Skip to main content

Drawer latch for IKEA Maximera internal drawers

I made a drawer latch that allows the IKEA MAXIMERA internal drawer to be pulled out together with the exterior drawer front.

Reason for this hack is I wanted my most used dishes easily accessible.

ikea maximera drawer

MAXIMERA drawers | IKEA.com

In the regular IKEA kitchen cabinet with a pull out drawer front, only the bottom drawer opens up when you pull the exterior drawer front.

The upper internal drawer  remains in the cabinet and you’ll need to pull out the internal drawer after opening the drawer front.

I could put my most used dishes in the bottom drawer but that would mean I would always have to bend down deep for the dishes. Which is not ideal.

If I don’t want to bend as deep for them, I need to store them in the internal drawer above. But that would mean that I always have 2 handles to go to access them: pull out the bottom (60cm) drawer and then pull out the internal drawer.

Wouldn’t it be much better, to open both at the same time by pulling out the 60cm front and access the upper level first and only to push back in the internal drawer to access the bottom drawer?

This is, why I modified it.

And now with a drawer latch, it works like this:

If I pull out the 60cm drawer front, both drawers (bottom + internal) open and I can directly access the upper one of both. If I need to access the lower one, I just release the black hook with one finger while pulling out and push the upper one (internal) back in.

When I then close the cabinet, the black hook will automatically snap in and for the next opening, both drawers will again open together. This saves much time and back pain. I absolutely love it.

IKEA items used:
  • IKEA MAXIMERA drawers
  • Child lock from the EFTERSMAK oven
  • FIXA diffusion barrier (or any other aluminum tape)
Other materials and tools:
  • 1 small screw

Hack instructions:

Find out the right position for the hook and screw it from the inside onto the front plate.

Stick the FIXA diffusion barrier on the internal drawer where the hook contacts.

It took less than 5 Minutes and costs me nothing.

The hardest bit was figuring out the right position of the hook so that it easily snaps in when the drawers close but still holds the inner drawer secure when pulled out.

Pay special attention to the position and bending of the hook when installing.

Such drawer latch systems can be ready-bought for many kitchen systems off the shelf, but not for IKEA METOD.

Others have retrofitted this solution by using components of other kitchen systems, but it’s more complicated to install them.

Here is a video of another solution using the components of another manufacturer in an IKEA MAXIMERA drawer:

The post Drawer latch for IKEA Maximera internal drawers appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hackers Help: How to attach headboard to ESPEVÄR mattress base?

I’m trying to figure out if a headboard can be attached to an Espevar Mattress Base , and how to accomplish that. I’m looking at a standard metal headboard (because I just prefer the look of curved metal to what IKEA offers) and am not interested in a slat base with just a mattress on top, and a wall mounted headboard is not an option due to renting. Thanks for any help! ~ Amy *** Hi Amy I’ve not seen the ESPEVÄR in person but I believe it is possible to attach a headboard to it. From the website, the ESPEVÄR looks like a regular wooden slatted mattress base under a bed base slipover. As to how to attach it, that will depend on the fittings on the metal headboard. So you will just need to get the right hardware to secure the metal headboard to the wooden frame. And make some small openings on the slipcover to let the fixtures to go through. Jules Photo: IKEA.com Try these free-standing headboards for size A lime green and white headboard that takes centerstage in the r...

Kitchen renovation reveal: Rhombus wall steals the show

It’s been a while since I did a home tour. If you’ve missed the previous reveals, you can catch up with my Master Bathroom remodel and Guest Bathroom reveal . Today, let’s focus on my kitchen renovation. Hands down, this is the most used room in my home. I spend crazy amounts of time in here, even when I’m not cooking. Just off to the side of the kitchen I converted an awkward space into a reading nook . In the mornings, I sit and read or pray and meditate, before it gets too warm. And on the other side, there’s a work-in-progress plant wall / indoor garden which also takes up a lot of my time. So, all in all, lots of traffic in here, and that’s not even counting cooking and eating time. The kitchen is definitely my favourite room, because the transformation is huge and I love how it turned out. Kitchen renovation: The before House 17 when I first got it, actually had 2 kitchens, which is a very common “Asian” home concept. First, the “dry kitchen”, which is where you make simp...

IKEA sofa with genius armrest storage

Bet you never knew your sofa armrests were prime storage space. Ok, so the guys at IKEA are the masters of hidden / secret storage everywhere. In fact, one of the things I most loved about the  ESKILSTUNA sofa series was the undercover storage on the chaise lounge, but… what? More than 80 liters of storage space wasted on the armrests? NO WAY! I really don’t understand how they didn’t take that opportunity with several different armrest modules. Mobile chargers, cup / can holders, foldable tables, refrigerators… there’s SO MUCH space in there. I can’t stop thinking on different options! For myself, I went for two designs. First, a “full space” design on the (right) side of the chaise lounge. (The cavity fits two foldable chairs). Second, on the left armrest — a flip open section for “mobile charger / remote control storage / etc.”. Below that, a full-depth pull-out drawer, tall enough to store A4 sized magazines. This is the final result: Full space design, rig...