One of the least used but most functional drawer slides is a push to open drawer slides. These unique slides allow for a clean front to any cabinet and function similar to side mount or undermount drawer slides.
By allowing the user to simply push the face of the drawer and have it gently “push open” the cabinet or furniture can be enhanced to have no hardware. And be used hands free.
From undermount push to close to side mount slides that pop open, in this guide learn what the best push to close drawer slides are for your application.
Top Picks
- Best Sidemount– Vadania Push to Open feature a 100-pound capacity, smooth push to open action and available in bulk.
- Undermount Option – No products found. are a top choice for undermount drawer slides with push to open capability.
- Soft Close Alternative – Lontan Soft Close are a quiet, easy to open soft close drawer slide for replacement slides or new drawers.
Contents
What are Push to Open Drawer Slides?
As the name implies a push to open drawer slide is operated by pushing on the face of the drawer to open. Their basic operation is as follows:
- The drawer front is pushed back
- Springs are engaged and slide the drawer slide out
- Lastly the drawer is pulled fully open by the user
Notably, push to open drawer slides are self closing and not soft closing. Meaning, drawer slides will hold themselves shut. But the will not close like a dampened soft close drawer.
Push To Open Drawer Slide Features
Not all push to open slides were made equal.
If you’re looking to compare the quality and features you’ll want to consider:
- Weight / load capacity
- Built-in soft closing
- Available slide lengths
- Full extension vs. partial extension
- Side clearance and drawer construction
- Maximum drawer width (24″ is common)
- Builder certification like BHMA / AWI
Undermount Push to Open Drawer Slides
For truly top-end drawers the combination of invisible drawers with push to open action is best. With undermounts you’ll not only have the drawer sides featured, but you’ll have the smoothest drawer slides on the market.
However, there are very few types of these undermounts that combine push to open AND soft close. Namely, for consumers, that is the 563H combined with the TIP-ON Blumotion.
Best Push to Open Drawer Slides
So how do you decide what’s the best push to open drawer slide for your project? Instead of shopping on price, shop on features:
- Integrated soft close is only available with undermount push to open drawer slides ($60-75 per drawer)
- Retrofit applications call for side mount push to open slides ($15-30 per drawer)
- On/off switches come with some undermounts
1. Vadania Push to Open Under Mount Drawer Slide
Shown: Vadania Push to Open (bulk)
For both new or retrofit drawers a side mount drawer slide is the most popular type of drawer slide. Since these slides have heavy duty ball bearings they are capable of holding heavy weights and will often outlast the wooden drawer itself.
While there are many manufacturers of these drawers, Vadania offers a solid selection of both lengths and offers their product in bulk.
Features
- Modern black finish
- Ball bearing design with 100 pound capacity
- Smooth, quiet opening and closing
- Push to open mechanism prevents slamming as it engages
- Standard side clearance
- Just .12″ of rear clearance required for push to open to work
Specifications
- Product: Vadania F1245
- Material: Cold rolled steel
- Type: Side mount
- Width: 1.7″
- Side clearance: 0.5″
Installation instructions available here.
2. King Push to Open Under Mount Drawer Slide
No products found.
Shown: No products found.
First, King expands on the undermount design by including push to open directly in the slide.
Why is that important?
Simplicity of installation.
Grass and Blum, the major manufacturers in this style of slide, require a version of the Tip-On design to achieve a push to open drawer.
Features
- Push to open can be enabled or disabled with a switch
- Lengths 10-21″
- Vibration Safe Design (VSD) prevents drawers from open during vibration
- Easy release locking levers
- Soft close integrated
- Invisible when drawer is opened with undermount design
- Smooth, quiet opening and closing
Specifications
- Product: King Slide
- Material: Galvanized steel
- Type: Undermount
- Side clearance: varies by drawer wall thickness
Installation instructions available here.
3. Blum Push to Open Undermount (Add On)
Blum drawer slides are subjected to some of the most rigorous internal and industry certified testing (BHMA). And for a standard undermount soft close these are my recommended drawer slide.
However, for a drawer slide that is meant to be push-to-open from the start they have an added layer of hardware with the Tip-on component.
Deal killer? Certainly not. Confusing … yes.
Push to Open Drawer Slide Manufacturers
First, this type of slide isn’t as common as self closing, soft closing or heavy duty drawer slides. Which makes them a little harder to find.
Top manufacturers of push to open drawer slides:
- King – who specializes in a premier drawer slide.
- Vadania – offers a very economical side mount push to open
- Blum – offers an adapter that works with their wildly popular 563H Tandem slides
- Grass – a popular manufacturers choice, offers an adapter similar to Blums
- Knape & Vogt – an established brand with a broad product line
- Accuride – one of the leading side mount manufacturers
- Salice – offers a complete line of drawer slides and organizers, including touch open drawer slides
Installing Push to Open Drawer Slides
Similar to other types of slides, you’ll need to have the right tools on hand to install push open drawer slide.
Remember prevention is worth a pound of cure: don’t skip the basics used by professional woodworkers or these drawer slides will not properly operate.
Tools Needed
- Drawer slide jig (like this Kreg Drawer Slide Jig )
- Cordless screw gun
- Tape measure
- Heavy duty screws (we prefer Rok #8
Installation Steps
- Layout the cabinet side drawer slide location, referencing the drawer front to determine height.
- Install the cabinet-side drawer slide using a drawer slide jig
- Next, insert the drawer into the opening to set the height of the drawer for proper spacing. Using tape or a pencil mark the location of the bottom of the drawer front (the “reference line”).
- Install the 3rd rail (the side attached the drawer) into the cabinet rail and open.
- Using a tape measure find the distance from the bottom of the 3rd rail to the reference line.
- Subtracting the distance from the bottom of the drawer to the bottom of the drawer front (if any), install the drawer-side cabinet rail on both sides.
- Install the drawer and make minor adjustments as needed.
Note, that for face frame cabinets (or frameless cabinets that are NOT inset), you’ll need to leave the drawer sides extended just under 7/16-inch to allow the push mechanism to work. If this is a deal breaker then choosing soft close drawer slides is best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you adjust push to open drawer slides?
First, the approach will differ based on side mount vs. undermount push to open drawer slides. For undermount slides the manufacturers offer the ability to enable or disable the push to open mechanism. Next, the undermount can be adjusted with various levers and adjustment knobs found on the slide (remove the slide). But for side mounts adjustment will require removing the slide and re-positioning the drawer slide to adjust.
How do you install push to open drawer slides?
This style of drawer slide is installed like a standard drawer slide with the exception that room behind the drawer is required to allow the push-to-open mechanism to engage. While not much, a 1/2″ of space is more than enough when planning your drawer and installation. Refer to the instructions for other requirements as they will vary by manufacturer and for side mounts vs. undermount push to open slides.
Can I use push to open drawer slides on face frame drawers?
Technically yes. But they will require the drawer slide to visibly protrude from the cabinet.
Summary
Hopefully this guide helped your understanding and decision process on purchasing push to open drawer hardware. Don’t forget to add other push to open cabinet hardware to your doors.
Last update on 2024-11-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
All I need is the 2 plastic or rubber wheels that the drawer runs on the slide with . Can I buy just them?
Hi Ruby – assuming you have epoxy drawer slides it would be best to just replace the slide. The epoxy wheels are compressed onto the slide and are difficult to remove.
Best,
Eric