personal shopper

We Tested (and Rated!) Every IKEA Dresser — Here Are the Best Ones for Every Style and Need

Alexa Casanova
Alexa CasanovaShopping Writer
I cover all things shopping, from cleaning and organizing finds to decor and furniture that’s worth every penny. Your home says a lot about you, so I’m always curious about the things people choose to bring into their space — and aim to make it easier to find those things! I’ve written home and lifestyle content for Well+Good and Design Milk.
Emma Dangel
Emma DangelStyle Editor
As Style Editor at Apartment Therapy, I’m passionate about helping everyone make their home look and feel like them. I cover design, trend and shopping content, and am based in Brooklyn, NY.
Lizzy Francis
Lizzy FrancisSenior Editor, Lifestyle
I cover Real Estate and help with coverage across Cleaning & Organizing and Living. I've worked in digital media for almost seven years, where I spent all of those as News Editor at Fatherly, a digital media brand focused on helping dads live fuller, more involved lives. I live to eat, exercise, and to get 10 hours of sleep a night. I live in Brooklyn with my husband and my dog, Blueberry.
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Bright yellow dresser with six drawers and round knobs, displayed in a furniture store.
Credit: Emma Dangel

Finding the right dresser is no easy feat. Next to, say, your bed frame, it’s arguably the most important part of any bedroom (especially if you’re short on closet space). It’s usually the most expensive, too, which is a big reason why I got my own dresser at IKEA. The Swedish retailer is known for its stylish, affordable furniture and decor, so it’s only fitting that we visited it to find the best IKEA dressers for this installment of our Personal Shopper Series. 

Here’s how it works: As your very own Personal Shopper, we do the research for you by visiting the stores you’re most curious about to test furniture IRL and reporting back with my honest reviews. I’ve visited stores like West Elm, Article, and Pottery Barn, and most recently, we ventured to Red Hook, Brooklyn, to find the very best IKEA dressers for every space and storage need. 

Credit: AT Media

Why IKEA? 

Honestly, an IKEA Personal Shopper was meant to be: all of us at Apartment Therapy are huge fans of the store’s stylish, budget-friendly furniture and decor. The selection is so massive, we could easily spend an entire day walking its showroom or clicking through its website. IKEA dressers in particular run the gamut from hip vintage-inspired pieces to sleek, modern statements and DIY-friendly options you can make your own. Navigating a selection this huge is easier with help, and that’s where we come in! 

IKEA has locations all over the world, but if you don’t have a location near you, the majority of the retailer’s assortment is shoppable online. Shipping is available at varying prices as long as you hit the $35 order minimum. Through its Click & Collect service, you can order items online and pick them up at a participating location nearest you for an extra fee (unless you’re an IKEA Family Member, in which case, it’s free!). Most IKEA pieces require assembly, but IKEA does offer professional assembly services for select items, starting at $52, if you’d rather skip that step entirely (no judgement here). 

The Criteria 

We evaluated every dresser in-store based on the following five criteria to determine the best IKEA dresser for every space and storage need. 

  • Appearance: What style of decor does the dresser suit best? Does its design lean warm and rustic or sleek and modern? Is it classic with a warm wooden finish and detailing or contemporary with clean lines and a mixed-material design?
  • Storage Capacity: Are the drawers big enough to house most of your wardrobe? Do you get a substantial surface on top for other items? Are the dresser’s legs tall enough for storing items underneath the body?
  • Space Requirements: How much space does the dresser take up? Does it require a lot of horizontal floor space, or does it make good use of vertical space? How tall is it?
  • Drawer Glidability: How easy is it to pull out the drawers? Do they catch and require a lot of muscle, or do they glide out easily?
  • Drawer Depth: How far back do the drawers extend? Are they spacious or compact? Are they all the same size?

Why You Should Trust Us as Testers 

Every IKEA dresser was tested by editors Emma Dangel and Lizzy Francis. Emma is Apartment Therapy’s style editor, which means she writes decorating and design content, in addition to scouting trends and, of course, new shoppable finds. She’s been with Apartment Therapy since 2022 and was previously on the Marketing & Brand Partnerships team. 

Lizzy is Apartment Therapy’s senior lifestyle editor. She covers travel, entertaining, wellness, and organizing. She’s been with Apartment Therapy since 2024 and was previously a news editor at Fatherly. Together, Lizzy and Emma evaluated all of the IKEA dressers on the showroom floor and shared their favorites. 

Every Editor-Tested IKEA Dresser 

Best Mid-Century Modern: RÅDMANSÖ 6-Drawer Dresser

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: The RÅDMANSÖ dresser is all clean lines and retro warmth. It features a walnut-wood finish, black metal legs, and the drawer knobs have a cool, brass effect that gives the piece a unique, mixed-media look. The six drawers pull out super smoothly, and we were pleasantly surprised by their deep-blue interior, too, which makes the dresser look even more elevated. 

While the RÅDMANSÖ dresser does require a fair amount of floor space at nearly 63 inches wide, you do get a ton of storage space. The drawers are wide and deep, touting a 15-inch-depth that can hold the bulk of your wardrobe (they pull out to 9 inches). Even better, you can adjust the height of the legs to give yourself some clearance underneath, and stabilize it on uneven floors. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The stylish brass details
  • It has a cool mixed-media effect
  • The drawers pull out smoothly
  • The drawers are super deep
  • It has a clean, retro appearance
  • The legs are adjustable

Good to know

  • The drawers have a deep-blue interior
  • It’s not exactly small-space friendly
  • It only comes in one finish

Specifications:

  • Styles: The RÅDMANSÖ line includes a 5-drawer dresser, 3-drawer dresser, and a wardrobe 
  • Dimensions: 62 5/8” wide, 18 7/8” deep, 31 7/8” high 
  • Materials: Particleboard, paper foil, plastic edging, fiberboard, steel 
  • Finishes: Brown Walnut Effect

Best for Small Spaces: TONSTAD 6-Drawer Dresser

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: The TONSTAD dresser is the most small-space-friendly option of the bunch due to its narrower, 47-inch-wide silhouette. The drawers pull out to 9 5/8 inches, so you don’t need a ton of space in front to easily access your clothes. And while you don’t get any clearance underneath for extra storage, you do get four huge drawers that are almost 9 inches tall, so there’s plenty of space to stack items inside. You also get two smaller drawers up top that are shallow enough for undergarments or accessories. Plus, it has substantial surface area — perfect for sprawling out perfumes, accessories, or even mounting your TV, if you’re into that.

Aesthetically, we loved the TONSTAD’s warm oak veneer, which gives the dresser a more rustic look. Even still, the design is so simple and clean, we could see it complementing modern, traditional, or minimal Scandinavian-inspired bedrooms alike. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • It’s small-space friendly
  • It doesn’t require much front-facing clearance
  • The deep drawers are great for stacking clothes
  • The warm oak veneer complements any decor style
  • It has a spacious surface
  • The soft-closing drawers

Good to know

  • The two smaller drawers are better suited for accessories and undergarments
  • It has adjustable feet for uneven floors

Specifications:

Best for Families: VIHALS 6-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: The VIHALS dresser might have the deepest drawers of all the models on this list — they’re 15 inches deep and glide out smoothly to 10 inches — so it’s easy to access clothes in the farthest reaches of the drawer. Its storage capacity is impressive: It’s outfitted with two large and four medium drawers, making it a great choice for families who need ample space for kids’ clothes. It also comes with an added Anchor and Unlock safety feature that requires the unit be anchored to the wall in order to open more than two drawers at a time. It’s not exactly renter-friendly, but it’s worth the peace of mind and the reduced risk of the dresser tipping over. 

The dresser is a bit shorter than the others at 29 1/2 inches tall, but it does take up a fair amount of horizontal wall space, so that’s something to keep in mind if you live in a small space. Function aside, though, it’s a super-sleek, modern-looking piece and we’re confident that the neutral white finish will blend in just about anywhere. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The drawers are very deep
  • It’s great for families with kids
  • It has an exceptional storage capacity
  • It has a sleek, modern appearance
  • It’s equipped with two large drawers and four medium
  • The drawers glide out effortlessly

Good to know

  • It only comes in white
  • Comes with the Anchor and Unlock safety feature to reduce the risk of tipping
  • The dresser drawers align with others in the VIHALS line

Specifications:

Best Modern: STORKLINTA 6-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: We were immediately struck by the STORKLINTA dresser’s sleek silhouette. Instead of traditional drawer pulls, it has integrated handles along the tops of the drawers that subtly curve downward for a clean, modern appearance. We saw the dark-brown/oak effect in-store and found it so simple and chic, it could easily lean contemporary or traditional with the right styling. The display model also had a glass top (which IKEA sells separately) that adds another layer of polish, and protects the surface from scuffs. 

The STORKLINTA dresser’s storage capacity is impressive — according to the online listing, it can hold 120 medium-sized t-shirts (!!). And all six drawers are the same size (24 inches wide, 15 3/4 inches deep, and they pull out to 10 7/8 inches), so it can comfortably house one person’s extensive wardrobe or be shared between two people. Similar to the VIHALS dresser, it must be anchored to the wall to reduce the risk of tipping, and once anchored, you’ll be able to open more than one drawer at one time. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The sleek, no-frills appearance
  • You can add a glass top for added protection (sold separately)
  • The generous storage capacity
  • The substantial surface on top
  • It complements a variety of decor styles
  • It comes with an added safety feature to reduce the risk of tipping

Good to know

  • It also comes in a white- and oak-effect finish
  • There’s no clearance underneath

Specifications:

Best Solid-Wood: HAVSTA 6-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: IKEA has a sneaky-good selection of solid-wood pieces, and the HAVSTA dresser is one of them. It immediately had editors talking when it came on the scene early this year, so we were excited to see it in person — and it didn’t disappoint! We were blown away by how luxe it looks for the price. The solid-pine piece is stained in a soft gray-beige color, and finished with silver-toned knobs that make it look like a pricey designer find, without losing its rustic charm. And the soft-closing drawers add to its premium feel, too. 

In terms of storage, the HAVSTA has tons. It features six easy-gliding drawers: four large and two small. They’re all 13 3/4 inches deep and pull out to 9 1/4 inches, giving you ample room to stack and fold clothes to your liking. The HAVSTA is also one of the more compact options on this list at 47 5/8 inches wide, so it can sit against smaller walls without issue and optimizes the vertical space with its 35-inch height. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The sturdy, solid-wood construction
  • The rustic gray-beige stain
  • The luxe silver knobs
  • The easy-gliding and soft-closing drawers
  • The ample storage space
  • It’s small-space friendly

Good to know

  • It has four large- and two medium-sized drawers
  • It can be combined with other pieces in the HAVSTA line to form a vertical storage system

Specifications:

  • Styles: The HAVSTA line also includes a 3-drawer dresser 
  • Dimensions: 47 5/8” wide, 18 1/2” deep, 35″ high
  • Materials: Solid pine, particleboard, fiberboard 
  • Finishes: Gray-beige, black, and white

Best Multi-Purpose: HAUGA 8-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: The HAUGA dresser is a solid pick for anyone who needs their dresser to do the absolute most in terms of storage. It can hold more than just clothes: use it to store bed and bath linens, as a makeshift diaper-changing station in a nursery, or put it in your entryway or mudroom to stash daily essentials. Its six large- and two small-sized drawers give you plenty of space to do it. Plus, the bottom row of drawers pull out more than the others, so they’re perfect for storing bulkier items like duvets or winter sweaters — it’s beyond versatile! 

The HAUGA dresser is taller than the other models we tested at 41 inches tall, and the raised edges keep items from rolling off the surface. In the white finish we looked at in-store, it spans traditional and farmhouse style. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • It’s incredibly versatile
  • The drawers glide out seamlessly
  • It works in multiple spots throughout the home
  • Its traditional, farmhouse aesthetic
  • It has tons of storage space
  • The raised edges along the surface keep items from rolling off

Good to know

  • The bottom drawer has castors that allow it to be pulled out all the way
  • It does require more front-facing clearance to pull the drawers out fully

Specifications:

Best Traditional: HEMNES 8-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: Another solid-wood standout, the HEMNES dresser has a classic, heritage look that feels like it’s been in the family for ages. Made of solid pine and stained in a beautiful black-brown finish, it lends depth and richness to any bedroom. And it’s a true all-in-one when it comes to storage: It features two large-sized drawers at the bottom, followed by two medium drawers, and four small drawers at the top of the dresser. You also get a sliver of clearance underneath if you need a place to stash smaller items. 

The HEMNES is definitely larger compared to the other models we tested, measuring 63 inches wide and 37 3/4 inches tall. But it’s worth it for all the storage space it provides. Even the smaller drawers are way bigger than they look (they can hold five pairs of folded pants or t-shirts!). And they’re great for stashing items like makeup and accessories that would otherwise clutter its smooth surface. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The sturdy solid-pine build
  • The rich black-brown stain
  • The variety of drawer sizes
  • The easy-gliding drawers
  • Its classic, traditional look
  • The ample storage capacity

Good to know

  • Only one drawer can be opened at a time

Specifications:

  • Styles: The HEMNES line also includes a 6-drawer dresser and a 3-drawer dresser 
  • Dimensions: 63” wide, 19 5/8” deep, 37 3/4″ high
  • Materials: Solid pine, particleboard, fiberboard 
  • Finishes: Black-brown and white

Best Scandi: STOREMOLLA 8-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: We were impressed by the STOREMOLLA dresser’s stylish appearance right away. The natural wood grain, cast iron knobs, and sheer matte stain gives it a Scandinavian feel that would look just as great alongside farmhouse decor, too. The smooth, rounded corners soften it slightly, and make it safer for anyone who’s prone to bumping into their furniture. Best of all, it’s made from solid pine, so it’s sturdy and built to last. 

While the STOREMOLLA dresser packs a large storage capacity with its eight, 15 3/4-inch-deep drawers, it’ll cost you in terms of floorspace. It’s the biggest dresser of the bunch at 67 3/8 inches wide, so be sure to measure beforehand to ensure the best fit. It also has adjustable feet and about 5 inches of clearance underneath, so you could get away with stowing super-slim items under it if needed. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The warm wood grain and matte finish
  • The soft rounded corners
  • It has a stylish, Scandinavian look
  • It’s made of durable, solid pine
  • It has adjustable feet
  • It comes with the Anchor and Unlock safety feature to reduce the risk of tipping

Good to know

  • It requires more floor space
  • The drawer fronts may need to be adjusted after assembly

Specifications:

  • Styles: The STOREMOLLA line also includes a tall 5-drawer dresser and a 3-drawer dresser 
  • Dimensions: 67 3/8” wide, 19 5/8” deep, 35 7/8” tall
  • Materials: Solid pine, particleboard, fiberboard 
  • Finishes: Gray-brown stained and light-gray stained

Best Colorful: GULLABERG 6-Drawer Dresser 

 Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: The GULLABERG dresser’s bright yellow paint job is just pure fun. Don’t worry, it comes in neutral gray and white finishes, too — but we fell in love with the yellow’s playful, maximalist vibe. Make it an interesting pop of color in a traditional bedroom or go full-on color drenching mode. 

It also gives you the best of both worlds in terms of storage and price. You get six, spacious drawers that are all the same size (they’re 28 inches wide and pull out to 9 inches), in addition to a whopping 7 7/8 inches of clearance underneath, so there’s tons of room to slide storage bins underneath and maximize the space. Even better, it has adjustable feet so it stays stable even on uneven flooring. The only thing to keep in mind is that the drawers aren’t as smooth-gliding compared to the other dressers we looked at. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • The bright yellow finish
  • It’s a great match for maximalist spaces
  • The large storage capacity
  • It has substantial clearance underneath for extra storage
  • It has adjustable feet
  • It includes a wall-anchoring kit for added safety

Good to know

  • The drawers don’t glide very smoothly
  • It also comes in gray and white finishes

Specifications:

Best for DIY: TARVA 6-Drawer Dresser 

Emma and Lizzy’s thoughts: Made of totally unfinished solid pine, the TARVA dresser is basically a blank canvas for DIY projects. You could leave it in its natural state, sure, but the untreated wood is practically begging to be stained and lacquered in a finish that’s entirely up to you. It gives us classic IKEA vibes, while still feeling modern and current. 

It’s also better suited for smaller rooms due to its shallow, 15 3/4-inch depth. So it’s not necessarily the largest in terms of storage capacity, but we found it to be good for the size. The overall drawer depth is 15 5/8 inches, and they pull out to 8 1/4 inches — so you still have a solid amount of storage space that’s easy to access, even in tighter bedrooms. The drawer glide, on the other hand, is just OK — they weren’t super smooth at first but we suspect that the glide will improve with more frequent use. 

Credit: Emma Dangel

What we love

  • It’s a blank canvas for DIY projects
  • The silhouette looks clean and current
  • It’s small-space friendly
  • The sturdy, solid-wood build
  • The storage capacity is good for the size
  • You get 5 ½ inches of clearance underneath

Good to know

  • It includes a wall-anchoring kit for added safety
  • The drawer glide wasn’t very smooth
  • It’s only available in untreated pine

Specifications:

  • Styles: The TARVA line also includes a tall 5-drawer dresser and a 3-drawer dresser
  • Dimensions: 59 1/2” wide, 15 3/4” deep, 36 1/4” tall
  • Materials: Solid pine, fiberboard 
  • Finishes: Pine 

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