Ikea kitchens review

This popular Swedish brand is generally known for its well priced, modern designs. But can Ikea kitchens stand up to our rigorous lab tests?

It has three main kitchen ranges – the Metod, Enhet and Knoxhult – which are all flat-pack. 

According to Ikea, Metod is the most customisable, Enhet is the most flexible (it can be assembled and disassembled easily) and Knoxhult is the most affordable. 

As well as testing them at the lab, we surveyed Ikea kitchen owners to see how satisfied they are with them. 

See how Ikea compares with other leading brands in our analysis of the best kitchen brands

Ikea kitchens overall scores

If you're considering buying an Ikea kitchen, discover how the brand performed in our assessments. Our overall scores combine expert lab test results and customer survey data from real owners. 

Log in or join Which? to reveal the results for Ikea.

We tested 21 kitchen ranges from various brands, and the best achieved an overall score of 82%. The top nine all scored higher than 75%.

At the bottom end of the table, our lowest scorer got 59%. Eight kitchens from four brands all got scores of less than 70%. 

Two of Ikea's kitchens got identical scores, while the other performed better in our lab assessment. 

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Ikea kitchens lab test scores

Will an Ikea kitchen stand up to everyday use? Our expert lab tests are specially designed to test this. 

Which? is fully independent, and we buy every kitchen we test, so you can be confident that you're getting an honest and unbiased review. 

Log in or join Which? to reveal the results.

Our lab scores for all the kitchens we tested ranged from 89% to just 54%.

Two kitchen ranges from different brands failed our hinges test.

Find out how we test kitchens in our lab

Ikea kitchens customer score

We spoke to people with an Ikea kitchen to find out how owners rate them. 

Log in or join Which? to find out what Ikea customers told us.

Our top two scorers achieved outstanding overall scores of 80% in our customer survey.

At the other end of the table, two brands scored less than 70% overall, and three were rated just two stars out of five for customer service.

How well do Ikea kitchens last? 

We asked Ikea customers whether their kitchen showed any signs of damage or wear and tear. 

We only asked people who reported buying their kitchen between 2015 and 2021, to get a sense of how they hold up in the long term. 

Log in or join Which? to find out what Ikea customers told us.

On average, 45% of our survey respondents reported that their kitchen was showing signs of damage or wear and tear after at least five years of ownership. 

The most common issues were scratches on the cabinets' finish (15%) and soft-close mechanisms failing (12%). 

Just 34% of owners from the most reliable brand reported damage to their kitchen. 

Our reader survey also revealed the 7 things people regret most about their kitchen design

Ikea kitchen costs

To find out how much you can expect to spend, we set up mystery shopping appointments to source prices for all the kitchens we test. 

We started by finding the middle-priced range for each carcass we test (based on the median average), then attended design appointments with every brand, posing as a customer looking to buy a new kitchen. We asked brands to provide us with prices for the selected ranges in a 12-unit kitchen, without any additional accessories (such as worktop, sink, taps or appliances). 

We didn't get prices for the Knoxhult range, as it's designed for use in small spaces and comes in pre-configured designs, but you can see the cost of these designs on the Ikea website. 

We were quoted between roughly £1,500 and £2,500 for the Ikea kitchens we designed. 

The Metod quote did not include handles, so we added this element to the price ourself. 

Note that the Enhet kitchen does not come with decor panels, or cornices or pelmets (the decorative strips along the top and bottom of wall cabinets). The pelmet (the decorative strip that runs along the base of the base cabinets to conceal the legs) only comes in white. 

Bear in mind that this is based on one design appointment and should be used as an indicator of how much you can expect to pay, rather than a final price.

See our kitchen planning ideas for a step-by-step guide on creating your ideal layout

Ikea kitchen design service

Ikea offers free design appointments either in person or online. You can book online at ikea.com. 

It also offers an at-home service, which includes measuring your space. However, this is currently available only in selected postcodes in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Warrington. 

A total of 161 Ikea customers reported having used its design service. We asked them to rate their experience and tell us whether they have any issues with their kitchen as a result of poor planning.

Log in or join Which? to see what they said. 

Ikea kitchen installation

There are three ways to install your Ikea kitchen: doing it yourself, using a service organised by Ikea, or finding your own fitter. 

Fitting it yourself

Ikea's Enhet and Metod units come flat-packed; you can assemble and install them yourself.

Knoxhult kitchens come fully assembled and you can install them yourself. 

Our labs tried assembling and installing these kitchens to assess how easy it was. 

Log in or join Which? to reveal the results.

Does Ikea fit kitchens?

Not itself, no. Ikea offers an optional fitting service at extra cost, but it's not carried out by Ikea installers. 

A total of 107 Ikea customers reported using the brand's installation service. 

We asked them to rate their experience, including whether or not they had any issues. 

Log in or join Which? to find out about their experience. 

Ikea stresses that its kitchens are designed to be installed by you. It claims its new Enhet range fits together without the need for tools – you simply click the parts into place. 

But if you'd prefer a professional to fit your kitchen, use Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable trader near you. 

Installation cost

To find out the average cost of kitchen installation in 2025, we consulted the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) database. According to BCIS, the total cost of labour should be 20-30% of your total spend. 

For a full breakdown of costs, including installation, labour and individual elements such as kitchen islands and worktops, read our guide to how much a new kitchen costs in 2025.

We recommend that you always get at least three quotes from different traders before you start any job, and get a fixed-price contract if possible (this means the prices can't go up expect in pre-agreed circumstances). 

Ikea kitchens pros and cons

Log in to or join Which? to see the pros and cons of Ikea kitchens.

Updating your appliances as well? See our best kitchen appliances, a round-up including the best and worst cookers, fridges and more

How to buy an Ikea kitchen

Ikea is one of the few companies that allow you to buy kitchen units online. All you need to do is select your kitchen range, finish and the units you need at ikea.com.

Then you need to organise your installation – or do it yourself. 

Alternatively, you can work with Ikea's design services. They can also help you decide on your installation. 

Ikea kitchen styles

Ikea has three main kitchen ranges: Metod, Enhet and Knoxhult.

It describes the Metod range as 'the system that has endless possibilities'. It comes in 23 colours (including wood effects), in modern, traditional and Shaker styles, and in a variety of finishes. 

The Enhet range is 'the system that has more flexible solutions' and is designed to be disassembled and reassembled if you move home. It comes in modern styles (four colours) or Shaker styles (two colours). 

The Knoxhult as 'a perfect system for a great price', according to Ikea. It's a white slab kitchen with pre-attached oak-effect worktops. It comes in pre-configured units to make it easy to design and install. 

Cheapest Ikea kitchen

The Knoxhult is the cheapest range. 

It's not the most flexible option, but if you're looking for a small, white kitchen then it could suit your needs.

Unit sizes

Ikea kitchen units come in standard sizes, with widths of 50cm and 60cm. 

You can also buy pre-configured designs for its Enhet and Knoxhult ranges, which makes the designing process much easier. 

Guarantees

Ikea offers different guarantees, depending on the range. 

Metod has a 25-year guarantee that covers defects in the material and workmanship of the kitchen system. 

 Enhet has a 10-year guarantee for the kitchen system, whereas appliances have a five-year guarantee (except Lagan and Tillreda, which get two years).

There's no extended guarantee for the Knoxhult kitchen system – it comes with a standard one-year guarantee. 

To find out more, or to buy an Ikea kitchen, visit the Ikea website.

Looking for an independent kitchen specialist? Use Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable kitchen designer, fitter or refurbishment professional near you: