When you're refacing a kitchen or ordering new cabinets, the drawer slides are easy to overlook. But they're the part you touch every single day. The two main types are side-mount and undermount, and each comes in different quality levels. Here's how they compare, so you can pick the right one for your kitchen and your budget.
Side-Mount Slides
Side-mount slides attach to the sides of the drawer box and the inside of the cabinet. The most common kind for kitchens is the ball-bearing side-mount slide.
Pros:
- Lower cost. Ball-bearing side-mounts usually cost much less than undermounts.
- Strong and smooth. Ball-bearing versions roll smoothly and many are rated for around 100 pounds.
- Easy to find and replace. They come in many lengths and are a common replacement for worn-out slides.
Cons:
- You can see them. When the drawer is open, the metal slides show on each side of the box.
- Narrower drawer box. Side-mount slides need room on each side, so the drawer box ends up 3/8" narrower than the same drawer on undermount slides.
- Soft-close isn't always included. Basic ball-bearing side-mounts often have no soft-close at all.
Ball-bearing side-mount slides are a fantastic middle road: a solid, smooth slide at a good price.
Undermount Slides
Undermount slides mount underneath the drawer box, so they're hidden when the drawer is open.
Pros:
- Hidden hardware. You see the drawer box, not the metal. It's a cleaner, more high-end look.
- Wider drawer box. With no slides on the sides, you get that extra 3/8" of drawer width.
- Soft-close built in. Most undermount slides include soft-close, so drawers ease shut instead of slamming.
- Adjustment. Many undermounts, especially at the high end, let you fine-tune the drawer front after it's installed.
Cons:
- Higher cost. Good undermounts cost more than side-mounts, and premium brands cost a lot more.
- Drawer box has to be built for them. Undermounts need a drawer box made to fit, usually with a notch and holes at the back. Matching the slide length to the drawer depth matters too.
- Installation is fussier. It takes care to get them lined up.
Soft-Close vs Soft-Stop
These two terms sound alike but aren't the same. Soft-close pulls the drawer the last few inches and closes it gently on its own. Soft-stop (or a rubber bumper) just cushions the drawer at the end of its travel, but you still have to push it all the way closed. If you want drawers that never slam, look for true soft-close.
Quality Levels
Here's how the options stack up, from budget to best:
Euro single-roller slides (avoid)
These are the cheap epoxy-coated slides with a plastic wheel, often found on budget furniture and older cabinets. They're low quality and often don't extend all the way. If your current drawers have these, replacing them is a big upgrade.
Standard ball-bearing side-mount
A solid, smooth slide that won't break the bank. These Tobinice ball-bearing side-mount slides are full-extension and come in a 10-pair pack. The link goes to the 12-inch size, which is meant for shallower drawers, so check the size options on the listing and pick the length that matches your drawer depth before you order.
Contractor-grade soft-close undermount
This is the sweet spot for a lot of kitchens: hidden slides and soft-close at a reasonable price. Contractor-grade soft-close undermount slides are on the budget end of undermounts but surprisingly good, at about half the cost of the premium brands.
Luxury soft-close undermount
At the top end is Blum. The Blum Tandem Plus BLUMOTION undermount slides are full-extension, soft-close, and rated at 100 pounds. The linked listing is a 6-kit pack of 21-inch slides with locking devices and rear mounting brackets for face-frame cabinets. Heads up: Blum Tandem slides aren't adjustable. If you want adjustable slides, go with Blum Movento.
How This Works on My Cabinets
My base cabinets have a 6" top drawer front. My Ready to Paint drawer banks and blind corner cabinets come with undermount slides only, in two choices:
- Contractor-grade soft-close undermount
- Luxury soft-close undermount
You pick the slide right on the listing. You can browse the drawer banks and the rest of the line in my Flat Panel Shaker cabinets and Raised Panel Shaker cabinets collections.
Make Installation Easier
Whichever slides you choose, getting them straight and level is the hard part. The Kreg drawer slide jig holds the slide in place while you screw it in, then flips around to support the drawer box while you attach it. It works with ball-bearing, epoxy-coated, and undermount slides, and it's amazing for taking the guesswork out of drawer installs.
Want No Handles? Push-to-Open
If you're going for a handle-free look, push-to-open latches let you press a door or drawer to pop it open. One thing to know: push latches are made to work with hardware that doesn't self-close. Soft-close slides pull the drawer shut, which fights a push latch, so plan your slides and latches together.
The Bottom Line
- Want the lowest cost and a solid, smooth slide? Ball-bearing side-mount.
- Want hidden slides and soft-close without spending a fortune? Contractor-grade soft-close undermount.
- Want the best? Luxury undermount like Blum.
And remember: side-mount slides make the drawer box 3/8" narrower, so if you're ordering new drawer boxes, know which slide you're using first.
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