Pedini - integra in grey oak.This blog was created in order to put together as much information as possible about European kitchen design, European kitchen companies and the different kitchen brands that have been manufacturing custom kitchens and built in kitchens, in Europe for more then a century.
European kitchen designers are the first ones to introduce what we know today as the ‘built in kitchen’ – kitchens that are no longer ‘free-standing’ pieces of furniture (as they were 100 years ago) but kitchens that are designed to have the cabinetry fitting between two walls.
Companies like Snaidero, Boffi, Pedini, Dada, Varenna and Val Cucine, from Italy, Poggenpohl, SieMatic, Allmilmo and Bulthaup , from Germany and Smallbone and Clive Christian, from England are the pioneers, the innovators and the companies that set the tone in Europe – the same tone that then becomes the new look for kitchen design around the world.
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🙂 Thank you – I sort suspected something like that… Can you help us though with a suggestion on what brands we should look towards if we want to look at a couple of alternatives to SieMatic. We feel that we’re a bit stuck and by no means is that bad, but we think that we perhaps should find a couple of alternatives before making our decision – but we don’t know which those are.
Brgds, Poul
Poul – I’m not sure where in Sweden you are and what brands are available to you. Please tell me what’s available and I’ll be happy to rate them for you.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Is it true that the high gloss lacquer quality is much better with Copat cabinets than Scavolini?
Melindammil – Based on what…? I they are about the same…
kitchenguy
The Copat dealer says the lacquer on Copat is comparable to Pedini, but with Scavolini it’s like “comparing a Ferrari to a Fiat.” He is clearly very confident in his product, but I don’t know if it’s just a sales line. He says Copat manufactures their own lacquered doors and they are perfectly smooth, where Scavolini wouldn’t be, and could have an “orange peel” effect. The price of Copat seems good, but I don’t see any reviews by anyone.
Melindammil – does this Copat guy ever gets tired of these stories…? 🙂
Pedini’s lacquer is much better than Copat’s and Copat’s is better than Scavolini’s.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Can you explain why Kitchenguy you feel Pedini lacquer is much better than copat? What about box quality and hardware?
Chicago – Pedini’s lacquer is basically the highest grade in the industry – it is the same quality you’ll find on products such as B&B Italia. It has more coats, the skill of the people that make them are superior and the products they use is of higher grade. Pedini’s box is also better – starting from the ‘dust seal’, through the box materials, all the way to the construction and the way its built. The hardware is similar.
kitchenguy
All these companies are using idroleb panels for their box construction. valcucine lacquer is 21 or 22 hand buffed coats.
Chicago – I didn’t metion Idroleb as one of the advantages… Where did you get this 21-22 coats info…? Are you by any chance working for/with them…?
kitchenguy
Looking to buy a new kitchen and visiting showrooms.
I see…
Hi,
I live in Chennai, India. I have 3 european kitchen makers..Hacker, Alno and Veneta plus magicwoods from canada in addition to few indian local players with manufacturing set up. I want to know in general what is the cost difference in percentage between these 3 and which is the best. Also the delivery time for all cases 4 months, is it worth waiting for in comparison to Indian kitchen where it is 2 months and cost is almost 60%. What would you suggest assuming i can afford and wait or is it not so significant or worth to invest so much in a kitchen. Thanking you in advance
Vaitheeswaran – good things come to those who wait… 🙂 Hacker is better than Alno and Alno is better than Veneta. They are all better than the local production and so the answer is – yes! After all, what are 2 more months, in the over-all life of a kitchen?
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Thanks for your advice, Kitchen guy. I will go ahead with Hacker.
You’re very welcome and good luck!
Please keep us posted.
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchenguy – I live in Sydney, Australia and can find three companies here that are listed in your top 20 – Hacker, Poggenpohl and Mobalpa. Can you tell me the essential differences between these companies in terms of quality, design ethos and price? Much Thanks 🙂
Is it possible to rank the kitchen from the italiy ARAN KUCCINE, which I m about to buy. Any expiriaance, world wide, rewards e.t.c quality from 1 to 10 tnx in advance
Stolevski
Stolevski – Aran is a ‘price driven’ product. If it fits your budget – go for it. If you can afford more, it is a better investment…
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Kitchenguy, we are interested in the white glossy look for our kitchen. It seems in Los Angeles Pedini, Porcelanosa and Arancucine are available and have that look. How would you compare the quality of the cabinets made by those manufacturers? I see you consider Aran a price-driven product. What about Pedini and Porcelanosa? Is there generally a big price difference between those brands?
Thanks for a great site.
Fred – Pedini is a quality Italian brand, higher quality that Porcelanosa (Spanish brand, called Gamadecor, purchused by Porcelanosa and distributed through their stores) and much higher than Aran. If Pedini is not much higher than Gammadecor (Porcelanosa) – go for it!
Good luck and please keep us posted,
kitchenguy
Thank you Kitchenguy, I have another question. What, if any, advantage does lacquer have as compared to laminate or thermofoil?
fred – the looks of lacquer is its main advantage.
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchen Guy! I am hearing from several suppliers that the lacquer doors being manufactured from Europe are all manifesting an “orange peel” or wavy surface finish because of the new environmental standards. I really want to buy a lacquer gloss kitchen but I am discouraged by this news. Is this problem isolated or is it really happening to all lacquer gloss kitchen doors? I hope you can give me some insight on this issue. Thank you!
Monico- this sound like a poor excuse that a local supplier (wherever you are) is trying to use, as his only way to sell against the European lacquer products…
This is absolutely false!
Please tell us where you are and who is making up these stories.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
I am from Thailand. They say the “orange peel” effect manifests in tropical countries for European made lacquer doors. I have seen some doors from Leicht, Hacker, Alno and there does seem to be a waviness to the doors. I am not sure if my info is correct but they say this happens because they use water based paint now which is supposedly less toxic but I guess deteriorates in time because of the heat and humidity in tropical climates. Please give me your insight on this issue.
Thank you!
Monico – Most european manufacturers use water based lacquers because by law they are required to use non-toxic materials. Even lacquered surfaces are not sealed. The doors will absorb and release humidity.
In very humid countries it might be recommended to use high-gloss acrylics which have a thicker surface.
kitchenguy
hi kitchenguy,I live in Taiwan,V are considering between bulthaup b3 and poggenpohi.any recommend? my wife likes bulthaup but its price is 15% higher then poggenpohi.is it worth to pay extra cash to get it? thanks.
Hsiao
Hsiao – listen to your wife… 🙂 It is worth the extra money!
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Hi, congrats to your blog, that must be a ton of work. Thank you for this. I would like to ask if you know Maior Cucine? The manufactory is located 15 km from Valcucine’s, and the guy from the kitchen store suggests that Maior somehow belongs to Valcucine. Well, he wants to sell me a kitchen from Maior, and it seems to be very classy. The doors are made of glass glued on alloy frames, and else I have only seen this offered by Valcucine. The quality should be the same, but the prize is much more interesting. So if you have any knowledge of this company, please let me know. Thank you.
Thomas – I’ve never heard of them and so I’ve added their site to the list – thanks.
I seriously doubt they are owned by Valcucine…
kitchenguy
Hello again. I would also like to get your opinion about which is a better kitchen- Mobalpa or Scavollini?
Thank you!
Monico – Mobalpa.
kitchenguy
Hi,
I live in chennai and contemplating between hacker or veneta cucine.. the guys at hacker tell me that their entire units are made and imported from germany..whereas at veneta cucine they jus import the shutters and the carcass are locally made.. please advice! Which is better? Hacker or veneta cucine?
Kripa – Häcker is better, even if Venetta were importing the entire kitchen from Italy. Being that their carcasses are made in India, it only adds to Häcker’s advantage…
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchen Guy,
I live in Bangalore , India and am looking at various options for my new kitchen. I have checked out several German and Italian brands available in Bangalore as a part of my research namely
SCIC SpA
Scavolini
Veneta Cucine
Cucine Lube
Haecker
Nolte
Gatto Spa
Since I am keen on having a country-style kitchen, I am specifically looking for a solid wood classic look kitchen in wood finish (not stained). I have found that Lube and SCIC have the maximum choice in this category. I am impressed by the quality of Haecker and Nolte but they do not have very many choices in classic style. Veneta is extremely over-priced for the quality they provide and Gatto has only 2 options. SCIC seems to have the maximum choices with various combinations and stains but seem be doing their kitchens in their India unit. They did seem to use Marine ply instead of MDF for the carcass which I believe is better. Haecker said they use HDF which only they seem to use. The rest use MDF for the carcass.
Budget is not a big constraint; quality and the right look are. What would you recommend?
Regards
PR
PR – Since you stated that “budget is not a big constraint” and you are “keen on having a country-style kitchen, I am specifically looking for a solid wood classic look kitchen in wood finish (not stained).” I believe you are looking in the wrong places…
Try kitchens companies that specializes in this product, like Bamax, Brummel, Ca’ d’Orro, Francesco Molon, Marchi and many others like these (from Italy), or the ones from the UK (see the listing on the right) or perhaps import it from the US, where solid wood country kitchens is their ‘bread and butter’ kitchen design.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi KitchenGuy,
Thanks a lot for the response. I made some enquiries here locally but couldn’t find an agency which could help me import. Hence, I need to decide on my country kitchen from the ones available here. I found out that Poggenpohl and Aran are also available here in Bangalore. So, the list is now the following.
SCIC SpA
Scavolini
Veneta Cucine
Cucine Lube
Haecker
Nolte
Gatto Spa
Poggenpohl
Aran
What would your Top 3 be in terms of quality ? I do understand from your other comments that I need to check on service and warranty, which are equally important.
Regards
PR
Haecker, Gatto Spa, Poggenpohl.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi KitchenGuy,
Thanks a ton. I will now pick-up a country design that suits my requirement from amongst these three. Thanks once again.
Regards
PR
Hello I would like to get your opinion about quality of ballerina kitchen is it worth to buy It
Christina – Ballerina si a nice mid-price product, with some interesting selection of door styles and designs. To answer your question if it “is worth to buy it” – that is a questuion of budget, value, what you’re comparing it to, etc.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
This may be a bit late, but worth writing for future reference. Do not go near Ballerina with a barge pole. I have had nothing but trouble and their customer services are non existent. The lacquer chips. Badly. I’m not the only person this has happened to.
Hi Kitchen guy …
This site is best in the business…i am considering to take up an dealership in india for german kitchens… Hacker and veneta are already present…
which one should i go with… apart from quality i also want to know which brand is more aggressive in marketing … also the presence in india is an important factor… kindly suggest…
Gaurav – thank you for the kind words!
There are many factors that should go into your decision:
1. You said “i am considering to take up an dealership in india for german kitchens. Hacker and veneta are already present.” – Veneta is Italian… Why only German?
2. Are you looking to open a showroom, or become an importer?
3. What ‘price point’ product are you looking for? What market are you going after?
Re-connect with you soon,
kitchenguy
Thanks for your response.
1. looking for quality, German or Italian is not the point.
2. would be opening a showroom , a franchise or import, both options feasible..
3. looking for premium segment…one is the quality of the product and two with good back hand support from the brand
so would like to connect with the brands who have existence in India or who has plans to enter the indian market agressively…
Gaurav
We have been approached by stosa cucine, I think it is price driven…your comments..
Gaurav – you got that right… 🙂
kitchenguy
… Awaiting a reply ….
Thanks for your response.
1. looking for quality, German or Italian is not the point.
2. would be opening a showroom , a franchise or import, both options feasible..
3. looking for premium segment…one is the quality of the product and two with good back hand support from the brand
so would like to connect with the brands who have existence in India or who has plans to enter the indian market agressively…
… Awaiting a reply ..
Gaurav
Gaurav – try any of the brands in My Top 20 – they are all good and many are available in India. If they don’t have a dealer in your area alreday, it could work.
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Thank you kitchenguy!
Hi,
I will appreciate your help in deciding better brand for me. I am from Pakistan and the ones available here are LUBE and Zaccariotto (i have mentioned both websites). They are provided by some local importer. Which one of these is better?
On door material, I am more inclined towards glass as compared to PVC quoted stuff. I have heard PVC is not longer lasting. How about painted ones? need some suggestion here too.
Thank,
Affan – go with the glass. It’s a very durable and easy to clean material.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Thanks a lot kitchenguy. But please answer my fundamental question i.e. which one of LUBE or Zaccariotto is better. I have to select one. Thanks again.
Affan – between these two, i’d go with Zaccariotto.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Kitchenguy, we are looking for a modular kitchen in bangalore, India. How would you rank the following vendors in terms of quality.
Aran, Nolte and Lube.
Thanks
Satish
Satish – they are very similar. Focus on the dealer (service, design ability, etc.) – it is far more importent than the small differences between the brands.
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchen guy,
I would like to get your opinion on Joman and Nolte. Which one is more durable? Thank you.
Mida – never heard of Joman…
kitchenguy
I would like to add Pogenpohl in the list. What door material should I go for?
Mida – Poggenpohl is better than Nolte.
kitchenguy
Hi Friend,
I’d like to thank you for this very informative page for all those people who want to get the kitchen done.
Currently I’m looking out for all those players for modular kitchen and it’s getting annoyingly confusing.
after checking your reviews and couple of others I’ve decided against Veneta. Now Currently there are 4 players I’m considering
1. Haecker
2. Poggenpohl
3. Lube
4. Spagnol
Could you please recommend the above 4 players in the order you think are best placed. Also if you think there are other players I should look out, please suggest. Though price is not a criterion, still I would want something value for money. Please help me out.
Shiv – not sure where you are located, so it is hard to recommand other brands, but the 4 you choice are in this order:
1. Haecker
2. Poggenpohl
3. Spagnol
4. Lube
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Thanks KitchenGuy. I’m from India.
Thank you Kitchenguy for the quick response. Joman is in the Spanish kitchens’ list.
Mida – thanks. They seem to be a smaller Spanish brand, available exclusively to the local market. I’ll add them to the list.
Thanks,
kitchenguy
I live in Come and require an economical kitchen to be fitted.
Where is the best source and would it be cheaper to hire a fitter outside of Italy ?
Thank you
Samantha – you are in Italy. Throw a rock and you’ll probably hit a kitchen factory or a kitchen showroom. They range in price from very economical, to very expensive. Hiring a fitter from outside the country, to install an economical kitchen doesn’t make sense… – travel and living expenses will cost more than the entire job…
Good luck and stay local!
kitchenguy
Hi KitchenGuy, Thanks for running this helpful blog. I live in Belgium and am looking to install a new kitchen. I have 2 questions: 1) What is better between Hacker and Nobilia? I have quotes for the 2 kitchens, Hacker being 12-15% more expensive. Is it worth it? 2) I need to decide between melamine wrapped doors and painted doors. Price difference is not much. You have any suggestions? We will chose glossy white finish in either of them.
Thanks
Vik
A further clarification – its Hacker Classic and I guess the most basic model of Nobilia.
Vik – same answer.
kitchenguy
Vik – I like Haecker better – it is a better quality product. It is worth the extra %’s.
Regarding the finish – the paint looks better (no seam), so if the price is almost the same, I’d go with it.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
I am in miami and would like to know how you rate doimo cucine and record ?
Amy – the are both medium quality and more of a price-driven products, than quality or designed focus.
kitchenguy
Thanks for the quick response. I am also going to check out the higher quality kitchens by dada, pedini and snaidero which are also available in miami. Are they all on the same par and if so how about price?
Thanks a lot
Amy – All three are great brands and on par, as far as pricing is concern.
Good luck and please keep us posted.
kitchenguy
We are in Scotland and have had quotes for 2 German companies – Pronorm and Leicht. The Leicht quote is 40% more expensive but we dont mind paying the extra if were getting a better quality kitchen. What is your opinion on this?
Heather – Between these two, Leicht is the better product. Not sure it warrants 40% more, but that’s for you to decide.
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Thanks for that – the Leicht quote does include a few more units and more doors in wood finish (Orlando Tennessee Walnut)as oppossed to matt white for the majority of the Pronorm quote, but you have confirmed what I thought
Glad I can help – good luck!
kitchenguy
I live in New York and my house was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy so I am looking for a company that is economical as I am on a tight budget. Any recommendations?
Lo Gro – Sorry to hear about your house.
My suggestion is always to use a better product and cut costs by going with their lesser expensive materials and eliminating unnecessary ‘toys’ custom features, etc.
The problem with the cheap kitchens is just that – they are cheap…
Check out products like Bulthaup’s b1 or Pedini’s Magika.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi Kg
Let me first thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge. I’m looking to open a showroom in Quebec and Ontario distributing either and Italian or German manufacturer (favorable perception). I’m looking for a mid end product (price driven) with a decent value, good service and attractive marketing strategies. Can you give me a top 10 list? Thank you for your time.
Frank – mid end product (price driven) with a decent value, good service and attractive marketing strategies, doesn’t really go together… In order to get a better priced product, something’s got to give… – either the quality, the service or at least the marketing strategies… What’s more important to you? What market are you after?
kitchenguy
I perfectly understand what you mean because I already distribute a high end product and I certainly share your point of view on this. I want to add one or two manufacturers (Italian or German)that are leaders in the mid-end market. Can you give me a top 10 list?
Frank – did you go through My Personal Top 20 list?
kitchenguy
Hi Kg – I did but I’m want to go specifically in the middle end market more price driven. Can you rank me those manufacturers according to my needs : Varenna Polyform, Stosa, Nobilia, Leicht, Aran, Arrital, Febal, Allmilmo, Maistri, Alno and Nolte. Feel free to give me other suggestions. Thanks again for your help!
Frank – I’m sorry, but the answer to this question is a lot more complex than simply chosing the ‘middle market’ ones… It is also a very time consuming process, to be done correctly…
Regards,
kitchenguy
Hello Kitchenguy,
I am so glad I found your blog while searching on the Internet. I would like to ask your opinion. We are currently looking for a modern kitchen for our waterfront mid century modern home. We are in Los Angeles and have looked at the Varenna by Poliform, Porcelanosa (which I think is now low on the list because we did not feel the quality was up to par, Pedini. We yet have to also check out Bulthaup, Alno, and Poggenpohl. If you had to choose how would you rank these in terms of quality. We are willing to spend more for a high quality design product. Thank you for your advice and expertise.
Silvia – Bulthaup & Pedini, then Varenna and Poggenpohl. last Alno and Porcelanosa (actually Gamma Decor, sold by Porcelanosa).
Good luck,
kitchenguy
PS do you have any other suggestions of other products to investigate in the Los Angeles or San Diego area. Thanks again
I think you have a great selection to choose from.
kitchenguy
I would love to know your opinion on which products by Snaidero are best suited for a mid-range budget? Overall, how would you rank Snaidero’s products over those of Pedini’s or Porcelanosa’s? Thank you so much — thanks in advance, and looking forward to your response!
Katherine – the price difference between one Snaidero’s model to another is driven by the door, materials, etc. So it is not the quality, but more of the cost of materials, labor, etc. It is on par with Pedini, as they offer very similar specs. Porcelanosa (which is actually a Spanish company called Gamma Decor) is lower quality.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi Kichenguy,
Sincerest thanks– I appreciate your thoughtful, thorough, and speedy response! I am planning to create a contemporary high-gloss lacquer kitchen; however, Snaidero offers so choices making the right selection confusing. Would you happen to know if Snaidero invests the same quality of lacquer-finish into each of its product lines (e.g., Code, Idea, Kube, Orange, Way)?
Thanks again for your help — I look forward to hearing back from you!
Katherine
Katherine – as far as I know, it is the same process.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi there, do you know anything about italian oikos kitchens? We have a good quote from them but another good one from siematic. Which of the two is the better brand? What is siematic’s laminate quality like? Should we avoid laminate and go for lacquer if possible? Many thanks!
Fran – SieMatic is a better product, but will also cost a lot more, so in terms of value – you’ll need to decide for yourself. SieMatic’s laminate is fine. Don’t avoid laminate, just evaluate both materials for yourself – what’s good for one, may not fit another’s lifestyle…
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchenguy,
We are about to start a big remodel on our house and create a large kitchen / family room with a big island. This will be the space that we will use as a family for many years to come. After doing some research I have fallen in love with German kitchens. We live in the San Francisco bay area so not that many German brands are available here.
I am about to get a quote from Leicht and Poggenpohl and wonder if I should research Siematic as well.
I’m having a hard time figuring out the quality. They all seem very similar.
In terms of quality could you tell me which of these 3 brands has the highest quality? Basically which is the best brand and why? We have a fairly large budget. I just want to have a kitchen that will last for the next 25 years. Please advice.
Thanks you.
Nicole Derr
Nicole – you are right – they all do look similar, but there are some differences in quality and price. Leicht and Poggenpohl should be somewhat similar, with a slight edge to Poggenpohl. SieMatic will be a bit higher priced than both. They invest more in the product’s R&D and have some more unique features (ask them to point them out).
Good luck and please kep us posted.
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchenguy,
Thanks for your answers a couple of weeks ago. I ended up getting quotes from Leicht, Siematic and Poggenpohl. The Leicht and Siematic quote were very simular and the Poggenpohl quote was twice as high. I am now trying to decide between Leicht and Siematic. I like the color options for high gloss lacquer better at Leicht but wonder about quality in the end. Both seem simular in design and options/accessories.
What is your advice? Also, I heard there are 2 different qualities of laminate. Do you know what this means?
Thank you for your help.
Nicole
Nicole – they are similar, but if all is equal, I’d go with SieMatic. Not sure what you refer to, in the two laminates…
kitchenguy
Hi kitchen guy. What can you tell me about a brand called modulnova. I am renovating my house and a friend recommended an architect who also represents this brand here in Hong Kong. I find the setup a bit wierd because their showroom is not on the street – it’s in an office in an industrial building. Not exactly confidence inspiring – yet the Italian website seems kosher.
CONFUSED, Hong Kong
Nicky – it is a nice product, but they don’t seem to have a strong export presence, outside of Italy. You may want to conside a product with stronger outfit.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Hi I am looking around for kitchens and I came across Aran kitchens, kitchens from spar and GeD kitchens? What do you think about these brands. Which brand is the best one?
Thanks
Claudia – from these three, GeD is better, Aran is second.
Good luck,
kitchenguy
What are you views on spar arreda kitchen.?
Claudia – this is a ‘price driven’ company, producing lower end, lower cost, kitchens, children furniture and bedrooms.
kitchenguy
Hi Kitchen guy,
havre you heard about the brand “Modern Kitchen Art” (MoKA)? If yes, where does it rank please?
Thanks,
Ann
Dear Kitchen Guy,
Your website is fantastic. Just a quick question please.
I am currently looking to install a kitchen and have had quotes from Poggenpohl and Hacker, with Poggenpohl about 50% more expensive. I assume you recommend i go with Hacker (esp. at that price)? What about Bulthaup? I assume they would be even more expensive than Poggenpohl, but would they be worth the extra money? If so, why?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Thanks Chanster – Hacker has 3 price levels. Based on the 50% difference, you are not using their highest. Check with the retailer to find out what it is that you’re not getting in the lower price point. Bulthaup will generally be higher than Poggenpohl.
Good luck and please keep us posted,
kitchenguy
Thanks Kitchen Guy. Will do!
Hi
Hacker now have 2 ranges Classic and Systemat, Classic is only a 720mm format but Systemat has 720mm and 780mm format. with Systemat you can upgrade to Glass sided deep drawers with or without LED lights, Glass wall unit shelves with LED lights and there are nearly twice as many units available than on Classic Both ranges are very good quality .
Keep up the good work.
Andrea’s sends his regards.
Cheers
Paul
Great site, thanks for all the info!
We are trying to build to the “best” kitchen (design and quality) that we can afford within a budget. The Pedini eko line falls within this budget, however, our local pedini dealer does not have any eko kitchens for us to view in the show room. Do you have an opinion on this specific line? Other options within a comparable budget would be scavolini, Aya (not sure if you’re familiar with this one), or using a local (canadian) cabinet maker to replicate the euro look. Do you consider Pedini Eko to be of a similar quality (though with less design options) to the other pedini lines?
Thanks!
Jessica – Eko is the same as the rest of the Pedini line, with a couple of very small differences, like the adjustable legs are not steel, but plastic (standard, for most of the industry). The main reason for the lower price point is that it offers less options – if you like what Eko does offer, it is a great value!
Good luck,
kitchenguy
Am looking for new German kitchen. Have a quote from Siematic(appliance price seems ok, however cabinetry is hugely expensive for high gloss?)What are your views on 1. Schuller and 2. Nolte. In which order would you rate these and why?
Many thanks.
James – Schuller is better than Nolte and are both not in par with SieMatic.
kitchenguy
kitchenguy: I liked Record’s styling and price, but am concerned by your comment of them being “medium quality” and “price driven”. Is that because they have laminate products or is it their wood too? Do they not last? Are we talking Ikea quality? I’m in South Florida – who would you recommend that’s a step up? – Thank you
Hi, we’re about to buy a kitchen. We have a quote for a Leicht Classic Art – Neo-GL – Cashmere Shiny Laminate – G370– PG1
which is £8,000 for the cabinets, someone else is quoting £10,000 for the kiara.
is this a big difference?
Adam – only you can answer this (as long ass all else is the same)…
kitchenguy
Dear Kitchenguy,
i could not find across this usefull blog the Italian brand Berloni, which is widely represented in Russia. Is it a well known brand wordwide? What about the quality of its kitchens? How does Berloni fare with Aran? Aran is cheaper twice as much than Berloni in Moscow.
thank you in advance.
Keep up the good work.
regards,
Sergei
Sergei – Berloni is a faitly large company, producing medium quality produuct, that has been experiancing many difficulties in recent years and is pretty much bankrupt, on paper. From what I understand, someone else is now running the company, it may actually be the owners of Aran.
kitchenguy
thank you for such a fast reply. I like Berloni’s “Matrix” and it is pretty similar to Aran’s “Doga”. Aran is much cheaper. Don’t know what to do: go for cheaper Aran or more expensive Berloni. Is there a huge gap in quality between them?
Not huge, so if the price difference is that, go for Aran.
kitchenguy
Tnaks again, kitcheguy. I still have time for consideration. One more question please. What are the main deficiencies of the “price driven” Aran kitchens? Could you please name most essential of them which differentiate Aran from Berloni and Scavolini qualitywise?
I look forward to hearing from you,
regards
Sergei – there is no one difference – it is many little things that make the difference between brands, that could be starting from the products specs, through quality control and ending with service and after-care.
kitchenguy
kitchenguy, your help is highly appreciated. I understand about details that make the difference. Above all, i treasure quality of material the kitchen made of (Aran uses E1 not super E if its critical) and to lesser extent quality control.
Aran brings parts of cabinets through Russian customs and then bring pieces into one cabinet, whereas the other manufacturers bring glued already assembled cabinets to Russia. That’s where Aran make it much cheaper due to less customs excise. However, i am afraid this practice can tell on the quality of Aran product even if the assembling is done quite well.
Sergei – not sure about Russina customs laws, but i cant believe that thsi alone would save that much money. I have a feeling that between customs, shipping costs and even cheaper labor (though they are fully automated in Italy), the savings are minimal. I’m guessing the reason for shipping it KD (knock down, flat packed) is to be able to buy it in volume and warehouse it in Russia, for a quicker delivery.
As i said before – if it is much cheaper – go for it! the difference in quality is small.
Good luck!
kitchenguy
Hello Kitchenguy,
Based on the top 20 that you provided us, and taking into consideration only quality, how would you re-classify these 20 companies? I am asking you that because except Toncelli and Strato, they are all available in the market and all claim to have the best product.
Thanks a lot for your assistance.
Ramy – all these brands are at the top of their game. It is very hard to list them from 1 to 20 and so the 20 listed are not in any particular order. same goes for the quality.
Sorry,
kitchenguy
Hi. Thanks a lot for the quick feedback. I totally understand. Would it be possible to locate Pedini in this bunch ? Or if we compare it to Poggenpohl, Alno, Varenna, Hacker,Stomer or Aran…where does it stand?
Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot for the quick feedback.I totally understand. I will then re-phrase: how does Pedini compare in terms of quality to Poggenpohl, Ceasar, Leicht, Stormer, Alno, Scavolini, Nolte or Hacker? I have offers of each one for a couple of kitchen and I am looking for the quality – price is not an issue.
Ramy – as far as quality is concerned, Pedini is right up there, with the top brands. Scavolini, Nolte, Alno, etc. are not up to par.
kitchenguy
Hello Kitchen guy. What about Pedini and Aran or Ceasar?
Ramy – Aran is a low end, price driven product and is not acompetitor to both. Cesar, is a much better product than Aran, but not as innovative, versatile and high-end as Pedini. My sources are also informing me that Cesar is in big financial trouble and are even having difficulty delivering orders these days…
kitchenguy
Kitchenguy- can you give me a few names of price driven companies like Aran? Thanks.
Ramy – look at the list on the right – other than the 20-30 brand names you recognize, these are all products that are ‘price driven’, to one degree or another.
You are asking me many questions, that the answers are not one or two sentence answers… I’d love to help you, but I simply can’t do a complete research analysis for free…
What exactly are looking for/looking to do? Perhaps if you be very specific, I can just get you the answer, without going in circles.
Sorry,
kitchenguy
kithenguy, thank you for your effort. Today, i have spoken to the sales guy from Berloni/Scavolini shop. He also said that Aran is way cheaper due to the KD shipping. Scavolini cabinets occupy much space i heard. Pound for pound, Scavolini customs clearance cost EUR 2000 as compared to EUR 700-800 for Aran. Aran’s weak point is that, customer has Aran cabinets to be assembled right at his flat. Aran cabinets are not glued unlike all others like Berloni or Scavolini. Do you think this issue is big deal in terms of kitchen’s quality and durability if assemblers are professional?
Sergei – absolutely! This is basically an upgraded IKEA cabinets…
kitchenguy
Hello Kitchenguy- we have been in the kitchen manufacturing industry since the late sixties. Our factory is located in Lebanon and we have been producing quality kitchens since then. We use premium quality materials like Grass (timios & agantis), Egger, Rehau, Renolit,Abet Lamiatti (we actually build entire kitchens in HPL and cover them with a 20 years warranty). All our machinery is from the German Homag Group – weeke, Holman, Brandt. You can visit us at http://www.meker.com. We are looking to sell our products outside Lebanon: any advice on how we can proceed? Your advice as a specialist would be highly appreciated. Thank you.
Michel (or Ramy…) – in every country in the world, there are small (or medium) manufacturers that produce decent quality kitchens, in the European style. In order to be able to export your products, you must have some strong ‘selling points’, that customers may be interested in. Since your products are not Made in Italy, or Made in Germany (both are selling point) and are not better made than Italian or German products, you must have another advantage, that will make customers want to buy Made in Lebanon products…
I know of a few Turkish kitchen products, that are trying hard to export – they are much cheaper than Italian or German made products.
Good luck and please keep us posted,
kitchenguy