11-25-2015, 09:49 AM
As usual, you get what you pay for. IKEA's cheapest stuff tends to be cheaply made. For example the "wood" is very low density that will warp or break easily. Also the "veneer" is thin plastic film that comes off easily. But if you spend a bit more you'll get good value. For instance the Billy bookcases we bought 30+ years ago are still being used and still in great shape even after several moves. Similar bookcases and shelving we bought elsewhere has long since broken and been discarded. And the IKEA kitchen we installed in our office back in the 90s continues to be used, again even after a move. If I was going to redo our kitchen at home I'd seriously consider IKEA.
What seems a bit ironic to me it that criticism of IKEA comes on a forum that emphasizes good architecture and design. IKEA has always been a great promoter of Scandinavian design at price points that ordinary people can afford. Sure, their products will never be able to compete on quality with name brand Scandinavian manufacturers that are nice to look at and admire but few can afford. But for the rest of us IKEA offers great value.
Also while IKEA's founder may have been associated with pro-Nazi organizations in his youth, he's long since atoned, he's now gone and IKEA has continues to make substantial investments in socially and environmentally conscious causes.
What seems a bit ironic to me it that criticism of IKEA comes on a forum that emphasizes good architecture and design. IKEA has always been a great promoter of Scandinavian design at price points that ordinary people can afford. Sure, their products will never be able to compete on quality with name brand Scandinavian manufacturers that are nice to look at and admire but few can afford. But for the rest of us IKEA offers great value.
Also while IKEA's founder may have been associated with pro-Nazi organizations in his youth, he's long since atoned, he's now gone and IKEA has continues to make substantial investments in socially and environmentally conscious causes.