Main Line Kitchen Design Ratings: How to Get “Grade A” RTA Cabinets Without the Showroom Markup
How savvy homeowners and contractors use independent industry reviews to get Grade-A all-plywood cabinetry at true wholesale prices.
When planning a kitchen remodel, smart homeowners, contractors, and remodelers all do the same thing: they look for independent brand reviews before spending thousands of dollars on cabinetry.
If you have researched cabinet quality online, you have likely come across the annual cabinet ratings published by Main Line Kitchen Design. Their review matrix is widely cited across the kitchen and bath industry because it evaluates cabinet manufacturers across three critical factors: Price Level (1 to 6), Construction Quality Grade, and overall Value Rating.
When you examine how our core cabinetry lines rank in those independent reviews, one takeaway stands out immediately: you do not need to pay high-end showroom prices to get Grade A cabinet construction.
How Our Cabinet Brands Rank in the Main Line Kitchen Design Ratings
Main Line Kitchen Design scores cabinet lines on a price scale from 1 (most economical) to 6 (luxury custom millwork), evaluating each brand with all-plywood box construction. Here is how our rated cabinet brands perform:
| Cabinet Brand | Price Level (1–6) | Quality Grade | Value Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProCraft Cabinetry | 1 (Lowest Price Tier) | A | A- |
| 21st Century Cabinetry | 1 (Lowest Price Tier) | A | A- |
| Eurocraft Cabinetry (Frameless) | 3.5 (Specialty European Frameless) | C* | C+* |
| Jarlin Cabinetry | 1 (Lowest Price Tier) | Not Listed in Matrix | Not Listed in Matrix |
*Note on Framed vs. Frameless Ratings: Main Line Kitchen Design is an independent dealer and is not affiliated with The RTA Shop. Their grading methodology heavily favors traditional American framed cabinetry over European frameless construction.
Why ProCraft & 21st Century Stand Out: “Grade A” Quality at Price Level 1
Achieving a Quality Grade of “A” while remaining in Price Level 1 (the most affordable price tier) is the sweet spot of the entire cabinet industry. Both ProCraft Cabinetry and 21st Century Cabinetry earn an A for Quality and an A- for Value because they focus on the structural features that actually matter in daily use:
- All-Plywood Cabinet Boxes: Furniture-grade plywood sides, tops, bottoms, and back panels that resist moisture and hold screws securely without particleboard sagging.
- 3/4" Plywood Shelving & Solid Wood Face Frames: Heavy-duty adjustable shelving and rigid hardwood face frames built to support stone countertops and heavy cookware.
- Dovetail Drawers & Soft-Close Hardware: Solid wood dovetail drawer boxes paired with full-extension undermount soft-close glides and concealed 6-way adjustable soft-close hinges.
Main Line Kitchen Design specifically highlights both ProCraft and 21st Century among the best value cabinet brands for the money when your layout works within standard stock cabinet sizes and door styles.
How Eurocraft & Jarlin Fit Into the Picture
Eurocraft Cabinetry (Full-Access European Frameless): Because Main Line’s grading criteria penalize frameless construction compared to traditional American face-frame boxes, Eurocraft receives a lower letter grade in their table. However, for homeowners seeking sleek, modern slab doors—such as Spanish ALVIC® Luxe High Gloss, Zenit Supermatt, or Wilsonart® textured woodgrains—Eurocraft upgrades the frameless category by using 3/4" multi-layer birch plywood boxes rather than the particleboard boxes used by most European brands.
Jarlin Cabinetry (Coast-to-Coast Framed RTA Value): While Jarlin Cabinetry is not currently listed in Main Line’s Northeast-focused review table, Jarlin is built to the same core framed RTA specifications as 21st Century and ProCraft—featuring 1/2" plywood boxes, 3/4" plywood shelves, dovetail drawers, soft-close hardware, and a 13-step catalyzed finish across 16 popular Shaker and raised-panel styles stocked in Florida, North Carolina, and California.
Why Buying “Grade A” Cabinets Through a Traditional Showroom Costs So Much More
Here is the most important truth about cabinet shopping: a cabinet’s factory build quality doesn’t change, but its price changes dramatically depending on how it is sold.
When you buy a ProCraft, 21st Century, Jarlin, or Eurocraft kitchen from a traditional brick-and-mortar showroom—or from a large online retailer that bundles “free design” and “free shipping” into the price—you are paying a steep markup on every cabinet box to cover showroom leases, commissioned sales reps, and bundled services.
At The RTA Shop, we unbundle the entire process. We keep our cabinet prices low, calculate shipping live from the closest stocking warehouse in FL, NC, NJ, or CA (including free Local Pickup within 100 miles), and offer NKBA-certified 3D Kitchen Design as a separate, optional service so you only pay for what your project actually needs.