Kitchen Door Hinges and Drawer Runners: Blum vs Grass Hinge Adjustment, Soft-Close Mechanisms, Push-to-Open and Tandem Box Drawers

Quick Answer: European concealed hinges (clip-on cup hinges) are adjusted in three axes: lateral (±2mm via side screw), depth (±2mm via depth screw), and vertical (±2mm via the mounting plate slot). Blum Clip Top Blumotion and Grass Nexis are the dominant domestic brands; both are 6-way adjustable when fitted with a clip mounting plate. Soft-close is integral to the hinge body or damper integrated into the runner. Blum Tandem box and Legrabox use a concealed undermount runner with push-to-open (TIP-ON) for handleless kitchens.

Summary

Kitchen door and drawer mechanics are what separate a kitchen that works from one that frustrates. Doors that are misaligned, stiff to open, or slam shut damage the client relationship — and the units. Understanding the adjustment system of the two dominant hinge brands (Blum and Grass) means that any cabinet that arrives correctly made and incorrectly hung can be adjusted on site in minutes.

The move toward handleless kitchens has driven significant product innovation. Push-to-open (Blum TIP-ON, Grass TIPMATIC) allows doors and drawers to open with a finger push, eliminating the need for handles entirely. This requires a different hinge specification — the damping and spring force must be calibrated to the door weight, and the door gap must be tight enough to operate the mechanism.

Soft-close is now effectively universal in new kitchen installations. It is achieved either through an integral damper in the hinge (Blum Clip Top Blumotion, Grass Nexis Soft-Close) or through a separate damper added to the mounting plate (Blum Blumotion add-on). Drawer soft-close is built into the runner mechanism in all current Blum and Grass tandem/legrabox systems.

Key Facts

Quick Reference Table

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Adjustment Blum Clip Top Screw Grass Nexis Screw Effect
Lateral (left/right) Side screw (long screw, front of hinge arm) Side screw (same position) Moves door left or right
Depth (in/out) Eccentric cam screw (on mounting plate) Front screw on mounting plate Moves door toward/away from carcase
Vertical (up/down) Clip plate slot (loosen, slide, retighten) Clip plate slot Moves door up or down

Detailed Guidance

Concealed Hinge Adjustment — Step by Step

All European concealed hinges (35mm cup) share the same three-axis adjustment principle, regardless of brand. The screws may be in different positions, but the function is identical.

Before adjusting — identify the problem:

Lateral adjustment:

Depth adjustment:

Vertical adjustment:

Hinge Selection by Application

Door Type Hinge Required Notes
Standard overlay (18mm) Standard 0° Most common; check overlay measurement
Inset door (flush with frame) Inset hinge (special angle) Or standard hinge with extended arm
Corner unit (45° diagonal door) 45° corner hinge Specific to corner cabinet
Tall larder/pantry door Wide-angle (155°) Allows full door opening in narrow space
Glass door Glass door clip (no drilling) Clip-on glass holder replaces cup
Aluminium frame door Frame door hinge (flange mount) Attaches to aluminium profile

Soft-Close Hinges

Blum Clip Top Blumotion: The soft-close mechanism is built into the hinge body. When the door is closed to within 15° of the closed position, the damper activates and controls the closing speed. The damping force is adjustable on some versions (screw on the hinge body) but most domestic versions are factory-set.

Important: Blum soft-close hinges will not work correctly on very light doors (under 400g) — the spring force is insufficient to pull the door closed against the damper resistance. Solution: increase the spring tension (a screw on some models) or use a lighter damping add-on.

Grass Nexis S (soft-close): Very similar functionality. Identified by 'S' at end of part number. Damping integrated into hinge arm.

TIP-ON (push-to-open): The TIP-ON mechanism is a separate latch fitted to the cabinet carcase (not to the hinge). When the door is closed, the latch catches it. Pushing the door activates the TIP-ON, which kicks the door open 20–30mm. Available for both doors (TIP-ON for hinges) and drawers (TIP-ON Blumotion for Tandem Plus).

For TIP-ON to work correctly:

Drawer Runner Systems

Blum Tandem Plus (side-mount, steel):

Blum Legrabox (undermount, full side panel):

Grass Nova Pro Scala (undermount):

Adjusting drawer runners:

Frequently Asked Questions

A door keeps swinging open slightly after being pushed closed — what's wrong?

Either the soft-close hinge is not correctly activated (door gap too large — TIP-ON latch not engaging), the hinge spring force is insufficient for the door weight, or there's a magnet catch that has lost its strength. For soft-close hinges without TIP-ON, check that the door is actually reaching the closed position (measure the gap with a thin feeler gauge — should be 1–2mm). If the hinge spring is weak, replace the hinge — the spring is not serviceable on most domestic hinge types.

How do I know which Blum hinge part number I need to replace?

The part number is stamped on the hinge arm (look with a torch, usually on the underside or side of the arm). Blum part numbers follow the pattern: 71T3550 (Clip Top standard, 110°, full overlay) or 71B3550 (Clip Top Blumotion). The third and fourth characters indicate the opening angle and overlay. Alternatively, photograph the hinge and use Blum's online finder (blum.com) which can identify from photos.

A Tandem Plus drawer is stiff to close — it doesn't self-close smoothly. Why?

Check: (1) Is the runner the correct length for the cabinet depth? An undersize runner puts the drawer at the limit of its travel. (2) Is the drawer weight within the runner rating? Overloaded runners stiffen. (3) Is the Blumotion damper activated? Tandem Plus Blumotion has a switch on the runner that can be set to 'active' or 'inactive'. (4) Is the runner level side-to-side? Even 1–2mm height difference between left and right runners causes binding.

Can I retrofit soft-close to existing non-soft-close hinges?

Yes — Blum makes an 'add-on Blumotion' damper that clips onto an existing Clip Top mounting plate and adds soft-close to the closing cycle. This works on all Blum Clip Top plates (standard, direct mounting, and Expando). The add-on damper does not require replacing the hinge — it mounts onto the plate and provides a cushioned stop. Note: the Blumotion add-on works for closing only; it does not add the full soft-close speed control of an integral Blumotion hinge.

Regulations & Standards