The best drawer runners, compared.
Top pick: HBL 278 mm groove runners, 5 pairs Best value: REJS white roller runners, 350 mm – About £4.99 for a 350 mm white roller set, 4.3 from 864 reviews, for a light drawer. The end lock is not a damper. Updated 22.10.2026.
A drawer runner is the paired slide that carries one drawer. In the UK you buy a pair when a kitchen drawer, a chest, a wardrobe or a pull-out shelf sticks or has lost its slides. You judge a suitable pair by the mount you already have, a closed length that fits the internal cabinet depth, and a stated load for the full drawer. Measure inside the carcase to the back panel. Between two stock lengths, choose the shorter runner. One that is too long stops the drawer shutting. Bottom-fix rollers suit a light drawer. A narrow groove, often 17 mm and near 10 kg, suits many chests. Side-mount ball-bearing slides, about 45 mm high, are the kitchen pattern, sold as full extension at a higher stated load. Soft close is a damper, not a stronger slide. A kilogram in the title is the seller’s pair rating, and the screws and the chipboard side still have to carry it. How to measure the internal depth and keep both sides level is set out in the [drawer runner fitting guide](/hub/diy-supplies/drawer-runners/sub/drawer-runners-how-to-fit).
A drawer runner is the paired slide that carries one drawer. In the UK you buy a pair when a kitchen drawer, a chest, a wardrobe or a pull-out shelf sticks or has lost its slides.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you replacing?
HBL sells five pairs of 278 mm runners for a 17 mm groove at £16.49, with 10 kg stated per pair. The star line is 5.0 from two reviews, and only one UK block is in the file. That buyer fitted every drawer in a chest, replacing slip joints, and reports an easy, smooth result with no fault named. The dimension row prints 10 × 10 × 10 mm, which cannot be a 278 mm runner, so the title length and the 17 mm groove line are the figures to use. Extension is not stated as full. The bullet mentions matching screws, while the included-components row names a video and does not repeat them. Two reviews, one of them a single chest, are not a sample you can generalise to every IKEA or MFI slot.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need several 278 mm groove pairs and you have measured the slot.
Less suitable: You want a large review sample, a stated full extension, or a 45 kg kitchen slide.
Specifications
Common questions
Will these fit a 17 mm groove?
The title and the bullet say they are for a 17 mm drawer groove. The bullet tells you to measure the groove first.
What load is stated?
10 kg per pair, on the bullet and on the capacity row.
How many runners are in the pack?
The title says 5 pairs. The item count is 10.
NBYTLT lists a black undermount pair at £44.99, titled 120 kg and full extension, with 5.0 from two reviews. Both UK texts were read. They mention smooth ball bearings, reaching the back of the drawer, and a sturdy feel after a correct fit, and neither states a fault. Length is not one figure: the title says 600–1450 mm, a bullet says 400–900 mm, and the dimension row is 90 cm long. Screws are not included, and the bullet asks you to supply M4 screws. It describes bottom mounting for custom drawers, cabinets, workbenches, and stair storage, and it does not name front clips or a base rebate. Two short reviews do not settle a 120 kg claim. This is not a side-mount kitchen slide and not a 17 mm groove runner.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are building a custom undermount drawer and you will measure the rail that arrives.
Less suitable: You need a known closed length, screws in the pack, or a grooved chest repair.
Specifications
Common questions
Are screws included?
No. The bullet says the runners are designed for M4 screws and that screws are not included.
How long are they?
The title says 600–1450 mm, a bullet says 400–900 mm, and the dimension row says 90 cm long. The listing does not pick one figure.
Is this a clip-on kitchen undermount?
The bullets describe a bottom-mounted rail. They do not mention front clips or a recessed drawer base.
FURNIWARE’s BB3-35 is a 300 mm side-mount pair at £12.99, titled 45 kg, with the bullet also writing 100 lb per pair. The listing is 4.7 from 19 reviews, and 12 UK texts were read. Buyers describe thick 1.4 mm steel, a smooth damper, and full extension on a filing cabinet after roller guides failed and under a kitchen bench. The pack names an installation guide, M3.5 × 14 mm screws, and release levers. No UK review in the file reports a broken damper or missing screws. One reviewer had not fitted them yet, so that soft close was untested, and a kitchen-bench fit says both sides must be level or the action suffers. A numeric side clearance is not in the captured bullets, so you still measure the old slide before you rely on 19 reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 300 mm damped pair and can accept a small review sample.
Less suitable: You need a large UK sample, a printed side gap, or a 17 mm groove runner.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the soft-close version?
Yes. The bullets describe built-in dampers and dual springs on this 300 mm pair.
What screws are named?
The pack lists an installation guide and M3.5 × 14 mm flat-head wood screws.
What load is stated?
45 kg per pair, also written as 100 lb in the bullet. The capacity row says 45 kilograms.
This REGUDA pair is titled 111 kg with a lock, at £45.60, and the model string also says 250 lb and a 53 mm width. amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 79 reviews, but the saved listing contains one UK review. That review calls the slide well made, the travel smooth, and the lock solid, and it names no fault. The bullet says a blue handle locks at full extension and when fully closed, screws are in the included components, and the seller claims 150,000 push-pull cycles, which this file does not test. The size row is 60 cm long inside a title that lists 300–1000 mm. A side-gap millimetre is not finished in the captured bullet. One UK review is not enough to treat 111 kg as proven in a van or an under-stairs carcase.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a side-mount pair that locks open and shut, and you have checked the length variant.
Less suitable: You want a damped kitchen drawer, a 17 mm groove, or a rating backed by more than one UK review.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the slide lock?
Yes. The bullet describes a blue handle that holds the slide fully open or fully closed.
What load is printed?
The title and the capacity row both say 111 kg. The model string says 250 lb with lock.
Are screws included?
Included components say one pair of slides, including screws.
Häfele’s metal pair is £6.50, titled 27 mm by 278–452 mm as a replacement for MFI and IKEA, with 4.5 from 735 reviews. No kilogram is printed in the bullets or on a capacity row. Fifty UK reviews were read. People fit them to old MFI kitchen drawers, Habitat drawers, and a 25-year-old IKEA Visdalen chest when they measure first, and some holes line up well enough to reuse the old screws. Other holes are too small. One buyer opened them out to 6 mm and used short M4 screws from inside the drawer side. They can feel stiff until they bed in. A UK review of an IKEA ALEX desk cites 352–570 mm at 17 mm depth, so the 278–452 mm title is not every variant on the ASIN. Without a load figure, a pan drawer is outside what this listing rates.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are replacing a flat metal runner on an MFI or IKEA drawer and you have measured the variant.
Less suitable: You need a stated kilogram, a damper, or a hole pattern that matches without drilling.
Specifications
Common questions
What load does the listing state?
It does not. The page asks about maximum weight, and the bullets give no kilogram figure.
What size is printed?
27 mm by 278 mm to 452 mm, sold as a replacement for MFI and IKEA. A review mentions another length, so check the variant.
Do the holes match old MFI runners?
UK reviews often say some holes line up and others do not. Several buyers drilled or opened holes, or used different screws.
The REGUDA pair without a lock is titled 68 kg, and the capacity row prints 150 lb, which is the same rating. It is £18.02, with 4.5 from 341 reviews, and 13 UK reviews were read. Buyers use them on slide-out shelves, on replacements for corroded runners, and on a spice drawer, and a joiner compared the stated 12.7 mm side gap with a Häfele-style spacing. Screws are listed with the pair, and the model name is Without lock, so this is not the blue-handle version. No UK review in the file repeats a broken member, missing screws, or a seized slide. One buyer still mounted them underneath, which the side-mount listing does not describe. The title lists 250–1000 mm while the size row shows 300 mm, so you confirm the variant before you treat 68 kg as the rating for a van or under-stairs carcase.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are replacing a side-mount pair on a heavy shelf and can leave about 12.7 mm each side.
Less suitable: You need a 17 mm groove runner, a damper, or a hold-open lock.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this pair include a lock?
The model name is Without lock. A separate REGUDA listing is the one with a blue lock handle.
What side gap does the listing ask for?
The installation bullet says 12.7 mm between the drawer and the cabinet wall on each side.
Are screws in the pack?
Included components say one pair of slides, including screws.
Emuca 3009805 is five pairs of 17 × 278 mm partial ball slides at £10.41, with 10 kg stated and zinc-plated steel in the bullet. amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 8,107 reviews, and 50 UK reviews were read. Buyers describe them as close to the broken runners in flat-pack and Argos chests, and they reuse the old screws because the pack does not list any. The bullet calls the travel a partial exit, so the drawer box does not come fully clear of the cabinet. One buyer was sent three runners short and had to contact the seller. You may need a second pack of five for a six-drawer chest. This is a narrow groove repair at about £2.08 a pair, not a 45 kg kitchen slide.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are replacing partial 17 mm runners in a chest and can reuse the old screws.
Less suitable: You need full extension, a damper, or a pair rated for pans.
Specifications
Common questions
Are these full extension?
No. The bullets say partial exit ball slides.
What load is stated?
10 kg, stated twice in the bullets.
Do they come with screws?
Included components list five pairs of runners and do not name screws. UK reviews say to keep the old screws.
LouMaxx sells four 310 mm runners, two pairs, for a 17 mm groove at £9.99, with 10 kg on the capacity row. The listing is 4.4 from 3,789 reviews, and 29 UK reviews were read. Several buyers call them a direct swap for Argos and other chests, including a 25-year-old wooden chest, when the holes already match. The bullet lists 16 wood screws at 3 × 16 mm and four threaded screws at 4 × 10 mm. One Argos chest was too long for 310 mm and the pair went back. Another runner arrived with the ball bearings out of the cage, and one review says the supplied screws did not match the old holes. A further buyer expected the pictured two-pair pack and says they received one basic pair. The item type is ball part extension, so this is not a full-extension kitchen slide.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are repairing a grooved chest whose closed runner is about 310 mm.
Less suitable: You need 278 mm, full extension, or a load above 10 kg.
Specifications
Common questions
What groove do they need?
The title and the bullet say a 17 mm groove in a wooden drawer. IKEA and MFI are named as the replacement use.
Are screws included?
Yes. The bullet lists 16 wood screws, 3 × 16 mm, and four threaded screws, 4 × 10 mm.
What length is this pack?
310 mm. One UK review returned a set as too short for an Argos chest.
AOLISHENG’s silver pair is £8.38, titled 300 mm and 45 kg, with 4.4 from 1,286 reviews. The capacity row also says 45 kg, and a bullet writes 100 pounds, which is the same band. Fifty UK reviews were read. Buyers use them on kitchen cabinets and on a low pull-out for pots and pans, and they describe a smooth run once both sides are level. The bullet includes mounting screws and a detachable inner rail, but one UK review says no screws arrived. Another says the bearings did not run the full length, the retainer felt flimsy, and balls fell out on first use. Soft close is not stated. The dimension row that only prints 1 mm thick is not a usable width, so the 45 mm bullet is the figure to use.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 300 mm 45 kg side-mount pair and do not need a damper.
Less suitable: You need soft close, a 17 mm groove, or a runner that must not shed balls on day one.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the soft-close AOLISHENG pair?
No. This silver listing does not describe a damper. The black 300 mm listing is the one that does.
What load and length are stated?
45 kg and 300 mm. The bullet also says the pull-out length equals the closed length, and that the steel is 1 mm Q235, 45 mm wide.
Are screws included?
The bullet says mounting screws are included. One UK review says none arrived.
The REJS listing at £4.99 is a white bottom-fix roller set for a 350 mm drawer, inside a title range of 250–600 mm, with 20 kg stated on the bullet and the capacity row. It scores 4.3 from 864 reviews, and 50 UK reviews were read. Buyers use them as like-for-like replacements on light drawers and on a bed drawer whose runners had broken, especially when the old holes still line up. The bullet’s self-closing line is a sliding end lock so the drawer does not fall out, not a damper, and the wheels are plastic. Screws are not in the pack. A 300 mm example arrived bent and out of square, and reviews say wear sits on those plastic wheels. At this price it is a light-duty roller, not a 45 kg side-mount slide.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are replacing white bottom-fix rollers on a light drawer and the old holes still line up.
Less suitable: You need a 45 kg side-mount slide, a damper, or screws in the pack.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a soft-close ball-bearing slide?
No. The bullets describe single-extension roller runners with plastic wheels and a sliding end lock.
Are screws included?
No. The bullet says screws are not included, and the components row says no components.
Which length is this page?
The title ends in 350 mm. The same title also prints a 250–600 mm range, so check the length before you order.
HBL’s 450 mm soft-close pair is £15.99, with 4.3 from 496 reviews. The title says 50 kg and the capacity row says 200 pounds, about 90 kg, so the load is not one number. Nineteen UK reviews were read. Buyers call the steel solid, some prefer it to a push-to-open runner they tried first, and some reorder for a chest. A 400 mm silver slide in the same review set measured 366 mm of travel. Another review lost the soft close after a day, a kitchen-bin runner broke after three weeks, and one buyer was sent the wrong size twice. Instructions are called poorly translated, with a video instead of a clear printed method. Do not treat the word full extension, or either load figure, as settled until you measure the pair that arrives.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 450 mm damped side-mount pair and will check travel and the load line yourself.
Less suitable: You need one agreed kilogram, or a damper with no early failure in the UK notes.
Specifications
Common questions
Which load figure is on the listing?
The title says 50 kg. The maximum-weight row says 200 pounds. The page does not reconcile them.
Does the listing say the runners are full extension?
Yes, in the title. A UK review of a 400 mm silver slide in this review set measured 366 mm of travel.
Are screws included?
Included components list screws and a step-by-step video guide.
The black AOLISHENG pair is £12.99 and titled 300 mm with soft close and 45 kg, and the capacity row agrees at 45 kg. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 1,106 reviews, and 50 UK reviews were read. A bullet length is 298.5 mm, with double springs, an iron buffer, and a black plastic buckle that releases the drawer. Some buyers report a solid feel, a damper that worked on an extending cupboard shelf, and a length that matched a drawer under a sit-stand desk. Others say the soft close does not catch every time, the pull to open is firm, and a fitter who installs runners often rejected the heavy-duty wording. One wardrobe drawer still sagged a little when empty. The damper is the part those UK reviews argue about, even though the stated load matches.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 300 mm damped side-mount pair and will check that both sides stay level.
Less suitable: You want a damper with a clean UK record, or a 17 mm groove runner.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say the drawer still needs a handle?
Yes. The soft-close bullet says the closed runner pulls inward and a handle is required.
What length is printed?
The title says 300 mm. The bullet says 298.5 mm and 45 mm wide.
What load is stated?
45 kg on the title and on the capacity row.
Shelf prices are the amazon.co.uk snapshot of 19 October 2026 already stored for these twelve listings. This is not a laboratory test. The number on each row is the stored display score divided by 10, so 82 is 8.2. Each score note adds four parts: amazon.co.uk stars, the review count, a UK review note, and price and listing consistency. The top pick is the highest of those scores. Best value is the other listing that already carries that award in the display file, a light roller set, and it is not the second-highest score.
Amazon stars
41%Star points in the stored notes run from 29 to 35. That is the largest part of the ceiling used for these scores.
Review count
23%Count points in the stored notes run from 2, for a two-review listing, to 20, for the largest samples.
UK review note
19%The notes give 4 to 16 points for the UK review text that was read. A thin UK slice scores lower even when the star line is high.
Price and listing consistency
17%The notes give 0 to 15 points when the title, the capacity row and the price agree. A load line that conflicts with itself scores at the bottom of that part.
Choose the family before the feature list. A drawer runner has to match the mount, the closed length and a stated load for a full drawer. Soft close is a damper, not a higher kilogram. The twelve amazon.co.uk listings stored for 19 October 2026 run from about £4.99 to about £45.60. The top pick is a 17 mm partial pack. Best value is a white roller set for a light drawer.
A drawer runner is the paired slide that carries one drawer. You meet it when you replace a kitchen drawer, a chest, a wardrobe or a pull-out shelf. Judge a pair by the mount you already have, a closed length that fits the internal cabinet depth, and a stated load for the drawer when it is full, not when it is empty.
Measure inside the carcase to the back panel. Between stock lengths, choose the shorter runner. One that is too long stops the drawer shutting.
A 45 mm kitchen slide does not drop into a 17 mm groove. A runner stated near 10 kg is the wrong part under pans or tools.
Full extension should bring the box clear, and one 400 mm slide measured 366 mm of travel. Several packs omit screws, and old holes often only nearly match.
Family comes first. A 45 mm kitchen slide does not drop into a 17 mm groove, and a groove runner near 10 kg is the wrong part under pans. Then measure the closed length inside the carcase to the back panel. Between stock lengths, choose the shorter runner, because one that is too long stops the drawer shutting. Do not order the outside depth. Full extension should bring the box clear. The Emuca top pick states partial extension, so the drawer box does not come fully clear.
A kilogram in the title is the seller’s pair rating. Trade notes put groove runners near 10 kg and white rollers near 17 to 20 kg. Side-mount titles here run 45 kg, 50 kg or 68 kg, with higher titles on the locking pair and the undermount pair. The screws and the chipboard side still have to carry it. Take the side gap from the runner you are fitting. One listing asks for 12.7 mm each side, and another brand’s deductions apply only to that brand.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are replacing partial runners in a 17 mm groove and you can reuse the old screws. The Emuca pack is the top pick at about £10.41, score 8.2: five pairs, 278 mm, 10 kg stated, 4.4 from 8,107 reviews. Travel is partial, so the box does not come fully clear. A six-drawer chest can need two packs.
You are replacing white rollers and the old holes still line up. The REJS set is best value at about £4.99, score 6.8, with 20 kg stated and 4.3 from 864 reviews. Screws are not included, the wheels are plastic, and the end lock is not a damper. It is not a 45 kg side-mount slide.
You want a 300 mm side-mount pair rated 45 kg and you do not need a damper. The silver AOLISHENG pair is about £8.38, score 7.0, with 4.4 from 1,286 reviews. The title, the capacity row and the 100 lb bullet agree. One UK review says the screws were missing, and another says balls left the cage on first use.
The top pick is the Emuca 17 × 278 mm pack, five pairs at about £10.41. It scores 8.2, the highest stored display score here: 10 kg, partial extension, 4.4 from 8,107 reviews, and UK notes that describe a close match to flat-pack chests. Screws are not in the pack, and one buyer was three runners short. Best value is the REJS white roller set at about £4.99. It scores 6.8, with 20 kg stated, 4.3 from 864 reviews, and a sliding end lock rather than a damper. It is for a light drawer whose old holes still line up, not for a 45 kg kitchen slide.
REJS white roller runners, 350 mm
About £4.99 for a 350 mm white roller set, 4.3 from 864 reviews, for a light drawer. The end lock is not a damper.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 19 October 2026. Updated 22.10.2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
