Kitchen of the future: a set without handles (+30 photos of interesting solutions)

Advantages and disadvantages

The decision to design a kitchen without handles causes a lot of controversy. Of course, the main factors that make people doubt are convenience and cleanliness.

The set without handles looks very beautiful, elegant and laconic. But will such a solution be functional? To understand whether this option is acceptable or not for a competitive kitchen or family, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of such a decision.

Advantages

Without a doubt, the main advantage is the appearance: the kitchen set looks like hello from the future. The kitchen is stylish, fashionable, attracts looks and compliments. But that's not the only reason to ditch pens.

Purity

Most often, your hands are not in a perfectly clean condition while cooking, and if you need to get something out or throw it away, you get a little confused in your head: how to do this with minimal “losses.”

It is much more convenient to open the lower cabinets with one push of the knee. This option is perfect for those cases where a trash can is hidden behind the lower facade and there is a need to throw something away without touching the headset with your hands.

Nothing gets in the way

Clothes often get caught on the handles, which is very inconvenient if you are holding, for example, a pot of boiling water - such “hooks” can lead to accidents.

Moreover, the handles are a problem for those who are used to listening to music on headphones while cooking: the wire will cling to the fittings, and the earbuds will fly out of the ears.

Safety

If there are small children in the family, then door handles are a toy for them that must be touched. This makes it easy to access pans, dishes, forks and knives in kitchen cabinets. Moreover, when small children play and run around, they may accidentally bump into a doorknob, resulting in scrapes and bruises.

It turns out that if you have small children, it is safer to make the kitchen without handles: they won’t climb inside and won’t bump into you.

Modernity

Yes, this solution is not suitable for all housewives. The absence of handles will not look good in every interior: only modern styles will do. But this is an ideal idea for those who keep up with the times and are used to supporting design trends.

Space saving

Handles are often abandoned in small kitchens, where literally every millimeter of space is important. This solution is especially popular in corner kitchens, when protruding handles make it impossible to open adjacent cabinets.

Flaws

The main thing housewives worry about is convenience. But convenience is more of a habit and too subjective, so it’s difficult to include it in the advantages and disadvantages. But there are real downsides to a handleless kitchen that are worth keeping in mind.

Dirt

Yes, dirt no longer settles on the handles, which are quite difficult to clean, but this does not mean that it disappears altogether. Glossy facades may attract fingerprints. On matte surfaces they are not so noticeable.

Dirt, and especially grease, can also accumulate in the recesses created for opening and closing drawers and cabinets without handles. The conclusion is that a kitchen without handles will not become less dirty, but it may be easier to clean.

Random touches

If we talk about the systems that are now fashionable, when the cabinet opens with one click, then the following difficulties may arise: if you accidentally touch the facade, for example, with your knee, the cabinet will open - this is, at least, inconvenient. At most, it can lead to injury.

Price

Yes, fittings make up a significant portion of the total cost of the kitchen. Moreover, if you abandon handles, not only will there be no savings, but the final price can only increase, since additional mechanisms and structures are required, which, due to their novelty, are not cheap. There are also inexpensive Chinese analogues - but who knows how long they will last?

Focusing specifically on these factors, it is necessary to decide whether the decision to abandon this fittings would be appropriate or not.

Option #3. Handle-free facades using a push-open opening mechanism

The mechanism is quite simple to use: to open the façade, just a light touch is enough; to close it, you only need to press the surface lightly with your hand. More expensive systems have a built-in automatic door closing function. All processes occur smoothly, without unnecessary noise. The push-open mechanism can be combined with any type of facade: with lifts, regular hinges, guides.

Key features, also known as the advantages of “handless” facades using the push-open opening mechanism:

• The kitchen takes on an ultra-modern and stylish look thanks to the ability to open the facades with one click;
• Ease of operation, absence of unnecessary accessories, and as a result – minimum contamination;
• The use of push mechanisms allows you to ideally arrange all the elements of the sets.

Disadvantages of operating “handless” facades using the push-open opening mechanism:

• After pressing, the surface does not open completely, which forces the user to perform additional actions in order to fully open the cabinet or drawer. Perhaps this is one of the most significant disadvantages of such facades;
• Despite the ease of maintenance, such a surface is just as easy to get dirty as others, and dirty door ends are difficult to clean. Moreover, special attention should be paid to cleaning the mechanism itself so that it does not start to “seize” and lasts longer;
• Accidental pressing can open the facades unintentionally;
• Specifics of using drawers: it is impossible to open several at once. Because one self-closing drawer prevents the next one from opening. Thus, the smooth closing of facades is annoying and does not allow you to quickly get things done;
• The design of the mechanism is equipped with a special backlash, which forces small gaps to be left between the body and the facade (approximately 2-3 mm.)

Implementation options

At this stage, you need to think: what is a kitchen without handles? The set may indeed not have additional fittings, or it may have it, but not at all noticeable. Let's look at several ways to open a headset without handles, the pros and cons of each option.

Push-to-open

The most recognizable way to open a door without a handle is to press it, and it springs back . This allows you to open the cabinet with any part of the body: hand, foot, elbow, knee and even heel. This is quite convenient, but not entirely practical, because the headset will have to be wiped off fingerprints more often. This mechanism can be called differently:

• push-to-open;
• “opening press”;
• “click to open”;
• push-open;
• push-to-open.

The mechanism is quite simple: it consists of a spring and a magnet, so it is relatively inexpensive - from 5 to 50 dollars, depending on the manufacturer.

The price is also affected by:

• silent mechanisms for opening and closing cabinet doors;
• type of mechanism - mechanical or electric.

It can be used both in a regular door and a roll-out drawer without handles. This is the case when you need high quality and inexpensive.

Notches

If you want to decorate a kitchen without handles, you can take a closer look at sets with special recesses. They perform the same function as handles, but are more invisible and look neater. But this option also costs more than a classic set - premium-class kitchens are equipped with such doors.

The most common materials are MDF or solid wood. Milling, the method by which the notches are created, is not suitable for film materials.

Recesses can be on the top, bottom, side of the facade in the form of a recess, or in any part of it in the form of a hole in the door. It sounds a little strange, but it looks very impressive.

These recesses are also called integrated handles, as they are made into the façade. They are perfect for lower and upper sets, for cabinets and drawers.

You don't have to make the holes rectangular - you can get creative and cut out circles to open the lightweight door with your finger.

Versatility is not the only advantage of integrated handles.

Profile

This option is somewhat similar to the previous one. In this case, the frame is most often built into an aluminum profile, thanks to which recesses are formed - you can grab the door from above or below and pull it towards you.

The downside is that the profile most often has the usual silver aluminum color; black or white options are rarely found. There is no greater variety, but you can try to paint the profile with your own hands.

There is an even more budget option - a profile that is built directly onto the door. The material is cheap - about $8 per linear meter.

They look quite stylish, but due to their silver color they are not suitable for any headset. The profile is hung on the facade when the plans include built-in appliances - such a “handle” will not hurt. An additional advantage is that you don’t have to pull on the door itself, which means it stays clean longer.

Long facades

Another method based on mechanically opening the cabinet door, but it is only suitable for wall-mounted furniture: buy fronts longer than the body. This simple option will instantly make your kitchen more stylish and sleek. Best suited for a hinged wall cabinet without handles. But there are also disadvantages.

Invisible

This case is exactly from that opera when kitchen furniture appears to have no handles, but in fact they are simply invisible - hidden. This effect can be achieved in two ways:

• use very small fittings (also called mini or microscopic);
• paint the handles in the color of the facade.

Let's take a closer look at them.

Microscopic handles

These are very small handles that are attached to the end of the door. They are also called secret ones. Visually it looks great, and they are often found at a budget price. For example, it’s worth taking a closer look at the Blunkett series at Ikea.

Plain pens

The easiest way is to order painted handles to match when choosing a headset. Furniture manufacturers often work with high-quality materials, so the handle will last a long time. Any material is suitable for painting - plastic, metal, wood. The only question is the price, because high-quality compounds can be expensive.

The option with handles that match the furniture is a borderline between two versatile solutions: the fittings seem to be invisible and the effect of a monolithic kitchen is created, but at the same time the convenience and functionality are preserved in the old fashioned way.

Servo-Drive

This system is a little reminiscent of Push-to-open, since here you also need to press, but in this case - on a button or any point on the facade. Closing also occurs with a button.

It is characterized by maximum noiselessness and smoothness, as well as an impressive price tag. Advertising brochures claim that the pleasure received in the future will outweigh the costs, but this is a rather controversial statement.

In this case, the doors can also be opened manually. On the one hand, this is good, since periodic power outages occur in our country. But won't the habit of opening the cabinet with your hands become dominant? After all, it’s much faster than waiting for the cabinet to smoothly open and close.

There is a more interesting solution - Easys from Hettich. The essence is exactly the same, but here the closure occurs automatically after 5–8 seconds. This is also a rather controversial decision, since often you just want to see, for example, the presence of cereals or spices, but such a door can hit you. Moreover, such a miracle of technology costs a lot of money - about 20 thousand rubles per section.

Smart-open

There are truly modern options for opening the headset door. For example, voice or gadget control.

There are also options with touch pressing, when you just need to touch the door and it will open. The last option is quite controversial in operation, because small children can touch the facades and then get injured. But such equipment costs about $300 for one façade.

If we talk about voice dialing, then this is also a very controversial situation: for example, with the “dishes” command, a drawer with a set of dishes or for drying washed dishes will open. But what if the family decides to discuss the dishes at dinner? Will the headset respond to every spoken “command”?

Such modern technologies still remain the word of the future. Yes, such a solution is very impressive and will amaze all guests - this can be considered an advantage, but the cost discourages such ideas.

Option #2. Integrated profile handles (mortise end)

Integrated profile handles type UKW or C are in many ways similar to Gola profiles. They are fixed at the upper ends of the headsets (hence the second name - end mortise), this is their significant difference. Visually, such facades have a thin edge along the top edge and vertical seams between the cabinets.

Main characteristics of end mortise profile handles:

• the optimal length is from 3 to 4 m, then the integrated profiles are cut, adjusted to individual sizes;
• horizontal (lower cabinets and drawers) and vertical (upper cabinets) profile handles are used.

Key features, also known as the advantages of integrated profile handles:

• Opening cabinet drawers by holding such handles is much more convenient than constantly performing pressure manipulations;
• Furniture with push mechanisms gets dirty faster, because when using “handless” facades, users use mortise handles;
• The cost of profile handles is an order of magnitude lower than Gola profiles.

Disadvantages of using integrated profile handles:

• Often the profile shade differs from the main color of the headset, which makes them more noticeable. This negatively affects the overall impression of the kitchen;
• Small selection of designs. The most common model is aluminum, finished in steel; finding black, white or chrome-plated models is a great success;
• The relatively low cost of integrated handle profiles compared to other “handless” facades and mechanisms is due to the fact that they are installed without milling the frame.

Expert recommendations:

• The type of integrated profile handles largely depends on the manufacturer. Upon external inspection, they are hardly noticeable, but as soon as you install the set in the kitchen, all the shortcomings are visible to the eyes, introducing disharmony into the aesthetic appearance of the room.
• Integrated profile handles are very practical and therefore ideal for glossy and/or dark kitchens.

Styles

A kitchen without handles will not look appropriate in any interior. The best solutions are modern styles with a focus on minimalism. It can be modern, hi-tech, loft, Scandinavian or Japanese style.

All of these styles stand for convenience and functionality. This means that if you are not sure that such a kitchen is a convenient and practical solution, there is no need to make it. There are many other ways to decorate a room in a modern style.

Necessary accessories

Designing a kitchen without handles is not as easy as it seems. Of course, you can choose the easy option and simply make the door longer than the body, but this option is only suitable for a wall-mounted set. You will still have to come up with something with the bottom one.

The necessary fittings depend entirely on what type of “handle” in a handleless kitchen is chosen. For example, consider the elements of the “Push to Open” system:

• hidden hinges - springs are hidden inside them, which push the facade away from the body when pressed;
• push button - pushes the door, mounted in the cabinet frame.

To smoothly and quietly close the drawers, you will need other fittings:

• closers;
• dampers;
• shock absorbers.

There is a wide variety of even these elements on the market. Most often, there is no need to understand individual parts, since the necessary kit with all the necessary fasteners is purchased immediately. It is better to be familiar with popular brands that produce quality products for handleless kitchens.

Option number 6. Kitchen with invisible handles

A fairly convenient and easy-to-use solution is the choice of handles to match the color of the facades. To ensure that the tone of the handle matches the color of the headset, you need to order a painting service during design. Since the RAL or NCS palette is being tested in demand among craftsmen, many factories can provide the service of painting various handles: plastic, wood, aluminum, steel.

Tips for choosing headsets:

1. To avoid constant contamination of kitchen facades without handles, you should avoid glossy surfaces. Matte, rough, satin or semi-gloss headsets are more convenient to use. You should also choose headsets in light colors, since dark (especially black) colors are considered the most impractical.
2. For more conservative users who are not ready to completely abandon the use of handles, mini-handles for lower pieces of kitchen furniture are suitable. If there are narrow spaces in the kitchen, it is better to equip the top row of facades with handles.
3. Combined sets with several types of fittings look good. For example, for wall cabinets it is better to choose handles with push-open opening mechanisms, and for the lower surfaces - false Gola handles.
4. Classic handles should be reserved for built-in kitchen appliances, since, for example, opening a refrigerator requires additional effort.

Brands

Since the idea of ​​designing a kitchen without handles is still relatively new, there are not many players in the market who can provide a quality product. Let's list them.

Miele

A German brand that launched a line of handleless kitchen appliances. Depending on the type of equipment, the opening will be different. For example, for a dishwasher you only need to knock once. Moreover, the equipment is so smart that at the end of the program it will automatically open the door to dry the washed dishes.

The oven, steamer and microwave have touch buttons. But to open the built-in wine refrigerator, you just need to press the front panel. In this case, the facades do not open completely, but only slightly open.

Gola

The goal is qualified on profile false handles. The company does its job well and provides a huge selection of these profiles:

• vertical - for pencil cases and upper cabinets;
• horizontal - for the lower set.

The latter are further divided into:

• L-shaped - for drawers under the countertop;
• C-shaped - for drawers of the second and subsequent rows;
• spacers - upper wall cabinets.

Interestingly, the profile system can be combined with “push-to-open” - this will make opening cabinets and drawers more convenient.

Bloom

The Blum company specializes in push-to-open systems (here it is called Tip On) and electric Servo Drive, that is, thanks to these systems you can open the door with a light touch of your hand, elbow or knee anywhere. The fittings of this Austrian company are considered quite expensive, but at the same time very high quality and almost eternal.

Hettich

Hettich's signature feature is the push-to-open system. It is presented in a huge assortment:

• with self-closing option;
• without self-closing option;
• mechanical;
• with electric drive;
• with full/partial opening;
• with recognition of interfering objects.

This is the most popular manufacturer of kitchen fittings without handles.

Schuco

Shuko is another manufacturer that specializes in handleless kitchen profiles. The only materials available are aluminum and the choice of colors is not very extensive:

• black matte chrome;
• anodized aluminum.

Made in Germany, expensive, installed only by a specialist. The assortment is quite large, but Gola is considered a more popular brand due to its greater prevalence.

Handle material

The main criterion when choosing a material for a handle is wear resistance. Doors and drawers are constantly opened and closed, which means that the handle is subject to increased daily load. Therefore, the ideal material for kitchen fittings is metal, an alloy of aluminum and zinc. Additional components are often copper and magnesium. They serve to give a certain shade. The finished products are durable, versatile, with a shiny chrome-plated surface.

Sometimes you need the fittings to fit into a certain style, to match the color of the countertop or other interior items. Then they use a decorative coating that imitates bronze, silver, or nickel.

Using a special composition, the manufacturer can imitate antique metal. The method of such processing is called patination.

In addition to metal, wood, plastic, and porcelain are used to make kitchen fittings. Wooden handles are environmentally friendly. They go well with vintage sets. Porcelain handles are elegant and effective, but completely impractical. Plastic products are relevant for economical options. They are inexpensive, but will not last long.

Recommendations

Tip 1. The lighter the color of the headset, the less visible fingerprints will be.

It is worth giving preference to the following shades:

• white;
• beige;
• blue;
• light gray and others.

The surface also matters: gloss will become dirty much faster than others. It's better to look at semi-gloss, matte, satin and even slightly rough finishes. Based on this information, a glossy black kitchen without handles can easily be called the most impractical option.

Tip 2. It is not necessary to deprive the entire set of handles.

You can leave them on the lower level, since the drawers under the countertop get dirty the fastest. If it’s a matter of precious centimeters of a small kitchen, then you can equip only wall cabinets with handles.

Tip 3. You can combine different mechanisms for opening doors without handles.

For example, install a profile from Gala on the lower tier, and build in a Push-to-open opening system into wall cabinets, or simply make the doors longer than the body. A similar example of combination can be seen in the video:

Modern kitchens without handles up to the premium ceiling

Tip 4. With built-in appliances, you should not be categorical and refuse handles on its facades.

The fact is that opening such “cabinets” requires more effort, and in this case it is more convenient to grasp tightly. Otherwise, opening the dishwasher can break long nails. The same goes for the refrigerator.

Option #5. Kitchen with mini handles

Mini-handles in such facades are attached to the end and back, due to which the surface remains smooth.

Positive characteristics of kitchens with mini-handles:

• The appearance of the facades compares favorably with conventional handles in terms of style and simplicity;
• Thanks to small handles, contact with surfaces is minimized, which means they stay clean longer;
• Relatively low cost of mini format pens;
• Easy to install micro handles. Many users can do this at home without contacting specialized specialists.

Disadvantages of using mini-format pens:

• Some users note that it is inconvenient for small hands to grip. Although, such disadvantages can be considered subjective.

Good to know: On the Ikea network you can find handles whose length is no more than 5 cm (Blanket series).

Photo gallery

Examples of stylish kitchens without handles:

The photo shows a straight kitchen without upper cabinets with an original solution for opening the facades.

A kitchen without handles can also be designed with furniture up to the ceiling. The facades are made of plastic.

Refined and laconic kitchen with an apron made of white glossy enamel.

White glossy kitchen with island layout.

To the left of the sink in this handleless kitchen there is a built-in dishwasher. The facades are made of MDF.

Interesting two-tone design with a white graphite countertop.

Corner kitchen with a combination of different facade opening systems.

Mounting features

When installing handles on MDF facades, core or step drills are used. Since they are very sharp, you don’t have to put in much effort. To attach fittings to glass doors, use diamond-coated drills.

Before drilling a hole, you need to mark the mounting location. All products must be positioned symmetrically. If on one cabinet the handle is attached in the center, then the rest should be the same. To understand how the handle will look better, you can first attach it to double-sided tape. The easiest way to install the fittings is on cabinets with pre-made holes made by the manufacturer.

When installing the handle on facades made of glass or wood, you need to use a washer with a rubber or silicone gasket. This will prevent damage to the fragile material and loosening of the fasteners themselves.

It is better to entrust the installation of touch handles to a professional. He knows how to connect electrical contacts correctly. It is also necessary to find out from the specialist the rules for caring for the touch panel. Not all models can be wetted.