I'm a pro cabinetmaker. It pains me. Really, really pains me to say this. But I will, because I believe in honesty (and you're not getting a quote from me...) IKEA cabinets are decent, with caveats. As for build quality, unless you're going either high end or custom spec, they're on par with the majority of other things put there that cost a lot more. IKEA has been in the engineered board game for a very long time and it shows. Their business model is one of efficient manufacturing by limiting variances. Limited colours and finishes, limited layouts and options mean they can focus on making a better product, rather than a huge range. They go with what works and stick with it. The hardware is really, really good for the price point. I'll even admit that I've used IKEA hardware in some of my builds (not a full kitchen, but some furniture) when my supplier didn't have what I needed. They also supply parts, often for free. Keep the manual and if you blow a hinge or drawer slide, customer service can likely give you a replacement on the spot. My supplier will put me through hell for warranty, IKEA has thrown me a bag of parts and said "There's probably triple what you need, but hang on to them if you need them". Probably the biggest endorsement I can give is to say that if I was doing my own kitchen and didn't want to make my stuff, it would be my first choice. The quality has improved greatly over the last couple of decades, to the point that I think it has surpassed most of the other "ready built" manufacturers. Most of the people will compare it to either full wood or custom spec cabinets ($$$$$), where that isn't their market. They make stuff for the average person who wants nice on a budget. There are a lot of overseas "wholesale outlets" out there selling solid wood for cheap...but the wood is iffy quality and prone to warping and shifting when transported, the hardware is awful and the finishes are horribly toxic. I would never, ever buy something like that from an overseas seller. Too many risks and not nearly enough quality control. Answer from Zenmedic on reddit.com
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Fifi McGee
fifimcgee.co.uk › blog › the-ultimate-ikea-kitchen-review
Ultimate IKEA Kitchen Review: Is the hassle worth it? | Fifi McGee
August 13, 2024 - Saying that, I’m sure the solid wood options would hold up a lot better, and I’m even considering replacing the shaker-style drawer fronts we had custom-fitted in 2015 with IKEA’s FRÖJERED fronts for an easy kitchen glow-up. Internally, the fittings leave much to be desired. The HÅLLBAR waste sorting system is really flimsy, coming apart every time you open the drawer in both of our kitchens. The Benchmarx one we had fitted into a door in a previous property was perfect, even ten years on. Fi & Neil’s Howdens kitchen is virtually the same as when they bought it too (See their Howden’s Kitchen Review)
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Emily Henderson
stylebyemilyhenderson.com › ikea-kitchen-cabinetry-review-4-years-later
How Well Do IKEA Kitchen Cabinets Actually Hold Up? A Very Honest Review 4 Years Later - Emily Henderson
February 22, 2023 - The IKEA kitchen in my home was installed just before I purchased it in 2009 so it’s been 14 years now. I’m an avid cook and everything still looks and functions fine. I’d love to reface them because the Shaker-style door fronts clash with the rest of the mid-century modern home but I haven’t been able to justify the waste since they’re so darned sturdy! ... I don’t feel this review is very fair at all.
Discussions

Ikea kitchens
Does anyone know anything about the veddinge range? I had decided on it but just read some iffy reviews today that have me a bit worried. ... I have an Ikea kitchen which was fitted in November. I planned it myself- I found the online planner really poor unless we were in store though. More on mumsnet.com
🌐 mumsnet.com
May 2, 2018
IKEA kitchens: photos, reviews, and pros and cons
Could I please see everyone’s IKEA kitchens. Trying to decide if we try and save the $$ by going IKEA instead of cabinet maker. For those with IKEA, are you More on decembearduk.org
🌐 decembearduk.org
January 19, 2024
Ikea kitchens, any good?
Hi, considering getting an IKEA kitchen, but with their appliances it's quite expensive. Would ovens/hobs from curry's fit? More on forums.moneysavingexpert.com
🌐 forums.moneysavingexpert.com
March 19, 2023
IKEA kitchens - all particle board?
I work in the commercial construction field, and I've seen a lot of cabinets. The differences between IKEA cabinets and custom cabinets are very minor, and most of them are in the finishes, not the construction of the cabinets. Custom cabinets are made from MDF and particleboard with a finish veneer, just like IKEA. The biggest difference will be in the cabinet thickness. All Akurum and SEKTION cabinets are 3/4" thick, most custom cabinets are 3/4" thick, whereas Home Depot and Lowe's off the shelf cabinets are 1/2" thick. I installed a SEKTION kitchen in my mom's house this past week. I was skeptical of the quality beforehand, but I was blown away by the engineering that has gone into the design of the cabinets. Assembling them is very slick and made me feel like I was putting LEGO sets together. Everything from drawer glides to hinges is high quality (I took a hinge into Lowe's to discuss it with their cabinet maker and he was blown away by the design. They use a tension design instead of screws so you can easily swap out doors if you want to upgrade.). In contrast, I installed a Home Depot cabinet kitchen in my dad's rental house last December, and I was thoroughly unimpressed. Parts came damaged or broken, thinner cabinet frames, and lower quality hardware. IKEA was definitely worth the money. Having said this, my only gripe was with the SEKTION suspension rail. The holes for the rail are located at 12" on center. Almost zero houses were designed with 12" on center studs. You will be drilling holes in the rail to install. It's not a big hassle, but it seems odd to use a 12" spacing pattern. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/IKEA
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March 2, 2015
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/diy › what’s everyone’s opinions on ikea cabinetry?
r/DIY on Reddit: What’s everyone’s opinions on IKEA cabinetry?
September 9, 2023 -

I’ve seen several posts on here of people replacing kitchen and closet cabinets with IKEA stuff and it always seems like the first few comments are “IKEA stuff is junk that will break right away” and “IKEA is great for the money and mine has lasted a long time”. What has your experience been?

Top answer
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783
I'm a pro cabinetmaker. It pains me. Really, really pains me to say this. But I will, because I believe in honesty (and you're not getting a quote from me...) IKEA cabinets are decent, with caveats. As for build quality, unless you're going either high end or custom spec, they're on par with the majority of other things put there that cost a lot more. IKEA has been in the engineered board game for a very long time and it shows. Their business model is one of efficient manufacturing by limiting variances. Limited colours and finishes, limited layouts and options mean they can focus on making a better product, rather than a huge range. They go with what works and stick with it. The hardware is really, really good for the price point. I'll even admit that I've used IKEA hardware in some of my builds (not a full kitchen, but some furniture) when my supplier didn't have what I needed. They also supply parts, often for free. Keep the manual and if you blow a hinge or drawer slide, customer service can likely give you a replacement on the spot. My supplier will put me through hell for warranty, IKEA has thrown me a bag of parts and said "There's probably triple what you need, but hang on to them if you need them". Probably the biggest endorsement I can give is to say that if I was doing my own kitchen and didn't want to make my stuff, it would be my first choice. The quality has improved greatly over the last couple of decades, to the point that I think it has surpassed most of the other "ready built" manufacturers. Most of the people will compare it to either full wood or custom spec cabinets ($$$$$), where that isn't their market. They make stuff for the average person who wants nice on a budget. There are a lot of overseas "wholesale outlets" out there selling solid wood for cheap...but the wood is iffy quality and prone to warping and shifting when transported, the hardware is awful and the finishes are horribly toxic. I would never, ever buy something like that from an overseas seller. Too many risks and not nearly enough quality control.
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Sorry for harsh lighting - but I LOVE my IKEA cabinets. Six years old and going strong. We get tons of compliments and “that’s IKEA?!?” Comments.
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The Happy Housie
thehappyhousie.com › an-honest-in-depth-review-of-our-ikea-kitchen
An Honest In-Depth Review of Our Ikea Kitchen | The Happy Housie
October 13, 2020 - The ability to customize an Ikea ... of our Ikea kitchen is that we were able to create a functional, elegant, fresh update to our home for a fraction of the cost of a custom kitchen installation....
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Hydrangea Treehouse
hydrangeatreehouse.com › ikea-kitchen-honest-review
IKEA Kitchen Cabinets Review | Honest Review After 2 years - Hydrangea Treehouse
January 1, 2025 - For us, the trickiest part of our Ikea kitchen remodel was to keep all lower cabinets top leveled, as it is an essential for adding stone countertop later on. We ended up having our contractor send a guy to help us adjust the cabinets to make sure the top is ready for our quartz countertop, hence we had spent some extra money there. Stay on top of every detail & beat overwhelm with the Home Renovation Tracker! ... So those are all of my honest reviews on IKEA kitchen cabinets.
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Josie Michelle Davis
josiemichelledavis.com › home › 2022 › january › 17 › 2022 honest ikea kitchen review and process break down
2022 Honest Ikea Kitchen Review and Process Break Down - Josie Michelle Davis
June 22, 2023 - When I was a teen my parents renovated a house and went with Ikea cabinets to keep costs low. With 4 teenagers in the house heavily using the kitchen I saw first hand that they could withstand a beating. They still looked brand new when they sold the house. My mom was so impressed that she went with an Ikea kitchen again in their next house.
Find elsewhere
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Forrester Home
forresterhome.com › ikea sektion kitchen review | 1 year later
IKEA SEKTION Kitchen Review | 1 Year Later - Forrester Home
March 5, 2018 - The SEKTION’s modular system allows you to be creative when customizing your kitchen. This system maximizes the interior spaces of your cabinets and drawers, which is very unique when it comes to ready-to-assemble cabinets. ... Cabinet organizational systems can sky rocket a bill in no time with most companies, but IKEA offers incredible storage solutions at a fraction of the cost.
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Houzz
houzz.com › discussions › 6417863 › ikea-cabinets-quality-longevity
IKEA cabinets quality & longevity
December 19, 2023 - I am looking at putting a few IKEA kitchen cabinets in our guest bath/mudroom to serve as a pantry and seasonal storage, but my husband is concerned about their overall quality and how long they will last. The room’s dimensions are a bit awkward which makes using standard cabinets impossible.
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Mumsnet
mumsnet.com › home › talk › property/diy
Ikea kitchens | Mumsnet
May 2, 2018 - Ikea use their own system and it ... makes of waste plumbing is a breeze. In summary they are a good quality kitchen for the price if your kitchen lends itself to the design....
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Quora
quora.com › Are-IKEA-kitchens-of-good-quality
Are IKEA kitchens of good quality? - Quora
Answer (1 of 10): It’s good enough. Cabinets hang on walls and will not move with you when or if you decide to leave your home. So they don’t need to be ultra strong (which their furniture is definitely not) and durable to survive being jostled around. The boxes don’t really need to be that stro...
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DB-UK Community
decembearduk.org › board index › lifestyle & living › architecture
IKEA kitchens: photos, reviews, and pros and cons - DB-UK Community
January 19, 2024 - I’ve got a big IKEA kitchen and it’s fab. Only 18mths old but zero issues. I put it in myself with some help with getting the big cabinets on the wall and drilling into concrete for the island. Cost was 10k plus stone for a big L shape and big island. I don’t think it looks cheap at all.
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THE HOMESTUD
thehomestud.com › ikea kitchen review: pros, cons, and overall quality
IKEA Kitchen review: Pros, cons, and overall quality - THE HOMESTUD The Homestud
January 25, 2021 - The complete scoop and review of the IKEA kitchen SEKTION cabinet system, including cabinetry construction, in-store ordering, installation, and durability.
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NYTimes
nytimes.com › kitchen › dining and entertaining › how to buy a kitchen from ikea—and when to look elsewhere
How to Buy an IKEA Kitchen | Reviews by Wirecutter
October 14, 2019 - The right pro can help you work through the inevitable obstacles so that your kitchen comes out looking (and functioning) as you’d planned. If you decide to go with a contractor, you could choose one yourself or try Traemand, IKEA’s preferred contractor. Traemand is a national company, and going by the Yelp reviews, its reputation varies by location.
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Abby Organizes
justagirlandherblog.com › home › decorating › my honest review of our ikea kitchen
My Honest Review of Our IKEA Kitchen | Abby Organizes
June 21, 2022 - Get my honest IKEA kitchen review! We installed IKEA SEKTION cabinets we installed in our townhouse a few years ago-- see what we thought!
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Houzz
houzz.com › discussions › 5150943 › am-i-crazy-for-considering-ikea-cabinet
Am I crazy for considering ikea cabinet???
February 22, 2018 - I use IKEA on almost every kitchen project of mine, and my clients are always delighted with the results.
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MoneySavingExpert
forums.moneysavingexpert.com › in my home (includes diy) moneysaving
Ikea kitchens, any good? — MoneySavingExpert Forum
March 19, 2023 - IKEA kitchens are fine and good quality for the price. They don’t have a service gap so cupboards are deeper. If you have services running behind and don’t want to relocate them, you can get a wider counter top from ikea custom made to just ...
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Stacy's Savings
stacyssavings.com › home › ikea kitchen cabinets review – 2 years later
IKEA Kitchen Cabinets Review - 2 Years Later
January 24, 2023 - So that’s my review of our IKEA kitchen cabinets 2 years later. Would I do an IKEA kitchen again? Absolutely! 100%! Our neighborhood is mostly semi-custom homes and our neighbors thought we were crazy for putting IKEA cabinets in our kitchen. But do you think this looks like an IKEA kitchen?
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Quora
quora.com › What-do-you-think-of-your-new-IKEA-kitchen
What do you think of your new IKEA kitchen? - Quora
But I’ll put in my 2 cents. I generally like it. It’s easy to clean and with insurance money for a flooded kitchen, and $10,000 we were totally able to update our 1970’s kitchen.