Handleless kitchens - j-pull or push open?

[FoofOfTheWalkingDead]

We've got a design appointment with wickes next week and like the look of their modern kitchens but can't decide between true handleless or j-pull.
My DH is keen on white gloss, but I'm leaning towards white matt because I've heard gloss shows all the fingerprints and dirt. Do any of you have experience with either type of kitchen?
We currently have a light oak shaker style so no idea what to expect.

I've gone for handles on my new kitchen. Didn't fancy trying to clean out those gullies. Also went for Matt. The bloke who designed mine said gloss was going out of fashion.

I have order mine from Wren.

Matt and gloss handleless show fingerprints.
J shape hides them better.

I don't know if I'd rather clean out the gullies or polish the fingerprints. I'm avoiding handles because it's a really small space and I think handleless will make it look less cluttered. We have bar handles just now and they catch my cardigan pockets and pull me back. Drives me potty!

My kitchen is 1.8 x 3m
I've found for handles that won't catch!

I have matt j groove cupboard doors from Diy-kitchens. I don’t notice fingerprints but yes I run a cleaning wipe along the grooves every couple of weeks (probably less then once a month if I’m really honest). I wouldn’t get them if you have long fingernails, I don’t have any but I reckon you could snap them easily.

The house we bought has chrome D handles and is also white gloss. Hideous finger print issue for handles and cupboards!!! Why the darlings can't just use the stupid shiny handles I've no clue.

Push to open is annoying on lower units as you will accidentally open then with your knee. Also not compatible with gloss due to fingerprints.

In fact generally I’d avoid gloss due to prints and watermarks.

J groove is ok but try them in the flesh before you buy if you can. Some are much more uncomfy than others.

We have white gloss J grooves (6 years old).

Before that we had push open cupboards which drove me mad - you don’t realise how often you lean against the bottom run of kitchen cupboards until you have push open and then keep opening them unexpectedly. I would never have them again. Also no good if you have small kids and you want to use child locks.

J groves are really easy to clean - just open the drawer / cupboard and run a cloth along the rim. Much easier than cleaning fiddly handles. White generally shows up dirt, but luckily our cleaner wipes over the cabinets once a week! You can also spot clean them quickly if necessary.

I am a complete slob but I find J-groove so easy to clean - you just run a damp cloth along them.

@minipie

Push to open is annoying on lower units as you will accidentally open then with your knee. Also not compatible with gloss due to fingerprints.

In fact generally I’d avoid gloss due to prints and watermarks.

J groove is ok but try them in the flesh before you buy if you can. Some are much more uncomfy than others.

Agree with that, I couldn’t get my fingers in the IKEA j groove and the wickes is definitely smaller than my DIY-kitchens but still manageable

I will test drive the wickes j groove before we buy. I have been put off the push open options because I have a low tolerance for kitchen annoyances and cupboards randomly opening would drive me bats*t. Thank you for your replies!

We have wickes handleless, nightmare, fingerprints - esp the push open drawers.

J groove absolute nightmare with built in fridge freezer and dishwasher which are heavy to open and my finger tips slip out the groove and rip your nails off in the process.

We had the Wickes Sofia in our last house. Quick wipe over once a week including the crumbs in the j pull and good to go.

When we were waiting to hear we'd completed, I stood in the kitchen and admired it - I was still very happy with our choice.

We have a cream gloss kitchen with J grooves, it does show fingerprints but I don’t find it any bother to give things a quick wipe over whilst you are waiting for the kettle to boil or something. I’ve often got a cloth in my hand for something so if I see a mark I just give it a wipe.

It looks smart and sleek and I’m very happy with how it turned out.

Here are some pics

We’ve just got a j pull kitchen in Matt. All it takes is a wipe along the j bit.

We avoided gloss, when we looked in the showrooms it all looked so nice but I asked the designer if someone cleaned all the gloss units every day and they do. Sometimes twice a day if it’s quiet

I've got a German design of handleless which has a thin metal strip with a drop behind on white and pale grey matt. It's a small space so I wanted as streamlined as possible. I do have one push catch above the integrated microwave where the handleless design wouldn't work but I wouldn't choose that for the whole kitchen. Mine is 6 years old and still looks new both in terms of style and wear.

I currently have cupboards with knob design handles. It would annoy me when they catch my clothes, or when they come lose in my hand when I open the cupboards. Now we are setting our new kitchen, first thing I decided is to go for handless cupboards. But after seeing many kitchen designs, I am coming back to cupboards with handles. As everybody said here, the fingerprint issue, push-open surprises are my reasons. Plus, saw some traditional cupboard designs with cute handles that wont catch my clothes. I am going for pebble/crystal/cashmere grey cupboards, I felt without the handles they would look flat and bland. Although I still doubt if the handles would be strong enough to open heavy doors for dishwasher/washing machine etc. Hope it will.

@Olivebrietomato, that kitchen is lovely. Where did you get it?

Thank you, we are over the moon with it. The kitchen and appliances are from Howdens and the worktops and splash backs are by Duropal. The are a very heavy duty composite laminate worktop, our budget couldn’t stretch to granite.

www.duropal.co.uk/decors/worktop-collection

And most importantly a brilliant kitchen fitter who’s attention to detail and care was second to none. We waited 5 months for him to fit it but that is testament to his waiting list and how good he is.
My advice is research your fitter very well as they will be the ones who will make or break it.

We almost chose J-pull but DH has quite big hands and the cupboards were not a comfortable fit for him. The shape of the J-pull varies a bit by manufacturer, and door thickness, so worth thinking about.

We've had the Wicked Sofia cream gloss units for 4 years now and I still love it. Very easy to clean and the bullies are very quick to clean too. My SIL had a gloss kitchen with handles and said that it was a real pain to clean around them. When she moved house, she went for gullies on her new gloss kitchen.

I wanted push to open hinges, but they don't work with soft-close, and the Wren kitchen I got is all soft-close. I decided against j-grooves because of arthritis. I knew I wouldn't be able to open fridge freezer doors. I went with long metal bars that I can get both hands "in" for extra leverage if needed. And without any overhang at the end, so they don't catch on clothes.