4 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing A Hydraulic Soft Close Hinge

As the main component connecting the cabinet to the door panel, the quality of the hinges is essential for the use of the cabinet. A hydraulic hinge is a type of hinge that uses the cushioning properties of liquid to make soft closing of cabinet doors. These hydraulic soft close hinges make the opening and closing of doors quiet and silent, and are safer and less prone to pinching, making them an increasingly popular choice for home improvement.

So, how should we select hydraulic soft close hinges?

Fundamentally, the hydraulic effectiveness of a hinge depends on the sealing of the piston, which is not something that can be discerned in the short term for the consumer.

Therefore, we can consider the following factors.

Appearance

The products produced by manufacturers with mature technology will pay more attention to the appearance, including the lines and surface treatment. Apart from general scratches, hinges produced by strong manufacturers are without deep gouge marks. When selecting a hinge, you can look at the surface of the product to see if it is flat. Scratches and deformation indicate that the hinge may be made of leftover material. Such hinges not only have an unattractive appearance but also will negatively affect the use of cabinets.

Sound

The hydraulic soft close hinge in the cabinet mainly plays the role of the switch. Therefore, we need to pay attention to opening and closing the hinges when there is no noise. If the hinge makes a noise, it means that its cushioning effect is not good. Besides, we also need to see that the doors close at an even speed and that the hinge cups are not loose. If the hinge cups are loose during the use of the hinges, this is evidence that the rivets are not tightly riveted and can easily fall off. Alternatively, you can close the door a few times and see whether there is a deep indentation in the hinge cups. If there is, the cup material is too thin.

Anti-rust ability

The hinges that pass the 48-hour salt spray test have the better anti-rust ability in general.

Screws

Generally, hinges come with two adjustment screws. You can use a screwdriver to adjust the screws three to four times with some force. Then, you can take the screws off and see if the hinge arm is damaged. Because this hinge arm is formed out of iron material, not so hard as the screw, easy to wear, and if the factory tapping if the precision is not enough, it will cause the hinge to slip or screw.