Tell me about Ikea please

[sherry7]

The closest Ikea to me is about a 90 minute drive away. I was out that way today, and decided to stop by and take a look.

It's a pretty cool store...but I noticed that some stuff looked super cheap and flimsy, and other stuff looked like it was higher quality. (Mainly a difference on whether it was made of particle board or real wood...of course the real wood was more expensive.)

We're expecting a baby in May, so I was checking out their cribs and their bedroom furniture. There seemed to be a lot of versatile pieces that could grow with the baby, such as the Trofast storage pieces that the bins go in.

What's your opinion of Ikea, and the durability of the furniture? Are there any particular items they have that you would consider super good buys? Anything in particular that you would stay away from?

 

[e6bflyer]

We have several pieces because they are close to us and inexpensive. Some of them are good quality, and some are not. Use your best judgment. If something looks poor quality, it probably is. The sectional sofa we bought from them is great, but a few of the others get pretty shaky after some time. My wife says that their stuff is great as long as you don't intend to ever move it. If nothing else, it is fun to get lost in the store and eat the $1 hot dogs and cheap Swedish food at the end.

 

[Swmr359]

My mom has several peices from IKEA; a dresser, tv stand thing, office set, large shelf, and a sofa. Everything is holding up pretty well, but we are all adults so I don't know how it is with kids.
If you go to the store make sure to check out the "as is" section, sometimes you can get some good stuff at a discount. I recommend going to the store, the website dosn't really give you a good idea of the stuff, plus you get to eat meatballs

 

[Cupcake2008]

My Ikea furniture seems to be pretty good quality for the price. I have several bookcases, a kitchen storage cabinet, and some end tables. I actually like one of the bookshelves better than the more expensive Broyhill one I bought because the Broyhill's finish seems to be wearing in some areas. The items seem sturdy. I think the savings you get with IKEA is mainly because it's completely a self-serve operation and you have to put it all together yourself. That being said, I'm not sure if I would be confident enough to put a precious baby in one of their cribs without researching their safety. I would definitely try and check that out online or with consumer reports before buying any company's furniture for a baby. Good luck and congratulations.

 

[Vivianne]

We have an IKEA here in CT.

We have shopped there a few times. The biggest item I've gotten is an office chair, which I'm sitting on right now. So far so good...I haven't fallen out of it. I enjoy the experience of shopping and eating at this store. I haven't bought big items..but...I've gotten alot of goodies. The lighting for a baby room is really nice. We're a 2 adult home so I can't give you much input in that area. I always buy the lingonberry jam and the swedish meatballs to take home..

 

[lindsey clare]

It's a pretty cool store...but I noticed that some stuff looked super cheap and flimsy, and other stuff looked like it was higher quality. (Mainly a difference on whether it was made of particle board or real wood...of course the real wood was more expensive.)

i think you're pretty much onto it! i've bought quite a few things from Ikea over the years, and i would recommend staying away from any furniture that is not real timber. i have drawers which have just fallen apart. but, my bed, bookshelves, and Poang chair have all held up fine. i think you do get what you pay for at Ikea, so price is a good general indicator of quality.

but for accessories and fabric and little bits and pieces, the value is really great!

 

[Cjmuma]

Your instincts about the furniture is correct in my opinion. I have a table that I rescued from being thrown out in 1999 - still use it, it has moved several times, and I adore it. There are other things I have got that aren't quite as good of quality. Use your best judgement, but I will always get stuff from there when given the chance! The closest to me is about 90 miles away as well, and I still go when given the opportunity!

 

[princess momma]

I have an Ikea desk, some bookshelves, and a table and 4 chairs for the playroom. It doesn't really compare to my custom made furniture but I love it for the price. It's also a fun place to spend some time. I love shopping there, even if I don't get anything.

Actually, now that I think about it my crib was Ikea. I had put a down payment on a very expensive crib but my daughter came early and the crib hadn't arrived. Then my SIL offered me her crib and the practical side of me accepted. At the time I was kind of sad to not have my dream crib but looking back it was perfect.

 

[akcire]

As a Swedish national, I can tell you there is nothing Swedish about Ikea (except a few of the food items). Ikea is a cheap home goods store, nothing more. I would say it can be good for items for college students and inexpensive bookcases, storage, etc. I would be very hesitant to purchase any baby items from Ikea.

The man who owns Ikea is a world-famous tight-wad, that is not a socially responsible way to run a company. You can be assured every item was made as inexpensively as possible--which is fine if you need a bookcase for your widget collection in the basement. However, I am sure you would be greatly upset to learn that something you placed near your baby exposed them to toxins, so Ingvar Kamprad could make an extra nickel.

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

My 6 year old's bedroom is 100% Ikea. He has had it since he left the crib, at 3. We didn't go with the really cheap stuff, because well, it looked like it wouldn't last very long. His set is wood.
He has a dresser, bed, bookshelves, curtains, toy storage, bedding, and acc. Everything is holding up beautifully, even after 3 years, it still looks new.

BUT..I also purchased a corner computer hutch. It is supposed to hide your computer, and it looks lore like a piece of furniture. It wasn't that cheap, but it is a piece of junk. It is barely holding together and we need to replace it. The hinges are weak and did not stand up to everyday use. I think it is may be 5 years old, but it started to go down hill within the first two years of owning it.

 

[aprilgail2]

You get what you pay for- Ikea is swedish for crap! THe bottom floor wit hthe towels, frames etc is ok- but furniture, no way--its more like first apartment, dorm room quality stuff.

 

[sherry7]

My Ikea furniture seems to be pretty good quality for the price. I have several bookcases, a kitchen storage cabinet, and some end tables. I actually like one of the bookshelves better than the more expensive Broyhill one I bought because the Broyhill's finish seems to be wearing in some areas. The items seem sturdy. I think the savings you get with IKEA is mainly because it's completely a self-serve operation and you have to put it all together yourself. That being said, I'm not sure if I would be confident enough to put a precious baby in one of their cribs without researching their safety. I would definitely try and check that out online or with consumer reports before buying any company's furniture for a baby. Good luck and congratulations.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Good point about researching the crib. I can't remember exactly which Ikea crib it was (they carry several), but it was #2 or #3 on Consumer Reports recommendations...rather surprising since they're so economical. My problem with the Ikea cribs is that they sit VERY low to the floor. By the time you move the mattress support down for an older baby, the mattress is only about 6 inches above the floor. My back ain't gonna stand for that, lol.

I brought home a catalog with me, so I'm going to have to do some more looking. I saw that one of the Trofast pieces has a changing table top that you can add. Then you can turn it into part of a wall unit later on. It's solid pine, so I'm assuming that it would make it through the rough play of a child. That's hard to say though...since my son managed to completely destroy a $2000 bedroom suite during his teenage years.

 

[Swmr359]

You get what you pay for- Ikea is swedish for crap! THe bottom floor wit hthe towels, frames etc is ok- but furniture, no way--its more like first apartment, dorm room quality stuff.

Ok it's not all that bad....
My mom choose to buy furniture there in her 50's in her third house. Yeah they have some dorm quality stuff, but they do have some really nice stuff.

The bookcases we have hold lots of books and stuff; so they do hold up.

 

[quentina]

Personal opinion (no flames, please). JUNK!! Everything I have bought has fallen apart, never have all the pieces in the box, pre-cut holes never line up etc.

I go there for curtains and accessories, I would never by any furniture again.

 

[Inigo]

I have never bought furniture there, but I love their "Favorit" pots and pans, as well as other kitchen items.

 

[Starbrite]

DD8 has a wooden Ikea loft bed. She's had it for several years & it's held up great I'm certain she will outgrow it before it shows any signs of wear.

 

[tessiemez]

Okay, I am an IKEA addict. Of course, I take it for what it's worth--which is about what I pay. I'm not expecting my LACK end table to make it more than a couple of years (already had it for a while and it's in great condition), but it costs $7.99, so I don't think I'll be shedding any tears when it dies.

I will say, I'm sure it's hit and miss for some, and there ARE things I stay away from--but my $2 cutting boards, $4 glasses, $15 frying pan (with a 5 year warranty), and $6 curtains are all doing the trick for me.

My sister actually went to Ikea the sunday after Thanksgiving and got me a Kitchen cart for $19.99 -- and it's just what I wanted! Very sturdy, nicely sized, and unfinished wood (so I can style it myself).

I love their stuffed animals, by the way--my nine-month-old loves the ostrich, elephant and hippo. Inexpensive ways to make her VERY happy!

Also, not-so-on-topic, you can check out some cool furniture modification ideas at ikeahacker.blogspot.com . I love browsing that site--so many cool ideas!

 

[rflorek]

My IKEA bed frame (metal, not wood) has held up quite well for 10 years now. My IKEA mattress is more comfortable (and was cheaper) than any other mattress I tested (and I shopped for 6 months before making a decision). My CD towers are IKEA and have also lasted 10 years+ (and all do-it-yourslef holes, screws, etc lined up just fine for me). I also have a Hemnes blue dresser which has held up for 2 years now and shows no sign of damage or drawer sagging. I also have a $7.99 Lack table that will not quit.

My DBF has an entire Billy bookshelf set which is quite loaded and no porblems - even with a move 18 months ago. He also has the Poang chair, a bedframe (wood - can't remember the model), TV stand, coffee table, and kitchen cart - all survived a move 18 months ago and all as sturdy as the day they were built/bought.

I love IKEA - can you tell!! Our furntiure has held up longer than many other people's that we know who spent a lot more on it at a "real" furniture store. But we don't have kids, so I can't speak to wear/tear with young ones around.

 

[WDWAurora]

Ok, being another pregnant lady, let me first tell you to buy the book Baby Bargains. It's very useful with telling you what is good quality, what is crap, and what to spend money on, etc. As for IKEA, it only recommended the Gulliver crib. I spent less by ordering the Graco Lauren from walmart.com and it was a very highly recommended crib.

 

[sherry7]

Ok, being another pregnant lady, let me first tell you to buy the book Baby Bargains. It's very useful with telling you what is good quality, what is crap, and what to spend money on, etc. As for IKEA, it only recommended the Gulliver crib. I spent less by ordering the Graco Lauren from walmart.com and it was a very highly recommended crib.

I bought that book a couple of weeks ago...isn't it awesome? I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I've been flipping through it. I'm off to check out the Graco Lauren crib on Walmart's website. A question for you: does it sit really low like the Ikea cribs, or is it "normal"? Thanks.