by Two names come up in almost every UK kitchen conversation: Howdens and Wickes. They’re the biggest players in the market, but they sell in completely different ways — one through the trade, one straight to you. If you’re trying to work out Howdens vs Wickes for your kitchen, the right choice depends less on the cabinets themselves and more on how you want to buy.
Here’s the honest comparison: how each one works, what you get for your money, and which suits a tight budget, a DIY project, or a fully managed install.
Howdens vs Wickes: How They Actually Work
This is the fundamental difference, and it shapes everything else:
- Howdens sells through trade accounts — in practice, that means your builder or kitchen fitter buys the kitchen on your behalf. You can’t just walk in and buy at a published retail price; pricing is quoted per account, and the depot works with your tradesperson on design and delivery. There are hundreds of Howdens depots across the UK, so stock is usually local and fast.
- Wickes is a retail DIY chain. You can browse kitchens in store or online, book a free design appointment, see published prices, and buy directly — with or without their installation service. It’s set up for homeowners first, trade second.
So the first question isn’t “which is better” — it’s “do I have a fitter already, or do I need the whole thing managed?” If you’ve got a trusted builder, Howdens becomes an option. If you’re organising everything yourself, Wickes is the more natural fit.
Range and Choice: What Can You Get?
Both suppliers cover the mainstream UK styles — shaker, handleless, and classic slab-front kitchens in a spread of colours from muted greys and greens to bolder blues. Neither is really playing in the ultra-bespoke space; these are made-to-measure-from-standard-sizes kitchens, not joinery.
Howdens tends to offer a slightly wider spread of door styles and finishes across its ranges, including some convincingly premium-looking options. Wickes keeps its range tighter but very on-trend, and because everything is priced publicly online, it’s easier to play with configurations and see the cost change in real time.
For worktops, both offer laminate, solid wood, quartz and granite options — the usual spread. Appliances can be bundled with either, though many people buy appliances separately for a better deal.
Howdens vs Wickes on Quality
Here’s where internet opinion gets heated. The honest version: at comparable price points, the cabinet quality is closer than the tribal debates suggest. Both use rigid-built 18mm cabinets on their main ranges, soft-close doors and drawers are standard on most lines, and both advertise long cabinet guarantees measured in decades rather than years.
Where differences show up:
- Consistency: Howdens’ trade model means your fitter specifies and checks everything — problems get sorted depot-to-trade quickly. With Wickes, you’re more dependent on your own eye and their customer service.
- Installation quality matters more than the brand: a well-fitted mid-range kitchen beats a badly fitted premium one every time. Who fits it is arguably a bigger decision than whose badge is on the boxes.
- Finishing details: both can look genuinely smart fitted well; both can look cheap fitted badly. Budget for a good fitter either way.
Price Comparison: Which Is Cheaper?
This is the question everyone asks and the hardest to answer cleanly, because Howdens doesn’t publish retail prices — quotes go through the trade account, and the discount level varies. Wickes prices are public, which makes them the easier benchmark.
As a rough, hedged guide for a straightforward small kitchen (units only, before appliances and fitting): expect typically £3,000–£8,000 from either supplier depending on the range and number of units. In practice:
- Howdens can work out very competitive if your fitter gets a strong trade discount and passes a fair share of it on. Without a good trade price, there’s no published price list to check you’re getting a fair deal — so always compare against a retail quote.
- Wickes runs frequent promotions and finance offers, and the price you see is the price you pay. Easier to budget, easier to compare — but watch the extras, which add up in any kitchen quote.
Our advice: get a like-for-like quote from both routes before deciding. A Wickes design appointment is free and gives you a priced plan to benchmark any Howdens quote against. For the full budget picture, see our guide to small kitchen renovation cost in the UK.
Lead Times and Delivery
Howdens’ depot network is its superpower here — stock is held locally, and fitters can often collect units within days, with missing or damaged parts swapped fast. If your project is time-sensitive, that’s a genuine advantage.
Wickes delivers from central distribution to store or home, which typically means ordering a week or two ahead. It’s rarely a problem if you plan for it — just don’t expect next-day everything. Order the kitchen before you book the fitter, whichever supplier you choose.
Installation: Who Fits Your Kitchen?
- Howdens: installation is through your own builder or fitter — Howdens supplies, the trade fits. This works brilliantly with a fitter you trust, and badly if you’re still looking for one.
- Wickes: offers its own installation service on top of supply-only. One contract, one point of contact, and their guarantee covers the install. It typically adds a few thousand pounds — get the installation quote in writing alongside the kitchen quote.
If you’re weighing up the DIY route, Wickes is the more DIY-friendly of the two by design — flat-pack options, published instructions, and everything buyable by a homeowner. Howdens kitchens are really designed to be fitted by the trade.
Guarantees and Aftercare
Both suppliers advertise long guarantees on kitchen cabinets — think decades, not years — though the exact terms, what’s covered, and the exclusions differ. Read the guarantee document before you buy, not after something goes wrong. Pay particular attention to what’s covered on hinges, drawer runners and worktops versus the cabinet shells, and whether the guarantee requires professional installation.
Howdens vs Wickes: Head-to-Head Summary
| Howdens | Wickes | |
|---|---|---|
| How you buy | Through a trade account (your fitter) | Direct, retail — in store or online |
| Pricing | Quoted per account, not published | Published prices, frequent promotions |
| Best for | You have a trusted builder/fitter | DIY or managed install, transparent budgeting |
| Lead times | Fast — local depot stock | Plan 1–2 weeks for delivery |
| Installation | Your own tradesperson | Supply-only or their install service |
| Design service | Via depot with your fitter | Free in-store design appointments |
| Guarantee | Long cabinet guarantee | Long cabinet guarantee |
Which Is Better for a Tight Budget?
If every pound counts, Wickes has the edge on transparency — you can see exactly what things cost, catch promotions, and there’s no mystery about margins. Howdens can be cheaper through a good trade discount, but you can’t verify that without a competing quote, so the saving isn’t guaranteed.
Also consider the third option at the budget end: flat-pack. If you’re comfortable assembling, our Howdens vs IKEA comparison looks at whether the flat-pack giant undercuts them both.
What About Wren?
Wren is the other name you’ll hear in this conversation — showroom-based, design-led, and pitched slightly more premium than Wickes. If you’re comparing the big three, read our Howdens vs Wren guide next.
Finishing Touches
Whichever supplier wins, don’t forget the details that make a kitchen feel finished — lighting, handles, and the window dressing. Kitchens need moisture-friendly coverings; our guide to kitchen curtains and blinds covers what actually survives above a sink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a Howdens kitchen directly as a homeowner?
Not in the normal course of things — Howdens sells through trade accounts, so your builder or kitchen fitter places the order. If you don’t have a tradesperson yet, that’s the first thing to sort; a retail supplier like Wickes is the simpler route for a fully DIY purchase.
Is Wickes cheaper than Howdens?
Sometimes — but there’s no fixed answer, because Howdens pricing depends on the trade discount your fitter gets. Wickes prices are published, so they’re the easier benchmark. Get like-for-like quotes from both routes and compare the totals, not just the unit prices.
Which has better quality, Howdens or Wickes?
At comparable price points they’re closer than online debates suggest — both use rigid 18mm cabinets with soft-close fittings on their main ranges and offer long guarantees. Installation quality usually makes more difference to the finished result than the brand on the boxes.
Does Wickes install kitchens?
Yes — Wickes offers an installation service alongside supply-only, so you can have one contract covering both. Get the installation quote in writing at the same time as the kitchen quote, and check what the guarantee covers.
How long does a Wickes or Howdens kitchen take to arrive?
Howdens can often supply within days from local depot stock. Wickes typically needs a week or two for delivery. Either way, order the kitchen before booking your fitter — popular fitters are often booked weeks out.
The Bottom Line
Howdens vs Wickes isn’t really a quality contest — it’s a buying-model choice. Got a trusted fitter and want trade supply with fast local stock? Howdens. Want transparent prices, a free design service and the option of a managed install? Wickes. Get quotes from both routes, and let the numbers decide.
