According to the website of Calgary-based Bracko Brothers furniture company (http://www.brackobrothers.com), a chest of drawers is also known (especially in North American English) as dresser or bureau.

Chests of drawers have traditionally been made and used for storing clothing, especially underwear, socks, and other items not normally hung in or otherwise stored in a closet. They are usually placed in a bedroom for this purpose, but can actually be used to store anything that will fit inside and can be placed anywhere in a house.

Carey Bracko, owner and general manager of Bracko Brothers, says there are four distinct types of dressers, each characterized mainly by the type of glides they use. The most common is the wood glide, which has a wood groove down the centre of the drawers; the roller slides, which has runner type metal strips on the sides; the accu-ride, a more high-end type with ball bearings; and the soft close, which use dampers to prevent drawers from slamming shut.

“One of the things to look for is to see how far the drawers slide out, is it full extension or just half way through? Each glide system will give you different lengths,” Bracko says.

The most vital aspect though, he says, is the structure. “As in any piece of furniture, you have to check its structural framework first because that is like the foundation of a home. See if you can twist it or if it binds, anything that twists can lead to structural flaws over time and drawers won’t open so smoothly then.”

He says to be wary of cosmetic designs, which can just hide structural faults. “Having a dresser with little jewelry box drawers with felt lining may be nice to look at, but check to see if it was just put there to hide design flaws or flimsy materials.”

Bracko has devised a simple way of determining value, something he calls the “value equation.” He bases each furniture on its structure, comfort and design and then determines from that which has the best value for a particular price.

“We have dressers in a wide range of prices, from inexpensive wood glides with veneer surfaces to really high-end cherry wood, hand-made dressers, but what you have to figure out is what value you can get for your money — is the structure good? Does the design fit my needs? Is it comfortable? Only then can buyers make an informed decision.”

Nils K. Vik is the casegoods product developer at EQ3, a furniture store that specializes in contemporary design, and he says that buyers have to figure out where the dresser will go in the home.

“The most important thing to consider when purchasing a dresser, or any piece of furniture, is its desired function and placement within your home. Knowing how much you need to store and how much room you can afford to spare helps narrow down the possibilities,” he says.

Vik believes that a good dresser is one that is simple, functional and complimentary to an environment without being distracting or overpowering.” Additionally, the dresser should be enjoyable to interact with — a cheap drawer glide that makes it cumbersome to open or close a drawer can become frustrating.”

Asked if it makes a difference what dresser to choose for a condo or a single detached home, he has this to say:

“Buying a dresser is always dependent on the space it is going to call home whether it’s a humble apartment, luxurious loft, or a quaint cottage. An oversized double dresser can be great if you have the room, but it can be overpowering and awkward in smaller spaces. Similarly, a narrow semainier can feel right at home in a smaller room yet out of place in a large master bedroom.”

EQ3’s latest CORE line of bedroom storage allows customers to mix and match three different product styles in one of two rift cut red oak finishes, Earth and Onyx. This customization between styles allows for greater variety to help achieve a cohesive bedroom design. CORE dressers come in a range of sizing to accommodate various spaces and feature metal ball bearing drawer glides for smooth opening and closing. Additionally, all of the CORE Bedroom products feature FSC Certified veneers and environmentally sensitive water based finishes.