What is a Sliding Pantry?

A sliding pantry is a system of movable shelves and/or drawers designed to hold jarred, bottled, canned or packaged foods. Sliding pantries may also be used for storing cookware or other kitchen items. Sliding pantry is a general term, as it could refer to pull-out storage in a tall cupboard or a small room lined with shelving. The size, style and storage capacity of sliding pantries varies widely.

Most pull-out pantries have sliding drawers made of wire or wood. These pantry drawers may be deep or shallow. The two main types of sliding pantry drawers are shelf-mounted and self-mounting. A shelf-mounted pantry drawer is supported by the structure of the shelving under it, whereas the self-mounting type hangs freely in the center. Self-mounting pantry drawers are attached onto each side of a cabinet or shelving unit, while the shelf style of movable drawer fastens onto metal strips in the center of the wood shelving.

Sliding pantries allow easier access to items stored in the back of a cupboard or shelf than stationary versions. Since this type of wire or wood drawer slides toward the person opening it, even items stored in the back become much easier to reach. This quality of sliding pantry drawers means that storage in even the longest cabinets becomes more efficient. A movable pantry, rather than an unmovable one, often allows for identifying labels such as those on jars of spices or staples to be placed on the tops of the containers in lower drawers for easy access.

Many newer homes are built with sliding pantry kitchen cupboards. Various types of pull-out pantry wood shelves and wire baskets are also sold at home improvement stores. Homeowners may replace standard stationary shelving with sliding pantry baskets. Typically, pantry drawers slide out on a roller and track assembly system of hardware. For houses with a separate pantry room off the kitchen, contractors may install sliding drawers as part of their custom design work for homeowners.

Sliding pantry doors can also be installed to replace the standard swing open type. This door type can make the typically small pantry room more space-efficient, since no extra room is required to allow for the door to swing open or closed. Sliding doors for pantries may be solid wood or have tempered glass inserts for a modern look.