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kristen_hallock

Will Adjustable Drawer Divider be useful?

Kristen Hallock
11 years ago

I am having 2 sets of Pot & Pan drawers. They will be 2-drawer stacks. I didnt want the skinny top drawer since they cuts down on the depth of the lower drawers.

I was going to have an adjustable drawer divider installed on 1 of the drawers. My thinking was for some plastic cutting boards, muffin pans, baking pans, etc...

Does anyone know if items like this will fit in here? Stupid me didnt measure my pans at home to figure this out first and I am ordering this afternoon after work. Its only a $45 mistake if my pans dont fit.

Comments (29)

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago

    I don't see the point of dividing larger items. I have no dividers in the drawers with my dishes, casseroles, pots or pans. Thinks don't really move around. Drawers with smaller items dividers are useful.

  • Kristen Hallock
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yeah I dont see the point with pots and pans either, but my idea was to use this to store things like cutting boards and cookie sheets sideways. I am not sure the drawer is deep enough for that.

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago

    Do you have a cabinet for flat pan/sheet storage? I can't recall your diagram. If not consider it. Some put it above the refrigerator. I have a 9" bottom cabinet with no drawer for flatish stuff.

  • nycbluedevil
    11 years ago

    I put adjustable dividers in two of my pot drawers and the drawer that holds all of my plastic storage containers. They are not critical but what it does let me do is lay things on an angle against the divider if I need to, thus letting me store things that are taller than I otherwise could. I have three-drawer stacks in inset cabinets so the height issue was important to me. If you are only doing two-drawer stacks, it may not matter to you.

  • Kristen Hallock
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    debrak - no. I didnt put a cabinet like that in. I have one now and it is a 12" wide lower cabinet. In my new plan that is going to be a 15" wide cabinet and it has 3 drawers. Should I change it to tray dividers? I am thinking I should. Maybe I will have a skinny drawer on top to hold food wrappings like plastic wrap and tinfoil and then have a door on the bottom for tall flat items.

    Here is the layout. The 15" cabinet I am talking about is next to the dishwasher.

  • kompy
    11 years ago

    I only had the dividers in my last kitchen for tupperware items. It was AWESOME for that. Lids and different sizes of containers stacked nicely and wouldn't tumble over.

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago

    What are you putting in the cabinet above your refridgerator? Many here on GW put flat stuff up there. I did the 9" cabinet which works for my kitchen. I also have a 15" 3 draw base. Mostly has tupperware.

    Only you can decide what will work best. I would not like to have to dig through a pile of cookie sheets. Personally I would want that stuff in a cabinet like I now have or over the refridgerator. If you do the bottom cabinet really consider not having a drawer. I just looked at mine and it would be much harder to see and grap what I want if there was a drawer there.

    There are some photos on GW of those with deep drawers who put slot type divider for some of these things. You would have to measure to see if your stuff will fit or not if you go that route.

    I know you are going tonight to order, but if you are not sure. Wait until at least tomorrow so you have time to iron out the details.

  • dilly_ny
    11 years ago

    I have a double drawer stack. I use the bottom drawer for pots and pans and the top drawer for prep items such cutting boards, mini chopper, elec can opener, colander, etc. I stand up the cutting boards and place them flat against the drawer side. I don't have dividers and I don't feel they would help, though jakuvall's set up seems useful.

  • Kristen Hallock
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you.

    Now I am pondering if I should change my set of 36" pot pan drawers to 3 drawer stacks instead of 2-drawer stacks. I think I will be doing crap like this until I just order and then I cant keep changing my mind.

  • a2gemini
    11 years ago

    We have lots of wide drawers and semi-adjustable dividers - Love them - I store my pans on their sides and lift them out without having to take out multiple pans

  • jakuvall
    11 years ago

    For pots and pans with dividers. Frameless - 3 drawers (my pic) framed 2 drawers one with an interior pullout. Is what I do most. In custom I sometimes use 3 and alter the sizes, in inset I omit the intermediate rail to gain 1-1/2" of height.

  • taggie
    11 years ago

    I can't even wrap my head around not wanting dividers, they are so useful. Like jakuvall, I think making them lower height and adjustable gives you the best of all options. If you don't like them you can remove them and no harm done, but dollars to donuts you will keep them and probably even wish you had more. I even put dividers in my 9" wide tray drawers, let alone my wider pot drawers.

  • 2LittleFishies
    11 years ago

    I LOVE my adjustable dividers. They were almost stationary and am so glad they are adjustable or else I would not have been able to fit some of the taller items. I simply removed some of the dividers to make a bigger space for the item(s) to lay against.

  • Peke
    10 years ago

    I wanted the adjustable dividers to, but the guy building my cabinets did not understand what I wanted. I sent him a picture too.

    Anyway, now I have a 36" wide pot drawer with no dividers. Is there any way I can add dividers now? Thanks, peke

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    Peke- the dividers in the picture I posted were added after wards. At the time adjustable were not available to me. I worked out a good spacing, slightly differant in each drawer. Removed drawerheads and screwed into dividers, then replaced drawerheads. Actually more efficient than adjustable with control over spacing. Mine have been in for 9 yrs and have added/removed items and no regrets.

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    I think you can add them if you are good with tools or ask the GC to add. I moved mine around a lot initially but once set, I haven't touched for about 6 months. I am so glad I had some flexibility but would have liked even more slots but KD couldn't grasp this option.

  • andreak100
    10 years ago

    a2g - your dividers appear to be 1/4" and the others I see here look to be 1/2" - have you found any issues with having them thinner? I like the idea of them taking up less drawer space, but don't want them bowing either. Looking again at your photo, it appears that you don't have really heavy cookware in that drawer (LC, cast iron, etc.) so maybe that would factor in as well.

    2littlefishies - if you're still following this thread, I like your dividers...what size drawers did you show and how far apart do you have the grooves? That set up looks like it gives a lot of flexibility. I wonder with you having these in place a little while, would you have preferred shallower dividers like what jacuvall and taggie showed?

  • berner43
    10 years ago

    Lee Valley carries a drawer divider that you can put in existing drawers. I have them in my bathroom. They are very inexpensive $4.60 for a bag of 10. They are meant to hold 1/4" wood, glass or plexiglass. I will attempt to attach a link!

    Here is a link that might be useful: drawer dividers

  • Peke
    10 years ago

    Jukuvall, thank you so much. I don't know all the cabinet terminology so let me see if I can figure it out.
    "Removed drawerhead" I guess it is the outside front that has the pull on it.
    "screwed into dividers" I am not sure about this part.

    Then you used a drill to make holes for the pins?
    "2 pins on each end" (a previous post) "and 2 rows of holes". Does this mean 2 pins on top and bottom of the end of your 5 1/2" divider so the pin will fit into the 2 rows of holes that you drilled in the drawer box?

    I think I just confused myself. LOL IT is possible my brain is filled with sheetrock dust! I know my sinuses are for sure. LOL

    If the pins are in the divider then how can I put the divider in place....no, I have it all wrong. I saw the little pin holes in 2little fishes drawer box. Is it the same?

    Your picture shows just the box and dividers. Others look like an interior box was added. That would take up room so I like what you did.

    Help. I am so confused. LOL

    A2, what is the material you used for your dividers? I have seen it before. Is it MDF? Did they put grooves in yours?

    Taggie and 2littlefishies, I put my cookie sheets above my oven, but dang that AR double oven is tall. I might have to put them in a deep drawer like you did.

    Suck great ideas! Thank you all. Peke

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    I'm going to try these:

    Here is a link that might be useful: oxo drawer dividers

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    The didiers picture on mine are NOT adjuustable, they are srewed from the outside of the drawer box.
    The spacing was determined to allow pans to clear with some room-fry tilt, lid tilt, sauce on side, big space for more.
    The description of pins is what I get now for adjustable dividers.
    I have looked at ways to retrofit pins, have generally decided against it.

  • taggie
    10 years ago

    Peke, if you check the pictures of mine above you can see they aren't pre-made with grooves but they are adjustable.

    The cabinet maker made them by cutting them just a wee wee hair smaller than the interior size of the drawers such that they wedge in so tightly that they don't move. They can be adjusted with some wiggling to pull them free and then repositioned the same way, but they don't budge at all without that effort.

    Here are a few more pics of different drawer dividers done similarly. On the day of install, he asked if I wanted vertical or horizontal dividers for each drawer, and how many, and came back the next day with them for me. He does all his drawer dividers that way ... simple solution but it works perfectly!

    If you can get your cabinet maker to do that for you I'd ask him to. If you can't I might even try going to home depot with your measurements and asking DH to do a few cuts for you if he has a table saw in the garage. For 10 bucks it might be worth a try to get lots of dividers, vs. spending $45 on a single one (wow that sounds like a crazy high price). Good luck!

  • Peke
    10 years ago

    I can't believe I typed....suck good ideas!... thankfully you translated it correctly! LOL

    I thought about using those metal spikes from lee's valley. I was afraid they wouldn't hold up. I like the idea of friction fitting the dividers so they don't move.

    I see that some dividers are removed so pans or lids can lean. What if you put the dividers in at angle...all leaning on purpose. I can't figure out how to route it at an angle. Of course if I wanted it straight it would go crooked. LOL

    Do any of you have the drawer with a drawer inside? Do you like it? Did you use the same dividers?

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    Mine are the thinner version and I do have my Staub in the lower drawer and been using for a year - so far, no bowing.
    I think it might be masonite - which is easy to replace if it has problems - we use the same material in therapy and it holds up for years of hard use.
    Giant vessels won't fit sideways - they are either stacked or in my corner susan. Most of my vessels are All Clad, CIA, DeMeyere, or other SS except for my Staub 2.5 qt, my LC grill pan and panini press, and my dutch oven. The LC grill now lives in the left stack, the press is in the drawer above with the lids, and the LC dutch oven is in the SuperSusan - I ran out of room - LOL

    Peke - I am swapping my giant dish drawer to that format to decrease the overall weight of my giant drawer. It still isn't installed... I won't have any dividers in my double dish drawer unless I still have room for the 8 lb pegboard...

  • miruca
    10 years ago

    annkh - how are the oxo drawer dividers workin out for you?

  • westsider40
    10 years ago

    I have one drawer within a drawer and it is a big negative for me. It may be worthwhile for others and sorry no pics.

    I do have dividers inI all my drawers and love them. nothing is nested so all is accessible.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    miruca - so far, so good! I ended up ordering a couple from Lee Valley as well, when I ordered brackets for drawer organizers. Both are held in place by pressure; the Oxo ones are taller. It would probably look nicer to have them all the same, but I'm not that fussy.

    I haven't actually taken anything out of the drawer since I put things away, so my assessment is only based on ease of installation; no long-term data yet!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Westsiider, please tell me why the drawer within a drawer is a negative for you. We're close to ordering cabinets and were going to get two of these, so I'd at least like to hear "the other side". Thanks.

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