Save or Splurge: The Kitchen

Check out this great article on when to splurge and when to save when it comes to kitchen cabinets and appliances. See the full article in the September issue of CNNMoney.com

"To get the most for your money, you need to know two things: when the good stuff is worth paying extra for and when the economy choice is plenty good enough."

By Money Magazine's Andrea Bartz, Ismat Sarah Mangla, Noah Rothbaum and Wilson Rothman

For example, Cabinets is one category where spending is recommended. Excerpted from the article:

Cabinets

Plain & Fancy custom cabinets
Kitchens start at $30,000

Save or spend: Spend

Cabinets that cost less than $150 a linear foot may look fine when you install them, but it won't take long for them to seem tired.

"The doors will get out of whack and the drawers will fall apart," says kitchen designer Kathy Marshall of South Hamilton, Mass.

In order to offer low prices, manufacturers use pressed board instead of solid wood, plastic drawer glides instead of metal ones.

You'll pay a lot more for the hardwood and handcrafting of cabinets by the likes of Plain & Fancy. But if these start fading - in 20-some years - they'll be sturdy enough that they can easily be refreshed with a coat of paint.