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'I have a futureproof kitchen' – homeowners tell us what it's really like to own an Ikea kitchen
In our 2025 customer survey*, we asked more than 400 Ikea kitchen owners about their experiences buying and using their kitchen.
Now, we've spoken with four owners to find out more. They've shared everything you need to know about buying and owning a kitchen from Ikea – including how much they spent, the installation process and what it's like to use day to day.
Plus, we share expert tips on what to look for when getting a new kitchen.
To find out how the brand fared in our full customer survey, as well as our expert lab tests, read our full Ikea kitchens review
'I have a futureproof kitchen that suits my needs' – Gabrielle, Staffordshire
- Gabrielle bought an Ikea Metod Bodbyn kitchen, plus worktop and appliances
- When: 2017
- Total spend: Around £6,000 (including discounts)
'My husband and I bought an Ikea kitchen as part of a larger home renovation project.
'During the process, it was really important to me that we had control over the kitchen design. I'm getting older, as is my husband, and I wanted to ensure that we could properly futureproof our home.
'We were absolutely given that control at Ikea. We had a design appointment, then tinkered with the design using its online planner, and then had another appointment. The designer was receptive and knowledgeable, and I'm so happy with our final layout.
'You have additional flexibility at Ikea because you can easily buy extra accessories in-store (or on its website), like spice racks and cutlery trays, which means you can refine your kitchen design as you use it. You could even buy extra cabinets if you needed.
'The only issue is that some of its cabinet options are a little limited: I would have liked a pull-out larder, but it doesn't make one in our specific range.
'During the design process, Ikea sent someone to our house to check our measurements, which was very reassuring.
'We also used Ikea installers and they were brilliant. They allocated a week to finish our installation, and when they were a little delayed, they sent extra workers at no extra cost.
'From beginning to end, the process was seamless. We had our first appointment in March, and the kitchen was installed by mid-May.
'We have had a couple of issues with durability – the wrap on the unit around our dishwasher is starting to peel, and the first tap we had went rusty. However, Ikea customer service was brilliant and replaced it very quickly.
'I think Ikea offers good value for money. I'm so happy with our kitchen and would absolutely use the company again.'
'Good customer service is important when undertaking a project as significant as buying and installing a new kitchen. No matter how robust your planning, things can and do go wrong, so it's important to be able to get hold of your kitchen supplier and reach a resolution quickly.
'See our table of the best kitchen suppliers to discover the brands that score well for customer service.'
Hannah Healey, Which? kitchens expert
'I DIYed my whole Ikea kitchen' – Chris, London
- Chris bought an Ikea Metod Bodbyn kitchen, plus sink, taps and appliances
- When: 2018
- Total spend: Around £5,800 (including discount)
'I'm confident in my ability to do home renovations, so I decided to DIY my Ikea kitchen from start to finish.
'I used Microsoft Excel to plan my kitchen and was even able to create a bespoke breakfast bar with wall units. I found the process pretty easy.
'I also installed the kitchen myself, which went just as smoothly. After you've built and installed one cabinet, the whole process is very simple, and I think a competent DIYer could easily complete the job to a good standard.
'I do have to tighten the hinges now and again, and the dividers in my drawer are a little loose, but otherwise I've had no issues with durability. I'm very happy with the quality of my kitchen.
'I would absolutely use Ikea again – there's so much flexibility in the process that you can really make a kitchen that works for you.'
'Ikea offers free design appointments, but you can save a lot of money by doing your own installation. To assess the process in more depth, our testers tried building and installing the units in our lab – see our guide to fitting your own kitchen for more information.
'You should make sure that you're confident in your renovation skills before working on your kitchen. Poor installation jobs can damage your kitchen and end up costing more in the long term.'
Hannah Healey, Which? kitchens expert
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'Ikea cabinets are built differently from other brands, but they're still easy to install' – Miranda
- Miranda bought an Ikea Metod Bodbyn kitchen, plus sink, taps and worktop
- When: 2019
- Total spend: Around £6,000 (including discount)
'I had an Ikea kitchen in a previous house, so I knew I wanted to use the company again.
'My husband and I used the Ikea design service to create our layout. Our kitchen is quite a complex space – it has uneven walls and we even discovered a cellar door in the middle of the room during the renovation!
'However, we're so happy with the final design, and our experience with the design service was brilliant. Our designer was even able to create a fake cabinet to cover the cellar door – along with our cream and dark-green colour scheme, it's one of my favourite parts of the design.
'Our only issue in the buying process was with installation. We got the kitchen as part of a bigger renovation, so we wanted to use our builders to install the kitchen rather than the Ikea service. However, our builders didn’t know how to assemble the units, because they have such a unique format.
'We ended up building the units ourselves, and then our builders were able to install them with no additional issues.
'I'm really happy with the quality of the kitchen overall. It does have a few minor faults – one unit has sagging hinges, there are a couple of stains, and some of the soft-close stoppers have popped off. Unfortunately, they're quite difficult to reattach, so we do have to be careful with a few cabinets.
'But overall, after six years, I'm still delighted with my kitchen.'
'Finding an independent kitchen fitter can often be cheaper than using an in-house installation service, so it's worth exploring this option. However, if you want your current contractors to fit your kitchen, ask them whether this is something they can do, or will have time to do within their project timeline, before making any decisions.
'Read the Which? Trusted Traders guide on how to work with your trader.
Victoria Purcell, Which? Home content editor
'I still walk in and think, I love my kitchen' – David & Sue, Cheshire
- David and Sue bought an Ikea Metod Kallarp kitchen, plus sink, taps, worktop and appliances
- When: 2019
- Total spend: Around £9,000 (including discounts)
'We host a family dinner for at least nine people every Sunday, so when we were purchasing our kitchen, we knew we needed it to be both functional and a great social space.
'We used Ikea for both design and installation. The design appointment in particular was brilliant. We ended up with a lovely kitchen island and two full-size ovens. The designer was very knowledgeable, and offered great advice without being pushy at all. On his advice I opted for an induction hob (after years of only using gas), and I am so happy I did.
'I now wish we had opted to put the ovens side by side, rather than one on top of the other, as I'm now a little older, and it would make it easier to use. But as you can purchase units from Ikea's website, this is something we feel we could easily change in future.
'As well as design, we also used Ikea for installation. Ikea organised the whole thing for us and the process was seamless – we just had to pay the installers and make a lot of cups of tea!
'We have had a few minor issues with durability – one of our side panels is delaminating after our cat had a little accident, the oven clocks don't keep time and the cooker hood extractor fan is a little noisy.
'We have a big kitchen and I think Ikea was great value for money. I'm so happy with it – I still walk in and think, "I love my kitchen".'
To see how 400 Ikea kitchen owners feel about durability, value for money, customer service and more, read our full Ikea kitchens review
Wondering which kitchen supplier to choose? Read our reviews of these leading brands:
- B&Q kitchens review
- Benchmarx kitchens review
- DIY Kitchens review
- Howdens Joinery kitchens review
- Ikea kitchens review
- Magnet kitchens review
- Symphony kitchens review
- Wickes kitchens review
- Wren Kitchens review
* In 2025, we surveyed 4,580 Which? members and members of the general public who own kitchens from leading brands, to ask about their experiences. Our experts also evaluated 21 kitchen ranges from nine brands in the lab. To discover the results, visit our guide to the best kitchen brands
This article uses insights from the Which? Connect panel, collected from research activities with our members. Find out how to get involved
