Solid, good quality kitchens

[neverwakeasleepingbaby]

Which companies should I be looking at for a decent kitchen that's solid and well made?

I'm thinking drawers that open and close softly, and just feel a bit more luxurious. Thicker wood rather than slightly flimsy wood composite on the back of cupboards etc.

We had a "DIY kitchens" kitchen installed a few years ago as a bit of a stop gap before we could afford an extension. It's fine but it feels a bit cheap to me and it hasn't worn that well.

Although we do have a budget, it's not actually a very large kitchen and we don't need that many cabinets, so could probably go higher end without getting into the very scary figures you might get with a larger kitchen. TIA

I think, unless you get a kitchen made, they're all a pretty similar construction.

Perhaps look for local kitchen manufacturers if you're wanting something more solid?

I think many of the mid-range, good quality bespoke kitchens do tend to be made locally, OP. About 15 yrs ago now DM re-did her kitchen, using bespoke solid wood cabinetry supplied by a local joiner. It was much more economical than ordering the same quality of cabinetry through a national firm and it has held up beautifully.

The mid-range appliances and quartz worktops were supplied by a local kitchen firm. The whole thing has worked well, except that the original double ovens did not last long.

The other option is the high end national firms like Neptune, Plain English, etc. I agree that with a small kitchen it makes sense to investigate this option. Customer satisfaction seems very high.

Howdens.

The better range of symphony kitchens are lovely quality and not wildly expensive. Next option is handmade but that’s wildly expensive

Ask a local joinery. Solid Oak would be the best wearing material, with a solid worktop like quartz, marble or granite. Most joineries will be happy to copy a design from the national chains, like Devol or Neptune. These chains are overpriced while being limited in their bespoke and material options - Neptune e.g. will do the Chichester only in softwood and doesn't offer certain units, like a wide breakfast larder, in the Chichester design, so we got our 'Chichester' in oak and truly bespoke for less than 1/2 of the Neptune quote from a local joinery.