SystemBuild Utility Storage Cabinet – White 36

Wow, I did not expect that to be so easy! I bought the 36″ and 16″ utility cabinets, but the boxes were so heavy that I was convinced these would be a nightmare to build. I was wrong!

Once they were unpacked, I read through the instructions and counted all the parts. Everything was there, and the instructions were pretty clear. The illustrations definitely helped. I am proficient at building flat-packed furniture, so that may have also helped, but I almost always get frustrated with shoddy parts and instructions. This was so easy to build by myself that I kept saying, “Wow!” with each completed step. The pre-drilled holes were correctly sized and lined up, so the parts fit smoothly together. The most difficult part was NOT hanging the doors, which I thought would be really tough; the doors were actually super easy to attach. The hardest part was flipping the unit over once it was mostly assembled. That’s only because it was a bit heavy and I didn’t have anyone helping me. The instructions are clear that you need to fully attach the back panel because it’s structural. When you attach the back panel, note that there are embossed holes all around it AND across the upper middle. These line up with the top shelf, so be sure you have the back in the correct position.

I recommend giving yourself ample time to get the job done and clean up afterwards. It does not come with tools, so you will need a philips screwdriver set and a hammer for the build. You will also need a drill for securing it to the wall, if you choose to do so. I did, and the units feel a LOT sturdier because of it. You’ll definitely also need to give it some muscle/elbow grease to get some screws in (especially attaching to the wall). Just follow the instructions, step-by-step, and you’ll love this project.

As far as quality, there were a couple of dings on the edges of the side panels, but they aren’t noticable once assembled. One of the door hinges had a slightly bent metal piece which prevented it from clicking all the way in. I was able to use pliers to *gently* move it into position and get it to click into place. The doors work perfectly, AND they shut slowly so no banging doors!

Aesthetically, the cabinets look exactly as the photos on Amazon, and they fit perfectly into my space (which I pre-measured before ordering). They look awesome.

Hope this review helps. Enjoy your new storage!

This cabinet is cheap craftsmanship and looks cheap. Too many defective parts: 1) The doors do not align, the size do not match ( even if aligned at the bottom, see pictures/video) . 2) The back is cheap cardboard and it is not sized correctly, so when you hammer the nails there is a gap on each side as the 3) side panels do not go all the way to the back edge. So it looks like something a child will built.
4) there is a large gap in between the doors as there are smaller than the cabinet frame 5) the shelves in the middle are loose as the center of the cabinet seems wider than top and bottom 6) the doors get trapped . 7) the manufacture decided not to laminate the outside of the bottom shelf neither the top edges of the cabinet so you get to see the chipboard as it is . 8) in addition, despite securing to wall it is quite unstable . No sturdy at all . It is not worth the $229 plus tax paid .

I’ve owned this cabinet for just over 3 years now. It’s sat in our three season room the entire time, where it sees daily use as our pantry. It holds quiet a lot of food, even the heavy canned goods. The cabinet gets lots of sunlight and sees annual temperature swings of roughly 10*F – 90*F. Yet it holds up like a champ. I’ve had to readjust the hinges twice (takes less than 5 minutes), which is a pretty small amount of maintenance given everything.

Note I mentioned the hinges are adjustable. The legs and most of the other shelves are also adjustable, which is a great feature for the price point. I recently purchased another one of these cabinets because I needed more storage space, and it only cost $5 more than it did 3 years ago. Great bargain.

From start to finish, it took me about 2 hours to fully assemble the cabinet by myself. This includes setup, construction, cleanup, and a quick laundry break snuck in there. If you had someone else to help you (or are more mechanically inclined) it would definitely go much faster. Note that there is some heavy lifting required, so having someone around to help is a good idea regardless.

The assembly instructions are very spartan. They tell you everything you need to know to put it together, but nothing more. If you’re not careful, you could accidentally install a shelf or something backwards. Note that the assembly is very forgiving – it will still function fine, you may just have an unpainted side visible. Assembly only requires a screw driver and hammer, but there’s a few other nice to haves:
1) A magnetic screw driver. Otherwise getting the screw into the legs’ recess might be difficult.
2) A small container for holding parts. It has lots of screws, nails, etc that are difficult to sort through in their packaging.
3) A wet cloth. The shelves come a little dusty from the factory.

I’ve sang a lot of praise, but I do have to note that this cabinet isn’t perfect. Both of mine came with superficial damage from the factory (barely visible once assembled). The doors/walls/shelves aren’t perfectly square, even after adjusting. If you’re looking for something pristine or artsy, this is not the cabinet for you. But if you need a rugged work horse for storage, I challenge you to find something better anywhere near this price point. Unless you’re building from scratch, I doubt you will.

This cabinet has definitely earned all 5 of its stars.