Deep cupboards swallow food. Tins sit at the back for a year, the same jar gets bought three times and nobody can find the stock cubes. A pull out larder fixes that by bringing the whole cupboard out to you, so everything is visible from both sides in one move.
At KitchenSMART we design storage into every German Schüller kitchen from the first plan. Here’s what they are, the sizes you’ll come across, and when another type of tall storage does the job better.
01. What Is a Pull Out Larder?
It’s a tall unit where the door and a frame of shelves or baskets are fixed together on heavy-duty runners. You pull the handle (or push, on a handleless kitchen) and the whole lot glides out.
The main alternatives are a swing-out larder, where inner shelves fan out as the door opens, an internal drawer larder with drawers behind a tall door, and a plain tall cupboard with fixed shelves.
02. Pull Out Larder Sizes
Pull out larders usually come in cabinet widths of 300, 400, 500 and 600mm. Narrow 150-200mm versions exist too, mostly as bottle or spice pull-outs that fill an awkward gap beside the cooker. Height follows your tall unit range, so the larder lines up with the oven housing and fridge next to it.
Wider is not always better. A 600mm pull-out loaded with tins is heavy, so the quality of the runners matters more than the width. Soft-close comes as standard on Schüller cabinetry, and a well-built unit still glides after years of daily use. That’s one of the quiet differences we cover in premium German kitchens vs standard kitchens.
“A 300mm pull-out next to the hob gets used more than a 1m cupboard across the room. Put storage where the cooking happens.”
03. Pull Out Larder Pros and Cons
Pros: everything is visible at once, you can reach it from both sides, and it turns a narrow gap into proper storage.
Cons: you need clear floor space in front to pull it out, so it can clash with a door, an island or a tight walkway. Shelf spacing is set by the frame, and very tall bottles may need a dedicated shelf. Our designers check this on every free planning visit.
Got room for a wider bank of tall units? A larder with internal drawers or a lit cupboard works well as a coffee station too. Have a look at our Newport sage green project for tall units in a real home, and our plinth lighting guide if you’re planning lighting at the same time.
04. Planning Storage for Your Kitchen in Milton Keynes, Bedford or Northampton
Storage is easier to get right on a plan than after the fact. We design, supply and fit every kitchen with our own team, and our kitchen design process maps where you cook, prep and unload the shopping before any unit gets placed. Customers in Milton Keynes, Bedford and Northampton can open the larders, drawers and corner pull-outs at our Linford Wood showroom. If you want to go deeper on fittings, Blum’s larder guide is worth a read, and Schüller shows its full tall unit range online.
Browse our projects or read customer reviews to see how it all comes together.
05. Frequently Asked Questions
What size pull out larder do I need?
For most families a 300mm or 400mm pull-out holds the dry goods and tins you use every week. Go to 500 or 600mm if it’s replacing a walk-in pantry or you bulk buy. The bigger question is where it sits, as close to the hob and prep area as possible.
Is a pull out larder better than a larder cupboard?
For narrow spaces, yes, because you can see and reach everything from the side. A wider larder cupboard with internal drawers or shelves suits bigger runs and can double as a coffee or breakfast station. Many kitchens have one of each.
Can I add a pull out larder to an existing kitchen?
Sometimes, if there’s a tall unit of the right size and enough clear floor in front. In most refits it’s planned in from the start so it matches the doors and tall units. Book a free home visit and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
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