Experiences with IKEA kitchens – quality, assembly, service?

But they are also from the well-known brand manufacturers. By now, you can even treat yourself to glass or similar with Metod.

Aha. Never seen that. Can't be googled either. Uppdatera or Maximera, brand manufacturers? There are just some clamps visible everywhere. That's not nice.
I took the liberty to photograph the drawer side. I can say: good on the outside, bad on the inside. If I hadn't stood up just now, that sentence would have been left out. In the end, I spent more than €400 on this cabinet (without the side glass insert) and ultimately I was so disillusioned and without enthusiasm that I even spared myself removing the sticker.
If I imagine having 10 of these cabinets, it would really bother me to have spent so much money on them. Because you can only call Ikea kitchens cheap if you stick to the standard. For simple, wardrobes, or sideboards, top notch.
What surprises me so much here in the forum: I have never seen a photo of the highly praised Ikea kitchens. Maybe an overview in new condition once, but no critical corners, nor another row of cabinets after one year.

So you have to make sure you take METOD, that is the higher line. The Enket or Enhet or whatever is the "student line."
Metod is quite decent, although not as massive anymore as the Faktum from 15 years ago.
Hinges and drawer rails are, as mentioned, branded goods.
I have about 8m of kitchen with a dishwasher (fully integrated) and freezer from IKEA, the rest of the appliances from different manufacturers. An Elica Tesla induction stove with cooktop extractor also worked, but I had to saw quite a bit inside the carcass.
If you live near the border, you can save a lot by buying abroad (although not on everything either).
For example Poland: carcasses and appliances you can also buy in DE, but the Maximera drawer rails and the fronts (in my case Bobdyn, but I think it applies to all fronts) were significantly cheaper. Overall I saved about 35% this way.
The Netherlands is supposed to be cheaper too but I can’t say by how much.
I ordered the countertop from a site specialized in cut-to-size particle boards, glass, and artificial marble (I also bought my interior window sills there).
The only problem for me are the plinths. I have an over-high plinth (15cm), Ikea natively only offers 12cm (but then it’s plastic). I don’t dare to cut them straight out of side panels myself. And somehow it was never important enough. But in the medium term I will either do it myself or order some somewhere and then I won’t care about the color.
you’re also missing the covers over the adjustment openings. And with the glass inserts it doesn’t look quite so cheap anymore. I am very satisfied with Metod.
By the way: Pax, Besta, Platsa – all cheaper and flimsier than Metod. If the dimensions fit and you don’t need special fittings from the respective series, better do everything in Metod.
Even instead of Billy, if you can manage the depth, better use the flat Metod. It’s just more stable and you can hang Metod bombproof on the wall with the mounting rail.
There are also sites with IKEA hacks and specifically with METPD you can do all sorts of things. People have made elevated washing machine cabinets and window seats out of it.

What amazes me here in the forum: I have never seen a photo of the highly praised Ikea kitchens.

This is what a tall cabinet side can really look like. Three years old. The row is straight, the ceiling is crooked (mining). Cooking area with recessed cooktop and deep countertop

Our first two "own" kitchens were IKEA. Each time we chose the high-quality fronts, wide base cabinets with lots of pull-out drawers, handleless, and they were really quite stylish every time.
Countertop not from IKEA, you pick whatever you like.
And appliances bought freely online, the premium models from BSH...
All in all, we ended up paying about half to two-thirds the price of a kitchen studio and always had a very nice kitchen.

The first one planned, picked up, and assembled by ourselves - was easy.
The second one planned by ourselves, delivered (RECOMMENDATION!) and assembled, not IKEA but from classifieds - was perfect.

GD

So you have to make sure that you use METOD,

Yep. Then there are also "nice" sides in the drawers as accessories.

@ypg But you’re missing the covers over the adjustment openings

You’re funny.. why do you think? We had to constantly readjust. But I’m not even talking about the holes: there are clamps everywhere and therefore corners. You can’t just wipe over with a cloth. I have a similar cabinet from Nolte, everything is flush there. But I think those who have an Ikea kitchen don’t even see it. They don’t know that it can also be nice and exclude these corners and edges as if they had to belong. thanks. That’s what I meant with Ikea: the left side of the tall cabinet is warped. Or I’d say: looks warped.