Why Is IKEA...

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HenryHill

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The SCHIT, and no other stores can find nice, cool, quality stuff at a decent price?

I've never been; She has to go downstate to get to one, but the stuff I see her get is awesome and cheap. WTF is up with that?
 
Ikea has crap stuff. It's well-designed(from a visual standpoint), providing you're into "modern" design, but the build quality is junk. The vast majority of their stuff is made of MDF, and not built to last.

When outfitting our house with furniture, it's the last place I'd go to buy things that I expect to keep for any duration of time. Some of their storage and lighting stuff is ok (things you don't touch) but after owning a dresser from there, and moving people who have ikea stuff, I'd never buy a sofa/bed/dresser/desk, etc from them again. When buying things that are cheap, expect low quality materials. I did get a candle holder that I like from them though.
 
Because they fail to notify consumers regarding faulty outdoor candles thus saving themselves billions in recall costs.


That until they get caught and have to pay the $500,000 fine plus eat the recall costs.

Ohhh and they sell that novelty swiss beer stuff too.
 
I did get a candle holder that I like from them though.

If it's the brass one with the colorful enamel design in the base, do NOT run it through the dishwasher! Mine came out nice and clean, but minus the colorful enamel design.

I agree, it's a store full of "modern" looking, cheap junk. I've bought a handful of things there, nothing has lasted more than a few years.
 
If it's the brass one with the colorful enamel design in the base, do NOT run it through the dishwasher! Mine came out nice and clean, but minus the colorful enamel design.

I agree, it's a store full of "modern" looking, cheap junk. I've bought a handful of things there, nothing has lasted more than a few years.

hahhaha, no. It's wood that's stained black that has 7-9 metal inserts that hold tea lights.
 
Sorry, but I have to disagree. Yes, some of their stuff is crap, but a lot of it is well made. We have quite a bit of IKEA furniture in our house and it has all held up very well. Yes, it's not fine hardwood furniture, but it's far from complete crap.

- Chair, 5+ years old still looks new (not the cushion, but that's our cat's fault)
- Bed / nightstands, nearly a year old and good as new
- Cabinet with upper glass doors that we store our glassware in and our booze behind the lower doors. 3 years old, still looks new.
- Buffet table, nearly a year old and looks new
- Large bookcase, nearly a year old and looks new
- Curio cabinet, 5+ years old and looks new

Yeah, I could go on, but you get the idea...
 
As common as they are around here, I've never been in an IKEA. I think SWMBO has been before, but unless there is beer or something beer related, I pretty much hate all stores.
 
As everyone else has said IKEA is synonymous with crap, sure it looks cool but it wont last long at all. Furniture should not be made of MDF.
 
Honestly I went out of my way to get my current desk at Ikea, granted it isnt the greatest piece of workmanship out there, the top chips fairly easily, but it was the only design that I could find that would work for me.

I guess I'd say Ikea has its place, but should not be intended to furnish your entire room/house/kitchen/etc. as many people believe
 
Incidentally, the whole company is legally set up weird: In the U.S. (and maybe elsewhere), the stores aren't Ikea's legally, they just "lease" the trademark from some entity, which, in turn, isn't the real Ikea... it goes on and on.

At some point in the chain, there is a non-profit (no tax!) with lofty goals of supporting design endeavours by issuing grants or such, except they never get given to anyone..!

See the wikipedia article, it is a rats' nest set up by crafty lawyers, to evade taxes, I guess.
 
They do sell some nice, well made stuff. But, if you calculate in the time it takes to put that stuff together it is about as much as other stores. On the other hand, if you have nothing else to do (like me) then it is a good deal.
 
You have to really examine what you are buying. Our floors are Ikea. Thousands of people walk over there floors every weekend and they hold up well. Our has survived with very few marks for 2 years now- with 3 labs and a super active 3 year old. Our cainets are the same- still holding up great. There were a couple of gadgets we wanted for the cabinets that were junk and we skipped them.

Ikea isn't for everyone and it's not forever. Our next house hopefully will be upgraded to better things. For now, it suits us well.
 
Now I don't want to ever go.

Yeah, She says how great the place is, but the stuff She has bought has been really nice heavy drinking glasses for cheap, 4 panels of a curvy mirror that I mounted on the living room wall with an inch of space between so you get a mirror effect that is not so pronounced, and some kitchen gadget stuff.

From what is said here, it sounds like an under-performing Walmart.
 
IKEA is kinda illegal in Ireland. The won't be granted planning permission due to the floor size. Unfortunately they just built in the north and now people just drive up there and we lose lots of revenue...
 
I agree their furniture leaves something to be desired, but I do love their gadgets. Plus I got some really nice simple silverware there for $4 for 16 pieces. That's cheaper than forks and spoons I could buy at Goodwill!

WHY oh WHY do their stores have to be designed as such a labyrinthine maze?
 
IKEA is kinda illegal in Ireland.

Wow, thats kind of a surprise, from what I saw and heard in Europe IKEA is like a religious experience, except the family spends 4 hours there (then another 8 putting the stuff together) about two times a year. Its a huge retail chain that is actually okay for them to visit since its not American based...

Ive also heard that (at this point) 1 out of every 10 Europeans was conceived on an Ikea bed
 
Wait my bad... The first one is now being built in Dublin.

They had been repeatedly refused planning permission for years. Now they seem to have been granted permission (last year) and will be opening sometime 2009.

When the Belfast one opened, bus operators started doing day trips from Dublin accross the border.

I must read up on the situation (seems my info was a year out of date)
 
We have some stuff from them and it's held up very well. The closest one is 6 hours away from us, though I hear they're building one in south Denver.
 
Crappy or not, you gotta love the names they give things. Like the computer desk called the Jerker. That's just awesome.
 
I went into IKEA for the first time yesterday. Cool stuff, but I wouldn't wish IKEA on a holiday to anyone, it was worse than COSTCO during Christmas. I forgot my cell phone and lost my wife for over an hour, figured out how to navigate between departments using the shortcuts, gave myself a hernia loading boxes in the self serve warehouse, and had to walk to the next state to get to the parking lot.

I did get some cool 19oz beer glasses that will be great for wheat beers, and a french press for $13.

Tonight I have to go home and start putting it together. Still though, I won't complain much seeing as how SWMBO was more than generous in allowing me to make some serious brewing purchases out of our tax return.
 
Incidentally, the whole company is legally set up weird: In the U.S. (and maybe elsewhere), the stores aren't Ikea's legally, they just "lease" the trademark from some entity, which, in turn, isn't the real Ikea... it goes on and on.

At some point in the chain, there is a non-profit (no tax!) with lofty goals of supporting design endeavours by issuing grants or such, except they never get given to anyone..!

See the wikipedia article, it is a rats' nest set up by crafty lawyers, to evade taxes, I guess.

The franchising isn't weird per se.

This is child's play compared to keiretsu

Keiretsu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
I love their kitchen stuff. Great gadgets, pots, pans, cutting boards, knives, glasses, etc. I did not let the wife buy the ikea furniture she wanted. It was total crap.
 
Ikea has it's place. No it's not hand made Amish furniture. But thats why you can get a sleep sofa that fits 4 for 6 bucks.
We bought said couch!
We are in our first home and it serves us perfectly. If you are into modern style furniture look elsewhere for solid wood version of the same thing and see how broke you go! You can't compare it to the furniture you see at big sandy or your avergae furniture store. Compare it to the same style. Contempary furniture is REDICULOUS. Also we don't plan on having it for a long time although i have no doubts it will hold up. We as of now, (they built on an hour away a little over a year ago) have a sleeper couch, bed, bookshelf, coffe table, 2 tv stands, 7 shelves, another bookstand and a bathroom stand and all kinds of storage boxes and random things. I like Ikea stuff, my wallet however hates them. But it would be alot worse buying the same stuff at a different store.
 
As common as they are around here, I've never been in an IKEA. I think SWMBO has been before, but unless there is beer or something beer related, I pretty much hate all stores.

I love IKEA, and in a very large part because of ours being beer related. It takes us an hour to drive to IKEA. Luckily there is a BJ's Brewhouse right across the street from it. SWMBO and I will get a nice lunch and some good drinkies, then stumble around IKEA for 3-4 hours with a happy buzz. :drunk: Maybe sit on a couch for a spell and just people watch. Then finish up our adventure with a coffee and cinnamon roll.
 
SWMBO and I will get a nice lunch and some good drinkies, then stumble around IKEA for 3-4 hours with a happy buzz. :drunk:

Just make sure you know where the restrooms are along the Ikea rat-maze!
silly-urinal.gif


I'll admit though, a nice little beer buzz might be just what is called for to make a trip to Ikea tolerable.
 
I really hate furniture or pretty much anything made of pressed wood. I'd rather buy something from a yard sale and refinish it myself and have it forever. I guess some people like to switch out furniture along with style... I just tend to get a room like I like it (Well more like She likes it...) and leave it that way.
 
they have decent throw rugs, picture frames, guest bed stuff, kitchen (BEER) gadgets, ect. I have a $50 blanket from Ikea I've had for 8 years. It's still in good shape.

And the cinnamon rolls rock!

B
 
All the IKEA furniture I got was pine and made in Finland. Obviously pine isn't the greatest wood out there (dents easily), but I rather buy it than spend the same price for particle board made in China.

The only thing I truly disliked other than the crowded store was trying to put that crap together with those wordless directions.
 
They have some decent stuff if you look around and they are nice if you need some furniture on a budget. And the cheap gadgets are always fun.

I can't beleive no one has mentioned the tasty Swedish meatballs that they have when you are leaving.
 
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