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Original poster

Are IKEA products usually good quality?

19 replies

MegaLegs · 31/08/2007 16:50

I am never going to get around to making curatins and blinds fror our family room, just as DH id never going to get the time to build the cupboard we need in there.

Never really considered IKEA (our nearest is Croydon but a good hour and a half away)but have just looked at website and can't believe the cheap prices.

I am planning a trip next week but do the cheap prices reflect poor quality, is it all made in sweat shops?

OP posts:
Tinker · 31/08/2007 16:52

Not really but no terrible quality either. Dunno about sweat shops

claricebeansmum · 31/08/2007 16:52

Check freecycle or ebay first...

anything but having to go to the dreaded store...

jura · 31/08/2007 16:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WendyWeber · 31/08/2007 16:53

V good quality, and well-designed, and easy to assemble IME - much better than Argos equivalent.

The Malm furniture which was the last thing we got was made in Romania. Not sure if that = sweatshop!

You can get stuff delivered (and assembled) when you live within a certain radius of Croydon to save you from experiencing the hell that is IKEA

wheresthehamster · 31/08/2007 16:54

Their Billy bookcases are fab.

wheresthehamster · 31/08/2007 16:55

Every thing is constructed using an allen (sp) key and is so simple even I can do it

crokky · 31/08/2007 16:56

I would say some IKEA stuff is great quality - we have had some of our stuff for 7 years and it is still in good condition.

However, some IKEA stuff is crappy tat IMO, I just think you have to be careful what you buy there.

Re the sweat shops - I don't think so, they're Sweedish (a nation renowned for treating employees very well). They make cost savings by having the shop as the warehouse etc, you getting your own stuff and you building it.

WendyWeber · 31/08/2007 16:56

unflatpack

Trouble with that though is that there is loads of stuff in store which isn't in the brochure so you can miss out.

wheresthehamster · 31/08/2007 16:58

Have bookmarked that link
Love "we speak fluent Ikea" !

Tinker · 31/08/2007 16:58

I do have loads of IKEA stuff though. And I love teh duvet covers for kids.

WendyWeber · 31/08/2007 17:02

Mike Ear (harhar) is another.

Original poster
MegaLegs · 31/08/2007 17:07

Thank you - went to change a nappy and came back to all these replies.

Jura - I was thinking of getting some really cheap tab top curtains and dyeing them. The best thing is that they are so long and will fit our awkward french doors.

I did think about getting stuff delivered but the curtains and blinds can't be ordered online. Also want a biggish bookcase but I want to see it all in the flesh first.

Wow - the store is open until midnight on weekdays -I can go without DH (he'll just mutter and say "I could make that...." )

OP posts:
serenity · 31/08/2007 17:08

Definitely not sweatshop! Not a perfect company by any means but do try very hard to be as ethical and green as possible. I think the quality can be mixed but you can generally tell what's cack and what isn't - I work in the textiles department in Croydon and on the whole the curtains and blinds are all pretty good (didn't I meet you there for breakfast last year with a few other MNers?)

If anyone's really bothered about sweatshoppy stuff, I can drag out the booklet we were given when I had my environmental training and do a nice monologue on how good they are Or I could do a rant about how they just made all the supervisors and middle management redundant (156 out 600 staff in croydon) so everyone who's left is overworked and undermotivated and grumpy

Original poster
MegaLegs · 31/08/2007 17:09

WW those are handy links but I daren't dent DH's ego any further, I called a carpenter for a quote last week for the cupboard that DH promised me 4 years ago. He got very miffy so I cancelled.

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 31/08/2007 17:10

soupdragon swears by going straight there at 9am after dropping the kids at school - she says it's empty and quiet (plus you might be feeling less than energetic at midnight )

hana · 31/08/2007 17:10

def go in the evenings and on your own! I sometimes go with girlfriends after kids are in bed and husbands home because it is open so late. am always surprised tho, at just how many people are there at such a late hour....

we have their tab top curtains for our french doors and are great - a bit plain, but nice shade. We have some bookcases and beds for the dds....kitchen stuff.....and the wardrobes. def worth a look I think.

Original poster
MegaLegs · 31/08/2007 17:12

Didn't do the MN IKEA meet up serenity but maybe I'll see you next week when I am buying curtains. Glad to hear they are good quality. Bummer about the redundancies.

OP posts:
serenity · 31/08/2007 17:13

It must be the name - someone very, very tall and blonde came (actually, think it was more like two years ago)

serenity · 31/08/2007 17:15

after 8.30pm Wednesday or Thursday (got Friday off, yay!), and you might

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