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Good Questions: Any Experience with Ikea Klubbo Tables?

9.28table.jpgHello AT,

I'm so grateful this "Good Questions" feature exists because I'm not sure how else I would find out what I would like to know. My question is about Ikea's KLUBBO tables which you blogged about 2 months ago. I like how simple/modern/clean they appear in the pictures, but I can't seem to find out ANY information on how they really look in person...

 
 

I'm 10 hours away from the closest Ikea store so seeing it in person
is out of the question. :-( I'm a bit wary of the powder coated steel
legs looking very cheesy, but it's hard to beat the price: 2 sets at
$140 gives me two side tables for my LR and two end tables for my BR.
(My first choice is Room and Board's Portica stainless-steel-legged-
tables, but price = out of the question.)

Does anybody have any personal experience with the Ikea tables and/or know of where I can find a photo of the set blown up so I can inspect them closer? I'm interested in the black/brown finish.

Thanks! Brie

Anyone?

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Comments (21)

I have these nesting tables. They don't look "cheesy" to me but do look like they are from Ikea (if you know what I mean)! The black/brown finish is great! I think they are a good buy for the price.

posted by BklynTee on September 28th 2007 at 10:41am
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I got these exact tables (black/brown) three years ago. They look great in real life. However, they have not worn well. After about a year, some of the fake wood layer started peeling off. One of them also became wobbly. Despite all this, I like the look of them so much that I'm almost tempted to get the same ones again as replacements. Also to be fair, my tables probably got a bit more wear than is normal for side tables, my cats jump on them all the time, and one of them is my litter box cover, so gets moved around every day.

posted by hazygrey on September 28th 2007 at 10:42am
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I own them and they're great.

posted by Szig on September 28th 2007 at 10:42am
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The look nice, but they look like you bought them at IKEA. What I mean is that from far they're stylin', but up close you can tell they're not all that well made. In particular the chrome legs are that cheapo looking metal that looks spray painted.

But for the price they're still a good deal!

posted by suewanda on September 28th 2007 at 10:50am
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I had the white set for a couple of years till I changed the look of the room. They were fine...

posted by I Love Upstate on September 28th 2007 at 10:51am
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Thanks for the help evr'body. What do you think about painting/lacquering over the legs?

posted by BSmeltz on September 28th 2007 at 10:59am
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Like everyone else has stated, they are great for the price but will wear like a lot of IKEA products. In my experience, the first thing to happen is the finish gets scratched (very, very thin foil finish). If you haven't already, check the Top Ten: Nesting Tables. CB2 is also a great place to look for similarly styled tables.

posted by Aaron on September 28th 2007 at 11:01am
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Yeah, they look like Ikea, but in my opinion they're great for the price you pay and they're super versatile. I was using them in a room where I knew they'd get a lot of wear and tear, and I didn't want to pay a lot more for something nicer that I'd either ruin, or not use for fear of ruining. But I also bought them knowing they'd not be around forever.

posted by J on September 28th 2007 at 11:20am
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I have these in white (bought them about 5 years ago), and while they are definitely very sturdy and versatile, they do have some flaws:

1. The white finish stains very easily. It has yellowed in areas, white looks crummy. (Not an issue if you're interested in the black/brown finish, but I figured I should mention that for others.)

2. The legs are that awful dull-silver powder coated stuff that you see so much at IKEA (though they seem to be phasing it out and using a lot more chrome finishes lately).

It's funny you should post this, because one item on my weekend punchlist is "Refurbish nesting tables in living room"! I'm going to attempt to spray paint the legs black, and see if I can come up with something for the tops...not sure what yet. I'll blog the results I get on my site.

I will reiterate that the KLUBBOs are indeed quite sturdy, and the welds have not loosened in the slightest despite being tossed into 5 moving vans in 5 years. Definitely worth the price, but keep in mind the finish of the legs.

posted by Anna at D16 on September 28th 2007 at 11:34am
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While they look good from a distance, in my experience, they look "Ikea" close up. Also, I have seen them in many homes and the legs seem to get quite wobbly, quite quickly.

posted by Carder on September 28th 2007 at 12:30pm
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I bought these tables a few years ago (with a white top) and just "revitalized" them by covering the top with wicker/bamboo print contact paper. Came out really nicely. They're super versatile and worth the price.

posted by mstandley on September 28th 2007 at 1:20pm
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Don't buy them.

posted by asdf3001 on September 28th 2007 at 1:22pm
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I've only seem them in the store, but the appear to be good value for the money.

EQ3 also has some affordable tables in a similar style, but they are in the Room and Board price range. If Room and Board's price are out off the question, IKEA may be the only choice for you...

Just remember you get what you pay, so don't expect to be as satisfied the the IKEA quality as you would with more expensive options.

posted by phaedrus on September 28th 2007 at 5:21pm
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We have had these for around 3 years- there are some nicks and scratches in the veneer- the stain doesn't hold up too well, but overall you can't see the problems unless you look closely. The powder-coated steel legs are in good shape and are not wobbly at all. They do look IKEA-ish though.

However, if budget is a concern then I could see painting the tops different colors and sealing with a clear coat for a more custom look. I think the legs would look fresher when paired with colored tops as opposed to the stained veneer. Or cover them in wallpaper or patterened paper and seal.

good luck-

posted by chococat on September 28th 2007 at 5:39pm
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I meant to add that the tables look pretty much exactly like the thumbnail photo at the top of this post (unless they've changed since we bought them). As long as you keep in mind it's IKEA, I don't think you'll be surprised in any way if you decide to go pick them up.

posted by chococat on September 28th 2007 at 5:45pm
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If you really like them and think that they'll make your room look "just right" then go for it.

Be aware that they do look cheap. All it takes is a quick glance to see they are from IKEA and the low quality is immediately evident.

However, they are very stylish and look nice when they're new and well kept. From what I've seen (other people's places) they do not wear well so expect them to show their age unless you hardly use them.

If there is any way that you can spring for a higher quality solution, do it... even if it means buying one piece at a time. I think that you will be happier with higher quality, especially if your "local" IKEA is 10 hours away!

My 2c.

posted by Pete on September 29th 2007 at 6:10am
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I've gone to buy them 3 times from the Elizabeth, NJ Ikea, and all 3 times they were out of stock. I guess I'm glad after hearing about their issues.

posted by momma on September 30th 2007 at 9:58am
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Depending on what look you are going for, this set of tables from the Company Store are great looking and right now are on sale for $93. Note that they are real wood.

posted by Lisa from VA/lsaspacey on September 30th 2007 at 3:04pm
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everyone keeps bringing up the wobbly factor, but you all forget you're building them yourselves. you can control the wobble on your own by tightening the hardware, which is actually recommended to do periodically, but everyone seems to forget about doing.

posted by blkbrrry on October 1st 2007 at 4:17am
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I have these and they're great! I have the white finish nesting tables, and even purchased the big low table (it matches the set, I'm not sure what it's supposed to be, a tv console? It's WIDE!) the nesting tables sit to the sides of my bed, and the big table sits at the foot, holding a vase and blankets. I love them, they look great. I've never had any wobble issues, the veneer/finish does get nicked if you're not careful, I have a few tiny tiny chips; but you can't really notice unless you're obsessive like I am! I highly recommend them... I'm eagerly awaiting the opening of the Charlotte, NC Ikea... eagerly awaiting!...

posted by Nathan Aaron on October 1st 2007 at 5:05am
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I have these next to my bed. I've had them for about a year and have no nicks, scratches or peeling. I use Method wood polish (the almond one) on them about every other week and they hold up just fine. Just my $0.02.

posted by Joey on October 1st 2007 at 5:45am
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