Kitchen handles - IMAGE: Howdens (see our review of howdens kitchens)

Welcome to the wonderful world of kitchen handles! They’re something we don’t often think about when it comes to choosing kitchen decor, but the humble kitchen handle styles you choose can totally change the tone of your cabinetry so it’s a choice that must be made carefully. And there’s a plethora of styles, shapes finishes and materials to choose from. Plus, with a space as practical as a kitchen, there’s a bunch of usability considerations that come into it too. Where are you meant to start?

At times, the world of kitchen handles can be too much to, well, handle. So here we are to help take the stress out of your choice (and tempt you with some lovely images too). We’ll talk you through shapes, styling and the practical considerations you’ll definitely thank us for later.

Kitchen handle choice considerations:

Practical dimensions

Time and again, we’ve seen a drop dead gorgeous kitchen but the thought hasn’t gone into practical usability. Say for example, you open the built in dishwasher and it hits the adjacent handle. Or an added handle makes a cabinet door too thick to fully open so drawers can’t slide out.

Self installation

Give some thought to installing kitchen cabinet hardware. It’s way easier than you think and could save you some pretty pennies if you’re going for something different to the cabinet manufacturer. Most of the time it only takes a spanner or screwdriver but make yourself you clue yourself up before you buy.

Clean-ability

With consciousness of hygiene at an all-time high, keep in mind that you’ll want a handle design that’s easily cleanable with minimal nooks and crannies for dirt or germs to hide. On this note, also make sure you’re aware of any special cleaning requirements for your new handles to keep them in tip top shape. Be aware that buttery or sticky fingers do leave marks on certain highly polished handles such as chrome.

Long nails

We do love a long, luscious fingernail. But lengthy talons can be quite incompatible with some kitchen handle styles such as cottage cups. If you’re a fan of a long nail (go you!), consider a deeper style such has a bar or knob.

Bow & D-shape kitchen handles

As the most versatile and practical of kitchen handles, the bow design is probably what your mind jumps to first when making your decision. This design has a larger grip-able surface and you can find styles to suit virtually any kind of kitchen, from shaker to modern. It also curves nicely to fit your hand. Sometimes you’ll be able to get a style in two different lengths but they’re often used as standard across a kitchen.

Bow kitchen handles, Ikea Eneryda, pack of two, £9

Bow kitchen handles, The Handle studio steel effect, £2.15

Bow kitchen handles, Magnet tube D handle, £2

Bar & T-bar kitchen handles

With clean lines and superb versatility, bar and T-bar shapes lend themselves more to modern kitchen cupboard handle categories. But don’t let that limit you, they can look sharp in almost any setting and come in huge range of finishes and have both the greatest grip-able surface and usually a little more clearance from the cupboard surface. If your design is more plain, jazz it up in a fancy finish. One small caution, edges can be sharp if you’ve got little feet (or paws) running around.

BAR kitchen handles, Door Handle Company Carlisle brass handle, £4.03

BAR kitchen handles, B&Q brushed steel bar, £3

BAR kitchen handles, Victorian Plumbing matt black, set of two, £19.95

Cottage cup handles

Typically found in country-style and cottage kitchens, cup handles lend themselves to a period feel and come in a whole range of finishes. Think of them as the ultimate shaker kitchen door handles. They are designed to tuck your fingers underneath so make sure you pick ones that suit your needs as some come up rather shallow. Whilst these emanate understated style, they pack a punch and are a truly timeless choice.

Cottage cup kitchen handles, Handlestore cottage cup, £1.90

Cottage cup kitchen handles, Wickes Ambrose, £11

Kitchen cupboard knobs

Simple, compact and so versatile, a basic kitchen cupboard knob can be anything but basic. Express yourself in shape and finish to suit your feel as you’ll find every design possible to choose from, from classic to crazy. Depending on the look you go for, knobs lend themselves to virtually any decor. If you ask us, we’d say knobs are the easiest to use in terms of everyday practical factors and they’re also easily changeable for a quick kitchen update.

knob kitchen handles, Lark and Larks brass knob, £3.02

knob kitchen handles, B&Q Darwin matt black knob, £3

knob kitchen handles, Tool Station satin nickel knob, £2.98

Flush kitchen handles

A flush design is a go-to for contemporary kitchen cupboard handles. It saves space, is safer around children and you can find different designs depending on whether you go for slide or pull cupboards. Keep in mind that flush handles tend to be on the shallow side and you’ll need to set them into the actual cabinet. They’re a superb choice for a lover of clean, minimal lines and no fuss.

Flush kitchen handles, Door Handle Company flush pull handle, £10.78

Flush kitchen handles, Homebase rectangular flush, £4.99

Finger pull kitchen handles

If you’re after contemporary kitchen cupboard handles that pack a bit more of a punch then this is where it’s at. With a slimline design and super practical cleaning surfaces, a finger pull comes in all sorts of sizes and finishes, so they reign supreme among modern drawer pulls. They’re pretty easy to use and you can also find some more classic designs for traditional kitchens.

Finger pull kitchen handles, All Handles & Pulls lip profile handle, £8.06

Finger pull kitchen handles, The Handle Studio matt chrome finger pull, £1.89

Antique style kitchen handles

If you’ve got more of a classic style kitchen, consider vintage cabinet hardware to match. You don’t have to buy genuine antique pieces to get the right look, these options are affordable and look every bit the part of a period product. They’re a little fancier in terms of feel (practical and visual) and can be a little pricier but are the perfect addition to a shaker kitchen or other timeless style.

Antique kitchen handles, Toolstation Cage Collection knob, £1.48

Antique kitchen handles, More Handles Croft lifting handle, from £29.35

Antique kitchen handles, Handles4U twist pull handle, £14.62

Alternative materials

So far, we’ve tempted you with a glorious range of kitchen handle ideas. But why not break from the ordinary and go for a different material altogether? From leather to marble and a plethora of distinctive shapes, you’re sure to find something that really makes your kitchen decor memorable. Leather is a little trickier to clean and marble or a ceramic product can be a little more fragile, but gosh, they’re so worth it for the look!

Marble kitcen handles, Magnet white marble knob, £7

Leather kitchen handles, made.com Hebe leather pulls, set of four, £20

Ceramic kitchen handles, Ikea Hishult, pack of two, £8

Unique designs

Some of our favourite kitchens feature unique little details that leave a lasting impact. The interiors market is full of unique drawer pull ideas, so if none of the above tickle your fancy, express yourself with some unique cabinet hardware. From cutout shapes to bold patterns and mixed materials, make your mark with a one-of-a-kind combo. Go bold with gold or make a statement with grain leather.

Leaf kitchen handles, Shein leaf handle, £5.99

Leather kitchen handles, Lotusdardware on Etsy, leather and brass, from £6.97

Brass kitchen handles, Anthropologie Graham Handle, from £20

So, go on then, which ones have caught your attention? What’s going to work best for your space? What kind of combo will you end up with? As always, we’d love to see what you choose in the end. We really hope our little guide has been helpful so drop us a line and let us know what you think.

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Finding the perfect kitchen handles