I'm well into my second year with my Ikea cabinets and I'd do it all over again in a heart beat.

The cabinets have held up to abuse from my not so forgiving family (myself, wife and two young children) who routinely slam doors and drawers every time they're opened.

Do yourself a favor and give Ikea a chance, they're far superior to the cabinets I saw this year on the Parade of Homes in million dollar plus homes and tey'll cost you about 1/4 the price.

You can see my Ikea Kitchen Remodel from start to finish at http://www.kitchenremodelinghelp.com where I documented the entire process from design to completion with over 300 pictures and drawings...

Go Ikea!

Bret

Just to make sure that this didn't get missed and that people didn't get unwittingly pushed towards Robert Jalo's group - there is a reason that he is not one of IKEA's certified installers, and that the people posting here are affiliated with the company. Check out the Angie's list reviews or the reviews on ikeafans.com .... and steer clear! There are many good, IKEA-certified installers who won't leave you hanging like Jalo will.

Check out www.instockkitchens.com awsome site ....nice cabinets great prices..good luck

As a custom cabinet maker I find this thread to be very interesting. The rule of "you get what you pay for" is still in effect no matter how much the Swedes try and market it different. I'm not knocking the build quality or hardware components. In fact I use much of the same hardware myself (Blum Tandem soft close drawer slides, hinges etc...) The boxes represented by IKEA are a commodity. It's busting up millions of square feet of Melamine coated particle board with the least amount of labor to add value. This model relies on quick through-put and standardizing the components into specific widths and depths. It's a modular system that works in tandem with the hardware manafacturers. The doors and drawer fronts are built to a standard height and width and also are interchangeable.
This model requires a high degree of standardization with the least amount of labor. Giving short shrift to the ergonomics and design considerations of a room so that a client can go out and spend the money saved on a walk in humidor or 100,000 btu chefs stove is always humorous and you see it all the time in Veranda, Domino, etc... My cabinets are focused on maximizing function and efficency in a given space - in other words, I offer customization that cannot be found in commodity cabs which require the user to fit their needs into the standard options offered. I am often frustrated by the misperception that custom is always much more expensive. That comparison is not considering apples to apples. Yes, my cabinets are slightly more expensive, but I believe the return on investment is much greater than spending that amount on an upgraded refigerator or stove after a certain price point. By going directly to a cabinet maker you circumvent a large food chain of middlemen that are between you and mass-produced cabinets such as Ikea. I have been told more than once that I am as affordable as some of the larger nameplates ie: Kitchen Craft, Woodmode, etc... This is also a common experience with my colleagues.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that Ikea does fit a niche in the marketplace and does it rather well with great marketing. I think they make the best commodity cabinets out there for the price. If you want something more or feel that a drawer over a door in a base cabinet might not be the best idea after years of stooping, digging and wasting precious cabinet space... a trip to a local cabinet shop might be prudent. Forget most of what's been pushed by the big box stores and surrogate interior magazines, building periodicals. Shop your local craftspeople in your own neighborhood. O.K. I'll step down from the soapbox and let someone else have it now : )

I don't have money to get custom cabinets but I want to find something like these cabinets with inset handles like these. Maybe I've missed them, but does Ikea have cabinets like these?

Hello:
anybody have experience with Ikea appliances? they are whirlpool, but something tell me the quality is different. What about the sinks, hoods, faucets? They only have laminate and wood counter tops on the catalog and online, but on the store they also have different stone counters options, any experience with them?

I agree with all the positive Ikea Cabinet questions - coming from someone on their second Ikea kitchen.

I'm currently renovating an old rowhouse in Baltimore and keeping a blog - http://projectrowhouse.blogspot.com/ - you can see pictures of my Ikea cabinets and the installation process (as well as the rest of the adventure).

I second the comments about making upgrades elsewhere - if you're on a budget of any sort and you like the Ikea cabinet selection you can save a ton there and spend the extra on other items like countertops, appliances, fixtures, etc.

http://projectrowhouse.blogspot.com/

We installed Ikea cabs and butcherblockj in our kitchen reno: $3,500 vs. 10k for cheapest Kraftmaid. They look great and feel exceptionally solid. Soft close blum hinges are a nice plus. You may not like Ikea styles, but you won't find comparable quality for even twice the price. All that said, if i ever inherit $50,000 I'm redoing our kitchen with full custom cabinets...

I can tell you from seven years and counting living with an IKEA kvadrat beech kitchen that it has been performing extremely well for our family of four. It was installed by an experienced cabinet installer who had done that for a living for 20 years, so.... I believe carpentry experience is a must for a good install. There are little troubleshooting things that come up and small adjustments here and there that maybe the average home owner is not equipped to deal with or may not have the best tools to tackle the problem. I also believe that you need cover panels to make the kitchen look best, so you have to be able to handle all the cuts, etc. We paired ours with a custom stainless steel counter everywhere and i think it looks fabulous. The cabinet fronts show no wear after seven years. The kvadrat beech (now discontinued) is a wood door, so maybe that has something to do with it. Anyway, that has been my experience. I've also done another kitchen with IKEA, the deep brown wenge flat cabs, and that one, although stunning, is not quite as good because the cabinets' edges are subject to break/chip/crush at the corners more because they are not solid wood, but laminated and are weaker. The kvadrat have solid beech edges. It's all about the corners for sure!

What about buying from a direct online retailer?
My friend recently purchased new cabinets from an online retailer named Mei Kitchens. They are really nice and are all -wood cabinets. She got a ridiculous deal on them so that is why I feel compelled to pass the word on. I know that Ikea cabinets have all wood doors but the cabinet box and other pieces are made of particleboard, which is the lowest quality. I had particle board cabinets in college and they can be pretty awful. Anyway, just wanted to make the suggestion to check them, or another direct online retailer, out because you can get much higher quality for much less cost. I guess they are so inexpensive because they sell direct/wholesale. Here's the website. www.meikitchens.com
Good luck

I'm an independent kitchen and bath designer, so I've worked with dozens of brands and am not associated professionally with any lines.

One that I've found to be of pretty good quality, (I've had them in my own home for six years with no issues), with lots of storage options, a good selection of door styles and a lifetime warranty is the American Woodmark/Shenandoah brand. At Home Depot, they're sold as AW. At Lowes, they're sold as Shenandoah. My home builder used the builder brand, Timber Lake. They're all the same, but with different style names.

Another thing to remember is that IKEA cabinets, shelves, hardware and doors have a 25 year warranty. So if your shelf or door fails, you can get a free replacement. If your cabinet fails (hinge screw tears it out would be the most likely problem--this happened on my current pine cabinets) you can get a free replacement, but installing it might be a pain. But a handyman can easily drill a hole and plug it with a piece of wood to fix it. Yes, the cabinets are particle board, covered with laminate, but so are a lot of cabinets at HD & Lowes--so make sure you compare.

I had the same issue.. But I decided I only wanted SOLID WOOD and dovetailed. I found a great resource in NY and NYC area
http://www.kitchen-depot.net
They do all solid wood semi custom.. but this is supposed to be for contractors.. mostly traditional styles I did their Shaker style in white. Very reasonable. do an IKEA layout for size print and bring to them for an idea of what you are looking for
here is the link for the picture of the kitchen I did with the Kitchen Depot cabinets:
http://www.31islandview.com/images/483_31islandview2_001.jpg

p.s. I have also done 3 IKEA Kitchens
here is a link for the wetbar I used them in
http://www.31islandview.com/images/483_31islandview_023.jpg
here is a pool kitchen in Ikea I did
http://www.31islandview.com/images/483_31islandviewwhiteguestkitchen_area.JPG
I HATE IKEA !!! Hassles headaches wrong cabinets given etc.
Only use them if you use them lightly, not a heavy use product

Post on Craigslist for a cabinet manuf and you will get tons of local resources.. post in the contractor section.That's how I found Kitchen Depot that I loved!!!
fell free to email me if you have questions
and see my Hamptons home for sale
at www.31islandview.com
email stephanie@31islandview.com

Just wanted to chime in with my own experience. I'm doing a kitchen renovation right now. We considered IKEA cabinets, but given the age of our house (late 19th century) and a built-in china cupboard that we wanted to keep, we ended up with a different strategy, one which will result in a kitchen that I think will better match the age and style of our house.

We found most of our cabinets as a used set on Craigslist -- they were high quality vintage-style Woodmode cabinets, priced less than $150 each. (Including 42" tall wall cabinets, one of which is a lovely 42" wide divided-glass-front.) We then designed a floorplan that made the best use of these, and are having a few fill-in pieces custom made to match.

Our cabinet maker is using Conestoga cabinets (http://www.conestogawood.com/), a ready-to-build system that he then customizes to match the exact beading, doors, widths we need. The custom pieces are going to run around $400-500 each -- not bad for solid wood and top-of-the-line drawer slides, etc. This is definitely taking longer than the IKEA route -- and we'll be repainting everything ourselves once the process is through -- but price-wise, I think we'll come out comparable to an IKEA kitchen, with a vintage look more appropriate to our old house.

I'm a kitchen planner for IKEA and I can say that the quality of our kitchens are superb and is the best thing if you want a brand new kitchen without the several thousand dollar price tag. If installed correctly, your kitchen will appraise for just as much as any other kitchen cabinetry. The frames of our cabinetry are composed of the same materials that others are and we have a wide variety of door styles which even include some solid wood doors. We also have a 25 year warranty (that you simply can't find anywhere else) and the cabinetry is extremely flexible with endless possibilities. All the appliances are also made specifically for IKEA by Whirlpool. You really can't find a better deal - honestly.

Just to think that in Sweden where I live Ikea is considered cheap and very BORING. People jokoe about Ikea. Everyone has it (cos it is cheap) and I get bored looking at Scandinavian homes over here because no one dares to be different. *yawn* But I can blame the socialistoc mentaility for that too and not just poor ol Ikea.

In saying that, I forgot to mention that in Sweden Ikea has a low reputation, however it has gotton a little better in the last few years apparently.

I don't have Ikea cabinets (though I am considering them) I just wanted to comment on the durability of particle board cabinets... My house has a kitchen that was updated in the mid-80s with particle board cabinets. While they are totally hideous (you have no idea!) they are actually in great shape. No peeling, no damage, no problems at all. I'm hoping I can get the same durability out of some ikea ones!

The one good thing about my cheap and ugly kitchen is that I am not going to feel guilty at all about smashing it to bits!

I personally used this site www.KitchenCabinetDepot.com, they have the biggest selection of kitchen cabinets and the best prices. Also the quality of their work is awesome!

I think you get what you pay for. Ikea is a decent brand but by all means not the greatest. Its better to get a nice named brand than settle for a cheaper version to save a few dollars.

Kitchen Cabinets

I would go with Conestoga RTA cabinets. They are all wood, no partiticle board. They offer custom sizing at std cabinet size prices. They are custom cabinet shop quality at Home Depot prices. I got my cabinets from northerngraniteandcabinetry.com check them out, you'll get a free quote in a few hours.

Here is 7 reasons why we think most people choose IKEA kitchen over the other ones.

I found a blog on kitchen remodeling.

I want to know where in visakhapatnam can i find the best store to buy Modular Kitchens items

Ikea cabinets might work for some homeowners but others might insist on talking with custom kitchen cabinet makers and local contractors. Prices on custom
kitchen cabinets should always be considered though as well as the quality of craftsman ship.

I have cabinets i installed 5yrs ago, i created an office in our dining room using kitchen cabinets. i just finished installing ikea kitchen cabinets in my kitchen.
cheap kitchens

I am seriously considering the IKEA kitchen for my remodel. I will save money for the bump out, moving the bathroom, etc, and can get better quality appliances. i have the IKEA professional office set up in my house, for 7 years now. And it is TOTALLY SOLID. The pro. office line is a lot higher end than their other furniture seems. And, the customer service, the design, the follow up, was all excellent. Hicksville location. So this was my IKEA office experience, and I believe the same would be true for their kitchens. Inserts/hinges are very high quality. Drawers fully open and slow close. Very well made. You'd be amazed when you see the kitchens in their showroom. I don't get the sense it's anything cheap, rather I feel like I can put the savings toward construction and appliances. ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: Ikea cabinets are in stock or in warehouse. Double check at your location, but I was told delivery would be within the week, then I install and they have recommended installers if I don't have a contractor familiar with the line. This is excellent for people working within a certain timeline. I don't think I want to wait 6 weeks for Kraftmaid cabinets. Also, I like the more modern/european look of Ikea lines.

Renovation of entire kitchen is good thing.Thank you for wornderful post about renovation about kitchen. Thanks again

Nice post...Keep it up.
Web Design Chennai Author

IKEA's are very well priced with a variety of finishes in that product range and their whole modular system is hard to beat for designing to the space, unless you are getting everything literally custom built for your room - again a phenomenal price jump. I find their melamine finishes hold better than most big-box faux oak finishes by far.

I will say their pulls are inexpensive and it’s worth matching and mixing to get a less "IKEA-centric" look but their hinge and fancy quiet closing door mechanisms are very well built. From several people, I have heard that their sinks are good quality but their in-house plumbing fixtures some of the times do not last as well as your regular plumbing brands. That sometimes gets tricky since IKEA is all about the "one-hole" sink fixture but there are "one-hole" options from other manufacturers.

Best Kitchen Cabinets

Although you get what you pay for. Shopping arround you might be able to find a good cabinet maker in New York City who can exceed the quality of Ikea cabinets but still give you the same cost. I did it with Bistre, www.bistre-ny.com. They were very good at the european design and I spent almost the same as it would of cost me to get a 10 x 10 kitchen from ikea and pay some one to install it. Unlike Ikea, I got to choose the stain, the interior of the cabinets were wood and the hardware was stainless steel with ball bearing drawer slides.

Hmmm that was weird, my comment got eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it's nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks.

We've had a custom cabinetry company in LA call Handmade for eight years, doing all sorts of mid-to high-end jobs.

What we've found - sorry to break it to you, doubters - is that IKEA really has a great kitchen system: solid cabinets, great Blum hardware that all the custom shops including us use. Best of all, they offer the flexibility of letting you buy their kitchens without doors and drawer faces.

To that end, we've launched our Semihandmade line of custom doors for IKEA kitchens in all sorts of sequenced veneers, colored laminates and reclaimed lumber. We're sort of the ultimate IKEA app.

Look us up at http://semihandmadedoors.com/
We ship everywhere!

I just designed an Ikea kitchen where we had the doors and trim custom painted and added different crown molding.

http://www.statelykitsch.com/painting-ikea-kitchen-cabinet-doors-drawer-fronts/

This was still much cheaper than buying semi-custom cabinets and we got the exact finish that we wanted. Overall the quality of the cabinets is very good. Would I use them for a big island condition? Probably not. But for most kitchens I think they are a good value, especially considering all of the drawer options, that get expensive with other manufacturers.

I'm a home flipper and have installed at least 4 kitchens with Ikea cabinets. Lets say I have a love hate relationship with them. I also have them in my own house and have come to love them for their flexibility (even after 8 years!).
I've only used non-Ikea cabinets once (Kraftmaid from Home Depot) and I was happy with those. The were well built, arrived already assembled and were very sturdy. But back to Ikea.

Ikea cabinets are great if you're somewhat handy (save on assembling them yourself), and don't need cabinets built to specific measurements. If you're not handy at all and paying someone to assemble them, I would question doing the Ikea route as the savings would all be lost in labor costs. I've always assembled my own cabinets and they're not difficult. If you can put the Billy bookcase together, you can do kitchen cabinets. They're all the same. My 3 year old son even helped me out :)
The ones in my house and rental unit have all stood up to wear and tear very well. A few areas have gotten scratched but overall I've been very impressed with their durability. I think my door style was called Adel or something like that. Two of our rental units have the light khaki colored doors (now discontinued) and they've held up extremely well. They look brand new!
The drawers have all worked great and the hinges are like the best European ones.

**I should warn you to brace yourself when the Ikea delivery truck comes. If your kitchen is big, you might pass out when you see all the big and small boxes arrive. It's not for the faint of heart. Make sure you have spouse or friends to help. Especially if you have a tall pantry in your layout.

Good luck!

I love my IKEA pull outs. I loved designing the kitchen myself on their website and putting it all together. Assembling anything from IKEA is so easy. The kitchen was the same. As soon as I figured out the first drawer assembly, the rest were very fast.
Also leveling the cabinets was much easier since the leges swivel and thus, no shimming required to level.
I also bought all the appliances from there and my only complaint is that the wall oven heats up too hot when I use the self clean option and burns the control panel. The service is pretty good, so they've fixed it. I just have to manually clean the wall oven. All in all great value and I'm very happy with everything.

kitchen pantry cabinet
In saying that, I forgot to mention that in Sweden Ikea has a low reputation, however it has gotton a little better in the last few years apparently.

it means a better more durable, because these other wholesale made ​​look as if they were made of cardboard. A specific order best kitchen cabinets, do a personal project and it looks much better and are used for many years. I have aluminum kitchen cabinets with Eurocabparts.com and I'm in love with them. At least her husband does not complain that I do not cook:)

kitchen cabinet doors - best kitchen cabinets are made of aluminum. very easy to use and cleaning

I think it is always best to get the advice/service of a professional Kitchen Cabinets installer. Ikea is a decent brand but you can certainly notice the difference when you obtain a higher quality product. check around and get some prices from local contractors, it may be less than you think.

Hello all, good ole' trust worthy Joe Runkle here. I have to agree with both sides. It really does depend on your budget. if you have 70,000 and can afford high end kitchen cabinets then that a great look but if you only have 10,000-15,000 IKEA is a good way to go.

I installed close to 600 IKEA kitchen's at this point in my career and they tend to turn out spectacular! You can see for your self if you like:

http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k484/joerunkle/

Any how I enjoy it, I enjoy helping customers.
Feel free to contact me with any questions and or problems.

http://joerunkleconstruction.com/