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Bettesworth Construction
accessibility

How to Choose Handles for Doors and Cabinets

Choose cabinet and door handles by balancing grip, leverage, clearance, appearance, replacement-hole spacing, and accessibility needs.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 4 min read
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The right handle should fit the hardware’s job, feel comfortable to use, clear nearby surfaces, and—if you are replacing a pull—match the existing screw-hole spacing. For cabinets, knobs are compact and generally simpler to install; pulls offer more to grasp and leverage. For doors, accessibility requirements may rule out some styles in covered settings.

Choose cabinet knobs or pulls for the task

Knobs and pulls are both valid choices; the better option depends on who will use the cabinets and what they need to open. KraftMaid’s cabinet hardware guide, posted April 2, 2024, describes the choice as largely a matter of preference while noting practical differences.

Option Practical considerations
Knobs Generally simpler to install and use a single mounting point. Their smaller grasping area can make them harder to use for people with larger hands or a disability.
Pulls Offer a larger grasping area and more leverage. Their two mounting points can be useful on heavy drawers.
A mix Using knobs on doors and pulls on drawers is one way to match the hardware to different tasks.

For a broader range of users, HUD’s Kitchens & Baths: A Guide to Staying in Place recommends open pulls or D-ring handles on cabinet doors and drawers. It favors smooth D-ring shapes over square corners or pointed ends to reduce the chance of injury from minor bumps. This is a recommendation in that guide, not a universal requirement.

Choose a size and placement that fit the cabinet

Proportion the pull to the drawer

KraftMaid offers a pull length of about one-third of the drawer-front width as a design starting point—not a required dimension. A longer pull spanning two-thirds or more of the drawer can suit a modern look. For a wide drawer, two pulls may be an option if the hardware collection does not offer a suitably long single pull.

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#1 Best Overall
Ravinte Cabinet Handles,5" Length,3" Hole Center,Matte Black,30 Pack
  • 365-Day Evaluation: We believe you'll find value in your Ravinte handles. Use them for a full year, and if they don't meet your needs, we're here to help
  • MODERN: Functional & elegant, These matte black pulls suitable for different styles of cabinets, wardrobe, chest and cupboard
  • Enduring & STRONG: 30 bar pulls made of stainless steel finished with classic matte black coordinates well with other appliances and accessoriess
  • Simple look: The black cabinet handles have a wide appeal across a range of kitchen cabinet doors and drawers The matte black handles have a clean and timeless look that works with farmhouse, vintage, traditional and transitional styles
  • MEASUREMENT: Hole centers(CC):3 Inch(76mm), Total Length:5 inch(127mm), Diameter:1/2 inch(12mm) Projection:1-1/4 inch(32mm)

Check placement and clearance

Placement is a matter of design preference, but it should be consistent and workable on the actual cabinet fronts. For framed doors, traditional placement is around the intersection of the middle of the stile and rail; a more updated option aligns the hardware with the edge of the frame rail. On slab doors, KraftMaid suggests placing the knob or pull end two to three inches from both edges. Drawer hardware can be centered or placed consistently near the top.

Before settling on a location, check that knobs do not project beyond the door frame and that hardware will not interfere with adjacent cabinets, appliances, or users moving through the space. KraftMaid describes these placements as options to visualize, not rules with one correct answer.

Rank #2
Ravinte Cabinet Handles, Brushed Nickel,5" Length,3" Hole Center,30 Pack
  • 365-Day Evaluation: We believe you'll find value in your Ravinte handles. Use them for a full year, and if they don't meet your needs, we're here to help
  • If you're replacing your handle, measure and ensure the center to center hole spacing of the current handle is 3 Inches Installing new cabinet handles, drill two holes with center to center spacing of 3 Inches
  • ENDURING & STRONG: 30 bar pulls made of stainless steel finished with classic satin nickel coordinates well with other nickel appliances and accessoriess
  • Simple look: The Brushed Nickel cabinet handles have a wide appeal across a range of kitchen cabinet doors and drawers The Satin Nickel handles have a clean and timeless look that works with farmhouse, vintage, traditional and transitional styles
  • MEASUREMENT: 3 Inch(76mm), Total Length:5 inch(127mm), Diameter:1/2 inch(12mm) Projection:1-1/4 inch(32mm)

Measure before replacing cabinet pulls

For a replacement pull, measure the center-to-center (C-to-C or CTC) distance between the existing screw holes. That measurement is different from the handle’s overall length. Matching the hole spacing can let you use the existing holes without redrilling.

  1. Measure from the center of one screw hole to the center of the other.
  2. Use that C-to-C measurement when comparing replacement pulls; do not choose by overall handle length alone.
  3. Check the specific product’s dimensions before ordering. M. Marcus lists 96, 128, 160, 192, and 256 mm as standard sizes in its cabinet hardware guide; those are that supplier’s listed sizes, not a universal standard.

If the new pull’s hole spacing does not match the cabinet’s existing holes, HUD notes that a cover plate can sit between the pull and cabinet front. It can address the mismatch, but may age or discolor differently from the surrounding cabinetry.

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Rank #3
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homdiy 15 Pack Brushed Nickel Cabinet Pulls 3 Inch Handles Stainless Steel Cabinet Hardware for Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets, 5 Inch Overall Drawer Pull
  • Measurements: 3 inch Center to Center with 5 in Overall Length..Please measure your cabinet HOLE CENTERS is 3in before you purchase cabinet handles.
  • Material: homdiy cabinet pulls made of high quality Stainless Steel with brushed nickel finished,hollow construction but durable and hard to get rusty
  • Simple But Classic: This brushed nickel cabinet pulls are simple but depending on your application, can be very key in bringing the design together. The arc of this nickel handle is round and it has no corners, which can effectively prevent your child from bumping and injured.
  • SCREWS: Free screws of 1in(25mm)& 1.57in(40mm) included are suitable for board thickness of cabinets.If you need other length screws, please feel free to contact us !
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Account for accessibility when choosing door hardware

In settings covered by the ADA Standards, door and gate operable hardware must work with one hand without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. It must require no more than 5 lbf of force and be located 34 to 48 inches above the finished floor or ground. The U.S. Access Board’s Chapter 4 guide identifies lever-shaped handles and U-shaped pulls as forms that accommodate a broad range of users; round door knobs that require wrist twisting do not comply with these provisions.

The Access Board’s Chapter 3 guide also applies operable-parts provisions to fixed cabinet hardware in covered accessible spaces. It identifies standard U-shaped pulls and lever-shaped handles as acceptable forms and explains that knobs requiring wrist twisting do not comply. The relevant scope matters: these standards do not automatically govern every private home or every cabinet. For a specific project, confirm which requirements apply to its setting and jurisdiction.

Rank #4
Matte Black Cabinet Drawer Hardware,30mm Kitchen Cabinet Knobs,18 Pack
  • Dimensions of Knobs: The cabinet knobs are about 1.18 inches (30 mm) in diameter and 7/8 inches (22 mm) in height. Each knob comes with two screw sizes: a shorter one at M4*0.78 inches (20 mm) and a longer one at M4*1.75 inches (45 mm)(longer screws are packed in the bottom of the box)
  • Preminum Material: These black cabinet knobs are crafted from preminum stainless steel, while the screws are also sturdy, ensuring strong and long-lasting performance
  • Design Feature: Featuring a sleek round shape, these matte black drawer knobs combine elegant aesthetics with a smooth, comfortable touch. The subtly concave center ensures a secure grip for effortless opening and closing
  • Use Widely: Designed for a wide range of furniture, including bookcases, cabinets, wardrobes, dressers, and kitchen drawers, these knobs add a stylish touch to any space. Transform your home with a sleek new look
  • Customer Support: Please refer to the size image to check the size you need before order. If you have any questions or issues please reach out to us. We're committed to your satisfaction and will promptly address your concerns

As the U.S. Access Board puts it in its Chapter 4 guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards: “Hardware that can be operated with a loose grip or closed fist, such as lever-shaped handles and U-shaped pulls, accommodates the greatest range of users.”

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Make the final choice on the actual door or drawer

Compare candidate hardware against the cabinet or door it will serve: how it feels to grasp, how much leverage it provides, whether its mounting points fit, and whether it clears adjacent fronts and appliances. Then judge its scale and placement on the actual surface. For a replacement pull, hole-center spacing is the key fit measurement; for accessibility, consider the people who will use the space and any requirements that apply to the project.

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Best Value
Sale
Ravinte Matte Black Square Cabinet Handles Drawer Pulls,5 Inch,30 Pack
  • 365-Day Evaluation: We believe you'll find value in your Ravinte handles. Use them for a full year, and if they don't meet your needs, we're here to help
  • If you're replacing your handle, measure and ensure the center to center hole spacing of the current handle is 5 inches Installing new cabinet handles, drill two holes with center to center spacing of 5 inches
  • Size of cabinet hardware: Overall Length: 5-1/2 inch; Width: 1/2 inch;Thickness:1/2 inch;Projection: 1-2/5 inch; Screw-hole center: 5 inch
  • Reliable design& fine touch: With advanced technique, the drawer pulls is made to be long lasting, accompanied with good looking and fine touch
  • Simple look: The black cabinet handles have a wide appeal across a range of kitchen cabinet doors and drawers The matte black handles have a clean and timeless look that works with farmhouse, vintage, traditional and transitional styles

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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