"Peter Huebner" wrote in message

Is Ikea really such crap these days? Seriously, I have no idea, they don't
have
a shop in New Zealand. Back in my student days 30 years ago, we'd hire a
VW bus
and drive 100 km to the nearest Ikea store because the stuff they were
selling
was so *good* (all solid, hard, well seasoned pine in those days, and
affordable even for students).

But my wife (a fairly recent import from Germany) brought a couple of Ikea
chests of drawers with her and they were, indeed, utter junk.

Guess I may have heard that they moved the production from Scandinavia to
Asia.
Not sure. Hmmm.


I don't know about China, but it's my impression that they have succumbed to
corporate expansion, with a resultant loss in quality.

SWMBO, who owns and operates a music school primarily for children, has
bought a lot of Ikea down through the years, and guess who gets to put it
together.

Assembly has recently become a real PITA on many items and that fact is
probably a fair indication that things aren't what they used to be. On their
behalf, occasionally I'm surprised ... mostly on the older designed stuff
they've been selling for years.

As you well know, furniture "quality" is relative if you've never
experienced a difference. Until you've experienced a well made custom
kitchen cabinet, with the boxes put together the right way and made with the
best materials available, the KitchenMaid stuff at the BORG's looks pretty
damn good.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)