The main components of a cabinet are the box material, the drawer material, the door material, and the hardware. A good cabinet starts with the quality of materials and ends with the build quality. The main types of box material are wood plywood, particle board, and MDF. There are different grades within these types. The main types of drawer materials are solid wood, plywood and melamines. The main cabinet door materials are solid wood, and veneers over particle board or MDF.

Cabinet Box Material

There are give and takes with the different box materials. Wood plywood is stronger, holds a screw better, is lighter and deals with moisture a bit better, but can warp and is more expensive. Particle board and MDF typically don't warp, but are heavy and don't hold a screw as good as plywood. Melamines or low pressure laminates over particle board and MDF are the most common box material when wood plywood is not used.

Most people have seen the low grade particle board of a cheap cabinet desinigrate when water hits it. A higher grade particle board and MDF will deal with moisture much better, so it is important to use the higher grades. A lower grade particle board will also have a paper veneer and not a real wood or melamine veneer. You see this in kitchens where the side of a cabinet, when aged, looks completely different than the solid wood front doors. Whether it's particle board, MDF, or plywood the thicker the better. 3/4" is typically the best thickness, but 1/2" wood plywood on non finished sides is fine.

Example of plywood box on a framed style cabinet left, and MDF frameless right.               The good plywoods have a real wood veneer usually maple or walnut- left. The melamine 

                                                                                                                                                                      veneered MDF boards typically come in maple looking, white, black, or gray- right

Drawer Material

The best drawers are solid wood dovetailed. The diferences in quality of a solid wood drawer are the thickness, and wood type. The absolute best drawers will be a hard wood like maple and at least 5/8" thick with 1/2" bottoms. A lower grade wood drawer will use a softer wood, and have a 1/4" bottom, but usually hold up fine under normal abuse.  Melamine and drawers can be acceptible if built well, are the higher grade material, and dowelled together. 

Door Material

 Wood is an imperfect material that expands, contracts, and warps in different atmospheres. Wood types have variability and inconsistencies in color and grain 

Hardware- Hinges and Slides