Let's Talk About Pantries: Walk-in or Cabinet?

As cabinet makers, we’ve built some pretty spectacular pantries. Some are walk-in pantries with ample storage space, others are cabinet pantries with cleverly designed space and tools to keep stored items organized.

The kitchen pantry is so central to the efficiency of your kitchen that debating whether or not you need one is pointless. You need one. The real question is, would your kitchen be better served by a walk-in or cabinet pantry? Here are a few things to consider about each choice

while weighing your options.

Are you an amateur chef or the king/queen of takeout? If you love to cook and plan on using your kitchen for nearly every meal, a walk-in pantry offers ample storage space and more room for creative organizing. The pantry will be large enough for organizing items row by row or column by column, and there’s plenty of room for items like produce that can be stored in dry storage or small appliances that make cooking easier but take up too much counter space. Some pantries may also be large enough to house an extra refrigerator or upright freezer.

But if you’re not into cooking and your kitchen will be used more for quick microwave dinners and grabbing a snack, then you don’t need all that extra room a walk-in offers. You and your budget would be better served by a cabinet pantry.

What type of pantry does your budget allow? Even if you love to cook and the idea of a walk-in pantry makes your heart sing, your budget may hum a different tune. Walk-in pantries are essentially tiny rooms or closets and require more time and materials to build, which means they’ll eat up a larger chunk of your construction budget.

How much time do you want to spend tidying up your pantry? If you think Marie Kondo could be your spirit animal, spending time tidying and reorganizing a walk-in pantry may truly spark joy in your heart. But if not, you’ll want to go for a cabinet pantry.

How much space do you realistically have for your kitchen pantry? If you’re still unsure about which pantry would better suit your needs, the amount of space you have in your kitchen may be the deciding factor.

We know that small kitchens can still be mighty but in most instances, they simply don’t have room for a walk-in. This is where a well-designed cabinet pantry steps in and saves the day. With the right organization tools and thoughtfully placed shelving, columns and rows, a cabinet pantry can be small but mighty, too. Cabinet pantries also tend to be placed in a more centralized and accessible location, which makes cooking more efficient.

Still unsure if you’re a walk-in or cabinet pantry kind of cook? We can help you decide and then design you the perfect pantry for your needs and available space. Get started with a free estimate here.