Explain kitchen cabinet materials to me, please.

[MollyBdenum]

I'm getting a new kitchen. I want to get something that is sturdy, easy to clean and reasonably cheap - basically the cheapest non-flimsy option.

But I don't really understand the pros and cons of the materials. Foil wrap mdf? Vinyl faced mdf? Painted vinyl mdf? Painted mdf? Lacquered mdf? Proper wood?

What should I avoid, and what is good value for money in a kitchen full of food lovers?

they are almost invariable made of chipboard or MDF (both are rubbish materials) with a coating to make them look pretty, easy to clean, and resistant to water splashes. Melamine laminate is very hard and durable, vinyl wrap is the reverse. Painted or lacquered MDF would be more expensive.

If you are getting cabs where the carcases are made of actual wood, they would usually be painted or varnished. The will be expensive.

Brochures that say "solid wood" usually just mean the doors.

Thank you for your tips, PigletJohn. Am I right that Ikea and Howdens are both similar but that Howdens just come ready made, or is the quality different? Also are measurements standard or do I have to watch for odd sizes? Our kitchen cabinets are likely to come from Freecycle...

Ikea are not made to standard British dimensions. UK cabs are made with a gap behind the back giving space for plumbing and other things behind. Kitchen fitters usually complain that with Ikea they have extra work to cut the cabs, or else place them spaced out from the wall and use an extra-deep worktop. Worktops are almost always 600mm deep.

Most manufacturers have two quality ranges for cabs. The cheaper ones are made of 15mm board, and the better ones of 18mm board. They then use better fittings and materials in the dearer ones, especially the drawers.

Rigid, factory-built cabs are better than flatpack DIY.

We have painted MDF and it is really, really solid. Very happy with it