quality, customization, and potential cost savings, buying kitchen cabinets online from a specialist like Kitchen Cabinet Kings is the way to go. By eliminating the middleman and focusing solely on cabinetry, we offer higher-quality products up to 50% less than big-box stores.

Plus, the convenience of buying cabinets online allows you to compare countless options right from your kitchen countertop. And if you need any help along the way, our expert kitchen designers offer a custom, free 3D kitchen design to help bring your dream kitchen to life.

Our commitment to craftsmanship and customer satisfaction sets us apart from your everyday home improvement warehouses. Browse our selection of high-end cabinets today and experience the difference for yourself.

Lowe's Cabinets FAQs

Are Lowe's kitchen cabinets any good?

It depends on which brand you go with. Stock brands like Design House and Cambridge are good, but other brands like Diamond NOW are at the lower end of the range.

What are the levels of Lowe's cabinets?

Lowe's offers three primary levels of kitchen cabinets: stock, semi-custom, and custom.

• Stock cabinets are pre-made, readily available in standard cabinet sizes and styles, and typically the most affordable option.
• Semi-custom cabinets offer more flexibility with a wider range of sizes, styles, and finishes, allowing for some personalization.
• Custom cabinets provide ultimate design freedom, with tailored dimensions, materials, and finishes to match specific kitchen layouts and aesthetics.

Who makes Lowe's cabinets?

MasterBrand Cabinets is the primary manufacturer of cabinets sold at Lowe's. Their brand, Diamond, is widely available in various styles and price points. Additionally, Lowe's offers other brands like Shenandoah for custom cabinets and Project Source for budget-friendly options.

How long do Lowe's kitchen cabinets last?

The lifespan of Lowe's kitchen cabinets can vary significantly depending on several factors:

• Cabinet construction: Lower-priced cabinets often use particle board or MDF, which may not be as durable as plywood. Higher-end options with plywood construction tend to last longer.
• Cabinet care: Proper cabinet care, including cleaning and avoiding excessive moisture, can extend the life of your cabinets.
• Usage: Frequent and heavy use can accelerate wear and tear.

Generally, you can expect lower-end cabinets to last around five to 10 years, while higher-quality cabinets can last 15-20 years or more with proper care.

How much does a Lowe's kitchen cost?

An entire kitchen through the home improvement store could cost between $12,000 and $20,000 or more.

How long does it take to get cabinets from Lowe's?

The time it takes to get cabinets from Lowe's depends on the type of cabinets you choose:

• Stock cabinets: These are typically pre-assembled and available for immediate pickup or delivery, often within a few days.
• Semi-custom cabinets: These take longer to produce, usually several weeks.
• Custom cabinets: These can take several months to design, manufacture, and deliver.

Check with your local Lowe's store for the most accurate delivery timeframes, as availability can vary based on location and current stock levels.

Are Diamond NOW cabinets good quality?

If you want to build a breakfast bar and need some extra storage, Diamond NOW cabinets could do the job. However, we think there are many other brands that are better for an entire kitchen, which would last longer and look better.