Note on radiant flooring in a kitchen. You do not want the heated floor to go under your base cabinets. It will heat up and trap a ridiculous amount of heat inside of the cabinets, which will definitely damage and reduce the shelf life of any pantry foods stored in them, like canned goods, flours, oils, grains, etc.

How is it possible that you only have 1.36K subscribers?😑 the quality of this video is soo good and the way you present the content is very well done!

12 years going strong for my ikea kitchen. We spent hours in the design and made full use of all of their storage solutions. Did all the work ourselves with no regrets.

I'm an Architectural Engineer by trade and actually work in the millwork industry. I design custom kitchens, bathrooms etc for both high end residential and commercial applications. I have had some experience with Ikea cabinetry. I think they are an OK budget friendly option but the price definitely comes with some caveats. Like you pointed out in your video the back panels are very flimsy on their cabinets and are just nailed to the back of the cabinets. This is a problem because the panels flex and eventually will come detached from the back of the cabinets. Typically kitchen cabinetry will have a 1/2" or 1/4" back with a Dado (think of a channel) that the the back will slide into preventing the panel from being able to detach with enough pressure. The material is also particle board. Although not uncommon in budget friendly cabinet construction, particle board is susceptible to flexing and warping and can break or fracture easily. For example, if you were to kick (not that you would want to) the side of an Ikea cabinet, it would not take much force to break the panel. Plywood constructed cabinets are more durable, and kicking the side of a cabinet wouldn't do much more than put a scuff on the side of the cabinet. Lastly, the other issue I see with Ikea cabinets is the construction of the drawer boxes. Ikea drawer boxes are shallow to leave room for the drawer slides they use. Ikea opted for a visible slide as opposed to a side or undermount drawer slide like you find in most kitchen cabinets. Because of this, you can't have deep drawers. This also makes manufacturing cheaper for Ikea as they can use the same drawer boxes for multiple drawer faces. The other cost saving measure is down to the drawer box construction itself. They're constructed using butt joints where the panels "butt" up against each other as opposed to a dovetail or box joint where the panels interlock together, making for a stronger, more durable drawer box. That being said, I don't think Ikea cabinets are a bad option if you're on a budget. They work well in a home. They wouldn't stand up well in a commercial setting, however. Whenever I have people ask me about my opinion on Ikea cabinets, I usually point them in the direction of the big box store pre built cabinets as opposed to ikea. Another option would be to buy cabinet boxes (cabinets without doors/drawer fronts) from either a cabinet supplier or a big box store and then buy the drawer fronts and doors from Ikea I think using this method, you will find that you can still get that same look Ikea offers but will have a cabinet that is better constructed than the Ikea boxes. You would actually be surprised that this method is roughly about the same price as Ikea, and you will have a much more durable cabinet than going with an Ikea cabinet box. This is by no means meant to dissuade anyone from buying Ikea cabinetry but just informational so people understand what they are getting in an Ikea cabinet and to also let people know that there are other budget friendly options that will achieve the same look without having to worry about durability issues.

Installed our IKEA kitchen in 2008. I have a large family, many of whom join me in cooking. 15 years and it looks and functions like it's brand new. Best decision I every made.

My parents recently wanted to renovate their kitchen but hire contractors for it and the furniture with it too. I was so shocked about the amount that they're asking, so I was trying to convince them to install Ikea furniture instead but as you said they think its "cheap materials". I showed them this video and changed their minds! Thank you so much for making this video :)

Who thought a video about IKEA kitchens could be so relaxing? It's almost like an ASMR video 😴

You are SO right about white sinks! I finally got a kitchen with a stainless steel sink, and after two years, I'm able to clean it easily and quickly. Okay, yes, it isn't as shiny as it was when it was installed, but at least it is CLEAN and without stains with practically NO effort. Nice looking pizza, by the way.

We put in an IKEA kitchen in 1988. It held up well, performed as expected and was worth every penny. We replaced the cabinets when we remodeled about 2 years ago. I moved the IKEA cabinets to my shop where they continue to serve as expected. Over 30 years now and still working just fine. Flimsy my butt!

A few tips from an Interior Designer. Add felt or rubber bumpers to the back of your cabinet door. Ikea cabinet doors are pre-fab to accept their hinge line, it's not an easy retrofit if considering another brand. Back panel is thin to keep cost low. Built-in microwaves with a trim kit need a 30" wide cabinet typically. Stainless steel sink for the win + the sink grate is super helpful when it's a single bowl for drying, etc. Love the radiant floor idea, definitely lux move for your next project!

If your kitchen sink is porcelain try bar keepers friend. It works on porcelain, stainless steel, and aluminum among many other surfaces.

The tip about the white sink is *chefs kiss*. Thank you. I was hoping to get a white sink, but now I will stick with stainless steel. Thank you again!

For white sinks to stay white, first clean and than apply boat wax to the sink will last 6 months to a year. Have a Kohler sink that is 30 years old and still looks brand new 😊

I had an ikea kitchen in my last house. It was the high gloss Gray lacquer and it was beautiful. I had it for 10 years and I loved it as much the day I sold the house as the day it was installed. I had no complaints. I lived in a seashore area nothing ever warped and nothing ever rusted . It was beautiful

I've assembled and installed six IKEA kitchens with nothing but good things to say about them. I love the old school design of brown cabinets, white appliances, and an over the stove microwave. I avoided trying to be too trendy and I have a kitchen that is beautiful and functionable.

Did my Ikea kitchen in 2020. The Axtad white worked well and it cleans up nice with a mild de-greaser. We found a used Sharp Drawer style microwave and it works really well! They are expensive, but we were able to get a used one for only $400. I also have an 8" high toe kick which is absolutely amazing! If you are taller than an average 1940's housewife, make a higher toe-kick! My counters are at 40" which makes cooking in my kitchen so comfortable!

Nice to see shots of the kitchen in use as part of your review! Beautiful space and good tips as I plan my own renovation.

I’ve seen people ruin expensive, quality kitchens within a year or two. I’ve also seen people use their furniture sensibly and enjoy them for 15-20 years. I love your tips and honest review. I love my IKEA kitchen. It’s been going strong for 6 years now. 💪🏻🙏🏻

I'm looking to remodel my kitchen in the next year. Thank you for the ideas and advice. I live in the upper Midwest, so, I am all over the heated floors! I installed it under my flooring in my dining room; best decision I made during that project! Great production values for the video!

Love your kitchen and review.. We have done two IKEA kitchens in two different places we have lived in, and I have always been extremely pleased and satisfied with the look, quality and durability of their products and accessories..

Great points to think about. We are re-doing our kitchen next month and, although we didn't use Ikea, you've given us good ideas to consider and questions to ask! Hope your channel keeps growing.

Hello, i am from Germany i purchased an Ikea kitchen with real Wood Doors and enjoyed it for 22 years including three moves. The only Things which suffer are the back-sides when bumping or If you must Drill new holes for water Connections or electrical Outlets. I will buy again Ikea!!! The drawer systems are the best!!!

Love your video! You just state the facts and give solutions. Hope your channel prospers. This is the first time I’ve had a recommendation to view your videos. Great work👍

The quality of this video and review is so good I was very surprised to hear you were a small channel. I love Ikea and this was an awesome irl perspective I appreciate!

Several years ago I read an article in Consumer Reports about kitchen remodels. They rated IKEA, The Home Depot, and Lowe's cabinets as three of the top five in the mainstream category. Someone made a good point about the back part of the cabinet. If I ever redo my kitchen, I would definitely consider IKEA because I like the insides of the cabinets.

i have my ikea kitchen now for 20 years and the only thing thats not so pretty anymore are the edges, that are often in contact with water/steam. the rest is in really good shape.

Great video. I installed an IKEA kitchen in my last house, and I loved it. The cabinet doors were a bit lightweight, so if I had to do it again...I would probably use a different company for the fronts. My parents have had the same white porcelain sink for about 30 years.....a little Ajax and Lime Rust Spray (let it sit for a few minutes) keeps it looking beautiful. 😊

Loved your calm tone and the slower pace of the video. I wished more videos on KZfaq would be like this. I wish you all success, you're very good at making KZfaq videos!

I have had my IKEA kitchen for just over 12 years and still love the cabinets. I may change the bench tops in the next few years.

Planning an IKEA kitchen ATM. Brilliant video mate thanks!

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Your kitchen looks beautiful!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Raymond, I agree with everything you stated. Specially the white sink, for this matter I chose the stainless-steel sink. Enjoy your kitchen for years to come... Abrazos

Legit found this video helpful. I also really appreciate the thoughtfulness and the production quality. At first I was confused by the pizza baking, but it turns into this subtle micro-narrative that gets you more invested in the video overall. Well done, Raymond!

Yep, after almost 5 years with an Ikea kitchen, I agree with everything you said! :)

One of the best kitchen reviews ever! Fantastic points even if not going with IKEA. Your kitchen is beautiful!

Thanks for this man! My house is bound to finish mid May and I am considering Ikea for some of my built-ins. This is so helpful. Thanks a lot!

Love my Ikea kitchen. Self designed and self installed. I love that they come in different widths but also different depths. You can get 180 degree hinges, by the way. We have pull out drawers in our cabinets. Amen on the white sinks. We got ours from Homebase, but yeah, so hard to keep white. Those Mr Clean erasers help a bit, but not enough.

Ikea supply 153 degree hinges. I am currently fitting my own and I've designed it myself. I am making good use of the end panels and I purchased lots of end panels and have used those under my wall cabinets to hide the wires to the lights. I do not like those plastic "tunnels" which Ikea supply, so I routed channels into the underside of the panels and then fixed the lighting. The wiring cannot be seen. I have never fitted a kitchen before; however, I sat down and planned, planned and planned. I taught myself so much; not everything is here on KZfaq. Overall my kitchen is coming on fine and I will make a video once is is completed.

You were in my recommended videos and I’m glad! Beautiful kitchen sir and immaculate! I love IKEA 😉

Really appreciate the detailed comments about the Ikea hinges and screws. And of course about the sink.

I've had my IKEA kitchen for 15 years. The backs of my cabinets are the same as the sides -- nice and solid. I have the Akurum/Adel style that they don't make anymore. Fed 4 people, cooked nearly everything from scratch, so plenty of heavy use. Still going strong. Even the finish is still great. eta Also, your kitchen looks great!

I have a white vintage double porcelain sink in my kitchen and a stainless double in my laundry room. I much prefer the porcelain one. I scrub it with something and then spray with bleach cleaner like you do. Very simple. I would always choose the porcelain over stainless.

I really appreciate the 1 year follow up. So many home renos look amazing right after it’s done, and it should! But really >1 year is what we all need to see to make good kitchen reno choices . Wonderfully made video, loved watching it, such high quality!

Thank you so much for sharing you experience. We are about to design and purchase our kitchen cabinets with IKEA and the timing on this video came just perfect. Thank you so much!!!

What a helpful and thoughtful video. The algorithm offered it up - must be all the interior vids I watch! I had a few thoughts for some of your issues if you haven't already sorted them. In the deep drawer where your oil doesn't fit, fit some slanted inserts that keep the bottle almost upright, similar to iDesign clear drawer insert for spices, easy enough to DIY from scrap wood though for a custom fit/best slope angle. With the underheating issue, you can get plinth/kickspace heaters that go just below the cabinets - not sure how these are fitted/cost, but they may be a solution, my friend loves them for warming her ankles and giving some ambient heat. Finally with the microwave surround, if a local carpenter/installer can't see a way to get it fitted by adapting the existing space, I'd say cut your losses and reclaim a bit of the cost by reselling on eBay/Facebook etc so you're not totally out of pocket. The advice on sinks was super helpful. I have stainless steel which never cleans perfectly but I guess is lower maintenance on the whole. I do use a washing-up bowl though which limits staining a little. Thank you for such a great video, have subscribed for more interesting content!

Yes on the white sink! I had one before, same experience! Thank you for mentioning that the black option was not great either. I was already leaning towards stainless, but your comment helped me decide that the black sink was not the answer.

Great video. We are undergoing a renovation at the moment and pretty much 100% of the stuff you've covered is relevant. Thank you so much! You have a new subscriber.

I love your content. Love your kitchen, thanks mate I also enjoyed your delivery of content, you’re not screaming at me .

We installed an IKEA kitchen in our home about a year ago and we love it! Only downside is that we got the matte green cabinets (which I fell in love with and still love) but they show every single grease mark! Hard to keep clean! Also we have a black sink and we LOVE it, would never do stainless steel again since they always look dirty. Mind you, we went with a pricey Blanco sink but absolutely no regrets since we use our sink every day and it looks brand new.

Currently working on an ikea kitchen. Your video was amazing.

May I make some suggestions…take everything out of packaging and put in organization containers. You can the purchase a glass container for olive oil that will fit in drawer. I would also suggest buying plastic containers (basket) to put all the new containers in. This Weill keep everything neat and tidy I all the drawers. Maybe buy standard size spice containers and transfer everything into them.

I loves your design so clean.

Well done. Great video.We have been installing Ikea kitchens since 2005, they've all been excellent value. Good tip on the white sink - it seems they're back in style these days. I grew up with one, however, it was never my job to clean it!

I’ve had an IKEA kitchen for over 5 years. I’d do it all over again if I had to. All my lower cabinets are drawers. At the time, they did not have 21” drawers, so I created drawers in a 21” cabinet. I have an extra step of opening a door to get to the drawers, but I do not mind at all. Oh, and Roberta’s dough recipe is a great one.

In about to install myself my Ikea kitchen and I’m a bit intimidated by the job so all and every advice is immensely welcome. Your review is specific which make your video unique. It has being useful and a piece of mind. Great job. Thanks.

Great presentation of the content. Came here for the Ikea cabinets stated for the show. Well done my friend.

Thank you so very much for this very helpful video. My son and wife are on their second IKEA kitchen and are very happy with the kitchen. Re white sink. Perhaps it is the quality of the white sink you are buying. I've had white porcelin sinks all my life and they have been perfect and always look good even without scrubbing with ajax or something like that. Even with a stainless steel sink, if one emptys food in a sink a quick rinse with water will not remove all the residue and a quick wipe with a sponge will do the trick. However I do like the rack idea.

Tip for the white sink. My mother would put a splash of bleach in the sink with about an inch of hot water after she washed dinner dishes to soak her dish cloth. She would then wipe the counters and backsplash, all with white grout, and do a quick wash of the sink. Her grout and sink remained white with minimal daily effort.

What a thoughtfully produced video!

Love the grid for the sink 👍🏽

Mmmm good to know about the heated floors!

I put in an Ikea kitchen when we rebuilt our house after a flood. Only regret I have on the cabinets is not redoing the walls and ceiling to be closer to 90 degree and leveler. The space between the upper cabinets and the ceiling in some areas, can vary by up to 1". I'll eventually fix this with crown molding. We got all white and I find the easy to clean. We got a farmhouse style white sink. Yes it's easy to stain. Bleach and "bartenders friend" cleans it though. Biggest regret is the stove/oven. We bought their flat glass top style. 1/2 the burners don't get hot enough, and the over takes forever. The bottom pan tray also never stays on the track.

I put in a white ikea sink and never had a problem, loved it.

Really well presented without all the bells and whistles. Thank you. Found today. Subscribed and sharing.

Excellent review. Thank you

Nice video Ray!

Very thoughtful video, filmed and laid out wonderfully.

Thank you for this information. It really helps a lot as I planning a kitchen renovation from Ikea!

We’ve had our ikea kitchen a year and a half now, we absolutely love it and I am so impressed. We have a white Havsen sink and we’ve never had issues with staining so that’s such a shame you do with yours. We did have an ikea Gamlesjön tap which looked great, but I hated it because it would splash so much, that’s pretty much one of the only things we changed. But other then that, I love it. The cabinet fronts (Lerhyttan grey) clean up really nice and don’t get marked as easily as I was worried they might. The work tops we went for the Oak effect Säljan which was I swear only £40 for 186cm lengths but I think they’ve gone up in price, but even with that, they are what I am most impressed about because I was most nervous considering the price. They look fantastic and have held up beautifully, they look as good as the day they were installed.

Loving your video styling

Great video. Doing a kitchen remodel in the future and all very good points I hadn't thought of yet. Thanks for saving me from a white sink, and for planning for radiant floor heat.

Really appreciate the thoughtful and candid feedback!

Hi Raymond, Screw - get a countersink bit and countersink the screw that will solve your screw design problem. Sink-Bar keepers friend (oxalic acid) that will solve your sink staining issue. Bleach doesn’t work as well. Clorox clean up is VOC hell. Then use tile /grout /stone sealer every few months or as needed. I like “511 impregnater sealer” (scrub with the BKF first make sure it’s clean.) Microwave - if you tell me the material your trim is I can tell you how to save it. Floor- I live in Florida so… heated floors aren’t a thing here. But, we do love our Aircon! So, I get it. I would look into “rugable” by far the best decision for kitchen because they are washable runners. You think a runner won’t be enough but it will. Good video… great production!

Great tip on the white sink, won't make that mistake. One point I'll add. A big benefit of Ikea is that you can buy replacement parts easily. I smashed a door, and getting replacing it was so easy.

Wow, what an incredible channel. So happy I found you.

I loved the music and the little cooking clips. That was a great video quality wise and thank you for the tips!

very useful information and very well presented. Gave a thumb up & subscribed. Btw, agree with you on the white sink. SS is the way to go, preferably 16 ga, though perhaps 18+ for a rental.

I do not like stainless sinks. I’ve had them. Unless you towel it dry, it always looks spotted. Black is worse, it never looks good. A few years ago I installed a “granito“ sink. It’s textured, you’d think it would be awful, however, it is fantastic. I love it. Easy to clean, no spots, looks good, always. I’m having the same kind put in my new kitchen.

this video is such stellar quality, i'm so glad the aglorithm picked up this video!! keep up the great work, you've got a new sub 🥰

Radiant floors are heaven!

I love your kitchen❤

Love this kitchen! We got stainless steel for our new kitchen, white looks so nice but ain't nobody got time for that!

This was extremely helpful and a pleasure to watch. Thank you!

The last house I owned had a heated floor in the kitchen which I loved and yes it adds to the ambiant heat as well as being comfortable to spend time on, the previous owners installed it (thank you) and they pointed out to us that the floor tiles extended under the units to the walls incase we wished to change the layout but the heating did not go under the cabinets which was helpful to know. Thanks for the useful input on the kitchen - especially the pizza stone as I am thinking of buying one. Good video.

Great vid, Raymond. You're offering a very valuable service having lived with your design choices for a year to give an informative review of what you might do differently. Thank you and I hope to see more. I love your kitchen

I completely agree with the white sink. I thought I wanted one until I bought a house with one and hated the maintenance. I didn't replace it because it was a special order corner double sink, with the second sink that was round and had a built-in drain "board". We knew we would be selling the house in a few years to move back to Canada so it was not something I was about to invest in.

We did an ikea cabinet kitchen and I love love love it!

Thank you for this vid. Just had the kitchen measured by Ikea and in the process of planning out the cabinets. This is VERY helpful.

Thank you for the video. Here my second IKEA kitchen. Very pleased with. I have only drawers in the lower cabinets. I don't have to open a drawers to find an other drawer ( drawer within a drawer) - it's a nonsense to me (?)- " Maximera" system works like a charm ! I put my microwave in an closed/ hiden (with door) upper cabinet . Very nice( no 👀 clutter) . But because I'm only 160cm/5'3" , I have to be very careful with liquids (hot). Gives me some 😱 when I use it. Nice, but not ergonomic/ safe 😒. Heated floor is amazing ! I have it in the kitchen and bathroom. After trying it you can't live without it !!! I don't think we save on the expenses side of heating ( it works 24/24) but the feeling and comfort is just...wow ! An other options for a " neutral" feeling under the feet ( not the ceramic cold one) is hardwood in the kitchen ( I have an open concept kitchen/ livingroom, so, full hardwood floor).And kork in the bathroom. ( I have it in the previous condo). Works pretty well. But I'm single and I'm careful.- Maybe not be a good idea if there are children in the 🏠 (?!)- I don't know the white one sink, but I bought the under the counter stainless steel one. It stains easily and requires lot of maintenance ( at least mine). But overall, IKEA kitchen is a good and nice one. I love my Yttran kitchen faucet with pull-out spout !

get some storage containers for the sugar draw and everything will fit at the same height

Currently planning my new home build and even though I live in Alabama radiant heating is a must have. After living in a house on a crawl space instead of a slab for the last 12 years I’m tired of my feet always being called! Love the video and look forward to exploring your content.

Loved the kitchen review while you were making pizza! So creative 🤩

Have you tried using soft scrub on your sink stains? That has always made white sinks easy to clean for me!

Bar keepers friend (powder or spray) would work great on that sink

Your kitchen is beautiful , love the range hood.

Great quality and presentation.

Agreed on the white sink. Also, I just installed an ikea kitchen for a client, used a max tall drawer in a base with door mounted on the front as a 15” pullout. There is a kit for that to convert it. Btw, if you show me the trim kit and the issues in a video, I can offer some advice. Will subscribe to get notified. Great production value! Cheers,

6:19 how interesting, we have a white farmhouse sink from IKEA and it hasn’t stained in the 2 years we have had it.

I have a 100% SECTION ikea installation in my kitchen and its help up amazingly. When did I install them? 2010. I will admit that I have changed the cabinet doors *because you can hot-swap them for different looks for really cheap* 2:50 As for your hinge situation, you need to get the 130° hinges over the 110° hinges. It clears the cabinet completely. Also, IKEA has a 1 year return window regardless if open/used or brand new, so tbh its kinda on you to change those hinges. I’ve returned entire kitchen hinge collections for the wider angle ones 6 months into using them. IIRC, its like 40 pairs of hinges. As for drawer height, those can also be customized as drawer faces has a joining plate where it makes drawer spaces taller and more room. Can’t argue with the sink. I’m with you on that. The biggest takeaway is that IKEA cabinet features are insanely customizable and compatible with all sorts of things. You need to really get creative and think outside the box on the setup and provisions. As for my Ethos related points, I literally spent the last two months building an entire kitchen and laundry room for a family friend and the planning was insanely well done.

Great video! I am planning to renovate the kitchen cabinets using IKEA so sharing your thoughts is a huge help! Thanks.