I've had cast hardware on my kitchen cabinets for about 8 years now, and they've held up surprisingly well. Honestly, durability mostly depends on the material used rather than just the casting process itself. Properly finished cast metal is pretty tough stuff—mine have survived kids, pets, and plenty of slammed drawers...no regrets so far.
I've had a similar experience with cast hardware, actually. We renovated our kitchen about five years ago and went with cast metal pulls mainly because we wanted something durable but also environmentally friendly (metal can be recycled pretty easily). They've held up great, even through some pretty rough treatment—my youngest has a habit of swinging on cabinet doors like they're playground equipment... 🙄 Injection molding can be fine too, especially for plastics, but for metal hardware, casting seems to hold up better in my experience.
Interesting point about durability, but have you noticed any difference in finish quality between cast and injection molded hardware? I've seen some gorgeous injection molded pieces, but wonder if casting gives a more premium feel overall... thoughts?
I've worked with both types on various projects, and honestly, casting does tend to have a more substantial, premium feel—especially when you're dealing with metals. Injection molding can look fantastic, but sometimes it just feels a bit...plasticky? Had a client once who insisted on injection molded hardware for cost reasons; looked great initially, but after a while, it just didn't age as gracefully as cast pieces I've used. Not knocking injection molding entirely, but for that premium touch, casting usually wins out in my experience.
"Injection molding can look fantastic, but sometimes it just feels a bit...plasticky?"
Totally agree with this. When we redid our kitchen, we initially went with injection molded handles to save a bit. Looked sleek at first, but after daily use, scratches and wear showed up pretty fast. Switched to cast hardware later—huge difference in durability and feel. Worth the extra cost, imo.
