Many people think that Amish Kitchen Cabinets are the top of the line in cabinet construction. There are many misconceptions related to Amish Kitchen Cabinets that we would like to clarify, in an attempt to assist in your renovation and search for the best kitchen cabinets for you and your home. These misconceptions relate in no way to our feelings about the Amish or their businesses, nor do they apply to every single Amish Kitchen Cabinet business that you will find. However, these misconceptions have been found in a large percentage of Companies selling Amish Kitchen Cabinets. When you are in the market for new kitchen cabinets and are looking for a product that that fits with you and your values, these are things to keep in mind and are questions you can ask. We will also be comparing Amish Kitchen Cabinets to Wellborn Kitchen Cabinets in many instances, which is not an Amish made or owned company. This company offers what most people are looking for when they think Amish Kitchen Cabinets are the best choice for them.

The Term “Amish Kitchen Cabinets” is a Marketing Strategy.

Most people are under the impression that if they see cabinets or furniture marked ‘Amish Made’, that it means the quality is top of the line and that it is 100% handcrafted in the USA. This is definitely a misconception. In many cases, the cabinetry is actually less hand crafted than other kitchen cabinet lines that don’t even particularly focus on that aspect. Many ‘Amish Kitchen Cabinets’ are not even 100% made in the USA. They import drawers and doors from China and outsource other pieces as well. In some cases they are only ‘Assembled by the Amish’. Amish Assembly would have very little positive effect on the quality of a kitchen cabinet, and can actually negatively effect the quality depending on the outsourced products that are being used. If you are dead set on purchasing Amish Kitchen Cabinets, do your due diligence in making sure that your cabinets are ACTUALLY being hand made in the USA. In other cases, the company may only be ‘Amish Owned’ and the cabinets are not even “Amish Made”. This means you are paying a premium for a cabinet that is no better than any other. You’re paying for a tag line.

Wellborn Cabinets are Hand Crafted In The Truest Sense.

Wellborn Cabinets is a high-quality kitchen cabinet line that we offer in our store. Wellborn cabinets is a family owned and operated business and it’s cabinets are 100% hand crafted in the USA. They literally start with a tree and turn it into your kitchen cabinets, start to finish, in their facility. Every piece of the cabinetry is hand made and the doors are hand-sanded for the perfect finish. When we think of “hand crafted cabinets”, Wellborn is the truest example of this. Make sure that you buy your ‘Amish kitchen cabinets’ or ‘Amish-Made Furniture’ the same way that you would any other piece, on its own merits. Don’t get caught up in the quaintness or nostalgia of the marketing approach. Evaluate the criteria that makes a kitchen cabinet a quality piece of craftsmanship, such as solid wood, dovetail drawers, sanding techniques, finish, and overall construction.    

Are Amish Woodworking Shops a Step Above The Rest?

This is another big misconception. Amish woodworking shops are virtually the same as most any other woodworking shop in the USA, except they are not attached to the electrical grid, which is forbidden by their culture. Instead of typical electricity, they will usually have 1-2 huge diesel engines running at full speed to supply the power that they need for their shop.  Many assume that their “old school” tools make for a better end result, as opposed to traditional electric tools. This is another misconception. The only real difference in tools is that they use Hydraulic energy instead of electric. Other than that, the approach to furniture or cabinet making is largely the same as any other wood working or cabinet building shop in the United States. However, one major difference in some Amish shops is the fact that children could be doing the crafting. The Amish are not subject to the same child labor laws that other companies are, so they are able to have children under the age of 18 working in their shops, and are not required to have them on payroll or offer insurance like all other businesses are required to do. This means that young children and teens are doing dangerous jobs, like working with saws and dangerous tools. While allowing children to work on family farms is more widely known and slightly less frowned upon, having them work in manufacturing is a totally different ball game. To some, this is an ethical issue. To others, it may not be an issue at all. This information is only here to help you make the best decision for you and your household. Read more about child labor violations here.

Are Amish Kitchen Cabinets 100% Green and Eco-Friendly?

Most of the time, no. This is another misconception. In the attempt to not be tied in to the electrical grid, generators with diesel fuel are being run around the clock in manufacturing shops. This is most definitely not eco-friendly. Because they do not have to comply with OSHA regulations, they do not have to follow the other mandatory “green” regulations that other companies do, or strive for. Some Amish companies pride themselves on being green or eco-friendly, so again, we are not saying that this applies to all Amish Manufacturers, but this is something to dig deeper into if you’re concerned about conserving energy.     Another issue is the fact that they are not required to help reduce tree deforestation. Wellborn Cabinets, for example, plants a tree for ever tree they cut down. They are also a Certified Green Manufacturer. The benefit of this type of certification is that those who are concerned about this can easily have piece of mind knowing what a company does or doesn’t do to help the environment. Wellborn also takes the sawdust that their shops produce and turn it into energy, burning it cleanly to reduce their carbon footprint. If Green & Eco-Friendly manufacturing is what you’re looking for in new kitchen cabinets, then make sure you’re asking the questions that will lead you to the truth. When searching for new kitchen cabinets, remember that this is an investment. If you pay too much, you’re loosing money in the long run. If you don’t pay enough or you settle for sub-par quality, you will be unhappy, or will have to purchase more before you should have to. This is why it’s very important to make sure that if you’re interested in Amish Kitchen Cabinets, you are not just paying for a name or a tag line. It’s also important to make sure that if you are truly in search of hand crafted, 100% made in the USA kitchen cabinets, that is what you get. If ethical manufacturing is important to you, get the piece of mind that what you’re buying is 100% green and eco-friendly.  Knowing these common misconceptions & the right questions to ask will help you in your search for the perfect kitchen cabinets. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to us! You can also read this blog on “Most Frequently Asked Questions Before A Remodel”.