Hello! Amanda Holstein is here to give you an update on the condition of my IKEA Kitchen Cabinets since my last post back in 2020. As you may remember, I am an interior designer in Mill Valley, California. Five years ago, my husband and myself began renovating our home. We chose IKEA because we were on a budget and expected to live there for at least 5-7 years. Although the process was a little bit stressful, we were happy with how the kitchen turned out and functioned at the end.

We’ve been using our kitchen for 5 years, and that includes a pandemic around the world. Here are some of the things we’ve learned:

THE GOOD NEWS

No one can tell they are from Ikea

IKEA cabinets have been praised by friends, family and guests for their beautiful appearance. They are often surprised to learn that they are IKEA. The doors are lighter and less dense than real wood, so a more discerning person, such as a designer, can tell that the material is cheaper. In general, however, I would say that they look great and make our kitchen look more elegant.

We love our layout

IKEA’s 3D kitchen planner has been a great tool for us to lay out our cabinets. It’s very functional and suited our lifestyle. We are happy with our pantry and garbage-pullout, and would not change anything. IKEA’s 3 hours of deciding every detail (and eating 3 hotdogs) paid off.

They’ve been easy to clean

The ease of cleaning the doors was something I didn’t expect. The doors have a smooth surface that is easy to clean.

THE BAD NEWS

CERTAIN DOORS AND DRAWERS ARE MISALIGNED

Many of the doors are slightly out of alignment, and they feel flimsy. For example, our trash pull-out gets a lot used and feels unstable. It is easy to shake from side-to-side. You can clearly see that our upper cabinets have also been misaligned in the photo above.

There is some chipping paint

Some doors are misaligned or loose and rub against each other. This causes the paint to peel off in some areas.

They probably can’t handle children

They are not durable enough to be used regularly with children. I don’t think the drawers would be able to withstand the weight of a child pulling on them, or the doors with teens slamming the door.

The customer service is very difficult.

IKEA customer service can be a real pain. You shouldn’t try to replace a broken or missing piece. We had so many problems that we gave up. One of our drawers now has a missing side.

DO THE SAVINGS MAKE THEM WORTH IT?

Yes, for us they were. We definitely do not regret choosing IKEA cabinets. Our cabinetry and appliances totaled about $6,500. We had to renovate a house of 1800 square feet on a very tight budget. I would say that saving money by buying lower-quality cabinets allowed us to stretch our budget across more space. They are not expected to last forever, and there are no kids to add to their wear and tear. So they still look good and work as we need.

MY FINAL RECOMMENDATION

They are worth it if you plan to use them for a short time, without kids, or if you want to do a temporary renovation, cheap flip, on a tight budget. After a few renovations, I am more likely to recommend Granite Expo, which is slightly higher priced and of much higher quality than IKEA. However, it’s still not as expensive as custom-made cabinets. This kitchen was built with cabinetry that cost $6500. I’d guess Granite Expo would be only two thousand dollars more.

Here is a fun before and after picture so you can see what the kitchen looked like before the renovation.

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