Under-mount drawer slides are superior to side-mount drawer slides, in my experience. Side-mount slides are prone to breaking under heavy use. Sometimes they pull out too far because the plastic stop tab broke, or the wheel jumps off the slide, or the screws into the side of the cabinet strip out.
I was eager to try under-mount drawer slides for one of my shop cabinets. I researched a few brands and found the following data points. All are adjustable with the soft-close feature. The prices were confirmed on Amazon.com on the publish date of the post.
| Product | Size | Cost | Project Cost |
| Blum Tandem Plus Blumotion | 15 inches | $36.49 per pair | $182.45 for five |
| Rockler Centerline Lifetime | 15 inches | $32.99 per pair | $164.95 for five |
| Touch | 15 inches | $20.99 per pair | $104.99 for five |
Why I bought these drawer slides
I’m a cheap bastard. That’s what it boiled down to!
I originally got the idea from a cabinet-making video by Bourbon Moth Woodworking. Shout out to Jason Hibner for all the great work he does! He used Blum slides in the video and commented they are the best. But then in another video he used Rockler slides and mentioned they were comparable to Blum quality at a slightly lower price point. That spoke to my cheap self and I immediately started searching for cheaper slides, eventually landing on Touch slides. They were over 40% cheaper for my cabinet with five drawers.
I missed an important detail when I made the purchase. These slides accommodate drawer sides with a 1/2″-5/8″ thickness. They won’t accommodate a 3/4″ drawer side. Amazon later added this detail to the product title, so I wasn’t the only one who missed it.
The Good Stuff
- Did I mention they were 40% cheaper?
- The build quality seems high. Time will tell, but the metal is heavy duty and there is very little use of plastic.
- These “full-extension” slides pull out 13-3/4″ of the 15″ slide length. I believe that matches or exceeds other brands, but let me know in the comments.
- The adjustment wheels allow you to overcome minor imperfections.
The Bad Stuff
- None for now. I’ll update the post if I experience any durability issues.
Conclusion
The Touch Under-mount Drawer Slides are a less expensive alternative to Blum and Rockwell. And yet, judging by the reviews on Amazon.com, the build quality matches or exceeds Blum and Rockwell. Only time will tell if that build quality translates to durability. For the price, I had no problem giving them a try!
I wrote about the project in which I used these drawer slides. Spoiler alert, the project didn’t go very well. But it wasn’t because of these slides.
By the way, the link takes you to the product page on Amazon.com and if you subsequently buy it I will earn a small commission. Please know this does not change the price. If you go to the product page without using my link, you will see the same price. Here’s the official disclosure statement. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Moto Woodworks!
Finally, I only recommend products that I use on a regular basis and have proved their worthiness over time.
