SAN ANTONIO ā Although IKEA is best known for affordable home decor, you can buy an entire kitchen there for as little as $3,000, before appliances and labor. If you do decide to make it a one-stop shop, should you also get your appliances at IKEA? Consumer Reports put them to the test.
Even though some of the names are odd, most of the appliances are manufactured by Whirlpool. Consumer Reports recently tested a variety of appliances available at IKEA, including ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, a cooktop and a microwave. The results were mixed.
The $280 Lagan dishwasher Consumer Reports tested was noisy and the cycle time was long at 160 minutes. But they found the $400 dishwasher, the Renlig, did an excellent job cleaning and drying dishes, and took only 115 minutes.
The Betrodd gas range for $800 did a better job cooking than some non-IKEA models that cost $2,000 more. It gave very good baking results and has a convection mode. But it didnāt do a good job broiling burgers.
Testers found the $1,500 Nutid french-door refrigerator had excellent temperature control and energy efficiency, performing better than similar refrigerators that are double the price.
If youāre installing more than one large appliance, shopping in one place can be convenient. All but the Lagan line are covered by a five-year warranty. The industry standard is just one year.
IKEA has stores in 25 states and some of their products are available online.
IKEA announced plans to build a store in Live Oak with opening set for the summer of 2019.