Kitchens Edinburgh · est. 1983
Impuls German kitchen in deep blue, one of the three German brands we supply in Scotland

Buying guide

Impuls vs Schüller vs Nobilia

Three German manufacturers, three price positions. Here is how they differ in construction, fronts, price and how you buy them in Scotland.

Impuls German kitchen in deep blue with handleless fronts and stone worktops

Impuls

Supplied directly from our Edinburgh showroom across price groups PG01 to PG04.

Schüller kitchen with white glass fronts and an island

Schüller

Mid to premium German cabinetry with the widest specification, via our sister company.

Nobilia kitchen with dark fronts and timber accents

Nobilia

Europe's largest kitchen producer with a very broad front range, via our sister company.

All three brands are built to order in Germany, delivered flat and assembled on site. None of them is a bad kitchen. The differences are in how far the specification goes, how many front finishes you can choose from, and where the price lands for the same layout.

We supply Impuls directly and Schüller and Nobilia through our sister company, so you can compare three German manufacturers before you decide - and against our own handmade cabinetry if the room suits it better.

Side by side

ImpulsSchüllerNobilia
Where it sitsEntry to upper-mid, our main German lineMid to premium, widest specificationEntry to mid, very broad front choice
How it is madeBuilt to order in Germany, flat-packed and assembled on siteBuilt to order in Germany, higher specification optionsBuilt to order in Germany, one of the largest producers in Europe
Price structurePrice groups PG01 to PG04 across our range line-upRange-based pricing with more optional upgradesRange-based pricing, broadly comparable to Impuls
HandlelessAvailable on most ranges (not IP 4250 or IP 4820)Available across most collectionsAvailable across most collections
How to buy from usDirectly from our Edinburgh showroomThrough our sister companyThrough our sister company

Positioning is indicative and changes as manufacturers revise their collections. Ask us for current pricing on your own layout.

How to choose between them

Set the budget before the brand

Decide what the finished kitchen needs to cost, then let us show you what each brand gives you at that number. Choosing a brand first almost always ends in a design that has to be cut back.

Pick the front you actually want

Front finish drives both the look and a large part of the price. If the exact finish you want only exists in one of the three, that decides it for you.

Check the layout, not the brochure

Cabinet sizes and internal fittings differ between manufacturers, so the same room can suit one better than another. We design the layout in CAD before you commit.

Weigh the install, not just the box

Whichever brand you choose, our own team fits it and it carries our 5-year guarantee. That matters more to how the kitchen ages than the badge inside the cupboard.

Impuls: the value benchmark

Impuls is part of the Nobilia group and built to order on the same automated lines that make German cabinetry so consistent. Six ranges run from IP 1200 in PG01 through to IP 4250 and IP 4820 in PG04, with handled and handleless options on most of them. It is our main German line because it gives the most cabinet for the money: 16mm carcase sides with 19mm tops and bases, Blum hinges and drawer boxes, full-extension soft-close drawers, laser-edged fronts and a front collection that covers matt lacquer, timber reproduction, high gloss and painted shaker looks.

Strengths

  • Strongest price-to-specification ratio of the three
  • Supplied direct from our Edinburgh showroom
  • Shaker and handleless in the same catalogue
  • Clear PG01 to PG04 price structure

Worth knowing

  • Fewer bespoke finish options than Schüller
  • IP 4250 and IP 4820 are handled ranges only

Schüller: the specification leader

Schüller sits above both on specification. It offers the widest colour and finish programme, more carcase and internal options, and detailing such as continuous grain matching, slim frame glazing and integrated lighting systems that suit a more designed interior. It costs more for the same layout, and on a large open-plan project that premium buys genuine flexibility rather than badge value. Available to our clients through our sister company.

Strengths

  • Widest finish, colour and glazing programme
  • Deeper internal and lighting options
  • Strong handleless and slim-frame detailing

Worth knowing

  • Highest price of the three for a like-for-like layout
  • Ordered through our sister company rather than direct

Nobilia: the breadth option

Nobilia is one of the largest kitchen manufacturers in Europe, which shows in the sheer number of front finishes available and in supply reliability. Pricing sits broadly alongside Impuls, so the deciding factor is usually whether the exact front you want lives in the Nobilia collection. Also supplied through our sister company.

Strengths

  • Enormous front and finish choice
  • Excellent supply reliability and lead times
  • Priced comparably to Impuls

Worth knowing

  • Specification tops out below Schüller
  • Ordered through our sister company

Specification compared

ImpulsSchüllerNobilia
Carcase construction16mm sides left and right, 19mm top and bottom, laser-edged16mm sides left and right, 19mm top and bottom, laser-edged16mm sides left and right, 19mm top and bottom, laser-edged
Front combinations available6140883
Hinges and drawer boxesBlum hinges and Blum drawer boxesBlum hinges and Blum drawer boxesOwn nBox drawers with Sensys hinges, factory tested to 80,000 uses
Manufacturer warranty5 years5 years10 years
Drawer systemFull-extension soft-close as standardFull-extension soft-close, more internal optionsFull-extension soft-close as standard
Front finishesMatt lacquer, gloss, timber reproduction, painted shakerWidest programme incl. glass, veneer and bespoke colourVery broad, strongest on timber reproduction
Colour matchingRange colour palettesExtended colour and bespoke matchingRange colour palettes
Cabinet lightingOptional across rangesIntegrated systems and profilesOptional across ranges
Typical lead time5-6 weeks5-6 weeks5-6 weeks
Guarantee on our installation5 years5 years5 years
Average price, furniture and fitting*£18,000 - £20,000*£21,000 - £23,000*£20,000 - £22,000*

*Average prices cover the furniture and the installation of the furniture only. They do not include worktops or appliances, which we quote separately once the design is agreed.

Indicative only and subject to manufacturer changes. See the German kitchen cost guide for how these figures are built up.

Which brand suits which project

Family kitchen on a fixed budget

Impuls

The most cabinet and internal storage for the money, with a clear price-group lever if the first quote lands high.

Open-plan extension with an island

Schüller

Extended colour matching, integrated lighting and slim-frame glazing hold up when the kitchen is on show from the living space.

Very specific front finish in mind

Nobilia

The broadest finish catalogue of the three, so an exact colour or timber effect is most likely to exist.

Edinburgh tenement or period property

Impuls IP 4250 or handmade

A painted shaker front suits period rooms, and hand-built in-frame cabinetry from our own joinery handles irregular walls.

Utility, boot room or laundry

Impuls IP 4820

A practical, hard-wearing white programme designed for secondary rooms at sensible cost.

Rental or resale refurbishment

Impuls PG01 or PG02

German build quality at the lowest entry point, which photographs and shows well without over-investing.

Four myths about German kitchen brands

"German kitchens all come from the same factory."

Impuls and Nobilia share a group, but they run separate collections, front programmes and price structures. Schüller is an entirely separate manufacturer.

"Flat-packed means lower quality."

Carcases are built rigid and square to fractions of a millimetre and assembled on site to avoid transit damage. Assembly method is not a quality indicator.

"The most expensive brand lasts longest."

All three are built to a similar structural standard. Installation quality and worktop choice affect longevity far more than the badge.

"You cannot get a traditional look from a German kitchen."

Painted shaker programmes such as Impuls IP 4250 read as classic British in a Scottish period room, especially with a stone worktop.

Buying any of the three in Scotland

All three brands are designed, quoted and project-managed from our showroom at 24 Dalziel Place, Edinburgh EH7 5TP, and installed by our own joiners across all of mainland Scotland - Edinburgh and the Lothians, Glasgow and the west, Fife, Perthshire and Dundee, Stirling, the Borders, Aberdeen and the Highlands.

We have been fitting kitchens in Scottish homes since 1983, which means we know what a tenement stair, a lath and plaster wall or a Highland delivery window does to a project. Electrical, plumbing, plastering, flooring and painting work can all be carried out by us, so one team is accountable for the finished room rather than four.

Common questions

Which German kitchen brand is best value?

Impuls generally gives the most cabinet for the money, which is why it is our main line. Nobilia is close on price with a very broad front range, and Schüller sits above both where you want more specification and finish options.

Are Impuls and Nobilia the same company?

Impuls is part of the Nobilia group, which is why the two share a similar approach to built-to-order manufacturing. They are sold as separate ranges with different front collections and price structures.

Can I compare all three in one place?

Yes. We supply Impuls directly and Schüller and Nobilia through our sister company, so you can price the same layout across three German manufacturers before deciding.

Is Schüller better than Impuls?

Schüller offers more specification, colour matching and integrated lighting, so on a large open-plan project it gives you more design freedom. Structurally both are built to a similar German standard, so for a straightforward family layout Impuls usually represents better value.

Which German kitchen has the most colour options?

Schüller has the widest colour and finish programme including bespoke matching, with Nobilia close behind on sheer breadth of front finishes. Impuls covers the mainstream palette across its six ranges.

Are German kitchens suitable for Scottish period properties?

Yes. A painted shaker programme such as Impuls IP 4250 sits comfortably in an Edinburgh tenement or a Borders farmhouse. Where walls are very irregular or you want furniture-style detail, our hand-built in-frame cabinetry is the better fit.

How long do Impuls, Schüller and Nobilia kitchens take to deliver?

All three are built to order, so expect around 5-6 weeks from confirmed order to delivery, with installation typically completed inside one to two weeks on site.

Can I see all three brands in Edinburgh?

Yes - our Edinburgh showroom at 24 Dalziel Place is open by appointment, and we can quote the same layout across the brands that suit your budget. We reply to enquiries within one working day.

Does the brand matter more than the installation?

No. A mid-priced German kitchen fitted properly will outlast an expensive one fitted badly. All three brands are made to a standard where the installation is the variable, which is why we use our own team rather than subcontractors.

Also worth reading: German kitchen cost in the UK and what a new kitchen costs in Scotland.

Price the same kitchen across all three

Send your plans or rough measurements and we will quote the same layout across the brands that make sense for your budget. Reply within one working day.

Attach plans, sketches or photos (optional)

Up to 5 files, 15MB each. PDF, JPG, PNG or HEIC.

We'll only use your details to respond to this enquiry. No sales calls, ever.

Where to go next