Ikea - everything from sofas to meatballs... (Ikea)

Member Name: dougal868

Product:	Ikea
Date:	18/10/08 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great products - well designed, stylish and good value.

Disadvantages: Can be very, very busy!

I absolutely LOVE Ikea! Our nearest store is the one in Edinburgh which is just under an hour from us but despite the fact that it's a bit of a drive we still pop along sometimes just for something to do! Maybe that's a bit sad but we really do enjoy it and it makes a surprisingly nice day out...anyway...

So what do they sell? In a nut shell, everything for your house...and the kitchen sink too! Ikea stores are extremely large and do sell everything you would need for your home. Sofas, tables, tv cabinets, shelves, beds, mattresses, wardrobes, kitchens, office furniture, kids furniture, toys, lights, pictures, mirrors, fabric, duvets, towels, mugs, plates, pots and pans...as I said, they sell everything!!

Is it any good? YES! Ikea products are generally very well designed and very well thought out so you'll find they have a lot of space saving ideas and simplified products but they still keep everything very stylish and it all seems to be very well made. Everything is flat packed but is of a far better standard than other flat packs you might buy from places like Argos or similar. We've had a whole load of stuff from Ikea - chairs, tables, bedroom furniture, plates, pictures and even a fitted kitchen and it's all been very well made, durable and a good price too. I particularly love their children's products. The toys are lovely and very traditional (train sets, tea sets, soft toys, easels, etc) and our eldest daughter's bedroom furniture is almost entirely from Ikea and it's all excellent! Very well made and it was all a good price. She also loves it too which is the main thing and the Ikea children's furniture really does seem to be made with children in mind. In fact all of their products do really seem to be made considering who is going to be using the items. And best of all, you can really try out all of the things in the store and there's no pressure from sales people like you get in other furniture shops!

Any negatives? I can't really fault Ikea much at all. I know some people don't like the fact that the shops are so big and seem to either feel completely lost or that they are being herded around by the arrows on the floor. I can safely say I've never felt either of these things! Yes, the shops are big but that means there is a lot of choice which is good and yes there are arrows to help you find your way around but that doesn't mean that you can't deviate from them... I suppose a slight negative would be how ridiculously busy it can be, especially at weekends! However, the shop and car park are both large enough to cope with the hordes so it's not too bad BUT go in the week if you can. Or, better yet, a lot of shops are open til around 10pm so go in the evening if you can as it's incredibly quiet then! Another slight negative (although this has never affected us) is that delivery charges are immense. They will deliver to basically anywhere but the charge depends on where you live and could be anything up to around £75! So, take a big car or hire a van if you're planning on buying anything big.

Extras? The cafe/restaurant is as good as the shop - the perfect place to catch your breath and grab some lunch in the middle of all that shopping! They sell a lovely variety of food and drinks - salads, sandwiches, fish and chips, cakes, pasta, etc and, best of all, meatballs! The meatballs are truly yummy! There is also a children's play area in the cafe where your little ones can try out some of the toys that are on sale in the shop. Also, if you do love the meatballs, don't forget to check out the foodmarket on the way out of the shop (after the main chekouts). The market sells a lovely variety of Swedish foods including the meatballs, pickled herring, cheeses, biscuits, cakes, sweets, crackers, vodka and pear cider!

Prices? In general, you'll find that Ikea is a bit cheaper than other home/furniture shops and not only do you save some money but you also get quality, well designed and stylish products. You can also join the 'Ikea Family' which gives you a card to use each time you shop. They then send you special offers, money off coupons etc in the post and you can get discounts on specific items in store. You also get free tea and coffee on weekdays if you use your card in the cafe - yay!

Summary: A brilliant shop - everything you could need for a stylish home.