A few years ago I was looking for a full-length mirror and I went to a chain furniture store (Leon’s, in Toronto). I only saw one model of full-length mirror for sale so I asked the salesperson if there were any more. The reply was: “Have you tried IKEA?”
Yes, even competing furniture salespeople are telling me to go to IKEA.
It’s a furniture store. I find it very difficult to get excited, one way or the other, about furniture.
Right, no rounded corners, bevels, or decorative trim anywhere, except for the rounded beveled solid oak trim on the half-height wood doors I added to some of my bookshelf units, or the rounded beveled solid oak trim on the full-height tempered glass doors I added to another.
Seems to be a lot of criticism of IKEA products by those who are perhaps too broadly generalizing in absolutes. Yes, they are focused on value for dollar and some things are of relatively low quality as already mentioned, but many are remarkably good and durable. It wouldn’t be my go-to place to furnish a formal living room, but that wall-length array of medium-dark oak veneer bookshelves is perfect for my den.
Another good value is their cribs. They have some of the highest safety ratings, look nice enough, and are very affordable.
I used to do this, but higher quality stuff doesn’t break or chip as easily, so there’s that to consider. I’m discarding my Ikea- and Metro-quality stuff as it breaks, and replacing it with crystal as I find matching pieces at estate sales.
So learn Swedish 
Ikea is generally inferior furniture. Might as well buy bargain basement needs assembly stuff and slowly upgrade to better furniture. Another good things is to find used furniture stores when you’re starting out. Moving sales, estate sales and lower end auctions are good places to find well made furniture that might need a little TLC.
Hated the store. Hated the warehouse part of the store that I had to walk thru to get out. Will NEVER go back or buy anything from IKEA. FUCK IKEA.
A new Ikea is proposed to be built two blocks from where I live, and plans are for it to open three years from now. I’ll get back to you in 2020.
I don’t like the warehouse maze, and the store near me is designed in such a way that when you go in there’s an UP escalator to get you in, but no proximal DOWN escalator to go back out if you change your mind or something. (I’m not sure if all stores are designed similarly, or just this one).
It’s right across from a huge outlet mall, and sometimes when wife is shopping we’ll go by the cafe for the meatballs. I always order them as “horse-nuggets”, just to be a pill. (I know, that was Europe; but I don’t let that stop me.)
What is IKEA if not “bargain basement needs assembly stuff”?
Maybe I just got lucky, but I don’t get the people who say that Ikea stuff doesn’t last. The only furniture I have from them is a computer desk that I bought just over 20 years ago, and it’s held up pretty well - you can tell that it’s old, but it’s not ratty-looking or structurally unsound. I don’t get the super-hype about them, but I can’t say that I dislike them at all.
There is cheaper stuff like Sauders and the ilk at Target type discout dept stores.
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When you go back, try IKEA’s Swedish pancakes with lingonberries
http://www.dishtip.com/d/az/tempe/ikea-cafeteria/swedish-pancakes-with-lingonberries/3434503
or their Swedish meatballs
http://www.dishtip.com/d/az/tempe/ikea-cafeteria/meatballs-and-mashed-potatoes/1302641
I find that their cheap furniture is better than most of the cheap furniture you find at other big box stores.
Their furnishings and kitchenware are generally a great value if you can find anything that fits your style.
The shopping experience is pretty unique. Probably best for people who especially enjoy shopping and to be avoided for those who want to grab what they need and get out.
I always park near the returns area, and go straight into the warehouse. There are monitors there where I can look up what I came for and which shelf it’s on. I’ll often duck outside the warehouse door for a quick tool around the kitchen and lighting areas, for high-quality, cheap LED bulbs, and whatever kitchen gadget my inner four-year-old wants.
Then it’s off to the “as-is” room to see if anything I want is super-extra cheap today. Queen-sized box spring for $15? Got it!
I furnished my outdoor deck with IKEA furniture from their Applaro range and I am very happy with the look and the quality - solid wood, sturdy. Price was great too. You can’t get a solid wood sun lounger in Japan for less than USD$1000 (because it’s just such a rare thing) but IKEA had a good one for about $150.
Nope. I wish someone had told my mother and I before we went to a new one here that opened, that you are trapped. After 15 minutes all we wanted to do was get out. I bought a basket, she was just desperate to leave. I’d sure rather spend that kind of time in a local used furniture place. Real wood!!!
Overall favorable opinion, here, after buying and using several items over the years. As others have said, it’s cheap furniture. A few accessories haven’t worked out, but I’m happy with all the furniture and most everything else. Whenever I’ve shopped there, I’ve seen stuff that seemed flimsy or whatever but I’ve always chosen not to buy it, so I’ve never felt “burned” as others seem to (the replies in this thread run the gamut). Some items can be taken apart and reassembled repeatedly with little consequence because of the fasteners used (*not *woodscrews in particle board).
One thing that might be worth considering is the amount of product recalls. This is just an impression of mine after noticing a very long list posted in the back of one of their stores. It seemed like a lot of recalls, although I’m not sure if it’s because they were doing a good job of detecting and keeping track of these things. Maybe someone else can comment on this.
The “experience” sucks, I avoid anywhere that tries to turn itself into an all-day theme park. I know many people that go there for ‘fun’, and I really don’t understand why.
That said, I have found many good ‘nook’ items. I have an old house with weird corners and small spaces, and I’ve been able to find great little cabinets, tables, etc for the weird spaces.