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Does IKEA deserve to be named one of the best kitchen suppliers in the UK? We weigh up the brand’s affordability against its quality and range of designs in this IKEA kitchen review.
IKEA’s fitted kitchens designs are true to the brand’s Scandinavian roots, with simple styles and clean lines that culminate in a very sleek, contemporary kitchen.
Its online kitchen planner lets you play around with styles and colours until you find a design and layout that works for your space, or you can speak to an in-store designer for a professional consultation.
IKEA’s base designs are:
Overall, there are about 20 different style options to choose from within these kitchen systems and even more colours and finishes. The product designs range from very traditional to modern and minimalistic, so there’s bound to be something for most households.
If you can’t find what you want, you can also order custom designs from a number of companies that specialise in designing fronts that fit IKEA frames; these don’t come cheap, however.
Any kitchen – even one from a budget-friendly brand like IKEA – is a significant long-term investment. Always consider the advantages and disadvantages before settling on a kitchen supplier.
You can choose from one of IKEA’s many different ranges of kitchens, or mix and match styles, colours and finishes.
Once ordered, the kitchen cabinets arrive in ready-to-assemble, flat-packed boxes. They are frameless and designed to hang on a rail system, with adjustable plastic feet to keep the base off the floor. You can assemble and install the entire system on your own or hire an IKEA installer or an independent fitter.
IKEA kitchen products have various widths, depths, heights. Base cabinets sit on the floor and support your counters, sinks, cooktops, microwaves and ovens. All base cabinets are 30 inches high, or 34.3 inches when you add legs and the toe kick. Adding a countertop increases the height to 36 inches.
IKEA only offers laminate and butcher block wood countertops in standard dimensions, but you can order marble, granite or stone materials, such as a composite ‘quartz’, elsewhere.
IKEA kitchens are hard to price because every component (from cabinet handles to drawer inserts) is individually sold and priced. A base cabinet with shelves will set you back £51, for example, and you’ll need to add £3 for a drawer pull and £6 for a single drawer front.
Here’s how IKEA kitchen cabinets compare to other similar offerings on the market:
| Kitchen supplier | Cost of an 8-unit fitted kitchen (excluding installation) |
|---|---|
| IKEA | £627 to £1,200+ |
| Wickes (Lifestyle ranges) | £979 to £1,300+ |
| Magnet Kitchens | £2,487 to £7,600+ |
| B&Q | £1,053 to £2,798 |
| Wickes | £979 to £3,000+ |
IKEA is one of the cheapest kitchen suppliers in the UK, but the quality of its units isn’t the highest.
If you can stretch your budget a little further, we recommend looking at B&Q for better-quality products. B&Q kitchens are relatively affordable, and you can pick from a huge variety of designs, colours and finishes.
Wickes is another great option, with numerous designs and in-house installation that includes both dry and wet fitting. The quality is better (and the price tag a little higher), but you won’t have to lift a finger to install your new kitchen. An in-house designer can help you through the whole process, making sure you end up with the kitchen of your dreams.
If you’ve made up your mind to use a carpenter, you can also look at Howdens; this trade-only brand offers a huge selection of styles at a reasonable price.
Most IKEA cabinets are made from melamine, which can be easily dented and warped. Some people recommend using frames and base cabinets from IKEA and pairing them with all-wood cabinet doors and drawer fronts bought from a custom supplier to keep the cost down while using quality, durable materials.
Regardless of whether the doors are MDF or solid wood/ply mix, the carcass is still MDF. In this case, avoid placing hot or wet pots and pans on the surface or interior of your IKEA cabinets. You should also look out for leaks and places water can escape, like around the sink.
Always use non-abrasive cloths to clean your IKEA cabinets and avoid harsh chemical cleaning agents.
IKEA has very low ratings on various pages on Trustpilot, but it’s worth noting that the reviews are not exclusively about fitted kitchens. That said, from our research, complaints include poor after sales care and issues with kitchen installations. While Trustpilot is often negatively skewed, these are worth taking into consideration.
IKEA is a popular and affordable self-assembly furniture brand. There is a range of modern and traditional designs and colour options to choose from.
Buying a kitchen in a box may sound like a great idea, but assembling an entire kitchen piece by piece isn’t as easy as it first appears. Fortunately, IKEA does offer installation and design assistance, so you might want to take advantage of it.
The only downside of IKEA kitchens is their quality. A kitchen generally needs to be quite hard-wearing and functional; it’s the centre of your house and is frequently used. Some of the materials IKEA uses in its cheaper kitchens are prone to damage, and while the brand does offer some attractive warranty options, wear and tear are not covered.
Despite quality issues, we believe IKEA is a great option for consumers on tight budgets, especially if they have limited space in their homes.
IKEA kitchens are on the affordable end of the spectrum when it comes to fitted kitchens, especially thanks to their budget ENHET and KNOXHULT ranges.
Yes, while you can install an IKEA kitchen yourself, the company does supply kitchen fitters for those who want them.
There are many things to avoid when choosing any type of DIY kitchen, including not taking precise enough measurements, not accounting for different types of wall materials, overcrowding the kitchen, and not creating enough storage or countertop space.
To provide an accurate and unbiased evaluation, we put together this IKEA kitchen review by reading thousands of customer reports filed on blogs, forums and review sites. We also looked at media articles, technical documentation and more.
We then rated IKEA kitchens using a scoring system, totalling 100 points. IKEA’s score consisted of the following ratings:
