Check the cabinet itself, not the photo
There's a version of this that goes badly: you order cabinets online from photos, they arrive, and the color is nothing like you expected — the boxes feel light and the drawers don't glide. Returning a full kitchen's worth of cabinets is expensive and stressful. Then there's the version where you spend an hour in a showroom opening doors, checking drawers, comparing finishes under real light, and leaving with a plan you're confident in. That second version is available to every metro Atlanta homeowner — our Norcross showroom is an easy drive from I-85, GA-400 and I-285.
Four checks tell you most of what you need in about ten minutes: look at a cut side panel (plywood shows a layered cross-grain edge; MDF is a uniform gray-brown), pull a drawer out to see whether the corners are dovetailed, release a door an inch from closed to feel the soft-close catch it, then view the same finish by a window and again under overhead light.
Why a showroom visit changes the decision
The photograph problem: studio shots are lit to flatter. Warm whites can read clinical under LED strips, navy flattens in north-facing rooms, and gray is notorious for shifting undertones. The feel problem: door weight, soft-close smoothness, box solidity and how flush the doors close are invisible online and obvious in person.
What to check when you visit
- Box construction. Look at a side-panel edge — plywood shows a cross-grain layered pattern; MDF is a uniform gray-brown. Plywood wins on durability, screw retention and moisture resistance near sinks.
- Drawer joints. Dovetail corners (interlocking wedges) last; stapled or doweled joints loosen under daily use.
- Soft-close. Release a door an inch from closed — quality hinges decelerate the door smoothly so it shuts fully without slamming.
- Finish under different light. Compare the same finish by a window and under overhead light. Whites especially can look warm or cool depending on the source.
- Alignment & overlay. Full-overlay doors should show even reveals between cabinets. Uneven gaps or sideways play signal quality or maintenance issues.
Compare written quotes like-for-like
Two quotes are only comparable when they describe the same cabinet. Before you look at the totals, put them side by side and check three things: the box construction (plywood, MDF, particleboard or engineered board, and the panel thickness), the door style and finish (the same profile, not just "white shaker"), and the hardware (soft-close hinges and the type of drawer slide). If any of the three differ, the cheaper number may simply be a cheaper cabinet.
Then check that each quote itemizes the whole kitchen, because the gaps are where totals drift:
- Every cabinet by size: base, wall, tall pantry and vanity boxes.
- Fillers, finished end panels and toe kick.
- Crown, light rail and any other molding.
- Assembly, if the cabinets ship ready-to-assemble.
- Delivery, and whether it ends at the curb or inside the house.
- Installation, and what it includes: removing the old cabinets, hanging and adjusting the doors, setting the trim.
A quote that leaves out fillers, panels or trim looks cheaper on paper and costs more on install day, when the missing pieces have to be ordered.
MNK Cabinet's price match runs on the same rule: bring a written quote from another store for comparable cabinets and we will beat it by 10%. It has to be in writing and like-for-like, with the same box construction, door style and hardware, so both numbers describe the same cabinet. What a typical kitchen costs, and why, is in our Atlanta kitchen cabinet cost guide.
Questions to ask any cabinet store
A good store answers these without hesitating, and puts the important ones in writing:
- Is this style stock or special order, and what is the lead time? Ask for the date on the quote.
- What are the boxes made of: plywood, MDF, particleboard or engineered furniture board? Each behaves differently near water, and engineered board is common in frameless European lines.
- Are the drawer boxes dovetailed, and are the hinges and slides soft-close?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and who handles a claim: the store, the installer or the manufacturer? Ours is on the warranty page.
- What can be returned, in what condition, and is there a restocking fee? Read the policy before you order; ours is on the return policy page.
- Who installs, are door adjustments after install included, and exactly what is in the installation quote: base and wall cabinets, island, crown, fillers?
- Will the store measure the room, or do you supply the numbers? If you measure yourself, follow a measuring guide and have the store check it.
Showroom, big-box store or online?
Big-box stores compete on price and quick availability if you already know exactly what you want. A dedicated cabinet showroom gives you a broader range of styles and finishes, full display kitchens so you can see pairings, and real design help — which is how you avoid the sizing and configuration mistakes that get expensive after install.
Online-only sellers can have the lowest sticker, but you choose from photos and a spec sheet, and sending back a kitchen's worth of cartons is slow and expensive. If you buy online, order a sample door first, read the return terms, and confirm who you call when a box arrives damaged. Either way, our RTA cabinet guide and custom vs. stock guide help you compare like with like.
Red flags that should slow you down
- One lump-sum price with no itemized list of cabinets, panels and trim.
- No lead time on paper, or a date that changes every time you ask.
- Nobody can tell you what the boxes, drawers and hinges are, or the spec sheet stays vague.
- No door, sample or display you can see in person before you pay.
- No written warranty or return terms.
Buying from an outlet or liquidation seller? Our wholesale pricing guide lists the extra checks for odd lots and as-is stock.
Where MNK Cabinet fits
Use this checklist on us too. MNK Cabinet's showroom is at 3280 Peachtree Corners Circle in Norcross, open Monday to Friday 9–5 and Saturday 10–3, with Sundays by appointment. Ready-to-assemble cabinets for a 10x10 kitchen start at $1,750 (cabinets only, already 60% off list), popular styles arrive in about 1–3 weeks, and the in-home measure is free anywhere in metro Atlanta. Our estimate lists every cabinet, panel and molding, with assembly, delivery and installation on separate lines, so you can hold it next to anyone else's. See the showroom page for directions, or request a free estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Every cabinet with its size, the fillers, finished end panels, crown and other trim, and separate lines for assembly, delivery and installation. It should also name the box construction, the door style and finish, and the hinges and drawer slides, so you can hold the store to the spec. A quote that gives one lump sum hides the parts you need to compare.
Line them up item by item for the same layout, and check that both describe the same box construction, door style and hardware before you compare totals. Add anything one quote leaves out, such as fillers, trim or delivery, before deciding. At MNK Cabinet, a written like-for-like quote from another store is also the basis of our price match: we beat it by 10%.
Online can be cheaper on the sticker, but you choose from photos and a return is costly. A showroom lets you check the box, the drawers, the soft-close and the finish under real light before you pay, and gives you design help with the layout. If you do buy online, order a sample door and read the return terms first.