Unpopular opinion: I was dead wrong about using pocket holes for face frames
For like 5 years I swore pocket holes were just for quick jobs and would never hold up long term. But last month I built a set of kitchen cabinets for a house in Portland using nothing but pocket screws for the face frames and they came out rock solid. I used a Kreg 720 and honestly the joint strength surprised me way more than I expected. Any of you guys make the switch or still stick to glue ups and biscuits?
I saw a video from some shop guy on YouTube who did a stress test on pocket screws vs dowels for face frames and the screws actually held tighter in most cases. That got me curious enough to try it on a set of utility shelves last year and I was surprised how solid everything felt even without glue. Sounds like your cabinets are proving the same thing, sometimes the quick method really is the right one.