Anonymous wrote:I think what Ikea has going for it is predictable quality. If you're buying their cheapest items, it will serve you well until you need to move. Generally, they stuff will start to crack in the first move, and totally collapse in the second - but that's predictable and you know what you're buying.
Their mid-market items are really sturdy though and you're getting more value for your money. A few years ago, I bought a couch from a popular furniture wear house in the neighborhood. It was much more expensive than Ikea's cheap line, but it broke within a few months. I've since seen the same couch in a couple other homes - also broken in exactly the same way. We replaced it with an Ikea couch, priced about the same, but it is of solid quality. I feel confident that when I'm buying from Ikea, spending more means getting more. That's not always true with other stores - they'll mark a product up regardless of its durability, quality of materials, etc.
Agree with this. Their cheapest stuff will inevitably fall apart, their more expensive lines can actually last a good while. We've had good luck with their dressers making it through multiple moves.