Rumor: Will the Ikea Faktum kitchen be replaced next year?

Although I have only seen pictures, the new kitchen will be completely different and really has nothing to do with Faktum anymore.
So either buy NOW or really wait another year.
I can’t and mustn’t say more.

Hello Ikea fans,

It's a pity that we can't see the pictures :(

This topic just really knocked me down, as I recently finished planning my kitchen and wanted to get started soon (the room is being completely renovated).
What spoke for Ikea for me, among other things, was that the prices are transparent (unlike the "kitchen studio mafia") and also the idea that you can change the fronts after a few years. That idea is now off the table. Also, you probably won’t be able to get things from Rationell for much longer.

And overall, I have no idea what to do now:

On the one hand, Faktum does have a few "flaws," like the low corpus height, etc.
Modifications for a "NewFaktum" would of course be nice, especially since then you can assume that accessories and such that come out over the years will also fit. That argues for waiting.

On the other hand, the info here like "completely different" and "big changes, innovations, fewer article numbers..." almost sounds scary. Fewer article numbers suggests that the new program consists of fewer elements. But that will surely make it difficult to get a functional kitchen into the available space. That would argue for "still buying Faktum," as well as Faktum’s good quality. Who knows what’s coming...

Waiting until you have the 2014 catalog in hand and then still wanting to quickly buy Faktum is probably out of the question, because you won’t be able to get all the parts you need anymore. It’s a kitchen after all; you can’t just put a 50 cm base cabinet where a 60 cm one is supposed to go. Also, I wanted a Personlig countertop, which you probably won’t be able to get anymore.

Overall, I find it a shame that Ikea internally has already communicated a lot about the new kitchen system, even to employees in German furniture stores, but nothing to the customers. With shelves or a couch, no problem, you know Ikea always drops things from the range. But with something like the foundation of the entire previous kitchen system?

You don’t just buy a kitchen on a whim and for most people, purchasing a new kitchen is something they have saved for a long time—similar to buying a car. It would be fair to have some info to be able to decide. (VW also reveals pretty early when a new Golf is coming.)

Especially since Ikea, if I remember correctly, often advertised that Faktum fronts were interchangeable. Accordingly—if there were information—customers who already have Faktum could prepare themselves to order fronts now if they ever want to change them.

Overall: I am currently very frustrated and uncertain (you can probably tell from the length of this text)

Let’s see what I’ll do now. Maybe I should consider swallowing my pride and going to a kitchen studio after all. Damn, old chap, I was really looking forward to your kitchen.

Hello Ikea fans,

Too bad we can’t see the pictures :(

Pictures? Interesting! I only know of one where you can’t really make anything out. Seems to vary from IKEA store to IKEA store after all.


What spoke in favor of Ikea for me, among other things, was that the prices are transparent (unlike the "kitchen studio mafia") and also the idea that you could change the fronts after a few years. That idea is now off the table. Apparently, you won’t be able to get items from Rationell for much longer either.

Let’s see what I’ll do now. Maybe I should reconsider going to Canossa, uh, the kitchen studio. Damn old Swede, I was really looking forward to the kitchen from you.


Ah yes, and at the kitchen studio you can still reorder whole cabinets, fronts, drawers, whatever after years? Sorry, but that comparison is flawed, you might as well buy Faktum and find replacements on eBay for sure; with kitchens from the kitchen studio, that’s like playing the lottery.

Overall, I find it a shame that Ikea internally has already communicated a lot about the new kitchen system up to the employees in German furniture stores, but nothing is communicated to customers. With shelves or a couch, no problem, everyone knows that Ikea regularly discontinues things. But with something like the foundation of the entire previous kitchen system?

Sorry, no or only vague information has reached me so far. So even if I wanted to, I couldn’t tell customers anything. If there is an employee who has secure info, I would appreciate a private message!

You don’t just pick up a kitchen like that, and for most people buying a new kitchen is something they have saved a long time for—similar to buying a car. It would be fair to have some info to be able to decide. (Volkswagen also reveals fairly early when a new Golf is coming.)

New Golfs come out all the time; I won’t tell you anything new that parts from the predecessor don’t fit the successor. No matter which company, there are always innovations somewhere, so why not at Ikea after so many years?

Moreover, if I remember correctly, Ikea also advertised more than once that Faktum fronts are interchangeable. Accordingly—if there were info—customers who already have Faktum could prepare themselves to order fronts now if they want to do so later.

Where did you read that? Probably by word of mouth, also in the stores from the employees; believe me, they were themselves surprised that Faktum is going away. Why would you want to change fronts because the assortment changes? Or put differently, how often do you plan to change your fronts? Every 2 years, or 5? How often do you buy a new couch, or paint your living room? We can continue this arbitrarily. And still, go to another furniture store and buy furniture, not just kitchens, and try to reorder something after a year. You will either get a tired smile or a price quoted that will make your head spin.

Overall: I’m quite frustrated and uncertain right now (you can probably tell by the length of the text)

There is no reason for that.

NfU

Well.

Hello Nayla,

I suppose NfU means "no offense," in this case... maybe a little less aggressive, then that wouldn't be necessary at all.

Regarding the content:

I cannot judge who has what information, I never claimed that either. I merely referred to the posts here in the topic: fundamental changes etc., fewer article numbers...

As for the Golf: A new one comes out every 5 to 6 years, only – and this is exactly what I also said: This is communicated to the customer beforehand, so they can make their decision accordingly. This is basically what I said regarding Ikea as well: It would be nice to get some info now to be able to decide.

Concerning the possibility to change the fronts, I clearly said:
especially since Ikea, if I remember correctly, also advertised this more often.
I could also swear that there used to be something in a kitchen catalog like "Want a new look? Just swap the fronts." I can’t prove it, and it’s basically irrelevant to the topic here: The possibility to do that was a pro when deciding on Faktum. That is now gone.

Also gone is the pro that you could – precisely compared to the kitchen studio – buy spare parts later (or could have). But if more and more pros vanish, why choose Faktum then? There are indeed cons like no different grid heights, and Faktum is – if you factor in your own work – not cheaper than comparable models from the studios.

So where does the comparison fail? As a customer, I compare offers, weigh the pros and cons of each, and then make a decision. Due to this info, some pros of Faktum have disappeared (hence my frustration), and without information on what’s coming, you can't reasonably decide whether to still choose Faktum. The only comparison that is off here is the one to the living room wall. For a new color, I don’t need to spend €100. With my new kitchen, you can add two zeros to that amount with everything (new tiles, etc.).

Furthermore, another pro has disappeared: The 25-year warranty, which was heavily advertised in the 2013 catalog, is now worthless after this info. The warranty conditions clearly state:

If the product is no longer carried by IKEA, IKEA will offer a replacement product that is comparable in terms of quality and price. Should a comparable product no longer be available in the IKEA range, IKEA is entitled to alternatively provide appropriate financial compensation for the defect, the amount of which IKEA determines at its sole discretion.

That means: Suppose a warranty case occurs after 3 years; a corpus is damaged. If it is no longer available (which you have to assume), I either get a "comparable" one that really doesn’t fit into the kitchen or an amount X set by Ikea. The result remains that the kitchen will just look shitty then, unless I manage to get a replacement myself on eBay. But then I wouldn’t need the warranty anyway; it would just be a sham.

To preempt the argument, it doesn’t matter at all whether kitchen studios offer such warranties or not. The heavily advertised warranty was a big PLUS, but it is de facto worthless. At least for me, because I wouldn’t want just a few euros, but that my kitchen looks as it should or originally did (to which tiles, etc. are also matched).

And the argument about eBay, that I would also get cabinets there from other kitchen suppliers, it’s not as if they sell unique pieces.

And in this context, one more point:

If a comparable product is no longer available in the IKEA range, IKEA is entitled to alternatively provide appropriate financial compensation for the defect, the amount of which IKEA determines at its sole discretion.

This clause still reads like this in the catalog:

If the product is no longer carried by Ikea, Ikea offers an appropriate replacement product. If necessary, appropriate financial compensation may also be provided.

That already sounds a bit nicer than the wording of what actually applies.

The bottom line remains: Many pros for FAKTUM are now gone, and I find it disappointing how Ikea informs customers in this case, or rather how they don’t, especially since the warranty is promoted so offensively. Because many will not check carefully but believe that in case of damage they will simply get the 100% fitting replacement. Like – to bring it back to the example – with the car: Within the given warranty period (e.g., Kia gives 7 years) you are guaranteed to get the right part installed and not just a few euros handed over while you stand next to your ruined car.

Again, before "you wouldn’t get that at the kitchen studio either, a kitchen is not a car, etc." comes: That’s certainly true. But they also don’t imply it through the massive advertisement of a basically worthless warranty!

What I find strange:

This year there seems to be a new trend, this metallic stuff.

And then only for one season? Is it worth it?

Hello Pari79,

honestly, somehow we are going around in circles. You now find so many faults with Ikea and Faktum. Although you already ask the right question, "Why still Faktum." Quite simply, you are always free to buy a kitchen on the open market. But you should, as you rightly say, "compare." Apart from Faktum and warranties, etc. Feel the fronts, look at the workmanship, the stability of the hinges and drawers, and so on and so forth. That is the reason why Ikea gives a 25-year guarantee, because they guarantee the durability of their goods. And what do the "others" do, what do they guarantee? Of course, kitchen studios have their raison d'être, I admit that sometimes they have methods and ways where Ikea simply has to give up, and of course they also have their quality, but also their price for that. One reason why people come back to Ikea. And even in the kitchen studio, no one will tell you: "...buy your kitchen in 3 years, there will be really great new drawers then!" So again my question, why the fuss? In other companies, constant changes are normal, with Ikea it is an outrage.

The fact is, people just pick on Ikea because Ikea is different. Ikea makes an effort for its customers with a lot of transparency, which is ultimately required in all areas. As you have also noticed with the prices and the guarantees. You are annoyed that such clauses are in the warranty conditions. Ikea at least has some and practically throws them at you in the store with flyers. I bought a couch in another furniture store, you do look beyond your own nose once in a while. After a year, the couch creaks terribly. I went to the furniture store because of the warranty. There they told me I have to call customer service, there is none on site. Back home and called. There I was told that there is only statutory warranty on the couch, but they could send a cost-effective specialist company to repair the couch. Please? I then politely declined. Have you ever used Ikea's warranty and customer service? And to return to the topic of cars, you like to use it as an argument. Daihatsu gives 3 years warranty on their new vehicles. Unfortunately, nobody tells the customer that they withdraw from Germany in 2013. And now? And anyway, to emphasize once more, you cannot compare a car with a kitchen. Nobody talks about a repurchase guarantee at Ikea. Maverick wrote something interesting about that recently in another thread, but unfortunately I can’t find it anymore.

Now it is like this, to exaggerate the whole thing, if we did not allow changes and only stuck to what has proven itself, we would probably still be living in caves around the campfire. I myself have an Ikea kitchen and face the same problem of wanting to replace the fronts at some point and of course I do not like that Faktum is being replaced. I now see it reasonably and the new kitchen series as an opportunity and I am curious about a revolution at Ikea with hopefully many possibilities, new colors, designs, interiors, etc. If you have the time, wait for the new series, I am sure Ikea will not disappoint.

Therefore, again NfU - No hard feelings! Neither now nor in the previous post aggressive. ;)

Well.

Hi Nightboat,

which front do you mean? Metallic stuff?

Is it worth it? Good question, a lot can still be sold in a year. Besides, no one can say yet what will happen to Faktum. Will it run parallel, will there be a repurchase option... We just have to wait until there is definite information.

Overall, I find it a pity that a lot is already being communicated internally at Ikea regarding the new kitchen system, even to employees in German furniture stores,

But only you would believe that! :D