update/refresh kitchen cabinets
Instead of painting, another possibility is to resurface with a new material. You could use adhesive sheet melamine, which probably would be best for general wear and tear. If you dig a more modern look, a thin aluminum sheet (or brushed steel) would also fit in with some kitchen types. 

In any case, you would need to take the doors off, remove the knobs, and peel the side strips off each door. Both knobs and strips (aka "melamine edging") would need to be replaced with color-coordinated items, once the main panel finish is in place. 

It would probably be quite fiddly to get a good result, but not actually hard work at all. Just precision. ;-) 

HTH