What Are the Pros and Cons of Dovetail Drawer Boxes?
Updated December 2, 2024
Dovetail drawer boxes offer exceptional durability and a distinctive appearance, making them a popular choice for high-end kitchens.
Your reputation as a trusted installer depends on making informed decisions about the products and accessories you recommend to your clients. Choosing the right drawer boxes is no exception. Dovetail drawer boxes, known for their durability and craftsmanship, are a popular choice, but are they the best fit for every project? Taking the time to evaluate their benefits and drawbacks is essential to ensuring they align with your client’s needs and expectations.
Our team has produced dovetail drawers for over five years, but we understand they aren’t the perfect solution for every situation. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all product, we’re here to provide the information you need to make educated decisions tailored to your projects. Helping you choose the right options strengthens your ability to deliver quality results and exceed your client’s expectations.
In this article, you will learn about the pros and cons of dovetail drawers, when they might be right for you, and when to consider other options.
Pros of Dovetail Drawer Boxes
Dovetail drawer boxes are a popular product – but why? There are several reasons people choose dovetail drawers over other options.
1. Strong and Durable
Dovetail drawer boxes have dovetail joints. Each dovetail joint has interlocking tails and pins. Those tails and pins are angled and look like a dove’s tail (hence the name of the joint).
Because of the angle of the dovetail joints, they hold up well to horizontal forces like opening and closing a drawer.
2. Made With High-Quality Products
Usually, drawer box manufacturers make dovetail drawer boxes with solid wood sides and a plywood base. Solid wood holds up better over time than veneers; it is harder to chip, dent or scratch.
And, because dovetail drawers are both an upgrade and a custom option, you can choose specific wood types to improve durability. For example, you could select Maple drawer boxes; because Maple is a hardwood, it is difficult to chip, dent, or otherwise damage.
3. Linked With High-Quality Craftsmanship
Most people consider dovetail drawer boxes evidence of high-quality craftsmanship. Opening a drawer and discovering a dovetail drawer box subconsciously elevates your opinion of the overall kitchen.
While we can’t say that all suppliers put the same level of care and craftsmanship into their dovetail drawers, the dovetail joint has a deserved reputation for quality. It takes more time and effort to assemble a dovetail drawer box instead of a simpler option.
4. Customizable
While dovetail drawer boxes aren’t the only customizable option among all the drawer box styles out there, they have some unique opportunities.
You can customize dovetail drawers in several ways:
- Selecting a custom shape; for example, U-shaped drawer boxes fit around plumbing in a cabinet
- Adding a hand scoop, which is a curved cutout along the top edge of a drawer box that takes the place of hardware
- Choosing from a variety of materials. For example, you could select a Maple front and back and Walnut sides to enhance the appearance of the drawer boxes. In this scenario, the lighter Maple dovetails would stand out against the Walnut sides. Or, you could select Maple sides (Maple is a durable hardwood) to improve your drawer box’s resistance to wear and tear and a thicker plywood base to increase the weight your drawer box can support.
5. Distinctive Appearance
Dovetail drawers have a unique appearance thanks to the dovetail joint. This uniqueness makes them an eye-catching feature in a kitchen.
Cons of Dovetail Drawer Boxes
Although we at Cutting Edge produce dovetail drawer boxes, we still understand that they aren’t perfect. There are two drawbacks to dovetail drawers that might mean they aren’t the right choice for you.
1. Price
Dovetail drawers are more expensive than other drawer box options. The price for a dovetail drawer box can range from around $60 to over $100 per box, depending on the wood type, size, and any added options you select.
As you are well aware, the price is a significant factor when it comes to making a buying decision. While some people or customers might have a budget that allows for dovetail drawers, others don’t.
2. Little Added Value
Comparatively speaking, there’s not a lot of benefit to dovetail drawer boxes despite the price difference. While your drawer box might last longer, it won’t save you much time, space, or money.
When it comes right down to it, it might make more sense for you to spend more money on other features, like more expensive appliances or storage solutions, rather than purchasing dovetail drawers.
When Dovetail Drawer Boxes Might Be the Right Choice
Having said all that, dovetail drawer boxes still might be the right choice; you should consider purchasing them if:
- You have a budget that allows for dovetail drawers and all the other features and accessories you want in your kitchen.
- Your kitchen gets a lot of use, and you need a drawer box that will withstand a lot of wear and tear.
When Dovetail Drawers Might Not Be a Good Option
However, dovetail drawers might not be the best option if you have a limited budget. You should make sure you can purchase all your need-to-haves before you allocate money for upgrades like dovetail drawer boxes.
Learn About the Cost of Dovetail Drawer Boxes
Making the right purchasing decisions for your projects isn’t always easy, especially with so many options available. When it comes to drawer boxes, choosing the right type can feel overwhelming, but it’s critical to ensuring the durability and quality your clients expect. As a cabinet maker or contractor, your reputation relies on making informed choices that align with your customers’ needs.
At Cutting Edge Doors & Woodworking, we believe in empowering you with the knowledge to make confident decisions. While we can’t choose for you, we’ve provided the essential information about dovetail drawer boxes to help you understand their advantages and limitations.
Now that you’re equipped to decide if dovetail drawer boxes are the right fit for your projects, the next step is understanding the cost. Explore the pricing of dovetail drawer boxes and see how they can add value to your next kitchen design.
