Best Value: BLUM 38N Soft Close
Certified, Quiet and Budget Friendly
BUDGET PICK: BLUM 38N
IN THIS GUIDE:
› BEST FACE FRAME: BLUM CLIP TOP F/F SOFT CLOSE
› FRAMELESS PICK: BLUM CLIP TOP SOFT CLOSE
› BUDGET FACE FRAME: BLUM 38N F/F
› BUDGET FRAMELESS: RAVINTE FRAMELESS
› DOOR JIG: KREG KHI-HINGE JIG
The best cabinet hinges feature soft closing, are industry certified for open and close cycles, and are easy to adjust. But picking the right hinge requires knowing overlays and cabinet style and choosing a brand that has industry certification for its products.
First, soft closing too many are the same as self-closing and slow closing. While professionals know the proper term is “soft closing,” understand that if you want the door not to slam, opt for self or slow-close hinges.
Before buying a cabinet hinge, it’s essential to know that soft close hinges come in a variety of configurations:
- Face frame or frameless (check your cabinet’s construction first!)
- Detachable or fixed
- Inset or various overlays
- Opening angle
- Self-close vs. soft close
I’ve used dozens of hinges, and I purchased several Blum and other brand hinges for this article. The result? Stick with Blum if they offer a hinge in your configuration. The extra price will avoid non-performing dampers, squeaks, and longevity issues.
Page Contents
Our Experience
Building over one hundred kitchens from rough-sawn lumber to finished and installed cabinets has taught us a lot about wood, wood finish, and hardware. Along the way, we’ve learned that cabinet drawer slides and hinges will enhance or detract from the finished quality of a project.
So what does that mean when choosing the best cabinet hinges? Well, when purchasing, consider the following:
- Top brands like Blum use industry testing to certify their hinges.
- Imitation brands we’ve found often squeak
- Features like built-in soft close are a must
- And adjustability like damper controls or soft close on/off switches are required
Lastly, to help select the correct type of hinge, we’ve included guides on frameless versus face frame and the various insets and overlays you’ll need to consider.
Types of Cabinet Door Hinges
There are countless types of cabinet hinges. This means when buying the best cabinet hinges for your project, you’ll need to understand the seven common types of cabinet hinges:
- Face frames
- Frameless hinges
- Inset hinge (face frame or frameless)
- Surface mount hinges
- Wrap-around hinges (face frame)
- Flush hinges
- Overlay hinges
Choosing Which Style Slow Close Cabinet Hinge You Need
So let’s get started on what hinge you’ll need.
First up is understanding your cabinet construction:
- Frameless: a frameless cabinet has sides that extend to the front of the cabinet (commonly referred to as European cabinets). This style of cabinet is pictured above.
- Face frame: this style cabinet has an edge on the front of the cabinet, similar to a picture frame. For a picture of this style cabinet, see the next section, and you’ll note the wood frame covering the cabinet sides.
Just so you know, these hinges are NOT interchangeable, so please make sure you understand this step first!
Hinge Features To Look For
While opening and shutting are two apparent features, with cabinet hinges, you’ll find there is a surprising list of features to consider:
- Self-closing that uses a spring to pull the door shut (but doesn’t stop the door from slamming)
- Soft closing that prevents the hinge from slamming
- Hinge angle that determines the angle of opening (usually from 105 to 170 degrees)
- Demountable hinges that allow the door to be installed or removed without tools
- ANSI/BHMA certification by the vendor to verify the hinge will work for tens of thousands of cycles
- Damper size and recovery time for fast door opening and closing
- On/off switches for adjusting the closing force
Cabinet Hinges For Face Frame Cabinets
First, face frame hinges mount to a “picture frame” attached to the cabinet box’s sides. These hinges are specifically designed for this type of cabinet and allow the hinge to be installed on the edge or face of the frame.
There are five general styles of hinges for face frames:
- Clip-on hinges
- Partial overlay
- Full overlay
- Face mount full overlay
- Inset face frame
So which one do you need? As you can see, the list is all about overlay, so my rule of thumb is:
- If you want to see the face frame, use a clip-on or partial overlay hinge
- If you want the face frame hidden and as much of the door covering the frame, use a compact full overlay or face mount.
Cabinet Hinges for Frameless Cabinets
While similar to face frame hinges, hinges for frameless cabinets typically feature a more extensive form that allows them to support the door from a greater distance.
Overall, there are three basic types of frameless hinges:
- Inset
- Partial overlay
- Full overlay
Deciding on which is suitable for your project is, fortunately, straight-forward:
- Insets are the most straightforward – if you plan to see the cabinet frame edge, your decisions are down to the opening angle (110 and 170 degrees most commonly).
- Use full overlay on cabinet ends where another door is not adjacent.
- Use partial or “half-overlay” on cabinet sides where another door will be adjacent.
What will your final project require? To avoid a delay in your project, if this is your first time, you order additional full and partial overlays to allow swapping hinges out as you install the doors.
TOOLS NEEDED TO INSTALL Cabinet HINGES
Before rushing into a hinge purchase, remember that the tools to install cabinet hinges are just as crucial as the hinge itself.
This is why we recommend having the following on hand:
- Cabinet door hinge jig to drill concealed hinge holes properly
- Vix bits to ensure screw holes are perfectly centered
- And lastly, a cabinet hardware template to install hardware precisely on the cabinet
Best Cabinet Hinges
When it comes to picking the best cabinet hinge our experience and research has shown top suppliers like Blum are where to start. And stop, unless there is an equally reputable hinge that has similar quality control.
Because they invest so much into their own testing, open & close cycles and industry certification the odds of a Blum hinge working better and longer are improved.
Or, in an another way of saying: you get what you pay for. With hinges, skip the cheap imports.
1. Best Overall Cabinet Hinge: Blum Clip-Top
Available on Amazon: Face Frame or Frameless
Blum Clip-Top is the gold standard in cabinet hinges. And, for a good reason, these industry-recognized, slow-closing, and screw-concealing hinges look and perform at the top of their class.
Top Features
- Easy to install
- Snap on screw covers for a sleek finished look
- Range of opening from 110 degrees to 170 degrees (different hinges)
- Hinge-cup mounted soft close damper with on/off switch
- 6-way hinge adjustment
- Tool-less removal of the door once the hinge is installed
Overview
For higher-end cabinetry and furniture, the Blum Clip Top is one of the most trusted hinges for its durability and performance. Their BLUMOTION damper technology adapts to the size of the door and quietly closes light to heavy doors.
And, to make installation a breeze, these doors can be installed and adjusted at the shop and then “snapped” off the cabinet for transport or installation.
Pros
- Soft close dampers
- On/off soft close for lighter and heavier doors
- Rapid damper recovery for quick door open & close cycles
- Metal plates hide all screw holes
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Price
2. Best Budget Cabinet Hinge: Blum 38N (Face Frame)
Available on Amazon: Blum 38N Bulk Pack
Taking the same BLUMOTION capability from the Clip-Top, these soft close hinges are compact and budget-friendly.
Top Features
- Built for face frame applications
- 100 to 110-degree range of opening
- Blum Compact has various cabinet hinge types (38N, 39C, 38B) to fit your project overlay needs.
- Soft close damper is integrated into the hinge cup
- On/off switch for adjusting action on smaller doors
Overview
If you remove the arm and detachable clip and get down to high-quality self-close cabinet hinges for face frame cabinets, you’ll get the Blum 38N.
Like the Clip Top, this economical Blum compact face frame hinge features the exact cup-mounted soft close mechanism, on/off switch, and quiet operation.
But in a more compact form at a lower price point. Over the years, I’ve installed countless 38N hinges, and now that these newer hinges integrate soft close, it’s my go-to choice on large projects where budget is critical.
Pros
- Blum brand and quality
- Price
- Soft close dampers
- On/off soft close for lighter and heavier doors
- Rapid damper recovery for quick door open & close cycles
Cons
- Limited opening width (vs. Clip Top – which offers 107 to 170-degrees)
- 3-way adjustment vs. 6-way on Clip Top
3. Best Budget Frameless Cabinet Hinge: Ravinte
Available on Amazon: Ravinte Frameless
There are a few alternates when budgets or applications call for Blum-quality hinges. And the Ravinte hinges have all of the basic features at a lower cost.
Top Features
- Full overlay
- 35mm cup size
- Soft close (piston-driven vs. hinge cup)
- Clip on/off for installation
- Six-way adjustment
Overview
If you take the Blum Clip-Top and focus the features into soft close, demountable, and six-way adjustment, you’ll have a hinge like the Ravinte.
Same installation, same function, but at a lower cost.
Pros
- Price
- Soft close dampers
- Demountable
- Six-way adjustment
Cons
- Not industry certified like Blum
Cabinet Hinges: PItFalls, Tips and Tricks
I should be able just to buy my hinges and install them.
After all, a hinge is a hinge, and drilling a 1/2″ deep hole in a cabinet door isn’t a big deal…
Not so fast. Before ordering, building your cabinet, or drilling, look at these common pitfalls to save time and money.
1. Ordering the Wrong Overlays
If it’s your first time installing cabinet hinges, you might learn that overlay is a challenging terminology. And “full overlay” doesn’t come with a measurement.
A few pointers:
- Face frame cabinets: Build your face frames, then use a pencil and ruler to lay out the door widths. Then match your hinges to the “overlay” of the hinge side. I often use a variety of hinge overlays on my projects.
- Frameless cabinets: You have three choices – inset (not an overlay hinge), full overlay when there is no adjacent door, and half overlay when the cabinet will “butt up” to an adjoining cabinet.
2. Not Planning Roll-out Shelving and Hinges Together
This is an issue even an experienced cabinetmaker can have. And while not specific to soft close hardware, almost all new cabinets use soft close.
What’s unique about roll-out shelving? First, installing the shelving or drawer as low on the door as possible is necessary to maximize space. And that’s typically exactly where the hinge will go.
The solution? Rather than worry about hinge location, install a wood strip that protrudes 1/2″ into the cabinet on each side to attach the sliding shelf. In other words, you’ll make a 1″ narrow opening to allow the sliding shelves to install.
3. Drilling The Hinge Cup Hole Too Deep
As you likely know, installing most cabinet hinges requires drilling a 35mm hole deep into the cabinet door.
The solution?
Use a cabinet hinge jig to set the location for the hinge hole and the depth.
4. Purchasing Frameless Hinges For Face Frame Cabinets
It happens.
And sometimes, it’s mislabeling of the products or lack of clarity on the websites you might buy them from. The solution? Make sure to double-check the hinge style against your cabinet construction.
5. Not Positioning The Hinge Cup Properly
One of the most frustrating issues with installing a cabinet hinge is installing the hinge in the wrong place.
And by this, I mean installing it in one of three places:
- On a face frame cabinet, where it will overlay the top or bottom rail (and not allow it to be installed)
- Setting the hinge cup too close to the door edge creates an unsightly gap
- Or, setting the hinge cup too far from the door edge will cause the door to bind.
This is why using a concealed hinge jig is best to avoid placement issues.
6. Damaging The Door During Hinge Installation
First, after installing thousands of cabinet doors, I’ve learned to install the top hinge before the bottom.
Why? Because I’ve frequently dropped a screw, misplaced a hinge, or done something else that causes me to break my focus from the door, this approach:
- Allows most cabinet doors to “hang” suspended by the top hinge for a short period
- Makes it easier to balance the door while installing screws
7. Not Adjusting the Door
Every cabinet door will need to be adjusted after installation. And while standard hinges need to be adjusted for the door to be level and aligned with adjacent doors, with a soft close door, you’ll also need to:
- Turn the dampers on/off to achieve the right closing speed (or, with some styles, adjust the damper piston)
- Be extra sure to install locking screws to secure the hinges to the cabinet firmly. Failure to do so can cause hinges to work loose over time as they can work against each other.
Common Questions: Self Close Cabinet Hinges
1. How Quickly Does the Soft Close Damper Recover?
One of the most common issues with (generic) soft close cabinet hinges is the damper only works for a quick open and close.
To avoid this slow recovery and other issues, here’s what to look for in a soft close cabinet hinge:
- An adjustable or on/off damper so the door doesn’t stop when it hits the damper.
- Brand name hinges engineered and sold to high-end cabinetry shops.
2. Can I retrofit Self close kitchen cabinet hinges?
Have an existing kitchen and researching if you can upgrade your hinges?
Well, fortunately, you may have two options:
- almost any concealed hinge door can be retrofitted with a soft close damper. While these don’t require the hinges to be replaced, they do add another piece of hardware to the interior of your cabinet.
- Hinge replacement of existing “Euro-style” concealed hinges. Due to the popularity of concealed hinges in frameless and face frame kitchens, you can replace the existing hinges.
However, you might need more work if your hinges are visible from the front. Due to the force of the dampers, a front-mounted hinge screw will be continually “pressed” with a soft close hinge.
3. Finding out what kind and size of hinge you need
Worried about spending a lot on new hinges only to find they won’t fit? This is a ubiquitous question and something even professionals have to plan carefully. So let’s take a look at how to determine both.
Soft close hinge construction
First, examine your hinge and see if you can identify a brand and model. Perhaps they are from Salice, Kraftmaid, DTC, Ikea, or even Blum. Do they have the “clip top” design like the first two hinges in this article? Or is their design more traditional, like the Blum 38N soft close?
Hinge Overlay
Hinge overlay is the distance the door “covers” the frame or cabinet side on the *hinge* side. Fortunately, this overlay is simple to measure, but you’ll need to know fractions.
There are two ways to find overlay on existing cabinets:
- The easiest method is as simple as looking at the hinge. Do you see a fraction like “1/2” or “1-5/16”? That’s your overlay.
- Another method is measuring the distance the door “overlays” the cabinet when closed. Just measure this on the door’s hinge side (not the top/bottom!).
4. Independent certification authorities for cabinet hinges
Almost everything we buy has a certification process to which the manufacturer can optionally subject their products. And for cabinet hinges, the Builders Hardware Manufacturing Association is the testing authority.
But finding results for who’s certified and what the consequences are takes time and effort. However, here are a few links to the leading hardware manufacturers and their stated ANSI/BHMA compliance:
- Blum BHMA Grade 2 compliance for cabinet hinges
- Grass BHMA compliance
5. Just how much thought does Blum put into their hardware versus the competitors?
Would you believe me if I said Blum uses a space-age suit that simulates age, limited motion, and even more in testing its hardware? Well, they do, and you can read about the Age Explorer(tm) suit they use for testing.
But what did they learn, and how did it impact their products? A couple of inventive features:
- An electric-powered “bump to open” SERVO-DRIVE that powers open kitchen drawers
- For corner cabinets, a SPACE CORNER drawer system allows access to the back of corner drawers.
6. How many Slow close cabinet hinges per door?
This is an often overlooked part of building cabinet doors. And a question to answer before purchasing.
Here’s a guide for how many soft close cabinet hinges per door:
- Two hinges for doors up to 38″ and 15 pounds
- Three hinges for doors between 38-60″ and 15 to 30 pounds
- Four hinges for doors 60-90″ and 30-45 pounds
- Five hinges (or more) for doors over 90″ and 45 pounds
However, please check the manufacturer’s rate limits for heavy doors and follow their guidelines.
7. What’s an inset door vs. an overlay door?
Let’s keep this one simple and then look at the differences in overlay and cabinet construction.
- An inset door is flush with the face of the cabinet (either frameless or face frame)
- While an overlay door, as the name implies, lays over the face of the cabinet. And this could be both frameless and face frame cabinets.
8. Understanding cabinet door reveal
When I build cabinets, this is the “art” of a well-built finished product.
The hinge reveal is the required distance the hinge will need to operate without binding. And if you’re building cabinet doors, this is a critical measurement to consider when boring the mounting holes.
After you have the reveal and overlay understood then, the art of this involves:
- When the cabinet doors are finished and installed, the reveal, overlay, and cabinet construction all contribute to the visual lines of the kitchen.
- Avoiding filler strips avoids visual break-ups in the reveal and overlays
- Plan, plan, and then plan some more. Due to the importance of visual lines, I’ll make dozens of pencil marks on a face frame to pick suitable overlays. And that means I might choose a few 7/8″ overlay soft close cabinet hinges, some 1-5/16″, and so on.
How to Install Soft Close Cabinet Hinges
Fortunately, installing a soft close hinge is no different than any hinge of similar construction. There are, however, a few tips and tricks that will help your project go smoother.
And, of course, you’ll need to drill into the cabinet doors precisely to make those large holes.
Here are the steps to install a soft close cabinet hinge:
Step #1 - Setup your drill press or cordless drill
After you’ve spent all that time building cabinet doors, the last thing you’ll want to do is ruin them with an improperly placed hole.
Or, worse, drill through the door with the 35mm Forstner bit you’ll need for these styles of hinges.
To ensure you’re set up for drilling, make sure you consider the following:
- For a cordless drill, a perfect setup, I use a jig like the Kreg cabinet hinge jig that can be set to the proper depth with a lockable bushing.
- Test, test, and retest hinge depth and location. Use a test piece of wood that’s the same thickness as your door and has the same profiled edge to drill test holes until the hinge location is correct.
- Install your test piece on the cabinet and verify the opening/closing action.
Step #2 - Mark your doors for the hinge side
For larger projects, I like to lay out the doors by/in the cabinets and then mark the hinge side with blue painter’s tape. This allows me to drill with confidence.
When is this step crucial? If your doors are not “reversible, ” the top of the door cannot be the bottom.
Step #3 - Verify drill setup and hinge location
While I’ve drilled hundreds of doors, I always like to verify my setup again, so take another test piece, drill two holes with your Forstener bit, and ensure the hinge location on the door and the cabinet side or frame is correct.
You can’t un-drill a hole once it’s in.
Step #4 - Drill the Self close cabinet door hinge holes
Now that you’re setup, and tested twice, drill the first door.
And then install it to make it works as expected. Due to variations in hinge designs, the location of CLIP top plates for brands like Blum, and your specific project, this step will save a pile of doors.
Once tested, keep going and drill the remainder of the doors.
Step #5 - Install the hinges and hang on cabinets
Just a few tips and considerations for this step:
- Drill pilot holes for harder woods
- Make sure to adjust your drills clutch to a low setting to avoid stripping the door hinge screws
- Ensure the hinge is “square” to the edge of the door. This will be a primarily visual exercise since you’re installing a round hinge into a round hole.
- I prefer to hang all the doors and worry about final adjustments after installation. Aim for getting them “close enough” that a final adjustment will be easily made later.
Step #6 - Install cabinet door hinge restriction clips if needed
Quite a few kitchens will have cabinets where two doors can be opened simultaneously and “bump” each other. To avoid this, try using a hinge restriction clip to prevent the doors from unlocking the full 110 degrees. Instead, the restriction clip limits the door to 86 degrees.
How to Adjust Self Close Cabinet Hinges
Now that you have your hinges installed, the last step is tuning the hinges.
But first, as you now know, there are two types of hinges: hinge integrated dampers and hinge cup dampers. The adjustment will vary by style.
Adjusting Hinge Cup Soft Close Hinges
Adjustment for this style is as easy as a flip of the damper activator on/off switch:
- For small doors, it’s common to have one hinge on and another hinge off.
- And in larger doors, most soft close hinge dampers will be “on.”
- But for heavy-duty and tall doors, you may need to add another hinge (or a secondary damper) to slow the doors closing.
Adjusting Soft Close Hinges With Arm Mounted Dampers
This style of hinge adjusts with just a turn of a Philips screwdriver. You can fine-tune a perfect slow close by opening and closing the door and changing the resistance of the damper.
Frequently Asked Questions for Soft Close Cabinet Hinges
Can you put soft close hinges on old cabinets?
Maybe. It is an easy upgrade if you have European hinges installed into 35mm holes drilled into the cabinet door. But if you have hinges, you can see on the outside of the door you will need to use a soft close damper instead.
What is a soft close cabinet hinge?
A soft-close cabinet hinge is a specialty hinge that incorporates a damper built into the hinge, enabling the door to be softly closed. It differs from a self-close hinge (NOT soft-close) that includes a mechanism to help keep the door shut.
What is the difference between self closing and soft closing hinges?
A soft close hinge will help the door close softly, while a self-close hinge will pull and hold the door shut. These two styles of hinges and a self-close hinge will not prevent the door from slamming.
Are soft close hinges worth it?
Soft-close hinges are worth the investment. The extra few dollars per door is a significant investment in reducing stress on the doors caused by slamming and a usability improvement.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Eric has been a professional woodworker for over thirty years and has worked in small cabinet shops making everything from kitchen cabinets to hand-made furniture. Now working from a home woodworking shop Eric is sharing his passion for woodworking, tool advice and how-to knowledge from his Minnesota-based woodshop.
