How Do Self-Close Drawer Slides Work?

When it comes to kitchen renovation, there are a lot of different things you can tweak and change. You can use concealed hinges instead of displayed hinges. You can add soft-close cabinet doors rather than the standard cabinet doors. You can add concealed handles over the open handles. And that’s just for cabinets! From adding an island to altering the counter material to fundamentally restructuring the shape of your kitchen entirely, the renovation process is really only as big or as small as you want it to be.

One of the more popular options that have only grown in interest over time is self-closing kitchen drawers. Where once they were somewhat of an unknown, today, you can get them added to virtually any cabinet as a premium addition. In fact, some of the higher-end cabinets may even have this as a native feature depending on the stores you visit.

If you’ve ever thought about getting self-closing cabinet drawers or adding self-closing drawer slides to your cabinetry, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll break down what these are, how they compare with other similar cabinet additions, and ultimately if they are something you should get for your home.

What are Self Closing Drawers

Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you, you don’t have to be particularly strong to open and close a kitchen drawer. Unless you’re an infant, the muscle requirement to close a drawer isn’t all that daunting. Heck, my cat has accidentally closed a few on accident!

However, be that as it may, for some reason, we can sometimes never quite stick the landing when it comes to closing them all the way. For some reason, they always seem to get “almost” closed or partially closed or halfway closed, but unless you’re actually “trying” to close them, there’s a good chance they’ll still be slightly open.

Self closing drawers operate by doing exactly what the name implies. Using the slides on either side of the frame, the drawer can be closed with the simplest pushes. Not only does this make the process less annoying, but it also is one of those “quality of life” improvements that allow you to focus your mind on something else. Unlike standard cabinets, you already know that the drawers are closed the second you touch them.

This is something that, when looked at on its face, may seem small. However, after only a few weeks with a self closing cabinet drawer, you’ll honestly forget what it was like having to always be on guard to make sure the drawer didn’t stop halfway.

How Do Self Closing Drawer Slides Work?

Now that you understand what self-closing drawers are and how they operate, the question ultimately boils down to how the slides self-close.

It’s actually not so complex. Self-closing drawers work by using using a pair of slides and replacing the standard option with them. When installed, these slides essentially move the drawer onto its hinges before rolling it back into place.

Self Close vs. Soft Close Drawers

Though the two names may certainly seem similar to a degree, they certainly aren’t synonyms. Whereas self-close works by securely and firmly closing a drawer, soft-close drawers work by — as the name implies — softly closing the drawer. So, what’s the comparison between them?

Ultimately, the biggest difference between the two is that soft-close drawers softly close the drawers while self-close are much more forceful when they close. Self-close drawers make just as much noise as you would if you were securely closing them, essentially making it so that anyone in the room will know when you’re closing it.

Not only that, but you’re probably going to have to make sure the soft-close drawers actually close since they can be very quiet, and they don’t have the same surefire method that self-close slides offer.

Should You Get Them For Your Home?

This is an age-old question and really is determined by your situation. If you are someone that is apt to leave drawers open accidentally or are always in a hurry, these are a great option to consider. Not only do they actually close with the slightest “push,” but you’ll actually begin to appreciate the sound of the drawer closing behind you as you move off to the next thing.

Conversely, if you are someone that is very determined when they close drawers, this may be a bit of a redundant option. Similarly, if you’ve got young children at home, using these can potentially be an issue — both because they make noise as well as the fact that they are more likely to get damaged by a child who’s playing a bit too rough and may cause the drawer shelf to get off track. In these instances, getting the soft-close option may be the better option.