A chest of drawers is one of the most versatile furniture pieces a person can buy. They’re utilised in bedrooms, living rooms and hallways alike and always provide that coveted extra storage for clothes and other household items. Plus, you also get to use the tabletop for things like mirrors, keys and bits and bobs or, with some, even as a nursery changing table.
However, many people look for a chest of drawers based on aesthetics, and although this is important, the functionality is arguably more so. With that in mind, we created this guide to cover the basics of dresser shopping. We've also compiled reviews for ten top-rated pieces to buy on John Lewis and Amazon including trending retro styles, classic white cabinets and everything in between.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
Image | 1 ![]() ANYDAY | 2 ![]() HOMCOM | 3 ![]() Panana | 4 ![]() John Lewis & Partners | 5 ![]() Steens | 6 ![]() West Elm | 7 ![]() John Lewis & Partners | 8 ![]() SONGMICS | 9 ![]() Pipishell | 10 ![]() CASART |
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Name | Mix It T-bar Handle Wide 4-Drawer Chest | Zig-Zag Chest of Drawers | Chest of Drawers With Metal Runners, Black | Show Wood 4-Drawer Chest, Jade Green | Richmond 4+2 Pine Chest of Drawers | Mid-Century 6-Drawer Chest, Pebble | St Ives 5-Drawer Chest, Grey Haze | 5-Drawer Chest of Drawers | Fabric Storage Drawers | Chest Of Drawers Storage Cabinet |
Features | Fits Seamlessly Into Most Modern Homes | A Touch of Character That Still Fits With Most Rooms | A Masterclass in Minimalism | Retro-Chic Straight From the Set of Mad Men | Perfect for Practically Anywhere in the Home | Mid-Century Minimalism Done Right | Ideal for Those Upgrading Their Furniture | Embodies the Latest Industrial Vibes | Lightweight With Very Spacious Drawers | An Amalgamation of Finishes for a Quirky Look |
Price | £215.00 | £154.99 | £75.99 | £499.00 | £107.34 | £1,179.00 | £599.00 | £58.99 | £59.99 | £58.95 |
Dimensions | 90 x 80 x 44 cm | 120 x 71 x 31.5 cm | 120 x 64.5 x 33 cm | 105 x 95 x 45 cm | 90 x 82 x 38 cm | 142 x 91 x 46 cm | 125 x 105 x 44 cm | 89.9 x 56 x 30 cm | 103 x 31 x 10.5 cm | 29 x 87 x 58 cm |
Shape | Vertical | Horizontal | Horizontal | Horizontal | Vertical | Horizontal | Vertical | Vertical | Horizontal | Horizontal |
Material | MDF | MDF, particle board | Material board, melamine coating | Poplar wood | Pinewood | Solid Acacia wood with eucalyptus frame | Oak, birch, MDF | Steel frame, dark veneered wood | Wood, metal and fabric | Wood and fabric |
Weight | 34 kg | 36 kg | 31 kg | 77 kg | 22 kg | 104 kg | 84 kg | 56 kg | 9.3 kg | 9 kg |
Handles | Pulls | Knobs | Built-in | Pulls | Knobs | Both | Knobs | Knobs | Pulls | Pulls |
Number of Drawers | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
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Just like with all pieces of furniture, ensuring you have a chest of drawers that works within the space of your room is crucial. Therefore, knowing the dimensions is a pretty big deal. However, this alone will not help you. You’ll also want to measure the room you plan on placing the furniture in to see the amount of available space you have there.
Remember, you’ll need to factor in plenty of clearance space around the drawers for them to open with someone standing in front. Furthermore, you’ll want this often very frequently accessed piece of furniture to work without obstructing any other parts of the room – think windows and doors – while still having enough space to walk around the room freely.
A bedside table is an essential piece of furniture that can provide even more storage space, here are some ideas!
Generally speaking, chests of drawers tend to be rectangular, but what we mean when we say that you need to consider the shape is whether the piece of furniture sits vertically or horizontally and is wide or narrow.
A horizontal design is the more common option. These will often stay out of the way of windows or other shelves and allow you to set up a display above them, with many people opting to put mirrors on top to create a little preparation station. Horizontal drawers do take up more floor space, though.
If floor space is limited, opt for a vertical chest of drawers. Depending on their size, you might have to forgo the option of using the top for anything, but it does mean that the room won’t feel so cramped. It’s also worth mentioning that taller options tend to have single drawers, which might not be convenient for a couple's bedroom.
Take control of the level of privacy and lighting in your room with our selection of blinds for the bedroom.
Of course, nowadays plenty of options are also painted over, with black and white among the most common finishes. These can have a modern feel to them, but they're a little more versatile as they're less likely to clash with other woods or flooring in the room.
Finally, you’ll want to give thought to the old knobs or pulls debate. Now, it’s necessary to know that there are no rules to follow when choosing, and it’s also easy to change these if you like a particular set of drawers but don't feel that the handles are quite your thing.
That said, as a rule of thumb, most designers tend to opt for knobs for doors and pulls for drawers, which is why you’ll see more pulls. This is because many of us find these comfier as the whole hand can get a hold, instead of just the fingertips. This style is also thought of as a little more contemporary.
Another factor worth considering is the finish, as you won’t want clashing finishes on different pieces of furniture throughout the room. Luckily, companies tend to stick to the same materials, so it’s just worth a moment’s thought before clicking through to purchase.
Whether you have a patch of wall in your room that needs covering up or you're simply looking for something to decorate your room, browse our favourite wall hangings for the bedroom!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£215.00
Dimensions | 90 x 80 x 44 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Vertical |
Material | MDF |
Weight | 34 kg |
Handles | Pulls |
Number of Drawers | 4 |
£154.99
Dimensions | 120 x 71 x 31.5 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | MDF, particle board |
Weight | 36 kg |
Handles | Knobs |
Number of Drawers | 6 |
£75.99
Dimensions | 120 x 64.5 x 33 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | Material board, melamine coating |
Weight | 31 kg |
Handles | Built-in |
Number of Drawers | 6 |
£499.00
Dimensions | 105 x 95 x 45 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | Poplar wood |
Weight | 77 kg |
Handles | Pulls |
Number of Drawers | 4 |
£107.34
Dimensions | 90 x 82 x 38 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Vertical |
Material | Pinewood |
Weight | 22 kg |
Handles | Knobs |
Number of Drawers | 6 |
£1,179.00
Dimensions | 142 x 91 x 46 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | Solid Acacia wood with eucalyptus frame |
Weight | 104 kg |
Handles | Both |
Number of Drawers | 6 |
£599.00
Dimensions | 125 x 105 x 44 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Vertical |
Material | Oak, birch, MDF |
Weight | 84 kg |
Handles | Knobs |
Number of Drawers | 5 |
£58.99
Dimensions | 89.9 x 56 x 30 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Vertical |
Material | Steel frame, dark veneered wood |
Weight | 56 kg |
Handles | Knobs |
Number of Drawers | 5 |
£59.99
Dimensions | 103 x 31 x 10.5 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | Wood, metal and fabric |
Weight | 9.3 kg |
Handles | Pulls |
Number of Drawers | 5 |
£58.95
Dimensions | 29 x 87 x 58 cm |
---|---|
Shape | Horizontal |
Material | Wood and fabric |
Weight | 9 kg |
Handles | Pulls |
Number of Drawers | 5 |
A dresser is broad and short, whereas a chest of drawers is narrow and tall. Dressers are intended to provide a space for dressing where the top doubles as a table for clothing and features a mirror. Chests of drawers resemble a tall, narrow dresser offering ample storage while conserving floor space.
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
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