The Best Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware for Every Budget

This post is about unlacquered brass cabinet hardware.

Unlacquered brass cabinet hardware is one of those details that feels timeless, expensive, and nostalgic—all at once. It patinas with age, develops a warm, lived-in look, and gives any space that quiet luxury vibe designers love. Whether you’re renovating a whole kitchen or just swapping hardware on a vintage dresser, unlacquered brass adds richness and depth that factory-finished metals can’t fake.

It is so hard to decide on the hardware finish for each room, especially the kitchen, where you use more hardware, and it really stands out the most.

However, here’s the catch: it can become expensive quickly. So I put together a roundup of the best unlacquered brass cabinet hardware across a range of price points—plus notes on quality, where to buy, and how to tell if it’s actually unlacquered (hint: many listings are confusing).

Let’s get into it.

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What Is Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware?

Unlacquered brass is solid brass with no protective coating—meaning it’s raw, unfinished, and made to age naturally. Over time, it develops a patina (that rich, darker golden tone), which many designers and homeowners love for its character.

Because it’s living metal, it:

• Changes color with touch, air, and time
• Can be polished to restore shine—or left to age
• Feels high-end even in simple forms

If you’re looking for a polished, never-changing finish, this might not be for you. But if you want depth, softness, and a hand-touched look—unlacquered brass is unmatched.

Why Choose Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware?

It’s Pretty Easy to Match From Brand to Brand

One thing I really like about it is that most new unlacquered brass will match so you can buy different pieces of unlacquered brass cabinet hardware from different vendors and it will match.

When you purchase a hardware that is “antiqued” or “aged brass,” it can be very difficult to match the finish from brand to brand.

It is both on trend and timeless

Unlacquered brass is very on trend, but it also has been around for centuries and therefore will always be timeless.

The fact that you can keep it polished and shiny OR let it patina also gives it versatality as trends and looks change. The aging and patina of unlacquered brass also give it a range in color (with brighter newer brass being more yellow and aged brass being more brown/copper).

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Where to Buy the Best Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware: My Favorites

High-End, Heirloom-Worthy Hardware ($30+ per piece)

These are so swoon-worthy and exactly what I would buy if I had no budget (or a large budget). These are so amazing that it might be worth just purchasing a few a month until you have everything you need.

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Mid-Range Favorites ($15–$30 per piece)

I’m going to be SO honest here… if you are looking for really high-quality, ulacquered brass cabinet hardware- this mid-range section is where you are going to find exactly what you need. These options have the lower price tag but the quality is wonderful.

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Budget-Friendly Picks ($5–$15 per piece)

These are shockingly good for the price. I searched high and low for affordable unlacquered brass because your girl wants the real thing, but is on a tight budget. After circling the Earth a few times, I found these treasures.

Please note that although these are all unlacquered brass the quality isn’t as good as the high and medium range options above. Most of these are stamped brass instead of forged brass, and it feels lighter and not substantial. Having said that- it is still real brass and patinas as so and still looks good on the cabinets- it’s just not quite as lovely to touch as the more expensive options.

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🔍 How to Tell If It’s Actually Unlacquered Brass

Unfortunately, not all listings are transparent. Here’s how to spot the real thing:

✔️ Look for terms like: “living finish,” “raw brass,” or “unlacquered”
⚠️ Avoid: “brass finish,” “gold tone,” or anything zinc/alloy
👀 Check reviews: See if people mention patina, fingerprints, or aging
🧪 DIY test: If you already bought it, try rubbing with vinegar or lemon—if it changes, it’s real brass. You can also scratch it with a nail, and if it is yellow under the scratch (instead of silver or black/brown), that’s another indicator it’s solid brass.

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🧼 How to Care for Unlacquered Brass

You have two options:

1. Let it age naturally (most popular!)
2. Polish it back to shiny with something like Bar Keepers Friend or a brass cleaner

Either way, it’s low-maintenance and designed to be imperfect in the best way. I have chosen to let mine patina for now, and I LOVE how it’s aging.

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Final Thoughts: Is Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware Worth It?

Yes!!!—if you love charm, character, and the kind of kitchen that gets better with age. This is what I chose for my kitchen, and I have no regrets.

I love it’s versatality as you can leave it patinaed or polished, I love its warmth and character… I love how it blends well with wood tones.

As I mentioned before- I also feel like it is so unique because you can usually match it with other brands and manufacturers and a lot of hardware companies have their secret sauce as far as the finish, and that makes it so you can only purchase from that one line.

Being able to mix and match allows you also to splurge on some special standout pieces and save on some of the more basic knobs let’s say…

One word of caution… if you are thinking of starting with some less expensive unlacquered brass cabinet hardware options and then in time, upgrading to more expensive pieces- just make sure that you have a plan and that the holes will all be drilled in the same place.

For instance, if you want to start with the budge bin pulls and later upgrade to the Massey bin pulls, make sure the hole drilling placement is exactly the same. I have made this mistake in my bathroom with a towel rack, and now I’m stuck with an inexpensive towel rack I don’t love and can’t upgrade because the hole placement is very unique.

My Favorite Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware From Each Budget Category:

If I HAD to choose only one option from each category, here is what I would pick.

High-end Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware Option:

Mid-end Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware Option:

Low-end Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware Option:

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If you are looking for unlacquered brass cabinet hardware or at least considering it- I highly recommend it. Zero negatives in my opinion. I literally shopped and researched options for 3 years before purchasing and settling on anything, so I feel very confident in my suggestions and options that I’ve found and suggested, and I hope you love them as much as I do.

This post was about unlacquered brass cabinet hardware.

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