Blum is widely regarded as the best in glides. It appears as though their "Solo" line does not have the soft close feature. The Solo definitely works with inset. The "Tandem" is their most popular model but they are all soft close. Of course, if you had a soft close that was not Blum it might have turned you off to the feature. I have never used Blum products myself so I only know about these through word of mouth.

Thanks hortonbrass, yes I'm familiar with blum/blumotion at my inlaws-that was my experience of discovering that I thought soft close was creepy ;) but I know many folks love theirs.

I've been doing some reading and apparently the language "self close" and "soft close" are used interchangeably?

It looks like the slides that were installed in our kitchen are "sort of" self close, though the manufacturer's website (Hettich Quadro IW20) is not clear about that whatsoever. They call it a "silent system" (ha!) that "closes the drawer without a sound-as soft as velvet" (ha! ha! ha!)

So what we've gotten is some crappy not-even-as-nice-as self close/soft close, non-silent, "silent system" slides...

I went to the blum site and apparently the "tandem plus" can be gotten without blumotion. Is that what I need? I just wanted regular undermount quiet smooth slides.

Thanks!

I don't have answer to your question but I wanted to weigh in - you're not the only people who find soft-close/self close "creepy" - I do too! I hope you find what you need.

L

Your slides are missing the gas piston that slows down the spring that you do not like that makes them hard to open. Just break the tab off the bottom of the drawer glide that engages the springs then you will have full extension slides. If the drawer drifts out of the cabinet there will be not much you can do about it though

Thanks for the additional messages!

HB didn't mean to ignore your suggestion for the blum solo...if I'm remembering right they are not full extension and that's why I was looking into the tandem. (Though at this point I would take the solo gladly over what was installed!)

liriodendron-bless you! I find soft close very unnerving somehow. I've never noticed problems with traditional drawers slamming on regular glides anyway, but I really don't like that the self close are more difficult to open (this could be a factor for someone with arthritis/carpal tunnel syndrome.)

DaveinO, I'm not sure I'm following what you're saying. My other frustration is actually that this model is advertised as full extension glides, but they are not (at least as currently installed.)

Dave, are you saying that if I break the tab they will be 1) full extension 2) easier to open and 3) not pull in/slam on the last couple inches into the drawer?

Also, what does "drift out of the cabinet" mean? Do you mean that there will be no stopping point to hold the drawer at the point of full extension, but that instead I could accidentally pull the drawer all the way out?

Thanks!

Very simple there are little metal posts welded on to the bottom of the glide that is attached to the drawer. They engage the spring that is on the glide that does not move that is screwed to the cabinet. There is a spring that you are putting in tension or expanding when you pull on the drawer. That is what makes them harder to open. When you slide the drawer shut the spring is colapsing when it sucks shut. If you bend the little tabs off of the upper glide that comes out the springs no lomger effects the motion of the glides. The springs also act to hold the drawer shut. If it slopes downward gravity will naturally pull the drawer open anywhere from a little to all the way open. The drawer will not fall out of the cabinet if you remove the tabs.

Hi Dave, I think I understand a bit better, thanks! I will talk to the cab guy tomorrow, bend off a tab on one drawer as a test, and see what happens!