I would guess that they would equally have issues.

The inset cabinets I'm sure would need to have the doors opened to clean and perhaps liquids would be able to get into the cabinet.

However overlay cabinets depending on the overlay, would have similar issues.

Sounds like the issue you're describing above is wood expanding and contracting causing the wood to hit the frame. That would be different then keeping it clean.

Interesting question though!

Following this post, I was going to post if anyone with inset now regrets their decision. My husband thinks that they may show more wear faster than overlay.

They shouldn't show more wear especially since they do require hardware. If the cabinet manufacturer does the same baked on finish, it wouldn't matter what overlay or lack there of it would we.

The area that I am worried about is the edge right underneath where the door opens. I read a comment from someone that when they take out a plate from a cabinet, it can hit that edge and cause dings and dents. This could also happen with an overlay, but it would be covered up when the door is closed.

I wonder how common this damage is?

Thanks!

We've only had ours (inset) for about 5 months but so far no issues like you mention. I don't think it's probably very common. One thing I could see happening is when I'm closing my drawers, if an item isn't totally flat and is above the drawer area, when I close it, it COULD get pushed against the frame and make a mark. So far that hasn't happened and with soft close drawers it's not like you are pushing it closed really hard.

With full overlay, you get door hitting knobs of adjacent cabinets sometimes. Sometimes you can prevent this by hinging doors left or right.

I've seen cabinets dented by this. Or doors hitting adjacent deeper hoods/pantries/walls....etc.

With inset the only difficult part to clean is right under the quides on the framework. Our coffee pot when Kaput over the weekend and coffee flowed out for the entire cylce until we noticed it. Clean up wasn't any harder or easier. Except for the drawer openings right under the guides. But I can pull the entire drawer out!

I have NO regrets with my inset so far. They are awesome!

Kompy

Ah, thanks! I didn't think about the knobs. I would have to look at the design of the kitchen to see if that would be a problem with overlay.

Most of the damage at the edge is minimal and unlikely to be noticed by anyone but you in an inset door. I'd think more about the overall look you want and the availability of inset in the cabinet line you want.

I have painted full overlay but love the look of inset. I have noticed very tiny dings and chips (not all caused by my door-opening cat) on the edge of the opening. I think, hmmmm, how did that happen? It's probably just day-to-day putting things back inside without even realizing I'm bumping it. That being said, when the overlay door is closed, you can't see it. If they were inset, that wouldn't be the case.

We had inset doors in our old kitchen. Not sure why, but never liked them one bit.

I am getting inset doors which I have never had. I hope I like them, since they cost an arm and a leg.

Karen