WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - IKEA cabinets outranked Thomasville, Armstrong, and Diamond cabinets, to earn J.D. Power's highest customer satisfaction rating for the second year in a row. 

Thomasville, made by MasterBrand, last ranked No. 1 in the 2013 survey, and was ranked first in the 2014 Women's Choice Award. 

  Measured on a 1,000 point scale, IKEA came in first with 820, just a tad higher than Thomasville, manufactured by MasterBrand, which was 816. 

The ranking will surprise cabinetmakers of all types, who tend to disdain IKEA over quality. But it may be the processes of selection, delivery and installation that matter more to consumers than the construction of the cabinets.

"It is to the manufacturer's advantage to ensure the shopping, ordering, delivery, and installation process is as easy as possible," says Cooley. "This can help reduce stress, maximize the value of the purchase, and encourage loyalty and word of mouth recommendations long-term."

More than half (52%) of kitchen cabinetry purchases are for full kitchen remodels; 39 percent were for partial remodels. First-time kitchen cabinet buyers accounted for 69 percent of buyers; for those who purchased cabinets in the past, it was, on average, 8 years since their last purchase.

One surprising result: 15 percent of customers surveyed in 2014 said they intended to purchase kitchen cabinets in the next 12 months. This year's study found only 11 percent actually did. Why the difference? Because buyers are becoming careful about their money.

"As consumers have become more cautious with their home improvement spend," says Christina Cooley, director of home improvement industries at J.D. Power, "pressure on manufacturers to differentiate their brands so customers can recognize the unique value proposition offered has increased."