The best medicine cabinets
The mirror over the sink can hold far more than it does now. The questions are how deep it is, how it is mounted, and what it is made of.
By Sawyer V. · · How we research
The short answer
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Quick picks
Tap any row for the full write-up. Prices are checked against Amazon rather than remembered — where we have no verified figure the button says so.
| # | Product | Best for | Renter | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Verdera 20 x 40 in. Medicine Cabinet Three mirrors, a 3x magnifier, four adjustable glass shelves and a slow-close door, surface-mounted or recessed. | Recessed or surface, with the most built in | Ask first | |
| 2 | No photo yet Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 24 in. A 30 x 24 in. surface-mount cabinet in rustproof aluminum, with deep staggered shelves and 108-degree hinges. | Adding storage without cutting the wall | Ask first | |
| — |  Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 40 in. The tall Maxstow lists medium-density fiberboard in its technical information, and Kohler does not say where. | Skip this one | Ask first | No buy link |
Surface-mount or recessed
A surface-mount cabinet screws to the face of the wall and stands out from it: the Maxstow by 3-9/16 in. on Kohler’s drawing. A recessed cabinet sits inside the wall between the studs, so only the door and frame project. The Verdera can do either.
Recessing looks built-in and keeps your head clear of the cabinet over the sink, but it means opening the wall. The two are compared properly here.
The 3-inch rule
Every Kohler sheet here carries the same note: “When determining the height of the cabinet, ensure the mirrored door will clear all obstacles (such as a faucet). A minimum distance of 3″ (76 mm) is required.”
Measure from the top of your faucet, not the counter. A tall faucet — or the spout of a vessel sink — can push the cabinet higher than you expect, and a 40 in. cabinet has less room to move.
Shelves
Fixed or adjustable is the real difference. The Maxstow’s staggered fixed shelves are designed for a mix of tall and short bottles. The Verdera’s four adjustable glass shelves can be set around what you actually own. Neither maker publishes a shelf load, so keep heavy glass bottles on the lowest shelf.
Materials
Aluminum is the right answer in a bathroom. The Maxstow 24 in. is rustproof aluminum; the Verdera is anodized aluminum with a chip-resistant finish. The tall Maxstow’s fiberboard listing is the exception, and the reason it is our skip.
Mirrors and lighting
None of these cabinets is lit. If you want light built in, LED mirrors are covered here, and vanity lights here.
If you rent
A surface-mount cabinet rates Ask first on our install rating: no cutting, but screw holes that need filling when it comes down. Recessing is an owner’s job. How to ask your landlord is here, and over-the-toilet storage is the no-ask alternative.
Every pick in full
2 we would buy, and one we would not. Each carries its Renter-Safe Install Rating, the published specs behind it, and the honest gap in what we know.
1. Best overall
Verdera 20 x 40 in. Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-28030 · best for recessed or surface, with the most built in
Three mirrors, a 3x magnifier, four adjustable glass shelves and a slow-close door, surface-mounted or recessed.
The Kohler Verdera 20 x 40 in. is the most complete cabinet here. Kohler lists a “Front mirror, inside door mirror, and back panel mirror”, a “Vertically adjustable 3x magnifying mirror on inside of door”, and “Four adjustable tempered-glass shelves”.
The door is slow-close, and the body is “Anodized aluminum construction with a durable rustproof and chip-resistant finish”. It can be installed “Surface-mount or recessed” with a left- or right-hand swing, which is the flexibility the Maxstow lacks.
Kohler draws the body at 3-7/8 in. deep plus a 15/16 in. door. It lists a K-28033 40 in. mirrored side kit as a required accessory, so budget for it.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- With patching when surface-mounted; no when recessed
Why: Surface-mounted, it is screw holes a landlord may agree to. Recessed, it means cutting into the wall between the studs, which is an owner's job.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Verdera 20 x 40 in. medicine cabinet K-28030 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
The mirrored side kit is listed as required and sold separately.
What we can’t tell you
Kohler publishes no shelf load or cabinet weight, and warranty terms are on its website.
Published specifications
| Size | 20 in. wide x 40 in. tall; 3-7/8 in. body depth plus a 15/16 in. door on Kohler's drawing |
|---|---|
| Mirrors | “Front mirror, inside door mirror, and back panel mirror”; a “Vertically adjustable 3x magnifying mirror” inside the door |
| Shelves | “Four adjustable tempered-glass shelves” |
| Door | “Slow-close door prevents slamming”; left- or right-hand swing |
| Material | “Anodized aluminum construction with a durable rustproof and chip-resistant finish” |
| Mounting | “Surface-mount or recessed”; hardware included for surface installation |
| Required accessory | K-28033 40 in. mirrored side kit |
| Faucet clearance | The door must clear the faucet by at least 3 in. (76 mm) |
| Warranty | “KOHLER® One-Year Limited Warranty” |
Source: Kohler — Verdera 20 x 40 in. medicine cabinet K-28030 specification sheet
#ad Price $694.01 as of October 19, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
2. Best surface-mount
Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 24 in.
Kohler · K-81154 · best for adding storage without cutting the wall
A 30 x 24 in. surface-mount cabinet in rustproof aluminum, with deep staggered shelves and 108-degree hinges.
The Kohler Maxstow 30 x 24 in. is the easy one. Kohler’s own line is “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting”, and it goes up as a left- or right-hinge swing.
Inside, there are “Three fixed shelves—one full width and two partial” in a staggered layout that Kohler says “fits tall and short items”, behind a mirror-front door with a mirrored interior. The hinges are two-way adjustable and open to 108 degrees.
It is “Rustproof aluminum”, 29-3/4 in. wide and 3-9/16 in. deep on the drawing, and it comes with mounting hardware and a reversible two-color side panel kit.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- With patching
Why: Surface-mounted with screws into the wall: no cutting, but it leaves holes to fill when it comes down. That makes it a question for the landlord first.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 24 in. medicine cabinet K-81154 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
Fixed shelves only, and surface-mount only — it cannot be recessed later.
What we can’t tell you
No shelf load or cabinet weight published.
Published specifications
| Size | 29-3/4 in. wide x 24 in. tall; 3-9/16 in. deep on Kohler's drawing |
|---|---|
| Doors | Mirror-front, with a “reflective mirrored interior”; 9-3/4 in. and 20 in. wide |
| Shelves | “Three fixed shelves—one full width and two partial”, in a staggered layout |
| Hinges | “Two-way adjustable hinges with 108° opening capability” |
| Material | “Rustproof aluminum” |
| Mounting | “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting”; left- or right-hinge |
| Included | Mounting hardware and a reversible two-color side panel kit |
| Faucet clearance | The door must clear the faucet by at least 3 in. (76 mm) |
| Warranty | “KOHLER® One-Year Limited Warranty” |
| Recessed option | Not offered — surface-mount only |
Source: Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 24 in. medicine cabinet K-81154 specification sheet
#ad We have no verified live price for this one right now, so we are not showing a number. How we’re funded.
The one to skip
Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 40 in.
Kohler · K-81149 · best for only once kohler confirms where the fiberboard is
The tall Maxstow lists medium-density fiberboard in its technical information, and Kohler does not say where.
This is the same Maxstow design at 40 in. tall, with four fixed shelves instead of three.
The reason to hold off is one line on its sheet. The technical information lists “Wood type: Medium-density fiberboard”. The 24 in. version’s sheet does not. Fiberboard is the material you most want to keep away from steam, and a medicine cabinet lives directly above the sink.
It may be sealed, or used somewhere that never sees moisture. The sheet does not say, so we cannot. Until Kohler clarifies, the 24 in. Maxstow or the aluminum Verdera is the safer buy.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- Required
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- With patching
Why: Surface-mounted, so no wall cutting, but a 40-inch cabinet needs solid fixings and leaves holes behind.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 40 in. medicine cabinet K-81149 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
Fiberboard listed on the sheet with no detail on where or how it is protected.
What we can’t tell you
Where the fiberboard is used, and whether it is sealed.
Published specifications
| Size | 29-3/4 in. wide x 40 in. tall; 3-9/16 in. deep on Kohler's drawing |
|---|---|
| Doors | Mirror-front, with a “reflective mirrored interior”; 9-3/4 in. and 20 in. wide |
| Shelves | “Four fixed shelves”, in a staggered layout |
| Hinges | “Two-way adjustable hinges with 108° opening capability” |
| Material | “Rustproof aluminum”; the technical information also lists “Medium-density fiberboard” |
| Mounting | “Easy surface-mount installation—no wall cutting”; left- or right-hinge |
| Finish | Dark Anodized Aluminum |
| Faucet clearance | The door must clear the faucet by at least 3 in. (76 mm) |
| Warranty | “KOHLER® One-Year Limited Warranty” |
| Where the fiberboard is used | Not published |
Source: Kohler — Maxstow 30 x 40 in. medicine cabinet K-81149 specification sheet
There is no buy button on this one. It is easy enough to find if you want it anyway — we would rather point you at something that is still on the wall in a year.
Where to buy
Everything recommended on this page, in one place. Each link is an Amazon Associates link — we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never decides a pick.
- $694.01View on Amazon
Verdera 20 x 40 in. Medicine Cabinet
Kohler · K-28030 · Renter verdict: Ask first
- Check price on Amazon
Maxstow Medicine Cabinet, 30 x 24 in.
Kohler · K-81154 · Renter verdict: Ask first
#ad Prices are not shown because we only publish figures we have verified on the day. How we’re funded.
Questions people actually ask
what size medicine cabinet do i need
Measure the wall above the sink and the height of your faucet. Kohler requires at least 3 inches between the bottom of the mirrored door and any obstacle such as a faucet. The cabinets here are 30 x 24, 20 x 40 and 30 x 40 inches.
can a medicine cabinet be surface mounted
Many can. Kohler's Maxstow is surface-mount only, with 'no wall cutting'; the Verdera can be surface-mounted or recessed.
how deep is a medicine cabinet
On Kohler's drawings, the Maxstow is 3-9/16 inches deep, and the Verdera body is 3-7/8 inches with a 15/16 inch door.
can renters install a medicine cabinet
A surface-mount cabinet rates Ask first: it needs screw holes that must be filled when it comes down. Recessing into the wall is an owner's job.
Sources
Read next
Back to Mirrors & Lighting.