How do push-to-open latches work?

Updated October 2026. A push-to-open latch is the small spring mechanism that lets a handle-less door or drawer spring open when you press the front. It is the simplest route to a handleless kitchen: no profile, no milled grip, just a catch inside the cabinet that pushes the door out by 20–40 mm so your fingers can take over. This guide explains how the mechanism works, which types exist, how to fit one, and when a push latch is – and is not – the right choice.

How the push-to-open mechanism works

Inside the latch housing sits a spring-loaded plunger and a small locking cam, the same principle as the click of a retractable ballpoint pen. When the door is closed, the plunger is pushed in and the cam locks it. Pressing the front pushes the plunger a few millimetres further, which releases the cam; the spring then extends the plunger and pushes the door open by 20–40 mm. On closing, the door presses the plunger back until the cam locks again. Two things follow from this:

• The door must be able to move inwards by 2–3 mm past the closed position, so the latch needs a gap between front and carcass – and hinges without a closing spring, otherwise the spring force of the hinge fights the latch.
• The latch holds the door closed with a magnet or a rubber tip, not by force; it is a catch, not a lock.

Types of push-to-open latches

By hinge type

• For springless hinges (hinges without self-closing): the latch has a magnetic tip that holds a small steel plate screwed to the door. The hinge stays neutral, the magnet keeps the door shut, the plunger opens it. This is the standard combination for kitchen doors.
• For spring hinges (self-closing cup hinges): a stronger latch with a rubber tip pushes against the closing force of the hinge. It works, but the opening travel is shorter and the hinge spring wears the mechanism faster; most fitters change to springless hinges instead.

By mounting

• Surface-mounted latches screw onto the cabinet side or top with two screws; the housing is 40–80 mm long and sits inside the carcass, invisible when the door is closed. Available in zinc/grey and other finishes under push to open latches.
• Bumper push latches are shorter units that also act as a door buffer; see bumper push latches.
• Drawer versions are built into the runner itself – push to open drawer slides – because a surface latch cannot reach the back of a drawer box.

How to install a push-to-open latch

1. Fit springless hinges (or remove the spring hinge if the latch is designed for it). Adjust the door so it sits parallel to the carcass with an even gap.
2. Position the latch on the inside of the cabinet, on the side opposite the hinges, near the top or bottom edge of the door – roughly 50–100 mm from the corner. For tall doors use two latches, top and bottom.
3. Set the depth: with the door closed, the plunger must be compressed by 2–3 mm. Most latches have a threaded or sliding body for this adjustment; some are mounted on an adapter plate that allows 10–15 mm of travel.
4. Screw it on with 3.5 x 16 mm screws into pre-drilled 2.5 mm holes; chipboard carcass sides take the screws without plugs.
5. Fit the counterpart: for magnetic latches screw or stick the steel plate onto the door exactly opposite the tip; for rubber-tip latches no counterpart is needed.
6. Test: press the door – it should spring open by at least 20 mm. If it only clicks, increase the compression; if it will not stay closed, reduce it or move the latch so the magnet meets the plate squarely.

Push-to-open for drawers

Drawers get the same function from runners with an integrated push mechanism rather than from a surface latch. The runner holds the drawer closed with a catch and ejects it by 30–50 mm when the front is pressed. Note that push-to-open and soft-close are opposites: one pushes out, the other pulls in. A basic runner offers one or the other; combined "push-to-open with soft-close" mechanisms exist only in special hybrid runners. If silent closing is the priority, use soft-close drawer runners with a profile handle instead.

When a push latch is the right choice – and when not

• Good for: wall units and tall units in handleless kitchens, bathroom cabinets, TV units, wardrobe doors in a small bedroom where handles would catch clothing.
• Less suitable for: doors next to a cooker or sink where greasy or wet hands leave marks on the front every time it is pushed; very heavy doors (the plunger force is limited); cabinets with children where a door that opens on a touch is not wanted.
• Alternatives: a profile handle or an edge grip from industrial cabinet handles keeps the flat look without the push mechanism.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need special hinges for push-to-open?

Yes, ideally hinges without a closing spring. With self-closing hinges the latch must overcome the spring and works only with a rubber-tip latch designed for it. See concealed hinges for springless versions.

Why does my door not stay closed?

The magnet and the steel plate do not meet squarely, or the plunger is not compressed enough. Re-align the plate and set 2–3 mm of compression.

Can I use push latches on drawers?

Only with runners that have the mechanism built in; a surface latch cannot be positioned behind a drawer box. Choose push-to-open drawer runners instead.

Can push-to-open be combined with soft-close?

Not in a basic latch or runner – the two mechanisms work against each other. Special hybrid runners exist; for doors, choose either a damper or a push latch.

Related guides: how to install cabinet handles · how to adjust furniture hinges.