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?)

We have at last got an IKEA just over two hours away! I loved the Ektorp sofa with washable covers but measured it and would struggle to get even the two seater in our sitting room. Disappointed

Yabu. You sure you went to ikea as the quality is amazing. My bits have moved around the uk and been in 10 houses and still look new.

Do you find it expensive because you bought a hundred things you never needed. 🤣
I find it far sturdier than flat pack furniture from Argos

Our Ikea is about 25 miles away, DH says that is plenty close enough

YAB massively U OP!

We have throws, Kallax, billy bookcases, desks, wardrobes (more expensive ones but really sturdy and look great), various Hemnes things, tv stands, curtain rails, drawers, beds, toys, storage solutions, candles, crockery, glassware, pans, I think at least half of our household stuff is Ikea.

We have loads of the toys, the wooden toys are brilliant, the antilop high chair is a fantastic design (fits in the dishwasher), kids art stuff is great, wrapping paper is great, Christmas decorations are nice.

And who doesn’t love meatballs?!

Honestly OP, I think you must be doing Ikea wrong. 😉😂

God I've just bought the most fabulous bench from there to go with my new table and it was a bargain! We've had bedding that's lasted 10years plus, kitchen bits like shelves, hanging rails etc that are over 10years old. The step stool I bought my son, who is 13, when he was 1 broke last week.
Ikea is actually quality stuff at reasonable prices, not cheap, reasonable.

I'd love to know where you're getting your online furniture from OP! I always attempt to order online, then end up going to ikea anyway when the damn thing breaks within a week or doesn't fit together properly.

My kitchen is awsome best I ever had

Got a self cleaning oven better than the Arga we had

About every five years a rumour goes around this area that a big empty industrial space, near to a main road is going to be an Ikea. Still empty, still meatballless:(

I love a day out to Ikea but how can anyone have 20 yr old Billy bookcases? ? They are utter shite! I had a few years ago but have moved house several times and it's not furniture you can move it falls apart.

I actually don't think I have any Ikea at all anymore. Mostly junk shop finds and inherited stuff. I might buy a new mattress from there though-any recommendations?

We have had good ( enough) wooden furniture at very reasonable prices. Quite a bit of kitchen stuff which has been good over the years. I wonder about the quality of the replacements too. Kids furniture was good.

Worth a search for stuff that will fit into existing rooms eg finally picked up a simple lamp from there having failed to find suitable at (multiples of the price) all the other likely shops.

I love Ikea. I sometimes buy Ikea things second-hand, for example my two Ektorp sofas were picked up for a song and I just bought new covers for them.

I like their great refund policy and their customer service. Once or twice I’ve bought something that turned out to be defective and they’ve sorted it out no questions asked.

I also like their moves towards increased sustainability, preventing the use of child labour etc. They’re going to stop selling disposable (single-use) plastic items in about 18 months I think? Which is more than I can say for Sainsbury’s or Tesco.

I like it! I have one less than 2 miles from my house and often go there just for a cup of coffee while my lo plays for free!

Oh yes and great baby & child things, baby/toddler burp cloths and sleeping bags. The children have Ikea bedlinen and the price:quality ratio is exceptional. It’s not cheap; it’s reasonably priced. But the quality you get for that price is really impressive IMO.

I agree completely! I don't think Ikea is cheap atol! I have never got what the big deal is! Oh & don't get me started on walking the wrong way round the Ikea maze!! So stressful!!

I can't see past John Lewis - defo not as expensive as everyone thinks & there stuff is jst class! TK maxx has got much better for some different pieces at good prices & love Costco for doing really decent stuff!!

Nah, sorry. Ikea rocks.

Those of you with IKEA kitchens you like, please tell me what range it was?

Are all the cupboards the same and you just choose different doors?

John Lewis is a huuuuge rip off for absolute shite

Billy bookcases are very sturdy and not shite at all. Ours are over 20 years old, have survived being moved between rooms and houses and to be honest I would love it if they fell apart because then I could justify replacing them because they aren't the best fit in our current house but the bastards seem destined to live forever.

I love ikea. I find the furniture to be sturdy and it lasts well, everything is still going strong. We have something from ikea in every room. We've had furniture from other places like Argos and the ikea stuff is always so much better.

I think the only thing i'd ever be 'negative' about is a very cheap hand towel that didn't last very long before it looked tatty- but I think it cost about 50p or something silly so it really didn't matter.

And their onion 'bits' are the absolute tits

I hate IKEA. Since the day when I purchased a whole load of stuff with my 6 month old. Their 'shop assistants' refused to stand with my purchases while I went to get my car to the pick-up area, because 'can't your husband do that?' And basically told me to get a stranger to do it when I pointed out I had no husband. I wish I'd had the money to tell them to fuck right off, but the next best I can do is boycott them now I do.

And I HATE the way you have to trail round absolutely everything rather than just go to what you want You don't have to any more. They mark up all the short cuts, so you can go straight where you want.

My billy bookcases are about 20 years old and still going strong! Bought some extra shelves to slot into them last week as well, and they fit perfectly - where else can you get that kind of continuity!

YABU, we love IKEA, I've yet to have furniture break from there in the 8+ years I've owned it. I love the bedding and kids stuff too, their changing mat with liners is still going strong and the only one to not have ripped.