Common Items To Avoid Buying At IKEA, According To Our Interior Designer

As an interior designer, a huge part of my job is guiding clients to choose furniture selections that are high in both aesthetics and quality, while still staying on budget, whatever that price point may be. When I'm looking for something with typically good quality that will fit into a lower or moderate budget, or something that's modular, flexible, or packed with unexpected storage, one of my go-to favorite retailers is IKEA. Creating furniture classics since its opening in 1943, IKEA has gained itself quite the loyal following, myself included. However, in over 80 years of furniture manufacturing, it makes sense that not every piece is an iconic IKEA hit. Sure, nearly everyone complains about the hassle of assembling flat pack furniture, but once the piece is built, it's usually smooth sailing from there ... except when it's not.

So I'm here today to do my due diligence and flag several common IKEA items that simply aren't worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Many items made the list because they are a disappointing redesign or replacement product for an IKEA classic with a devoted following. Others had flaws that made them unfit for their intended purpose when actually used in real life. But no matter how they made it here, the fact remains that the reviews, and some of my personal experiences, should serve as a fair warning before you buy. Despite this list, I'm still a diehard IKEA fan, so you know that if I've poo pooed a product, it's for good reason. I'll also admit that perhaps saying "avoid buying these items" is too harsh in many cases. Instead, let me spell out some major caveats for these IKEA products so you know exactly what you're up against if you decide to go for it.

The UPPLAND sofa was designed as IKEA's roll arm, slipcovered alternative to the discontinued, beloved EKTORP. While visually the two look similar, reviewers have come out en masse to lament that these two sofas are indeed not created equal. One of the biggest complaints is how uncomfortable the UPPLAND sofa is, with many saying the cushions are extremely firm and don't even soften after years of use, just leaving ugly indents of where people have sat. Those who bought the chaise version also disliked how much higher the chaise cushion was than the seating area, which looked and felt off. Many felt duped by the UPPLAND, claiming the comfortable IKEA floor model didn't match the reality – not only was the seat so much harder and uncomfortable, but the frame was higher off the ground, so much so that their feet didn't touch the ground!

There were additional issues flagged by reviewers about both the material and the fit of the UPPLAND's slipcover. Many disliked that the slipcover was too tight for the large, firm cushions, making it nearly impossible to get it on right. Since the cover doesn't fit well, complaints that this made the sofa look sloppy were abundant. On top of that, others said the impossibly tight fit meant ripped fabric and broken zippers, long before the slip cover should've worn out. And if the slip cover DID manage to make it back on the cushions in one piece, so many had issues with piling, snags, and impossible-to-remove wrinkles, among other wear and tear issues.

Since the last thing you want when you invest in a new sofa is one that's disheveled, uncomfortable, and immediately showing wear, I'd say the UPPLAND is one IKEA sofa to skip.

The next item has been an IKEA classic for decades, one I've personally purchased many times. The endlessly-customizable PAX wardrobe cabinet changed the game for DIYers looking for a more affordable custom closet. However, in 2024 IKEA modified the frame design in an attempt to make it easier to assemble in spaces with lower ceilings. I recently added the new frame style to our existing PAX mudroom setup and can understand what all of the negative feedback is about, which is deceptively mixed in with the rave reviews for the old version on IKEA's website for an inflated rating. 

The main criticism about the new PAX design is assembly-related. While the boxes came together reasonably easily, the hanging method made it nearly impossible to adjust the frames to be square, level, gap-free, and in-line with each other. The redesigned frame also features a pre-glued one-piece back meant to save time with no nails required, though I can vouch for the comments grumbling that this makes the main frame piece both exceptionally heavy and infuriatingly delicate. I managed to accidentally separate the back and side panels just trying to gingerly get everything out of the box. The all-in-one design also makes life challenging for those trying to assemble on an upper floor, requiring two people to heave it up the stairs rather than go piece by piece. Additionally, reviewers commented the thinner panels, frame design, and plastic hardware made for a much flimsier end product.

So while the redesigned frame may be the only option for those expanding an existing PAX setup (in which case you just have to power through and hope for the best), if you're starting from scratch, it might be worth investigating other options.

Another item I can speak to from experience, I owned the IKEA BRIMNES storage bed for several years in an apartment that desperately needed more storage. Once together, the bed looked great, but the lengthy assembly process and major support issues that resulted are enough for me to wave the caution flag. Let's start with the build. I can attest to the common gripe that assembling the BRIMNES bed was an unexpectedly massive undertaking. This alone wouldn't be a deterrent for recommending it, but the real issues came with the way the bed held together ... or didn't.

The major problem is that the bed frame is slightly too wide for the slats, meaning if you climb into bed the wrong way or roll over in your sleep too quickly, the slats fall off the side support and your mattress, with you on it, is rolling into the drawers below. The number of times I had to climb out of the collapsed slats in the middle of the night is truly embarrassing, and by the sounds of the online reviews, I'm far from the only one. To make matters worse, the brackets meant to keep the bed square and avoid the slat issue are attached with small screws into particle board, meaning they crumbled the flimsy material in no time, further weakening the structure and exacerbating the problem. Finally, while the large storage drawers could fit a ton, many reviewers disliked that you can't use traditional nightstands and still access the two rear drawers (I used a floating nightstand workaround).

So while the storage provided by the BRIMNES bed might be a necessary evil, the frame's lack of stability is a constant headache and is simply incapable of extended daily use.

In yet another lackluster attempt at creating a replacement for an IKEA classic, the STORKLINTA dresser has been touted as a mediocre alternative for the MALM dresser, which was understandably discontinued after a series of recalls related to several child deaths. To avoid the issues that made the MALM a safety hazard, the STORKLINTA was designed in a similar aesthetic but with notable changes.

Where the IKEA MALM had large drawers that could fit a lot (I can vouch for this, as I had one in the aforementioned small apartment that needed as all possible storage), the equivalent STORKLINTA drawers each shrank by about four inches in width and an inch or two in depth, depending on the model. Many were bummed at the huge loss of storage space and overall sizing changes. Aside from the smaller scale, others complained that assembly was a bear, with unlabeled, mis-drilled parts that left people struggling, and often resulted in poorly aligned drawers with gaps. Many also commented that nearly all of the fasteners were plastic and made the piece feel flimsy in comparison to the solid MALM metal hardware.

Another thing that many found irritating was the new safety feature that IKEA calls Anchor and Unlock, where the interior mechanism only allows one drawer to be opened at a time, locking the others, so the piece doesn't become front-heavy and tip. However, anchoring the dresser to the wall disengages the safety precaution and allows free access to all drawers. Reviewers that were either surprised by this requirement and/or didn't intend on anchoring (renters or people with no pets or small children) say they felt stuck with a dresser that drove them crazy and no workaround to avoid it.

The last on my list, a long-time cult favorite, has many great reviews, but it seems IKEA has once again gone and fixed what ain't broke, changing both the hanging style and material of the once-beloved LENDA curtains. Fair warning before we dive in: I'm really picky about drapes. However, I can also certainly appreciate a great deal when it's out there, and considering these are only $34.99 for the 98-inch long pair, it's worth discussing how to make the LENDA's actually work.

Many reviewers were disappointed to see that not only did IKEA switch the LENDA tab tops to a hanging tape header, but they also changed the once airy off-white material to more of a tan shade. So if you're hoping to match older LENDA drapes with an additional set, they'll no longer match in style or color. In addition, reviewers also point to many issues with sizing, both out of the packaging and after a wash. Many people were frustrated that the quality control on these drapes was lackluster, with unwashed panels varying in overall length by multiple inches and some with uneven hems. Others say that when they washed the curtains according to the care instructions, the panels shrunk much further than the stated maximum of 4% (i.e. 4-5 inches, depending on which length you buy), some allegedly as much as 8-12 inches. That's a MASSIVE swing when it comes to drapery, and high water drapes are one of my biggest pet peeves. However, the workaround here is to buy the next size up if possible and wash to pre-shrink them to a workable size, hemming as needed. And then don't plan on washing them much after that in case of additional shrinkage!