Any normal human being probably hates it when a drawer makes that slamming noise when it closes shut. Not only is it an annoyance, but it can also scare the bejesus out of you, depending on the circumstance.
But there is a savior out there, thankfully. All you need to do is find the best soft close drawer slides, and they will dampen the sound for you. There is one issue, however – finding the right one.
Worry not, as that is what we are here for. In this article, we will be giving you some of the best soft-close slides to make that loud-mouth drawer quieter.
Best Overall |
|---|
 |
Best Value |
|---|
 |
Honorable Mention |
|---|
 |
Table of Contents
7 Best Soft Close Drawer Slides Review
A quality slide has several features that work in harmony to slow the drawer down and dampen the sound. Here are the slides that we think do the best job.
1. Lontan Soft Close Drawer Slides
It is crucial that you choose a slide that allows your drawer to extend fully. Otherwise, it could get difficult to reach the end. Our first pick ensures that you do not have to face it.
That is because this is a product with full extension, meaning the drawers will be out of the whole cavity without an issue. This is possible thanks to the remarkable weight-bearing capacity.
It is rated for around 100 pounds, meaning you can store most stuff in it without even worrying about crossing the limit. Moreover, it uses high-grade cold-rolled steel that has a zinc-plated finish.
This material allows it to be more durable, stay free of rust, and have more load-bearing capacity. It also uses ball bearings to smoothen the closing and opening mechanism, although the quality of these could be better.
It also has a double anti-drop mechanism, which prevents the drawers from separating from the cabinets. This feature is convenient as it is a full-extension slide, and ensuring that it stays in place is crucial.
In terms of cleaning, this slide allows you to take off everything effortlessly and clean them if need be. Part of it is possible due to the fact that these are side-mounting slides.
It is 22 inches in length, 1.77 inches in width, and 1/2 inch in thickness, making it suitable for many cabinet drawers. And thanks to these properties, this product is also a great all-rounder for most use cases.
Pros
Cons
2. Lontan SL4502S3-20 Drawer Slides
We have another slide from the same manufacturer, and for good reasons. Unlike the previous ones, these slides are 20 inches in length. So, if you have got drawers with a length of around 21 inches, these will fit well.
For the rest of the measurements, the width is around 1.77 inches, and the thickness is around half an inch. These dimensions ensure an impressive weight capacity (100 pounds to be exact) paired with the quality steel.
And speaking of the steel, these slides use zinc plated heavy-duty steel that is exceptionally durable and does not catch rust easily. Moreover, there are ball bearings to make opening and closing much smoother.
In terms of the quantity, you get ten pairs of slides, meaning you can set up ten drawers with a pack of these. What we like about them is that the products come wrapped individually to ensure safety.
Moreover, all the necessary mounting screws along with an installation guide come in the package to make things much straightforward for you. However, the installation process is relatively simple, anyway.
As they are side-mounting slides, installing them is effortless, along with the assurance of compatibility for most drawers. Not just that, the maintenance is a breeze, too, making it an enticing choice for most.
When it comes to the cost, they are quite reasonably priced too. And when you consider the ease of installation and quality materials, this package becomes a great deal for what it costs.
Pros
Cons
3. Promark Self Closing Drawer Slides
For this pick, we have a product that is somewhat of an all-rounder of slides. The obvious bit is that it closes softly, and you will not hear any loud, slamming noises. However, there is another bonus.
These products are also self-closing, meaning that you do not have to push the drawer all the way to close it. Nudging it to a certain point is enough. These features work together and make the experience buttery smooth.
In terms of size, these slides are 20 inches as well. They use high-quality materials, too – the cold-rolled steel used in this product line up makes them very durable and improves their weight capacity.
That being said, this product’s load-bearing capacity stands at an impressive 100 pounds, which has become standard for quality slides. The steel used in it will not rust easily or be challenging to align either.
These slides also use continuous bearings to ensure that the drawer opens and closes up smoothly. These bearings are decent in terms of quality and play a massive role in keeping the noise profile low.
When it comes to quality assurance, you will find that it meets the requirements of various industry requirements such as BHMA, KCMA, and ANSI. Having such certifications tells you that the product is worthy.
These are side-mounting slides as well, meaning that you can add them to your drawers reasonably effortlessly, and taking them out is a breeze too. For the extension, these products allow the drawers to extend entirely.
Pros
Cons
4. Desunia Ball Bearing Drawer Slides
When it comes to slightly smaller drawers, not many manufacturers can provide you with high-quality drawer slides. Even if they do, those products do not usually offer a well-balanced performance.
For the people who are looking for slides for their shorter drawers, we have a great set of products from Desunia. The important part is that it is only 12 inches in length. And the size does not compromise with its ability.
These products can handle up to a hundred pounds of weight without breaking a sweat, which is on par with its bigger brothers. Thanks to this capacity, these let you store anything without worrying.
Another thing we appreciate is if a product includes the necessary accessories inside the package. You get all the screws along with the main product, letting you reserve the headaches for the actual installation.
Unlike a lot of other packs, you only get one pair of slides here. This system allows you to get as many as you want, which is handy. However, buying them in individual packs might slightly increase the cost.
We all know how challenging things can be if your drawer is a few millimeters shorter than the standard size. To give you the wiggle room, in that case, it has a bunch of breather tabs that allow a little bit of play.
Furthermore, there are also a few holes along the body of the product, which allow you to adjust it after you have finished installing it. It also comes with the side mount glides, making things effortless.
Pros
Cons
5. Gobrico Soft Close Drawer Slides
Much of a soft closing slide’s success depends on how well it has implemented the hydraulic features and the quality of the materials. If these features work well, they result in a clean and quiet closure of the drawer.
This drawer slide excels at that. And as long as we are on that topic, we should praise how well Gobrico has managed to ensure that the hydraulic dampening system works perfectly.
Moreover, unlike a lot of other products on the market, these do not require a lot of force to close or open. You can give it a little nudge, and it will close softly. It also shines in terms of build quality with cold-rolled steel.
And as expected from a product of this caliber, slides of this line up allow for a full extension. That means you can easily access the whole real estate of your drawers, not the 7/8th or 3/4th that some of the other ones offer.
You can use these as side-mount or rear-mount slides, too, meaning you can install them effortlessly – be it for the first time or as replacements. Furthermore, it features a quick-release design for improved accessibility.
This design makes separating the third layer of slides simple. And that, in turn, makes it much easier to remove and install the drawers. Moreover, the dimensions of 22-inch x ½-inch x 45mm allows it to tolerate around 78 pounds of weight.
These products come in a pack of 10 pairs, meaning you can use them for ten drawers. You also get the necessary screws and instruction manual in the package, which we really appreciate.
Pros
Cons
6. Probrico Soft Close Drawer Slides
It is essential for a soft-close slide to ensure that even if you push it in with a lot of force, it can smoothen it out and make it close nice and quietly. And being able to do this takes quality ball bearings.
As you have probably guessed by now, this pick features some quality bearings. These little things ensure that regardless of the amount of force you are pushing the drawer with, it still rolls in swiftly.
When it comes to the materials, it uses the standard quality material – cold-rolled steel. These steels are incredibly durable; they do not rust over time due to the zinc plating and are able to withstand an impressive amount of weight.
Thanks to the build quality, these slides can hold up to 100 pounds of weight, which is well over what most of us usually need. And regardless of whether you need it or not, it always helps to have some headroom.
When it comes to the measurements, each of them is 22 inches in length and allow for a full extension so that you can use the drawers to their fullest extent. The width is around 1-3/4 inches, which is typical.
You get ten slides in the package, meaning you can set up five drawers with them. In terms of the price, these have a reasonable price for what they offer. They are indeed budget-friendly options with decent performance.
And when it comes to what else you get, there are no brackets in the package (expected for a product of this price). You do get instructions to help with the installation.
Pros
Cons
7. Lontan Soft-Close Metal Drawer Slides
We are back with another pair of Lontan products. And given how affordable they are and the performance they provide, it is no surprise. This time, they are a 16-inch pair of soft-close metal drawer slides.
First, let’s talk about what you get in the package – there are all the necessary mounting screws included. That essentially means you will not have to worry about finding or buying them. Moreover, they are packed individually for safety.
What we like about the products from this manufacturer is the material they use. Once again, you get high-quality cold-rolled steel that is remarkably sturdy. Furthermore, the zinc plating allows it to be free of rust.
And thanks to the steel, these pair of slides can handle up to 100 pounds of weight, which is nothing short of impressive. But that is not enough. The ball bearings used in the product also need to be of good quality.
While that is the case in these products as well, we feel that they do have some room for improvement. But other than that, the whole thing is rock-solid and will not budge even with a bunch of heavy stuff loaded in.
Along with the length of 16 inches, they are 1.77 inches wide and half an inch thick, which is somewhat standard for products of this sort. However, the hydraulic damper is something that deserves our praise.
This mechanism allows the sliders to smoothen out those hard slams and make the drawer shut quietly. The double spring design in it only makes it better. And along with the budget-friendly price, these are superb.
Pros
Cons
What to Look for Before Buying?
Since there are several variables that a soft close drawer slide depends on, choosing one for yourself becomes somewhat complicated, similar to choosing the best soft close cabinet hinges. Below is a brief guide to support you with that.
Mounting Place
The first thing you need to decide is whether your drawer needs an under mounting, side mounting, or center mounting drawer slide. Center mounts are not as standard and do not usually have a remarkable weight capacity – so we will leave that out.
Under Mounting Drawer Slides
These are the slides that we would recommend if you want a cleaner look on your cabinet. That is because these are not in your sight.
This property allows for a clean and pleasant look. Although you still need to screw these products to the drawer’s sides, the main portion is not visible. Another benefit of these slides is maintenance.
When compared to side-mounted ones, these collect less dirt over time as they are not as exposed to the outer environment. Moreover, they stay well-aligned over time as well.
Side Mounting Drawer Slides
These are probably the most well-known and popular products. The first benefit that they provide is the ease of usage. That means most drawers can effortlessly have these installed, unlike bottom mounting ones.
Even if your drawer does not have the space for the under mounting products, a side mounting slide will probably still support it without an issue.
Another great thing about the products of this category is that they are much more affordable than the other ones. And do not assume that they are somewhat inferior in quality either – they work just as well.
Weight Capacity
Weight-bearing capacity is undoubtedly crucial for something whose primary purpose is to contain stuff. Always try to stay above what you think you might need.
That is because people almost always end up storing more items in their drawers than they initially thought. Plus, you do not have to keep worrying about crossing the limit in the future either.
If you want a number, opting for a slide that is rated for around 75 pounds would be wise. You can always go above, but try not to go below that unless you are sure about what you need. Also, the wooden container should boast the best wood screws to bear that weight.
Extension
This bit is crucial for any slider. The extension of a slider refers to how far you can open the drawer. If a slider can let the drawer open all the way, it allows for better accessibility.
There are 7/8, 3/4, full-extension, and even overtravel extensions available. While the other ones are self-explanatory, overtravel means that the drawer can get out more than its actual length.
However, it is not necessary for most users and only makes sense in some cases. Therefore, you do not need to spend extra money on something you probably will not need.
On the other hand, not opting for at least a 7/8 or full-extension product can be somewhat annoying since you will not be able to access things in the back as effortlessly.
Measurements
As you can guess, measurement is just as important. Opting for a more extended slider generally gives you better stability and extension. However, going too long will cause problems, as it will not fit.
On the other hand, choosing something too short will create issues with stability and extension as well. You can generally find sliders measuring around 10 to 28 inches.
For measurement of side and center mounts, usually measuring the distance from the top edge to the inside portion of the cabinet and subtracting 1” should do the job.
In the case of under mounting ones, the slides are generally the same length as the drawer. That is because they do not have to account for the width of the edges.
Longevity
Some of the cheap slides might corrode over time, which is not what we want. Therefore, make sure that the product you have opted for uses stainless steel and lasts you for a long time.
Top Rated Brands on the Market
There are a bunch of manufacturers in the market that produce drawer slides and are exceptionally good at it. And of course, that includes the brands that we have mentioned above.
For instance, Gobrico makes some great quality slides that have remarkable weight capacity and longevity. The same thing applies to other brands like Lontan or Promark too.
Moreover, you can find an array of sliders from manufacturers such as Probrico and Friho. They, too, have thousands of satisfied customers and an extensive portfolio of products.
You might wonder if all the brands mostly make impressive products, what difference does it make then? Well, it does make a difference. The first one is that some of them specialize in specific sectors.
For instance, one brand’s ball bearings might be more versatile in comparison, or the other one may offer better results when it comes to a particular type of accessory.
That is why we have included slides from a bunch of renowned brands like Friho or Gobrico and provided you with details of what they use and what their strengths and flaws are. That way, you can pick one according to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are under-mounting slides better than side-mounting ones?
Answer: There is no definitive winner. The former is easier to maintain and stays hidden from sight but isn’t as versatile. But side-mounting ones are relatively cheaper and easier to install on most drawers.
2. Which are the best soft-close drawer slides?
Once again, it depends. However, try to ensure that the product has durable materials, allows for smooth movements, and does not require a lot of force from your end.
3. What does a slider extension mean?
This term simply refers to how much of the drawer’s total length a slider allows out of the cavity. While you can find over-extending ones, getting a full-extending product should suffice.
4. Why doesn’t my slider have rear mount brackets?
That depends on your manufacturer. If the product you have bought does not come with the mounting brackets, you need to determine its size and get them from the market.
5. Does my cabinet require rear clearance?
The answer to this relies on the kind of cabinet you own. If you have a face frame cabinet, then the chances are that you need a rear clearance of around half an inch. If you have a frameless cabinet, though, it does not require any extra space.
6. Do I need to choose the slide type before measurement?
Yes, because the type of slides you use can change the dimensions required for your drawers. For instance, if you choose an under-mounting drawer slide, the rear clearance needed would be different from a side-mounting one.
Final Words
Now that you have our guide and the top picks for the best soft close drawer slides, it should be reasonably easy to choose one. Remember to measure your requirements correctly, and the rest should be smooth sailing (and silent). And if you require a dowel jig for your projects, check this out.
