IKEA

[Seafarer1966]

I've never thought much of Ikea. The father in law was an upholsterer by trade and he always said Ikea furniture was rubbish and was the British Leyland of the soft furnishings world.

A recent trip in September to my local Ikea to kit my daughter out for uni (her idea to go to Ikea) hasn't improved my opinion.

The kitchen stuff is poor quality. Amongst a trolley load of stuff I bought her a frying pan (made in Vietnam) and the teflon (if it is actually teflon non-stick material) has bubbled away from the metal after three occasions being used. Probably made from melted down B52's. It's the Cong getting their revenge.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's very difficult to get teflon to stick to the pans.

 

[handyjack]

I love Ikea. When I worked I got many a call to assemble it after the man of the house failed. With what I charged plus initial cost they could probably have saved by buying solid oak ready assembled.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Their stuff is of a non standard size, ie, you buy their bed, you have to buy their mattress.

 

[blightymam]

Pick and choose at Ikea but overall I like the store. I've bought a few things for the kitchen which are excellent and still going strong, as well as a few things for the garden.
And I have happy childhood memories of our parents taking us to Ikea in Norway in the 70's and us having real chips in the cafe. The only place we could find em near where we lived - ace!

 

[conny]

I hate the way you are, practically, forced to follow a complete route through every section to get to where you want/have to go.
If you try to turn back you are then going against the flow and the assistants 'kindly' ask you to turn around. I'm not claustrophobic by any means, (I spend most of my working day enclosed in packaging machines repairing them!), but both times I have been to the Warrington branch I have had a panic attack and left via a fire exit because I couldn't face 'strolling' all the way through to the normal exit behind hordes of dawdlers.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Like everything though it's not all bad, you can cherry pick the better items, kids storage for example, not sure what else mind!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

conny, there are always a couple of bypasses/shortcuts in every Ikea store.

 

[conny]

Freddy, couldn't find any when I visited although it was about 10 years ago. Maybe things have changed since but thanks for the info.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

There not signposted but they do exist. Look on the little store map next to time you have the pleasure.

 

[JohnD]

It'll be nice if they have an emergency, such as a fire, or a lighting failure, or a bomb scare.

 

[HERTS P&D]

It'll be nice if they have an emergency, such as a fire, or a lighting failure, or a bomb scare.

That's not very mature is it?

Andy

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It'll be nice if they have an emergency, such as a fire, or a lighting failure, or a bomb scare.

What's the difference between an Ikea store and any say a museum or aquarium, with respect to escape in an emergency?

 

[JohnD]

If a museum chooses to turn their gallery into a maze, with a deliberately long route, and conceal the exits, none.

Do you know any that do so, as a matter of policy?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I know that museums and aquariums and the like go as far as they possibly can, legally, with respect to concealing escape signage/routes/doors. Every Sea Life in the world for starters. They're policy is to maximize guest experience (and make as much money as possible) within the law. Just like Ikea.