The Difference Between Knobs and Pulls on Kitchen Cabinets, and When to Use Each

Photo: Jason Finn (Shutterstock)

More than almost anything else in your kitchen, the cabinets can make the room feel outdated—especially if you painted them a color that was trendy one year, but not as much after that. Fortunately, giving your kitchen an updated look doesn’t necessarily mean you have to replace your cabinets completely. Instead, many people opt to give them a facelift using paint and some new hardware, including knobs and pulls.

But how do you know when to use knobs, and when pulls would be the better option? Whether you’re giving your kitchen cabinet a refresh, or starting from scratch, here’s what to know about the difference between knobs and pulls.

The difference between knobs and pulls

Both knobs and pulls are types of hardware that can be used on cabinets in kitchens, bathrooms, closets, other built-ins, and on furniture like dressers, vanities, and chests of drawers.

The biggest difference between knobs and pulls comes down to how they’re attached to a cabinet, drawer, or piece of furniture:

• Knobs are mounted with a single screw
• Pulls are more like handles, and are mounted with two screws

When to use knobs vs. pulls on cabinets

Generally speaking, most people tend to prefer to use knobs for cabinets, and pulls on drawers, but really, it’s up to your personal preferences. And you can certainly opt to mix that up, or use only knobs or only pulls in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else in the house.

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If you’re undecided on which to use, here are a few things to consider:

• Ease of use: Pulls give you more leverage when opening and closing a cabinet or drawer. You may want to opt for pulls over knobs if your cabinet doors are particularly heavy, or you have limited strength or flexibility in your hands and arms.
• Pre-drilled holes: Check your cabinets and drawers for pre-drilled holes meant for hardware. While there are ways around it, it’ll save time, money, and effort to use the holes that are already there. This may determine whether you use knobs or pulls.
• Interior design: Do you want your room to have a particular look or style? Sometimes, the design style—and the availability of knobs and pulls that fit in—dictate the type of hardware you choose.
• The vintage look: Many older homes have knobs, rather than pulls, on drawers in kitchens, bathrooms, and on furniture—usually one on each end of the drawer. Depending on other factors (like the condition and material of the drawers’ tracks), knobs can make it harder to open drawers. But if you’re restoring a room or piece of furniture, or want to add a vintage touch, knobs can do that.

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