The part you never see is the part that lasts. Judge the thickness and edge finish, not just the name — a thick, fully-sealed ¾″ panel is a good box whatever it is made of.
Style is looks, not durability — pick what suits the house. Slab reads modern and wipes cleanest; shaker is the safe transitional default.
Different, not better. Painted MDF gives the crispest colour and touches up; thermofoil is a seamless wipeable skin that dislikes high heat; wood shows grain and warmth.
One colour is safest for a small kitchen or a rental. Two-tone — lighter uppers over a darker base, or a contrasting island — adds depth for little or no extra cost on stock colours.
For most DIY kitchens, quartz — no sealing, very durable, colour-consistent. Granite is natural and heat-tolerant but wants yearly sealing; laminate and butcher block are budget and warm. Stone is a pro template & install.
Soft-close is the upgrade you feel every day and it protects the boxes — on Flip cabinets it is standard. Plan corner and pull-out storage now; retrofitting a blind corner later is hard.
Ready to see it in colour? Browse doors & counters in the 3D planner →
Tip — tick your picks on screen, then Print / Save as PDF. Or print it blank to take shopping.