To think IKEA isn't cheap/good value

[hadenough]

I've just returned from a shop at Ikea. I should start by saying I've never been its biggest fan, but went to buy stuff for my new kitchen.

We went through the whole maze from start to finish, and there was virtually nothing I'd buy if I'd had the money/been furnishing my whole home. Yes you can buy the odd cheap thing, but it's either quite ugly or clearly not built to last. Indeed, when I think of IKEA I think of rogue landlords speeding around the place buying the cheapest tat they can find.

I moved house in the Spring, and have actually found buying online to be far cheaper - it takes a while to find things, but it's on the whole less stressful than trailing around IKEA and I've found expensive looking fashionable furniture for waaaay less.

In the end I spent €300 (live in Europe) and felt a bit cheated when I went to pay.

Did I miss something (it was definitely rammed with people, so perhaps?)

YABU

@Celebelly it's the best mattress I've ever had. But they don't seem to make it any more 😱. It was a sprung mattress with a built in foam topper. Quite a soft mattress which I need. We bought it in Saudi...

Some stuff is cheap throwaway / out of fashion after a couple of years but other stuff is great. We are still using folding tables & wooden storage boxes we bought 15 years ago and we had a couple of their wardrobes for over a decade which we passed on to our local charity when we upgraded to built in wardrobes.
If you don’t like ikea don’t shop there

Also, all the kids paints/pens/pencils/crafty bits. The paint washes off clothes/walls/floors/cats paws etc... and their baby bibs are fantastic. Most of the baby stuff is actually.

I'm still using stuff from my kitchen set bought in 1995 when I was going to university.

Their sofas are everywhere.

My parents have Poang chairs from the 90s which are like new.

I find I dislike most Ikea stuff but there's usually at least one item of each type that's very good in my estimation.

I'm writing this at a 20-year-old Ikea computer desk (that they don't do any more) and it's close to as good as new. I haven't noticed anything better in the last 20 years, and I have online shopped for desks in that time (to replace another desk.)

I've just replaced bedroom chests of drawers (20 years old) with new ones. The old ones went because the Ikea bed they matched was going, they were still OK, apart from needing new drawer runners. The new Ikea drawers are a simpler/cheaper looking design, but are actually better built. The drawer bottoms are better supported, including a central brace which the old one didn't have, the drawer runners are a much better design that isn't likely to break like the old ones eventually did.

Someone I know had an Ikea loft bed, that was an extremely solid piece of furniture, I don't think you could make something more solid, unless you used steel instead of wood.

(Oh, and the bed that went was still mostly as good as when it was first assembled 20 years ago, it mainly went because I need a new mattress, and was tired of have a European sized bed where there isn't a lot of choice of mattresses and bedding.)

My Billy’s are 7 years old and still going strong, as are the Malm.

As for various scissors, chopping boards, pans, tealights, kids bowl and plates etc - love them and have never had an issue with the quality

The kallax units are indestructible. Some of ours are 13 years plus.

I love a bit of Ikea. Both of my sons have Ikea beds and they are fine.

Probably 90% of the picture frames on our house are from Ikea.

I went last week and got two teas and two cakes for £2.80 - don't think you can beat that!

Oh, and some furniture.

I also have some 20-year-old Billy's. Actually I wish they would wear out, because I'd prefer a different colour.

I'm looking for a new sofa at the moment, and I wasn't thrilled by their range - all very dull and cheap-looking. I like their storage furniture, though; and I have a desk unit which is still going strong after 10 years and a house move when it had to be dismantled and reassembled.

@Shmithecat Thanks! I went on to look and discovered they do two others in super king size so I might see if I can have a squidge next time I'm near a store...

Sorry have to disagree here. We had a high sleeper from ikea. we got it in 2002 DSS slept in it the DS and we only got rid of it because DS had outgrown it last year...15 years it lasted and probably would have done at least 5 more. Also got computer desks from there in 2001, 17 years and 3 house moves later there are still good (maybe a little battered around the edges :) ) Still even have one of our original ikea glasses from 2001 left as well though the other 23 have broken over the years

I love Ikea. I think in my living room only my sofa and coffee table (and that's just because it was a present tbh) are non Ikea😁 And in kitchen only appliances are bought from elsewhere.

I love IKEA, live 10 mins by car from one. Have bookcases, shelves, cushions media storage etc. Gave away a double size Malm bed and 2 bedside cabinets because we were downsizing, had it for 10 years but still in good nick.

We've got a few bits and bobs from ikea from various departments and it's all perfectly good quality. My only problem with them is I hate walking all the way round but i'm very lazy

Shopping at Ikea is vulgar

Our house is largely ikea furnished. DH and both DDs are dab hands at assembling it and it is sturdy, strong and (mostly) stylish. We’ve been in the house 12 years now and most of it is still as good as new.

When we bought a holiday home we decided it was time we went upmarket and splashed out on bedroom furniture from Next (posh). Compared with our Ikea bedroom stuff it was utter shite. The bed alone had nearly 400 component pieces (and needless to say some were missing). After a day struggling to assemble it my DH gave up and we had to get two men in at an additional cost. The two bedside tables we ordered used to fall apart if you had to move them. After a year we threw them out.

We also decided to upgrade from our Ikea £20 mother and child uplighters and ordered snazzy new brushed chrome ones from JL. They cost a fortune, were a nightmare to assemble and have never stood straight. I see them occasionally in TV dramas and they are often tilting then too.

Long live Ikea.

I can’t believe nobody has mentioned the Antilop highchair yet!

Lol just mentioned that highchair to my aunt

I like the smaller items like candles and vases etc you get in the market hall.

Not a fan of the furniture

Love the meatballs!

Like others, I gave Billy bookcases which are over a decade old

I also like that I can buy one now and it will match the ones I’ve gradually accumulated over the years

When i lived in sweden 28yrs ago i kitted my whole flat with Ikea brought it all back to England with me and i still have some on the items now

I love their duvet cover sets too