Which Cabinets Do You Need in a Kitchen?
You need cabinets that accommodate your kitchenware, your sink and appliances, provide the storage your household uses and support your benchtop.
There is no single cabinet list that suits every kitchen. Use this guide to understand each cabinet’s job and choose the combination that works for you.
Cabinet Quick Reference Guide
Not sure which cabinets you need? Start with the quick reference guide below to see what each cabinet type may be useful for at a glance, then for more information on each cabinet type scroll down to see the different cabinets and more information on how to use them.
| Cabinet Type | What it Does |
|---|---|
| Base Cupboards | Support the benchtop and provide cupboard storage. A base cupboard can also accommodate your sink and plumbing. |
| Drawer Cabinets | Storage that pulls out towards you for easier access. Adds more bench space on top |
| Bin Cabinets | House your rubbish bin and recycling system separately. |
| Oven Cabinets | Provide housing for compatible built-in ovens. |
| Wall Cabinets | Add storage above the bench top. Can add an integrated rangehood into them. |
| Pantry and Tall Cabinets | Provide a large amount of storage. Mostly for food but can be used for anything. |
| Corner Cabinets | Provide storage where cabinet runs meet, with corner and blind corner products available. |
Base Cupboards
Base cupboards provide storage beneath your benchtop. Shelves can hold cookware, serving dishes, groceries and small appliances, depending on what you need to store.
They’re useful for larger items and mixed storage. Keep in mind that reaching something at the back may mean moving what’s in front.
A regular base cupboard is also used to house your sink. The sink bowl and connections determine how much storage remains inside.
Kitchen Drawers
Drawer cabinets provide storage beneath your benchtop, bringing the contents out towards you. This makes items at the back easier to see and reach.
Shallow drawers suit cutlery, utensils and smaller items. Deeper drawers can hold pots, plates, containers and groceries.
Choose the drawer combination around what you’ll store. More shallow drawers help separate smaller items; fewer, deeper drawers accommodate bulkier cookware.
Kitchen Base drawer cabinets come preassembled, with a choice of DTC or Blum soft-close runners.
Wall Cabinets
Wall cabinets add storage above the benchtop. They can hold glasses, crockery, groceries and other everyday items, depending on where you prefer to keep them.
Think about what you can comfortably reach and whether larger items will fit the cabinet’s internal depth.
Wall cabinets can also house a compatible integrated rangehood. The rangehood and ducting occupy space inside, so that cabinet won’t offer the same storage as an ordinary wall cupboard.
Wall Cabinets in Use
Wall Cabinet
Integrated Rangehood Concealed
behind closed cabinet doors
Rangehood Inside the Wall Cabinet
Rangehood in a Kitchen
Bin Cabinets
Bin cabinets give rubbish and recycling their own space beneath the benchtop. The bins pull out when you need them and tuck away behind the cabinet front.
Kitchen Base bin units require a separate cabinet. Allow for this in your cabinet list.
Choose a bin setup with enough capacity for your household and the separation you need for rubbish and recycling. The product description specifies the required cabinet size and what’s included.
Oven Cabinets
An underbench oven cabinet houses your oven beneath the benchtop. An oven tower accommodates appliances higher up, with cabinet storage above or below.
Choose the cabinet to suit the appliance’s installation requirements. The oven’s advertised width alone doesn’t tell you the required opening size, depth or ventilation clearances.
For an oven and microwave tower, check the installation requirements for both appliances. If your hob sits above an underbench oven, their installation requirements also need to work together.
Pantry and Tall Cabinets
Pantry and tall cabinets provide a large amount of storage. They can bring groceries, serving dishes and small appliances together in one place.
Shelves accommodate a mix of items, while pantry drawers pull the contents out towards you so food at the back is easier to find.
Tall cabinets can accomodate tall items likes brooms and mops.
Choose the internal arrangement around what you’ll keep inside. Check that larger appliances and containers fit, and keep frequently used items within comfortable reach.
Corner Cabinets
Corner cabinets provide storage where two runs of base cabinets meet. The options include corner cabinets and blind corner cabinets.
A blind corner cabinet has a storage area that extends behind the adjoining run of cabinets. You access that space through the door on the visible side, so items tucked further inside can be harder to reach.
Compare the cabinet dimensions, door opening and access when choosing between the options. Corner storage fittings must suit the particular cabinet and opening.
Allow for the corner clearance and filler specified for your cabinet arrangement so doors, drawers and handles can open properly.
Panels, fillers and finishing pieces
Your cabinet list may also need end panels, fillers, kickboards and handles.
End panels finish exposed cabinet ends. Fillers provide clearance at corners and between cabinets and walls, allowing doors, drawers and handles to open.
Panels and fillers are cut and fitted onsite to suit the installation. This is one reason we recommend using an experienced kitchen installer.
Feet are included with Kitchen Base base and tall cabinets.
What About the Dishwasher?
A standard underbench dishwasher occupies an opening between cabinets rather than sitting inside a base cupboard. Allow for the opening specified by your dishwasher manufacturer.
Its water supply and drainage connections are normally accommodated inside the neighbouring sink cupboard.
We recommend a base cabinet panel on either side to help support the benchtop.
How Kitchen Base Can Help
Browse our cabinet range online to compare sizes, prices and product details as you put your cabinet list together.
If you’re unsure which Kitchen Base product suits what you need, contact us with your question and any relevant measurements or photos.
Our cabinets are supplied preassembled. You can arrange your own installation or find an independent installer through our installer page.