Is It Cheaper to Buy Kitchen Cabinets Online?
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Time to read 7 min
Buying kitchen cabinets online is genuinely cheaper than buying through a showroom, with most online retailers pricing cabinets 20 to 40 percent lower than their high street equivalents. This saving comes from cutting showroom rent, sales commission and middleman markups out of the price entirely.
I've fitted enough kitchens over the years to know that the biggest quote shock isn't the cabinets themselves, it's the showroom mark up sitting quietly on top of them.
In this guide I'll walk you through when cabinet sales actually happen, what a sensible budget looks like, and where you can shave costs without shaving quality. I'll also share the measurements, price brackets and real project numbers I've picked up from years spent specifying kitchens for clients across the country.
What Month Do Kitchen Cabinets Go On Sale?
Choosing kitchen cabinets online involves measuring the kitchen space to the nearest millimetre, confirming standard 600mm carcass widths, checking material specifications, comparing delivery lead times, and reading return policies before placing a full room order.
This checklist lists the steps for choosing kitchen cabinets online.
- Measure the kitchen space and record wall lengths in millimetres before browsing ranges.
- Choose a cabinet style, such as shaker, slab or Japandi, to narrow the search.
- Confirm carcass depth, usually 560mm or 600mm, matches the appliances being fitted.
- Compare door materials, including MDF, solid wood and laminate, for budget and durability.
- Check delivery lead times, since bespoke ranges often take 6 to 10 weeks.
- Request free samples of door colours and worktop finishes before ordering in full.
- Calculate the total budget, including handles, hinges, cornicing and fitting labour costs.
- Read the returns policy carefully, since made-to-measure cabinets are rarely refundable.
- Place a trial order for one run of units to check quality first.
- Book installation only once every cabinet and panel has arrived and been checked.
What Is a Good Budget for Kitchen Cabinets?
A good budget for kitchen cabinets ranges from £3,000 for a basic ten-unit galley kitchen to £12,000 for a bespoke fitted design, with mid-range shaker style cabinets averaging £6,000 to £8,000 including doors, carcasses and hardware.
That figure covers cabinetry only, not worktops, appliances or fitting labour, so it's worth building a separate line for each of those before you commit to a number.
Materials make the biggest difference to the number on your quote.
MDF doors sit at the affordable end and solid wood at the expensive end, and the gap between them can be several thousand pounds across a full kitchen. If air quality is a concern for your household, it's worth knowing that formaldehyde based resins are used in most engineered wood products, and gov.uk's toxicological overview explains the exposure limits in plain terms, which is a useful read before choosing between painted MDF and solid timber doors.
Average Kitchen Cabinet Costs by Kitchen Size
Kitchen Size |
Online Average Cost |
Showroom Average Cost |
Typical Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
Small galley (6-8 units) |
£2,800 - £4,200 |
£4,500 - £6,500 |
~35% |
Medium L-shaped (10-14 units) |
£5,000 - £7,500 |
£8,000 - £11,000 |
~30% |
Large open-plan (16-20 units) |
£8,500 - £12,000 |
£13,000 - £18,000 |
~28% |
Bespoke made-to-measure |
£10,000 - £15,000 |
£16,000 - £24,000 |
~35% |
The table shows the saving holds fairly steady across kitchen sizes, which tells me the showroom mark up is baked into the pricing model rather than the product itself.
What Is a Cheaper Alternative to Kitchen Cabinets?
A cheaper alternative to kitchen cabinets is cabinet refacing, where existing carcasses stay in place and only doors, drawer fronts and worktops are replaced, typically costing 30 to 50 percent less than a full replacement kitchen.
Refacing works brilliantly when the layout of a kitchen still suits how you live, and only the finish feels dated.It's not right for everyone, mind you.
If the carcasses are swollen, chipped or simply the wrong shape for a new appliance, refacing won't fix that, and you're better off biting the bullet on a full replacement. A cheaper still option is repainting existing cabinet doors, which can transform a kitchen for the cost of paint, primer and a weekend's work, though it won't solve worn hinges or damaged shelving. Secondhand and reclaimed cabinets, sourced through renovation salvage yards or online marketplaces, are another route worth considering if your kitchen dimensions happen to match what's available.
What Is the Newest Trend for Kitchen Cabinets?
The newest trend for kitchen cabinets is warm, textured minimalism, pairing handleless flat-panel doors finished in 18mm oak veneer with bouclé-effect textures and soft curves, alongside a strong swing back towards bold, saturated colour after years of all-white schemes. I've noticed this shift creeping into nearly every consultation I've run over the past year.
Clients who once asked for stark white slab doors are now asking for something with more warmth and texture, which is where the Japandi Cabinets Collection and the Minimalist Cabinet Collection tend to come up in conversation, since both lean into clean lines without feeling clinical. Japandi in particular blends Japanese restraint with Scandinavian warmth, and it's proving popular with people who want a calm kitchen that still feels lived in.
At the other end of the scale, farmhouse style hasn't gone anywhere, and neither has a growing appetite for pattern and colour. The Farmhouse Cabinets Collection covers that cosy, practical look with shaker doors and natural tones, while the Bohemian Cabinet Collection is where I point clients wanting richer colour, mixed textures and a bit more personality on show.
Colour is the theme tying all of it together, whether that's a deep green farmhouse run or a burnt orange bohemian statement wall of cabinetry.
How Much Could You Save Buying Kitchen Cabinets Online?
Buying kitchen cabinets online saves most homeowners between £800 and £3,000 on a full kitchen project, provided the cabinets are measured accurately, ordered from a reputable retailer, and installed by a qualified fitter rather than left to guesswork.
If there's one thing I'd want you to take from this guide, it's that the saving is real, but it depends entirely on preparation. Get your measurements right, time your order around January or July sales, and read the returns policy before you commit to anything bespoke. Whether you land on a warm Japandi scheme, a cosy farmhouse look or a bold bohemian statement, the online route tends to get you there for noticeably less than a showroom quote, without asking you to compromise on quality.
Take your time on the decision, measure twice, and don't be afraid to ask a retailer questions before you buy. A good kitchen should last you fifteen years or more, so a few extra days spent getting it right is time well spent.
Key takeaways:
- Time your order for January, July or a bank holiday weekend to catch the deepest cabinet discounts.
- Budget £3,000 to £12,000 depending on kitchen size, and always separate cabinet costs from worktops and fitting.
- Measure accurately and check the returns policy before ordering online, since bespoke cabinets are rarely refundable.
FAQs: About Buying Kitchen Cabinets Online?
How much does it cost to buy kitchen cabinets online?
Online kitchen cabinets typically range from £3,000 for a basic ten-unit kitchen to £12,000 for a bespoke fitted design. Prices vary based on material, carcass depth and whether the doors are painted, veneered or solid wood.
Is it cheaper to buy kitchen cabinets online or in a showroom?
Buying kitchen cabinets online usually works out 20 to 40 percent cheaper than a showroom purchase because online retailers cut display, staffing and regional overhead costs. Showroom prices also tend to include a built-in negotiation margin that online pricing rarely carries.
What month do kitchen cabinets go on sale?
Kitchen cabinets go on sale most reliably in January, July and around bank holiday weekends, when retailers clear stock ahead of new season ranges. Signing up to a retailer's newsletter is often the fastest way to hear about these price drops first.
What is a cheaper alternative to buying new kitchen cabinets?
Cabinet refacing, where the existing carcasses stay in place and only the doors and worktops are replaced, is usually 30 to 50 percent cheaper than a full replacement. Repainting cabinet doors is an even lower cost option for anyone simply wanting a colour refresh.
How long does it take to receive kitchen cabinets ordered online?
Standard cabinet ranges usually arrive within 1 to 3 weeks of ordering, while bespoke or made-to-measure ranges can take 6 to 10 weeks. It's worth confirming lead times before booking a fitter so the two jobs line up smoothly.
What is the difference between a kitchen cabinet and a kitchen unit?
A kitchen cabinet, sometimes called a kitchen unit, generally refers to the full carcass and door combination fitted along a kitchen wall or run. According to Wikipedia, the term kitchen cabinet also describes freestanding or built-in storage units used specifically for kitchen storage and food preparation.
Can you return kitchen cabinets bought online if they don't fit?
Standard stock cabinets can usually be returned within 14 to 30 days under most UK retailer policies, provided they're unopened and undamaged. Bespoke or made-to-measure cabinets are typically excluded from returns, which makes accurate measuring essential before ordering.
What is the newest trend in kitchen cabinets for this year?
The newest trend blends warm, textured minimalism with handleless doors, natural oak and a strong return to bold, saturated colour schemes. Japandi and farmhouse styles remain particularly popular for homeowners wanting warmth without losing a clean, contemporary edge.
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Author: Catherine Kindleson
Catherine Kindleson is a seasoned interior design expert with nearly twenty years of hands-on experience helping British families transform their homes into beautiful, functional spaces. Her authority stems from a blend of practical consulting, deep research into furniture design trends, and a reputation for translating complex safety and style standards into easy-to-follow advice for everyday living.
