1) Access
Drawers:
Pro: Your lower cabinet is around 2ft deep and therefore a drawer solution helps you to maximise this space, as you can easily access the contents at the back of the drawer.
Con: You will need to be very careful of the weight limit of the drawer runners used. Cabinet shelves can provide additional stability as they are not mobile – making them ideal if you are storing heavier items.
Doors:
Pro: There are some great pull-out solutions on the market that will help you to increase accessibility of your cupboards.
Con: If you opt for pull-out storage solutions, you may have a hard time accessing the base of the cupboard (or the shelves), which can get dirty if you opt for a mesh base pull-out storage solution.
2) Organisation
Drawers
Pro: The space inside your drawer is prime real-estate for those who love to be organised. With a number of accessories on the market designed to help you organise your drawers (drawer dividers, cutlery inserts etc), drawers offer you the perfect opportunity to be super-organised!
Con: The more organisational accessories you add to your drawer, the less space you have for your products.
Doors
Pro: If you like to stack your pots and pans, these are easy to keep organised when on shelves in your cupboard; it is much easier to access the bottom pan in a stack when sliding it off a shelf, rather than removing all of your items to get to the bottom one. They’re also less likely to be damaged by the movement of opening the door, compared with a drawer.
Con: You will have to spend a large amount of time bent down to access the contents of the cupboards. This is not ideal for those with back problems, or a multi-generational household.
3) Efficiency
Drawers
Pro: As you open your drawer, you will be able to make use of the ambient light of your kitchen to see inside with ease, something you cannot do in your cupboard without the assistance of built-in task lighting. This efficiency is emphasised by the use of storage accessories, like cutlery inserts.
Cons: You have only a birds-eye view of the top layer of your drawer, meaning you will need to clearly label your produce from above for ultimate convenience.
Doors
Pro: Unlike drawers, doors offer you a front-view of all your items, which if you have chosen to store similar items (like jars, spices or sauces) means less time spent picking out the wrong items.
Cons: Without additional storage solutions, such as pull-out baskets, you will find it very difficult to efficiently find anything that isn’t in the first few rows of your shelf.
4) Style
Drawers
Pro: Drawers are perfect for a more modern design, especially when paired with the additional functionality of handle-less design and touch-to-open technology.
Con: If you have a small kitchen, adding layers of drawers will create a smaller looking space and draw attention downwards.
Doors
Pro: Doors are perfect for a more traditional design, especially if you love a country-style shaker kitchen. These are usually combined with some drawer solutions directly below the counter.
Con: There are now some distinctive and eye-catching drawer-sides available on the market, allowing drawer-users to express their style both inside and outside their drawers.
5) Depth
Drawers
Pro: Drawers allow you to easily access most of your available space by bringing the contents to you. They are readily available in a wide variety of depths, so you can tailor them to your storage needs.
Con: You will lose some valuable storage space to the drawers themselves – on average, your 30cm wide space will be reduced to around 26cm.
Doors
Pro: If there is nothing (except perhaps a shelf or two) in your cupboard, you are able to use every available space inside – perfect if you are storing one or two large items.
Con: If you wish to easily access your contents, you will likely consider adding some sort of storage accessory – this will also take up valuable storage space.
6) Cleaning
Drawers:
Pro: Drawers are removable, making them easy to clean. You can also hoover inside them if you have a removable hoover attachment. You can also line them with drawer mats, allowing you to remove and clean these with ease.
Con: You will have to clean your drawers more regularly, as you will be able to see any slight spillage or stain more easily.
Doors:
Pro: cupboards are easily wipeable, and there is less space within them for dirt to build up.
Con: Once something spills, it is not easily contained, often meaning you have to remove all of your items in order to tidy the mess.