Pros and Cons of a Corner Pantry

Corner Pantry Pros	Corner Pantry Cons
Corner pantries are more user friendly than corner cabinets	A corner pantry can take up floor space, which is valuable real estate in a kitchen
Your broom and other long-handled cleaning tools can be stored perfectly in a corner pantry	You will have less storage space
It it cheaper to build and install	You’ll have a tricky time packing the corner shelves of the pantry
There is enough space to store a small step ladder (to help you reach those top cabinets)	You lose out on counter space
	The flow of your kitchen can be affected
	It is very easy to overpack a corner pantry

Pros of Corner Pantry

More User Friendly Than Corner Cabinets

You no longer need to contort and strain your back or bruise your knees by reaching into the depths of your lower or upper corner cabinets to find your grandmother’s heirloom glass bowl to put out when she comes over.

Your kids won’t have to call you to reach for the cookies off of the top cabinet shelf, because you can simply place them at on a lower shelf in the pantry.

Being able to see all your groceries at once when you open the door means you are less likely to lose or forget about things. You will end up saving money because you won’t be buying double of something just because you couldn’t see that you had a stock of it already.

Great Place to Store a Broom

Whether it’s breadcrumbs, spilled sugar, or shattered glass, having a broom in easy reach while you are in the kitchen is more than ideal—it can be a lifesaver. You will be able to save yourself the added steps from walking outside, or to the basement to fetch your broom as a corner pantry gives you the desired height and space to store it where you need it most.

You could even maximize the floor space in the pantry by placing a Command Broom and Mop Gripper onto the inside of the pantry door. Your broom and mop will easily click into the grip and be secured, so they won’t be falling over and giving you a heart attack during the night!

Less Costly to Build/Install

Your average pantry can cost you anywhere from $700-$3000 for parts and installation.

Installing a corner pantry can be very easy on the wallet. You can buy an already assembled one from Walmart and slip it into the corner of your kitchen for less than $300.

You can also buy a flat pack that you can install yourself, saving you a lot more money than if you were to install cabinetry and countertops.

If you are looking to buy or build your pantry door, I recommend taking a look at my article on pantry door sizing to make sure you get the best size.

Space to Store a Small Step Ladder

Whether you need it for the higher pantry shelves or just any upper cabinet in the kitchen, a small step ladder can be a lifesaver. Sometimes you’re just too lazy to go and fetch it from your basement though and decide to climb on top of your countertops or lower shelving. This is not only dangerous but can also damage your cabinetry.

A corner pantry provides you with a convenient spot for your step ladder. You can simply place it in the small foot space of your pantry for easy access for the next time you need to get those top-shelf chocolates you hide from your kids.

Cons of Corner Pantry

Can Take up Floor Space

If you install a corner pantry, you are looking at losing usable floor space. The space in front of the shelves and behind the door is no longer considered functional floor space. With the exception of your broom and step ladder, there are also very few things that can be conveniently stored in front of these shelves.

In a large kitchen, this is less of an issue, but in a small kitchen, it can be a make-or-break installation in terms of functionality.

There is also the compounding factor of the door requiring floor space to swing outwards because inward swinging corner pantry doors are not really practical.

Less Storage Space

Whether you choose a corner pantry over a corner cabinet or a cabinet pantry, the corner pantry will often not provide you with the same amount of storage space as the shelves will be a lot shallower and angled towards each other.

You will end up with less available space to store your food and cleaning products, which might force you to overpack your pantry, or add the excess items to another cabinet, making that one fuller and unorganized as well.

Packing the Corners Can Be Tricky

Unpacking your groceries can become a nightmare quickly when you have a corner pantry. You’ll probably try to fill up all the gaps you can to maximize the storage space that you have, shoving each tin of corn against each other in an attempt to use up the corners.

It can then become a mission to find what you are looking for, as you can’t see what is packed at the back of the pantry clearly. I would recommend looking into some handy storage items that can make your life a lot easier.

Using a Spice turntable for all your condiments can make barbeque night a breeze. You can also stack your spices and even your tins on a Homeries 3-Tier Spice Rack (_{^{Amazon Link}}) so that you can find what you need easily.

Lost Counter Space

Installing a corner pantry means you are using up the floor plan where more lower cabinets could potentially go. You might be gaining a tidy spot for your mop and broom, but you will be losing out on valuable counter space—which, let’s be honest, you can never have enough of.

Before you decide on whether you want a corner pantry or not, think about how much you will be cooking and if it really is worth it to lose any amount of prep space. If you are more of a ‘pop-it-in-the-microwave’ kind of person, then a corner pantry won’t be that big of a deal.

Can Throw off the Flow of the Kitchen (Aesthetics)

Installing a corner pantry won’t just cost you counter space, it can also affect the aesthetic of your kitchen.

If your kitchen is open plan, with contemporary shelving and glass cabinet doors, having a corner pantry will look quite out of place. They can make kitchens feel cramped as they take up a lot of space.

It can also be argued that although corner pantries aren’t completely a thing of the past, they no longer fit with the design and style of more modern kitchens. Newer renovations are seeing more of an inclination towards walk-in pantries than to corner pantries, even though walk-in pantries can become a waste of space if designed or installed incorrectly.

Easy to Over Pack

Because you can close the doors, your corner pantry can quickly become the catch-all for everything that you quickly want to put out of sight. It can quickly accumulate, and you might find yourself jumping to dodge a falling can of beans.

Try to limit what you put in your pantry to items that you use regularly. Rather pack your box of Christmas cookie cutters in the basement or attic so that you can space out your groceries and cleaning products, in order for your pantry to feel less cramped.

Having designated spots or storage items for specific groceries is a great way to combat this problem. If you put all of your cans onto the stackable can organizer, you be able to see precisely what you have, and won’t be tempted to over stack cans because they won’t fit.

Sources

https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2016/09/23/the-pros-and-cons-of-walk-in-vs-cabinet-pantries/?sh=e1d945d5ec24

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Inval-4-Door-71-Corner-Pantry-Storage-Cabinet-Washed-Oak/911621075

https://www.homelight.com/blog/add-a-pantry/

https://www.woohome.com/ideas/fabulous-hacks-to-utilize-the-space-of-corner-kitchen-cabinets