Worthy Picks And Cart Regrets

IKEA: home to thousands of furniture pieces that match almost every interior style. A student hunting for a study desk will find one. So will a new mom searching for the perfect high chair. The options seem endless, but is everything worth adding to your cart? Here’s a look at 10 buys worth making and 10 that’ll have you Googling IKEA’s return policy.

1. POÄNG Armchair

With its curved birchwood frame and resilient cushioning, the POÄNG invites your spine to sit back and breathe. You’ll appreciate the ergonomic slope that cradles you without sinking. The secret lies in its built-in suspension, which is flexible yet stable. This is true comfort sculpted into furniture.

2. KALLAX Shelf Unit

Storage becomes stylish when you put your trust in KALLAX. Whether you slot in baskets, bins, or wine bottles, this cube-based system adapts to your habits. The idea is to allow you to curate the shelf to your needs. Its structure holds weight well and always looks intentional in any room.

3. MALM Dresser

This drawer is a modern rite of passage. The MALM dresser, with its seamless glides and sleek silhouette, earns praise for practicality and longevity. Those deep drawers don’t lie; they’ll fit everything perfectly: socks, sweaters, innerwear, and seasonal clutter.

4. RÅSKOG Utility Cart

From bathroom towel caddy to mobile art supply trolley, RÅSKOG rolls into every corner of your home as it belongs. You can’t ignore its mobility with casters that glide smoothly and steel that takes a beating. Add one to your daily routine.

5. SKUBB Storage Boxes

Drawer chaos meets its match in SKUBB. These foldable fabric organizers turn piles into categories. They fit snugly into IKEA’s popular dressers and closets, and their handles make rotation a breeze. Label them, stack them, love them. Clean storage starts here.

6. HEMNES Bed Frame

Sturdy pine construction and traditional lines give the HEMNES bed its enduring character. It looks handcrafted, like something that has been passed down. Yet it’s all IKEA. Pair it with vintage linens, and you’ve got old-world charm with a new-world price.

7. SNIGLAR Crib

Minimalist, safe, and surprisingly durable, the SNIGLAR crib is a budget-friendly hero for new parents. Made from solid beechwood, it avoids unnecessary frills but passes all safety checks. It fits snugly in small nurseries and makes crib-to-toddler-bed transitions smooth for under-slept grownups.

8. VINDRIKTNING Air Quality Sensor

Affordable and effective, VINDRIKTNING quietly monitors your air quality without drowning you in data. With just a simple LED indicator and USB-C power, it tells you when it's time to crack a window or rethink your candle habits. Easy to use and impossible to ignore.

9. LACK Side Table

Light as air but oddly dependable, the LACK table doesn’t pretend to be fancy. And that’s its genius. This piece supports everything from coffee mugs to record players to houseplants without a groan. The only catch is that you shouldn’t don’t step on it, or it’ll break.

10. TRÅDFRI Smart Bulbs

Do you want smart lighting without draining your wallet? TRÅDFRI delivers. It syncs with major voice assistants, lets you control ambiance, and doesn’t cry when paired with third-party tech. Simple to install, satisfying to use. TRÅDFRI is proof that lighting finally caught up to your lifestyle.

Have you ever bought something from IKEA and months later regretted it? Many have, and we don’t want a repeat of that. Since you’ve seen the winners, now let’s explore the other side.

1. Malm Bed Frame With Slatted Base

The MALM bed frame looks elegant at first glance, but hidden beneath are slats that love to shift and creak. Once you sleep on it, the romance fades, and your bank account suffers. Here, stability takes a hit, especially during movement-heavy nights or with heavier mattresses.

2. LINNMON Desk Tabletop

That clean design is pretty to look at, but it hides a hollow interior prone to damage. Even a modest knock could cause edge chipping or top bowing. If you place heavy equipment, you might hear it protest by sagging. A desk should support you, but this one barely supports itself.

3. KNODD Trash Bin

Cute in a rustic way, but a pain in real life. KNODD’s metal lid clanks loudly enough to wake a household, and the handles heat up in sunny kitchens. It looks charming, but functions more like décor with a side of inconvenience.

4. KLIPPAN Sofa

Short in stature and spare in support, KLIPPAN might suit a dorm room, but real living rooms demand more. Its boxy shape looks generic, and the seat depth barely accommodates lounging. Imagine trying to nap with knees bent and an unsupported back.

5. LACK Wall Shelf

No wall-mounting kit saves this from poor performance. It sags under modest weight, leans without warning, and offers aesthetics over its actual shelf-life. Hang a few books or décor pieces? Risk a middle dip that makes everything slide toward doom.

6. FEJKA Artificial Plants

From afar, they promise greenery without maintenance. Up close? They scream plastic. Some look dusty, even straight out of the box. Touch them, and you’ll feel the downgrade. In homes where texture matters, FEJKA becomes décor you’ll explain rather than enjoy.

7. OFTAST Dishware

OFTAST gives elegance for pennies, but the price shows after use. The plates chip alarmingly fast, such that even a gentle tap in the sink can cost a rim. They are also lightweight to a fault, and they lack heft and warmth. Guests notice, and so does your dishwasher.

8. FJÄLLBO TV Stand

9. BLECKA Hook Rack

Looks like it could hold the weight of winter coats, but barely manages a scarf without tilting. BLECKA installs easily, but the thin, shallow hooks make it nearly useless for bulky items. Expect it to sag, bend, or stay eternally underutilized in your hallway.

10. PLATSA Wardrobe System

This system tempts with customization until the doors don’t align, the panels warp slightly, or the fittings misbehave. What starts as a creative layout ends in assembly regret. It mimics built-ins but rarely delivers the polish. Misfits stack up fast here.