used it for a demolished brick wall and transported it in my station wagon to the trash company.
Meanwhile we have 20 or so laying around and use them for: dirty cloth - shopping - collect empty bottles/cans - old toys
Honestly, same. I’ve switched camping tarps to the tent material/guy line type because they’re less prone to cracking from repeated folding and unfolding. But IKEA sources their bag tarps from the only known source of vibranium or something. And they still don’t just sell an tarp.
IKEA used to sell a blue tarp made of the same material as the bags. It was near the registers with the assembly tools, blue rope, and small hardware. They said it’s for people tying things to the top of their car
Yess mine are for laundry. I even picked up a couple pink ones at one point and I love having two different colors to differentiate whose laundry is who’s at a quick glance.
Their solid stainless steel frying pans and pots and fantastic. Induction compatible for future-proofing.
Their rechargeable AA and AAA batteries are great.
It really depends. My wife bought a small 365 saucepan when she was a student and it's practically unchanged after 20 years of heavy use. All pots from this series we bought together are showing signs of age after ~10 years. Turns out they changed the material from 18/10 to some unnamed kind of stainless steel, and probably the manufacturer too, to keep the prices low (very important in Poland, alas). But it's most likely a different story depending on where you live.
I’ve been saying I want a new all-clad pot because BIFL, right? Well our IKEA stainless steel pot just keeps on trucking despite multiple burnt accidents on it. This pot has seen so much of my life and I don’t think it’s giving up anytime soon. I keep saying “we’ll buy the all-clad once this breaks!” “Good luck with that,” says the ever simmering IKEA pot.
I hate that fucking thing. Partially because the longer I’ve had it the less I’ve liked the form factor and partially because the longer I’ve had it the more annoyed I get that I can’t justify replacing it with something else because it’s just perfectly fine and usable.
I have so many socks like this. The comfiest ones get holes after like 3 wears. The shitty, crunchy, ugly, too-big motherfuckers however, just won't die. I was hoping they'd get lost in the wash or something, but nope, still there, ruining my day.
>The shitty, crunchy, ugly, too-big motherfuckers however, just won't die
I use them for cleaning, dusting, and somtimes I want to put oks/creams on my feet nd I use these as the outer layer while sleeping. I also tend to lean on my elbows while at desk so I cut them into tubes and use as elbow guards.
I’m surprised. I love that you can put it on the counter and it doesn’t slide around. To me, the ergonomics of it make way more sense than a metal box grater. Bonus points for lid that lets you save the extra without dirtying another container. Even bought a second one to keep in the RV.
I’ve got a love-hate relationship with mine. It works great, even after a decade, but doesn’t hold nearly enough cheese, and the shape (oval) is stupid. Make it a rectangle, and taller, and it’d be SO much better.
I bought cute little champagne coupes 10+ years ago at ikea and they’re still going strong, still stylish, and they’re dishwasher safe. Probably cost me $1/piece
I got a cheap chef’s knife from them 20+ years ago. I paid $3 for it. That damn thing is in my top two favorite knives, and the other one is a wusthof!
Goddamit I want to chuck this fucking thing but it still grates like it did on day one. I hate it so much - but there’s just no equivalent for less than 10 dollars
I have 3 stacking mixing bowls that originally came with lids that I got in 2008. They are still my favorite bowls, but 14 years and 17 roommates later and I’m down to just two bowls (because the lids either got “lost” and one roommate accidentally placed a bowl on a hot burner). Unfortunately, I’ve never seen these bowls at Ikea again.
Their mortar and pestle is great. Costs next to nothing, and is made from solid stone. It says it isn't dishwasher safe, but that lump of rock was created in the molten core of the earth. It can handle some hot water, trust me. Also, the shape is great.
I have bought wooden shelves in IKEA that look like new almost 30 years later. I have bought scissors and small kitchen stuff that are in great condition almost 30 years.
I really like their bedding and towels quality.
Overall, I consider it a very good store.
Just got 2 of their solid pine bedside tables. They are unfinished and since the wood is so light in color they could be stained or painted in a million different ways to match any style and the knob on the drawer can be easily swapped for something metal. I was just happy to fine something actually made of solid wood and not fiber board without having to build it from scratch. So far I’m very happy with them and can see them being bifl.
You can also stain and wipe. I have gotten in the habit of staining things with a brush and then wiping off any excess with a paper towel. (Microfiber towel would be better but I can just toss the paper towel and I never had any issues with paper fibers.)
Pro painter here: CAUTION - if you stain something with oil-based stain and wipe it off with a rag or paper towel... hang the rags up to dry out for several days before trashing them. If it's folded or wadded up, it gets very hot and WILL combust into flames. I knew a contractor who had just finished a custom home build, and the homeowner decided to DIY finish stain their wood trims themselves to save some money. The entire house burned to the ground due to his wadded up bucket of oil stain rags.
I have two Hemnes bed side tables. I have scuffed and repainted them, and now have glass tops on them. I've had them 12 plus years, and multiple moves now.
I scored a hemnes book shelf on cl yearss ago for $20.. I knew then it was a steal and despite being in the middle of a family birthday party I sent 2 men out to get it lol... it has served me well for the past 10 years and the girl who was getting rid of it had it for a while too but you'd never have known. Even now it still looks perfect but it's not like I'm swinging a chain around in my room. That is when I developed a taste for it, but of course it's one of their most expensive lines.
I got both of my Hemnes bookshelves for free off craigslist... I felt so lucky knowing how much Ikea is selling them for now. I feel like they literally doubled in price post pandemic.
it is really crazy. I said this in another comment but I paid $40 for 5xbilly when doing my built ins right before the pandemic.. and then a few weeks ago those same shelves set me back $85 apiece \*gulp\* I only needed 2 and just sucked it up but dang. I also bought a Poang chair when I bought the 5 bookcases and now the ottoman costs more than the chair lol. I have a saved search on CL for that as well as any Hemnes stuff which i don't need but if it's a good deal I'll make room/replace something.
We were going to get some custom furniture made but we couldn’t decide on some aspects so bought hemnes bedroom set to hold us over while we figure it out, after a few weeks we realised it was great and we’d keep it til we needed to replace it, it’s been 6 years and still going strong
BIFL will depend on how it’s used, but I do have a few Hemnes pieces that have held up decently through 10 years and multiple major moves. Some of them are starting to need replacement, but the damage has largely occurred during moves. If someone is staying in one place and not abusing their furniture, I could see Hemnes lasting.
I feel like the people who buy Ikea furniture are those who move around more than others and don't want to spend $3k on a couch. Which means that the furniture is being disassembled, moved, generally having a hard life. And once you disassemble something from IKEA, it never seems to go back to the way it was.
At least that is what I think. My furniture as a teenager was mostly Ikea and I never had problems because I never moved. Also I suspect my dad may have used super glue in the peg and screw holes to make sure it stayed together...
The only part that will struggle over time is the joints with those little screw hook things. They're designed pretty well so that if the furniture is just standing they don't take much pressure, but if you move them around a bit you can have issue.
Fortunately because they're solid wood it's easily fixable with screws.
>The only part that will struggle over time is the joints with those little screw hook things
We glue all our IKEA wood stuff when assembling, which makes it more solid. But we also aren't planning on moving until we retire, at which point we'll give it all away.
hemnes is partially solid pine but still a lot of particle board. or at least the desk i spent like 3 hours assembling is.
it has held up pretty well across 2 moves in ~7 years though. i don’t have any complaints with it.
I do hate those 1/8" drawer bottoms. The backer boards never bothered me, other than having to tac them on during assembly. One of these days I'm going to take the draws apart and open those gaps so I can slot in thicker bottoms. Pretty simple operation with a palm router and a guide. But that's pretty low on my to-do list.
I have a few Hemnes pieces. Eventually I added some wood glue when I tightened them up after a move. The wood glue really makes a big difference and they are all really solid now.
Kallax, are great I've modified them for display cabinets with plexiglass panels and have left out some of the middle panels so some spaces are bigger. Moved twice with them, disassembled reassembled, holding up great.
Fun fact: if you had them for 20+ years you actually have Expedit shelves. Ikea retired the Expedit shelves in early 2014 and replaced them with the newly-created Kallax line. Kallax cubbies have the same internal dimensions as Expedit cubbies (so all of the inserts fit both shelves) but the outer frame pieces are noticeably thicker in Expedit than Kallax.
It's a subtle difference but, if you look at them side-by-side, I personally think the Expedit shelves look much better than the Kallax shelves. Expedit shelves are getting harder and harder to find these days, so take care of them. If you go to Ikea to try and pick up new shelves, you'll end up with Kallax shelves that don't quite match the Expedit shelves you already own.
My former boss used to swear by putting wood glue on everything while assembling. Said it was bomb-proof after that and never had to tighten anything over time.
We have an old couch that isn’t made anymore. We bought it for 25 from a neighbor with two little kids (plus a 25 tip for helping us carry it down the hall to our apartment). We’ve had it for 13 years and 5 moves. It is still comfortable enough to nap on but the fabric looks rough between 3 young children and a cat.
If you’re in the market to replace the covers, there are aftermarket covers of almost every IKEA sofa/chair. Even models that are over a decade old. I have a client who wanted to change out covers for a discontinued model of chair and was shocked at the aftermarket cover selection.
came here to say this. i use a little gorilla glue in the joints when assembling and they are solid AF. i’ve had all of mine for over 10 years and 4 moves.
I have a wooden stool that’s 15 years old, I think it will be a BIFL, and I’ve got a stuffed frog with a zipper mouth from IKEA that I’ve had for almost 15 years too. Larry will definitely be with me for life, he’s actually married to my wife’s stuffed animal.
I love my hemnes dresser. I switched out the hardware. It’s solid wood so people paint them and there are kits with onlays that make it pop. The whole hemnes line is great IMO.
My blackout drapes are really well made. I used to make draperies and bedding so I know what to look for in the seams.. etc.. they are also great.. no weird seams and they hang beautifully.
Not sure if I just got really lucky with my choices but IKEA should never be written off in interior decor IMO.
Honestly I haven’t bought anything from ikea that doesn’t last. I bought two of the basic side tables freshman year of college. They lived in my dorm/apartments until I bought proper end tables from a thrift store three years ago and gave them to my brother for his college apartment. The IKEA ones turned 10 years old this past august! I also still have my bookcase, one of those cube storage things, a 6 drawer dresser, all my glass food storage containers, peeler, dishes, and glasses are from ikea and doing well. All that is a little newer than the end tables, maybe 6-7 years old.
I think IKEAS bad rep comes from people buying their cardboard tabletops and then putting a shit ton of weight on them.
Yes. The $25 Ikea Tabletop made of cardboard and decorative wood trim isn't going to last, but a solid block of wood is a solid block of wood, and they sell those as well if you are willing to pay $150.
the choice of a table under an aquarium is no joke, when we got our new 300 litre aquarium we bought a table specifically made for that aquarium
a lot of people don't realise that it's literally just a third of a tonne sitting on your table for years and it needs to be STURDY.
I think a lot of people having problems with IKEA furniture longevity just didn't tighten the fasteners enough, so it gets wobbly and damages the joints (true for lots of other particleboard furniture too). Well that and some of the bigger flimsier pieces are hard to move without damaging them.
A clutched drill/driver with an Allen bit works wonders to keep the fasteners tight and uniform.
This is generally how my ikea stuff breaks. People with ikea tend to live in apartments and move more often which means they’re disassembling and reassembling things. That’s generally how things start to go south much faster.
Also putting a drop of super glue in when you are putting together the furniture will really make sure it stays tight. Just make sure it doesn't need to be disassembled in order to get it out of the house if you move...
That makes sense. I was always surprised by people who say their stuff doesnt' last. Like yeah, it's particle board and not real planks of wood but its miles above any other particle board furniture I've seen.
I bought 2 sets of ikea's most basic bookshelves for $20 each 5 years ago. Moved them FOUR TIMES over long distances. Stored probably hundreds of pounds of textbooks on them. Spilled water on them. They're still in pristine condition. I wish I had bought like 8 sets, they no longer even make the model i had
I think a large reason is that many associate low price with bad quality. What they fail to understand is that IKEA’s simply leveraging economies of scale
I’m also learning from these comments that apparently people regularly disassemble them when moving… which… I’ve never heard of before but definitely will age them faster
Yep. Doing that seems to be uncommon here in Europe. At least in my country. Usually the home you buy is already furnished or you furnish it with new stuff. Lugging along old stuff is kind of unusual as far as I know. People move a lot less here too.
Their high chair isn’t BIFL in the sense that it will last you your whole life, but it’s absolutely BIFL in the sense that it will last you through the infancies of even a large number of kids. It’s like $20 and it’s better than many a $300+ high chair that I’ve seen out there - it has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
I have a set of BILLI entertainment center bookshelves that I got 15 years ago and will probably outlive me.
But I also have some Ingolf dining chairs that are absolute garbage; they need repairing constantly.
The Ikea kids wooden trains and stuffed animals are extremely well made. And the folding tunnel is nigh-indestrucible.
I've had plenty of things from IKEA for 10+ years. Sofa , some bookcases, my luggage, some bunk beds. Plenty more for less than 10 years that doesn't show signs of falling apart any time soon. Despite the reputation a lot of the stuff they have is pretty good as long as you avoid the very cheapest stuff.
Moved 4 times with my Besta cabinets and multiple Billy bookshelves with doors, that we bought 12 years ago and they all still look new.
Hired professional movers every time though, maybe that’s the difference? They use moving blankets and carefully wrapped everything to protect them…
I’ve also bought new ones to match and was pleasantly surprised they are exactly the same well made today as they were 12 years ago (the shade of white even match the old ones!) only the plugs that hold the shelves up changed sizes which is a non issue.
The Poang chair is near invincible, it's got a carry weight of almost 400 pounds. The cushion can be replaced if you ever damage it, and they actually got better over time. Now they offer memory foam and leather ones.
I just bought one a couple years ago during covid, and the footrest was out of stock and now I'm out of money. I wanted a chair for my office but never thought it would be this comfortable and that everyone would be in it all the time. Even the dog likes to jump up there.
25+ years old, I bought an 8” ponytail palm at IKEA. Today, it’s 8 feet, plus! When it outgrows this house (which it will), I’ll have to donate it to an entity that can house it!
This reminds me that I have a plant from IKEA on my kitchen windowsill that’s 18 years old. A friend bought it for us as a moving gift. No idea what it is, repotted it maybe once, watered it erratically over the years and it’s literally the oldest plant I own (an I really wouldn’t consider myself to have any sort of green thumb). I like to think there’s something symbolic in it surviving this long but could just be a hardy plant! 🤣
I have two cheese graters that my parents bought from IKEA in 1999 and 2003. They’re basically elliptical plastic bowls with non-slip bases and stainless grater lids. They aren’t the sharpest graters out there, but the design is clever and they’ve stood up to decades of use.
I had a friend who was an interior designer. She would recommend Ikea kitchens and especially the dishwashers to all but her poshest clients. She said the dishwashers are the only ones she’s never had problems with, no breakdowns or burst valves. And the kitchen hardware is high quality and made in Austria, just as good as high-end hinges from anywhere else.
Edit: sounds like the appliances might be a crapshoot. Some commenters here had nothing but problems.
My husband has been accumulating IVAR shelves for 20 years. It's a solid wood modular shelving system and the pieces have held up well across multiple moves. We've stained and varnished them.
My parents have an IVAR heavily loaded with books since 1986. It was also the only bookshelf they could fit in this awkward space. Knee high under the roof then rising to seven feet.
There are tons of options to combine and for my place I simply cut stuff to make it fit. I left one of mine with the new tenants because when I was done it fit so perfectly they were in awe and bought it from me.
Also great for uneven floors like in a cellar. You just sand down the legs to fit.
Yep. That slight wobble that you feel when you first use one is the same slight wobble you will have ten years later.
Edit: I was not trying to put them down--I love those chairs. They hold up better than you would predict.
Just because you didn’t build it right…
Jokes aside, peoples’ inability to follow basic instructions is mostly what gives IKEA a reputation for low quality. They definitely have some stuff that *is* low quality, but for the most part if you follow the instructions and don’t over/under tighten shit it will hold up.
Pokal - probably the only drinking glass in the world that could be considered BIFL. Tempered glass that can be used for both hot or cold drinks and if you somehow accidentally break one they are shatterproof.
Norden table and Hemnes daybed are both fantastic and robust. Both are great for a teenager moving into their first apartment.
We got a Norden table 20 years ago and the only reason we don't have it still is because my mother in law claimed it when we left it with her during a move and we bought a new one.
The quality of furniture accross the boars has decreased so much that anything from IKEA will be many times better than anything from Wayfair or Overstock. Any of their solid wood items have been BIFL for me (many 20 years and going)!
IKEA 365+ Knives are an incredibly underrated line. They take a good edge and hold them for long. They are quite affordable and they look close enough to Globals that the average guest won’t know the difference.
Probably the best beater knife in the game outside of the Babish Knives which are to your door in a day or so. Better edge geometry than a Victorinox and the steel isn’t as soft.
As always though, the “Granton” edge doesn’t do anything.
I’ve had a kallax 2x4 cube shelf for 13 years and counting, it’s moved a handful of times now. It was my middle school bedroom bookshelf, and now that I’m married it’s my adult coffee bar and liquor shelf.
I also have some Billy Shelves that are 3 years old now and have absolutely no signs of wear, when every other bookshelf I’ve ever had prior has started sagging in the middle by now, so I’m taking that as a good sign.
Also, the cups, plates, bowls, Tupperware’s, and most pots and pans, are pretty solid. My parents have had a lot of them for like 16+ years, and my husband and I have some mugs and glass bowls which are very sturdy.
I have a solid wood kitchen table my parents bought in 1989/90 that was our table my entire childhood and then gave to my wife and I when we bought our house.
I had to build/make new seat pans/cushions for the chairs, I also customized them a little. I don’t think they sell that table anymore.
I has two leafs and slides open to be larger. I’ll take pics later
The Terry cloth kitchen towels are as bifl as such a thing can be. Dunno how many years of constant use mine have been through. Only sign of wear is the stains from not caring to wash them properly or be vigilant about what they're used for. Clean/dry wet things quickly. Insulate against hot stuff. Dry quick. 🤷♂️ Forget microfiber. That's a scam. Terry cloth. Even the hanging things are intact. No loose threads. Idk. They just work. Hopefully in five years or whenever they start to actually fall apart IKEA will still be making them.
I buy a lot of their solid pine furniture and have only ever replaced knobs. The oldest pieces I own are from my first ever college apartment in 2014 (dresser/nightstand, dining chairs, small dining table, and white metal bed frame) and have held up perfectly over 9+ years of continuous usage.
The only thing I’ve bought from IKEA that didn’t hold up as well as I liked is a plate set that is showing a lot of scratches after 4+ years.
they have these amazing $2 grey plastic kitchen lunch trays that are phenomenal. bought 10 recently. seem pretty strong and sturdy so far. bifl more prob like 20 years.
I’ve had an IKEA sectional sofa for well over 10 years and I love it.
I also have a dresser that I have had for over 20 years. I got it in college. It shouldn’t have lasted anywhere near this long. It’s been moved cross country three times and the assembly job my 21 year old self did is still standing.
It’s a chartreuse nightmare and I refuse to get rid of it. I love it.
I’ve got the single red metal cabinets that can be connected and turned 4 of them into a buffet. A Billy bookcase that’s probably a decade old and then we have a Hemnes dresser (I’m the 3rd owner). I did paint it bc it had some damage and I’ve had to wood glue one drawer back together but it’s holding together better than anything we bought at Ashley furniture.
Edit: spelling
their grocery bags--the 99 cent ones--are seemingly indestructible in my experience
I use several of them to haul campfire wood. I’ve never killed one.
used it for a demolished brick wall and transported it in my station wagon to the trash company. Meanwhile we have 20 or so laying around and use them for: dirty cloth - shopping - collect empty bottles/cans - old toys
You could transport your station wagon to the trash company in an IKEA bag
We use them as beach/swim bags. Dump all the wet stuff in, and off we go.
Wow! That's a good test!
Because they’re a tarp with handles.
That some people turn into clothes. It’s really cool some of the stuff people come up with.
IKEA made hats out of them - I bought mine ages ago and I still have it and wear it :)
I love mine but it makes my head sweat.
Where do you wear a tarp hat?
When it rains - it’s my rain hat :)
I just got one a week ago! I found it sitting by itself and had to have it, what fortune
so a good bag.
They last longer than a lot of tarps I have bought.
Honestly, same. I’ve switched camping tarps to the tent material/guy line type because they’re less prone to cracking from repeated folding and unfolding. But IKEA sources their bag tarps from the only known source of vibranium or something. And they still don’t just sell an tarp.
IKEA used to sell a blue tarp made of the same material as the bags. It was near the registers with the assembly tools, blue rope, and small hardware. They said it’s for people tying things to the top of their car
Just like how a good pan is \*just\* cast iron with handle(s).
The only true BIFL pan is a flat piece non-foliated metamorphic rock. Handles are superfluous. Rocks are forever.
Used them for years as laundry bags, no tears or rips. I believe they’ll last forever.
Yess mine are for laundry. I even picked up a couple pink ones at one point and I love having two different colors to differentiate whose laundry is who’s at a quick glance.
They make a zip version that is also awesome
Insulated one is legit
I have 2 fir years, looove them
[удалено]
Can be used to carry, mix and pour a 60 lb bag of concrete. Rinse the bag and it’s same as new. Cleanest way to do concrete in some scenarios.
I saw a video of a girl who made her prom dress out of them. That thing could last generations.
Or making them into outfits to [wear while shopping](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdleCJ0au-c) at IKEA. Including masks, because it was 2020.
I used to stand on it to change out of my wetsuit and hold my wet stuff on the way home
Their solid stainless steel frying pans and pots and fantastic. Induction compatible for future-proofing. Their rechargeable AA and AAA batteries are great.
They also have carbon steel and cast iron pans now. Cheap, but high quality.
Ive had one of their carbon steel pans since they launched (2 years ago? 3?) and its been amazing. Really good value as well.
The batteries are rumoured to be Panasonics, the best rechargeable batteries there is.
Yeah, they’re Eneloops. It’s gone past rumoured - people have done tests on them and their discharge profile are practically identical.
Envelope or Eneloop Pro?
Regular envelopes. You still have to lick them to get them to work.
Don’t cheap out unless you’re trying to kill your fiancé.
I was out, Jerry, I was a free man. I could sit in my underwear and eat a block of cheese!
Poor Lily.
Both. The 2450mah AA are Pro, the 1900mah AA are regular
It really depends. My wife bought a small 365 saucepan when she was a student and it's practically unchanged after 20 years of heavy use. All pots from this series we bought together are showing signs of age after ~10 years. Turns out they changed the material from 18/10 to some unnamed kind of stainless steel, and probably the manufacturer too, to keep the prices low (very important in Poland, alas). But it's most likely a different story depending on where you live.
I’ve been saying I want a new all-clad pot because BIFL, right? Well our IKEA stainless steel pot just keeps on trucking despite multiple burnt accidents on it. This pot has seen so much of my life and I don’t think it’s giving up anytime soon. I keep saying “we’ll buy the all-clad once this breaks!” “Good luck with that,” says the ever simmering IKEA pot.
I've had Ikea pans that didn't last long at all, handles getting (irreparably) loose etc Their glass tupperware, on the other hand, is amazing.
I'm sure there have been worse quality pans over the years. The Sensuell line is solid though.
Yes! Said this upthread. Bought some Sensuell this past year for induction cooking, and it’s just as well-made as my All-Clad!
A lot of the kitchen stuff is surprisingly good. Love the oval cheese grater box I’ve had for 25 years.
I hate that fucking thing. Partially because the longer I’ve had it the less I’ve liked the form factor and partially because the longer I’ve had it the more annoyed I get that I can’t justify replacing it with something else because it’s just perfectly fine and usable.
I love that answer. I hate you, but I won't replace you until your broken.
I have so many socks like this. The comfiest ones get holes after like 3 wears. The shitty, crunchy, ugly, too-big motherfuckers however, just won't die. I was hoping they'd get lost in the wash or something, but nope, still there, ruining my day.
Just get new better quality ones
>The shitty, crunchy, ugly, too-big motherfuckers however, just won't die I use them for cleaning, dusting, and somtimes I want to put oks/creams on my feet nd I use these as the outer layer while sleeping. I also tend to lean on my elbows while at desk so I cut them into tubes and use as elbow guards.
I’m surprised. I love that you can put it on the counter and it doesn’t slide around. To me, the ergonomics of it make way more sense than a metal box grater. Bonus points for lid that lets you save the extra without dirtying another container. Even bought a second one to keep in the RV.
I’ve got a love-hate relationship with mine. It works great, even after a decade, but doesn’t hold nearly enough cheese, and the shape (oval) is stupid. Make it a rectangle, and taller, and it’d be SO much better.
I bought cute little champagne coupes 10+ years ago at ikea and they’re still going strong, still stylish, and they’re dishwasher safe. Probably cost me $1/piece
We have stainless pots and pans and a carbon steel wok that are eligible to vote.
I got a cheap chef’s knife from them 20+ years ago. I paid $3 for it. That damn thing is in my top two favorite knives, and the other one is a wusthof!
Goddamit I want to chuck this fucking thing but it still grates like it did on day one. I hate it so much - but there’s just no equivalent for less than 10 dollars
I have 3 stacking mixing bowls that originally came with lids that I got in 2008. They are still my favorite bowls, but 14 years and 17 roommates later and I’m down to just two bowls (because the lids either got “lost” and one roommate accidentally placed a bowl on a hot burner). Unfortunately, I’ve never seen these bowls at Ikea again.
I've had the garlic press for 20 years.
My answer is their garlic press too!
I love that cheese grater so much.
Their mortar and pestle is great. Costs next to nothing, and is made from solid stone. It says it isn't dishwasher safe, but that lump of rock was created in the molten core of the earth. It can handle some hot water, trust me. Also, the shape is great.
I have bought wooden shelves in IKEA that look like new almost 30 years later. I have bought scissors and small kitchen stuff that are in great condition almost 30 years. I really like their bedding and towels quality. Overall, I consider it a very good store.
Hemmes line is solid pine (or some other soft wood). As long as you arent jumping up and down on it they will last forever.
Just got 2 of their solid pine bedside tables. They are unfinished and since the wood is so light in color they could be stained or painted in a million different ways to match any style and the knob on the drawer can be easily swapped for something metal. I was just happy to fine something actually made of solid wood and not fiber board without having to build it from scratch. So far I’m very happy with them and can see them being bifl.
Just a note. If you’re staining pine you’ll want to apply a wood conditioner first. Otherwise it’ll blotch.
Yep. Pines too spongey. I prefer to just use natural oils and waxes to finish pine.
Absolutely agree. Was just commenting cuz the parent comment mentioned staining.
You can also stain and wipe. I have gotten in the habit of staining things with a brush and then wiping off any excess with a paper towel. (Microfiber towel would be better but I can just toss the paper towel and I never had any issues with paper fibers.)
Pro painter here: CAUTION - if you stain something with oil-based stain and wipe it off with a rag or paper towel... hang the rags up to dry out for several days before trashing them. If it's folded or wadded up, it gets very hot and WILL combust into flames. I knew a contractor who had just finished a custom home build, and the homeowner decided to DIY finish stain their wood trims themselves to save some money. The entire house burned to the ground due to his wadded up bucket of oil stain rags.
Well shit! That’s a good pro tip!!
My entire bedroom set is hemnes and it's solid and in great condition after many years.
I have two Hemnes bed side tables. I have scuffed and repainted them, and now have glass tops on them. I've had them 12 plus years, and multiple moves now.
We have one of the 8 drawer dressers in every bedroom in my house. All of them are holding up great.
I’ve had a Hemnes dresser and nightstands for 10 years now. Still look the same and still function the same.
I scored a hemnes book shelf on cl yearss ago for $20.. I knew then it was a steal and despite being in the middle of a family birthday party I sent 2 men out to get it lol... it has served me well for the past 10 years and the girl who was getting rid of it had it for a while too but you'd never have known. Even now it still looks perfect but it's not like I'm swinging a chain around in my room. That is when I developed a taste for it, but of course it's one of their most expensive lines.
I got both of my Hemnes bookshelves for free off craigslist... I felt so lucky knowing how much Ikea is selling them for now. I feel like they literally doubled in price post pandemic.
it is really crazy. I said this in another comment but I paid $40 for 5xbilly when doing my built ins right before the pandemic.. and then a few weeks ago those same shelves set me back $85 apiece \*gulp\* I only needed 2 and just sucked it up but dang. I also bought a Poang chair when I bought the 5 bookcases and now the ottoman costs more than the chair lol. I have a saved search on CL for that as well as any Hemnes stuff which i don't need but if it's a good deal I'll make room/replace something.
We were going to get some custom furniture made but we couldn’t decide on some aspects so bought hemnes bedroom set to hold us over while we figure it out, after a few weeks we realised it was great and we’d keep it til we needed to replace it, it’s been 6 years and still going strong
We got a Hemnes dresser for my son's room. It is such good quality. We will stick with that line in buying the rest of his furniture as he grows.
BIFL will depend on how it’s used, but I do have a few Hemnes pieces that have held up decently through 10 years and multiple major moves. Some of them are starting to need replacement, but the damage has largely occurred during moves. If someone is staying in one place and not abusing their furniture, I could see Hemnes lasting.
I feel like the people who buy Ikea furniture are those who move around more than others and don't want to spend $3k on a couch. Which means that the furniture is being disassembled, moved, generally having a hard life. And once you disassemble something from IKEA, it never seems to go back to the way it was. At least that is what I think. My furniture as a teenager was mostly Ikea and I never had problems because I never moved. Also I suspect my dad may have used super glue in the peg and screw holes to make sure it stayed together...
The only part that will struggle over time is the joints with those little screw hook things. They're designed pretty well so that if the furniture is just standing they don't take much pressure, but if you move them around a bit you can have issue. Fortunately because they're solid wood it's easily fixable with screws.
>The only part that will struggle over time is the joints with those little screw hook things We glue all our IKEA wood stuff when assembling, which makes it more solid. But we also aren't planning on moving until we retire, at which point we'll give it all away.
I couldn’t imagine glueing it. Usually half the time I’m taking it back apart halfway through because I did something wrong. Lol
Smart. Wood glue is stronger than screws.
hemnes is partially solid pine but still a lot of particle board. or at least the desk i spent like 3 hours assembling is. it has held up pretty well across 2 moves in ~7 years though. i don’t have any complaints with it.
You're talking about the 1/8" drawer bottoms and maybe back panel, right?
I do hate those 1/8" drawer bottoms. The backer boards never bothered me, other than having to tac them on during assembly. One of these days I'm going to take the draws apart and open those gaps so I can slot in thicker bottoms. Pretty simple operation with a palm router and a guide. But that's pretty low on my to-do list.
Hemnes stuff is solid wood. I’m expecting a very long life for those.
I’ve had my hemnes dressers for 15 years, moved 3 times. Still in excellent condition.
The problems show up when you have to move them more than once. They don’t go back together well.
I have a few Hemnes pieces. Eventually I added some wood glue when I tightened them up after a move. The wood glue really makes a big difference and they are all really solid now.
I’ve moved mine twice and they’re fine, don’t take them apart… move in one piece.
mine is falling apart after 5 years
Like any wood piece, it will move and shrink with the seasons. Go through and tighten all screws and it should help.
I've had their kallax shelves for 20+ years. Started as record storage, now fabric. They're great. Couches don't last nearly as long though ymmv
Kallax, are great I've modified them for display cabinets with plexiglass panels and have left out some of the middle panels so some spaces are bigger. Moved twice with them, disassembled reassembled, holding up great.
Fun fact: if you had them for 20+ years you actually have Expedit shelves. Ikea retired the Expedit shelves in early 2014 and replaced them with the newly-created Kallax line. Kallax cubbies have the same internal dimensions as Expedit cubbies (so all of the inserts fit both shelves) but the outer frame pieces are noticeably thicker in Expedit than Kallax. It's a subtle difference but, if you look at them side-by-side, I personally think the Expedit shelves look much better than the Kallax shelves. Expedit shelves are getting harder and harder to find these days, so take care of them. If you go to Ikea to try and pick up new shelves, you'll end up with Kallax shelves that don't quite match the Expedit shelves you already own.
I stand corrected! They've followed us 2000+ miles and 4 different places since we first got them. Not going anywhere!
Ohhh man. I'm gonna have to tell my husband he was right. His 20yr Kallax shelves are not Kallax shelves. Ugh. Thanks a lot. Haha!
this is true, worked at ikea summer of '15 and met a lot of angry customers who were not pleased with the change
I second the kallax shelves, after the third move I had to tighten the fasteners but they held up.
My former boss used to swear by putting wood glue on everything while assembling. Said it was bomb-proof after that and never had to tighten anything over time.
if you replace the cardboard like backing with a sheet of luan plywood that will make it a hell of a lot stronger on any of your boxed furniture
That's a great tip. I always hated the cardboard backing on the bookshelves.
What is you realize you assembled it wrong at the end? lol
My kallax is all scuffed but it's been through multiple moves in different states over ~12 years. Still going strong.
We have an old couch that isn’t made anymore. We bought it for 25 from a neighbor with two little kids (plus a 25 tip for helping us carry it down the hall to our apartment). We’ve had it for 13 years and 5 moves. It is still comfortable enough to nap on but the fabric looks rough between 3 young children and a cat.
If you’re in the market to replace the covers, there are aftermarket covers of almost every IKEA sofa/chair. Even models that are over a decade old. I have a client who wanted to change out covers for a discontinued model of chair and was shocked at the aftermarket cover selection.
came here to say this. i use a little gorilla glue in the joints when assembling and they are solid AF. i’ve had all of mine for over 10 years and 4 moves.
I have a wooden stool that’s 15 years old, I think it will be a BIFL, and I’ve got a stuffed frog with a zipper mouth from IKEA that I’ve had for almost 15 years too. Larry will definitely be with me for life, he’s actually married to my wife’s stuffed animal.
omg that’s so cute
I love my hemnes dresser. I switched out the hardware. It’s solid wood so people paint them and there are kits with onlays that make it pop. The whole hemnes line is great IMO. My blackout drapes are really well made. I used to make draperies and bedding so I know what to look for in the seams.. etc.. they are also great.. no weird seams and they hang beautifully. Not sure if I just got really lucky with my choices but IKEA should never be written off in interior decor IMO.
Agree. We have several things from the hemmes line and they are solid. Got them almost 10 years ago and still look like new.
Their blockout curtains are amazing, and well priced for the quality.
I love the blackout drapes. I’ve used them in 4 apartments over 7 years. They’re a rare constant in my life.
Honestly I haven’t bought anything from ikea that doesn’t last. I bought two of the basic side tables freshman year of college. They lived in my dorm/apartments until I bought proper end tables from a thrift store three years ago and gave them to my brother for his college apartment. The IKEA ones turned 10 years old this past august! I also still have my bookcase, one of those cube storage things, a 6 drawer dresser, all my glass food storage containers, peeler, dishes, and glasses are from ikea and doing well. All that is a little newer than the end tables, maybe 6-7 years old.
I think IKEAS bad rep comes from people buying their cardboard tabletops and then putting a shit ton of weight on them. Yes. The $25 Ikea Tabletop made of cardboard and decorative wood trim isn't going to last, but a solid block of wood is a solid block of wood, and they sell those as well if you are willing to pay $150.
Way back I read someone complaining about Ikea because the cheap table they'd bought there had collapsed under the weight of their aquarium...
the choice of a table under an aquarium is no joke, when we got our new 300 litre aquarium we bought a table specifically made for that aquarium a lot of people don't realise that it's literally just a third of a tonne sitting on your table for years and it needs to be STURDY.
I think a lot of people having problems with IKEA furniture longevity just didn't tighten the fasteners enough, so it gets wobbly and damages the joints (true for lots of other particleboard furniture too). Well that and some of the bigger flimsier pieces are hard to move without damaging them. A clutched drill/driver with an Allen bit works wonders to keep the fasteners tight and uniform.
This is generally how my ikea stuff breaks. People with ikea tend to live in apartments and move more often which means they’re disassembling and reassembling things. That’s generally how things start to go south much faster.
Yeah their stuff is fine mostly as long as you never have to disassemble or move it. Its usually chipboard so it's not terrible sturdy to impacts.
Also putting a drop of super glue in when you are putting together the furniture will really make sure it stays tight. Just make sure it doesn't need to be disassembled in order to get it out of the house if you move...
Better yet, wood glue
My husband glues all the joints when he assembles ikea furniture and we’ve never had problems.
That makes sense. I was always surprised by people who say their stuff doesnt' last. Like yeah, it's particle board and not real planks of wood but its miles above any other particle board furniture I've seen.
I bought 2 sets of ikea's most basic bookshelves for $20 each 5 years ago. Moved them FOUR TIMES over long distances. Stored probably hundreds of pounds of textbooks on them. Spilled water on them. They're still in pristine condition. I wish I had bought like 8 sets, they no longer even make the model i had
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I think a large reason is that many associate low price with bad quality. What they fail to understand is that IKEA’s simply leveraging economies of scale
I’m also learning from these comments that apparently people regularly disassemble them when moving… which… I’ve never heard of before but definitely will age them faster
Yep. Doing that seems to be uncommon here in Europe. At least in my country. Usually the home you buy is already furnished or you furnish it with new stuff. Lugging along old stuff is kind of unusual as far as I know. People move a lot less here too.
Their high chair isn’t BIFL in the sense that it will last you your whole life, but it’s absolutely BIFL in the sense that it will last you through the infancies of even a large number of kids. It’s like $20 and it’s better than many a $300+ high chair that I’ve seen out there - it has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
agreed. also their toddler chairs
The number of people I know who bought much more expensive for the first kid, then said they wish they’d just done IKEA all along is…high.
I have a set of BILLI entertainment center bookshelves that I got 15 years ago and will probably outlive me. But I also have some Ingolf dining chairs that are absolute garbage; they need repairing constantly. The Ikea kids wooden trains and stuffed animals are extremely well made. And the folding tunnel is nigh-indestrucible.
I've had plenty of things from IKEA for 10+ years. Sofa , some bookcases, my luggage, some bunk beds. Plenty more for less than 10 years that doesn't show signs of falling apart any time soon. Despite the reputation a lot of the stuff they have is pretty good as long as you avoid the very cheapest stuff.
Have you ever moved with it? This is what kills it.
Multiple times
I have an Expedit (the forerunner to Kallax) that I’ve moved at least ten times over the last 15 years and it’s still kicking!
damn who are you running from
Gotta stay one step ahead of the military. They can’t make you PCS if you’re already gone…
Moved 4 times with my Besta cabinets and multiple Billy bookshelves with doors, that we bought 12 years ago and they all still look new. Hired professional movers every time though, maybe that’s the difference? They use moving blankets and carefully wrapped everything to protect them… I’ve also bought new ones to match and was pleasantly surprised they are exactly the same well made today as they were 12 years ago (the shade of white even match the old ones!) only the plugs that hold the shelves up changed sizes which is a non issue.
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They do have some solid wood stuff that is BIFL! The particle board can also last a surprisingly long time if you don’t need to move it.
Or if you're careful when you do!! I have particleboard stuff from IKEA that's lasted through 6 moves.
The Poang chair is near invincible, it's got a carry weight of almost 400 pounds. The cushion can be replaced if you ever damage it, and they actually got better over time. Now they offer memory foam and leather ones.
I love Poang so hard. My whole life has been one long Poang.
I have two and one is almost 30 years old.
I just bought one a couple years ago during covid, and the footrest was out of stock and now I'm out of money. I wanted a chair for my office but never thought it would be this comfortable and that everyone would be in it all the time. Even the dog likes to jump up there.
25+ years old, I bought an 8” ponytail palm at IKEA. Today, it’s 8 feet, plus! When it outgrows this house (which it will), I’ll have to donate it to an entity that can house it!
This reminds me that I have a plant from IKEA on my kitchen windowsill that’s 18 years old. A friend bought it for us as a moving gift. No idea what it is, repotted it maybe once, watered it erratically over the years and it’s literally the oldest plant I own (an I really wouldn’t consider myself to have any sort of green thumb). I like to think there’s something symbolic in it surviving this long but could just be a hardy plant! 🤣
I bought a pony tail palm from IKEA 15 years ago and it’s hardly taller than the day I bought it. lol it’s still alive though!
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I have two cheese graters that my parents bought from IKEA in 1999 and 2003. They’re basically elliptical plastic bowls with non-slip bases and stainless grater lids. They aren’t the sharpest graters out there, but the design is clever and they’ve stood up to decades of use.
I had a friend who was an interior designer. She would recommend Ikea kitchens and especially the dishwashers to all but her poshest clients. She said the dishwashers are the only ones she’s never had problems with, no breakdowns or burst valves. And the kitchen hardware is high quality and made in Austria, just as good as high-end hinges from anywhere else. Edit: sounds like the appliances might be a crapshoot. Some commenters here had nothing but problems.
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My husband has been accumulating IVAR shelves for 20 years. It's a solid wood modular shelving system and the pieces have held up well across multiple moves. We've stained and varnished them.
My parents have an IVAR heavily loaded with books since 1986. It was also the only bookshelf they could fit in this awkward space. Knee high under the roof then rising to seven feet. There are tons of options to combine and for my place I simply cut stuff to make it fit. I left one of mine with the new tenants because when I was done it fit so perfectly they were in awe and bought it from me. Also great for uneven floors like in a cellar. You just sand down the legs to fit.
Ivar's also one of the lines where they realized they fucked up with "cost optimizing" and reverted from plastic back to metal connectors.
Poang Chairs
Yep. That slight wobble that you feel when you first use one is the same slight wobble you will have ten years later. Edit: I was not trying to put them down--I love those chairs. They hold up better than you would predict.
Just because you didn’t build it right… Jokes aside, peoples’ inability to follow basic instructions is mostly what gives IKEA a reputation for low quality. They definitely have some stuff that *is* low quality, but for the most part if you follow the instructions and don’t over/under tighten shit it will hold up.
Pokal - probably the only drinking glass in the world that could be considered BIFL. Tempered glass that can be used for both hot or cold drinks and if you somehow accidentally break one they are shatterproof. Norden table and Hemnes daybed are both fantastic and robust. Both are great for a teenager moving into their first apartment.
We got a Norden table 20 years ago and the only reason we don't have it still is because my mother in law claimed it when we left it with her during a move and we bought a new one.
The quality of furniture accross the boars has decreased so much that anything from IKEA will be many times better than anything from Wayfair or Overstock. Any of their solid wood items have been BIFL for me (many 20 years and going)!
Kitchen timer seven years and counting (literally)
Wooden hangers.
The meatballs. You buy it for the rest of your life.
This comment can be taken multiple ways
We bought a crib from them in 1999. It lasted through two more sons and is now in the attic waiting for grandchildren.
I’ve had their bevara bag clips since the beginning of time and I don’t think I’ve ever broken one.
IKEA 365+ Knives are an incredibly underrated line. They take a good edge and hold them for long. They are quite affordable and they look close enough to Globals that the average guest won’t know the difference. Probably the best beater knife in the game outside of the Babish Knives which are to your door in a day or so. Better edge geometry than a Victorinox and the steel isn’t as soft. As always though, the “Granton” edge doesn’t do anything.
Shoehorn
I’ve had a kallax 2x4 cube shelf for 13 years and counting, it’s moved a handful of times now. It was my middle school bedroom bookshelf, and now that I’m married it’s my adult coffee bar and liquor shelf. I also have some Billy Shelves that are 3 years old now and have absolutely no signs of wear, when every other bookshelf I’ve ever had prior has started sagging in the middle by now, so I’m taking that as a good sign. Also, the cups, plates, bowls, Tupperware’s, and most pots and pans, are pretty solid. My parents have had a lot of them for like 16+ years, and my husband and I have some mugs and glass bowls which are very sturdy.
I have a solid wood kitchen table my parents bought in 1989/90 that was our table my entire childhood and then gave to my wife and I when we bought our house. I had to build/make new seat pans/cushions for the chairs, I also customized them a little. I don’t think they sell that table anymore. I has two leafs and slides open to be larger. I’ll take pics later
I bet that’s the table I’ve been looking for. Their new expandable tables just aren’t the same quality.
I have a kivik sofa going strong since 2016
We have two-- 2012 vintage --and I sit/lay on one of them every day just about. They've held up surprisingly well.
The Terry cloth kitchen towels are as bifl as such a thing can be. Dunno how many years of constant use mine have been through. Only sign of wear is the stains from not caring to wash them properly or be vigilant about what they're used for. Clean/dry wet things quickly. Insulate against hot stuff. Dry quick. 🤷♂️ Forget microfiber. That's a scam. Terry cloth. Even the hanging things are intact. No loose threads. Idk. They just work. Hopefully in five years or whenever they start to actually fall apart IKEA will still be making them.
Since 1994, IVAR shelving and a Poang Chair. I have gotten replacement cushions however.
Cool thing about ikea is that much of their stuff can resale for close to the purchase price also.
Garlic press, Koncis I think is the name
Really depends on your life.
You mean how many kids/drunk roommates you have.
I was more thinking how often you move, but yeah there are a lot of variables.
So many things! I don’t know why people hate on IKEA so much.
I buy a lot of their solid pine furniture and have only ever replaced knobs. The oldest pieces I own are from my first ever college apartment in 2014 (dresser/nightstand, dining chairs, small dining table, and white metal bed frame) and have held up perfectly over 9+ years of continuous usage. The only thing I’ve bought from IKEA that didn’t hold up as well as I liked is a plate set that is showing a lot of scratches after 4+ years.
they have these amazing $2 grey plastic kitchen lunch trays that are phenomenal. bought 10 recently. seem pretty strong and sturdy so far. bifl more prob like 20 years.
IKEA 360 cookware and the Kallax shelves.
I still have 2 of their Jerker desks with the slide out leaves. Sadly discontinued.
The key to Ikea things is to assemble them once. Correctly. And never take them apart again.
I’ve had an IKEA sectional sofa for well over 10 years and I love it. I also have a dresser that I have had for over 20 years. I got it in college. It shouldn’t have lasted anywhere near this long. It’s been moved cross country three times and the assembly job my 21 year old self did is still standing. It’s a chartreuse nightmare and I refuse to get rid of it. I love it.
Poang chair with the leather cushions. Those things are comfortable, light, portable, and indestructible. Get the footstool too.
Kitchen knives. 8” Chef, etc. They aren’t Henkel but for the $…..good value.
I’ve got the single red metal cabinets that can be connected and turned 4 of them into a buffet. A Billy bookcase that’s probably a decade old and then we have a Hemnes dresser (I’m the 3rd owner). I did paint it bc it had some damage and I’ve had to wood glue one drawer back together but it’s holding together better than anything we bought at Ashley furniture. Edit: spelling
Also: our daybed/couch has lasted us 10 years so far and we have KALLAX and BILLY shelves that have lasted us fifteen years so far with no trouble.
Their pour over coffee makers. Some of their glassware can be pretty sturdy too.