Are Ikea Microwaves And Kitchen Appliances Any Good?

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IKEA is chiefly known for affordable and attractive home furnishings. It sells everything from delicious food court meatballs to the appliances you'll need for a fully equipped kitchen. These appliances are worth taking a look at because many of them rate fairly high in consumer and expert reviews. Are they the best of the best? Maybe not, but they're not all bad, either.

The TILLREDA microwave has garnered a lot of positive buzz because of its simplicity and budget-friendly price of $64.99. It doesn't have all the buttons that can make other microwaves confusing to use. Instead, there are just two knobs. If you like basic functionality and a low price point, it performs well enough. CHOICE has tested a number of IKEA kitchen appliances and found the microwaves excel at cooking vegetables and defrosting.

Compared to a highly rated microwave such as the TOSHIBA EM131A5C-BS, which is available for just under $150 on Amazon at the time of this writing, the TILLREDA is priced more competitively. But when you break down the features, the IKEA model starts to lose ground. The Toshiba is 1.2 cu ft while the IKEA is only 0.7 cu ft. IKEA only offers 700 W (watts) compared to the Toshiba's 1000 W. Your microwave's wattage determines how fast it can heat things, and that low IKEA wattage means slower cooking. Reviews on the IKEA site bear this out, as the model has been criticized for slow cook times. The model's reliability has also been called into question due to issues including inaccurate controls and the inability to set cook times for less than a minute. According to Consumer Reports, it also isn't the best option for heating food evenly, and some users might miss auto settings for popcorn and defrosting. 

IKEA appliances are not made by IKEA itself. They're made for IKEA by Whirlpool, Electrolux, and Frigidaire, along with Midea. So while these are technically name-brand appliances, they are built to IKEA's specifications and may not always match the quality and features of name-brand models. Take IKEA's RENGJORD dishwasher, for example. The most expensive model that IKEA sells, this $1,099 dishwasher comes panel-ready, so it will blend into your kitchen décor. It offers a 5-year warranty, water- and energy-efficient cycles, and operates quietly at 49 decibels. The Miele G5008, The New York Times' top pick for best dishwasher of 2025, offers the same size but more powerful wash cycles and quieter operation. However, the Miele is also $200 more.

The IKEA model offers very similar functionality at a lower price point and with a superior warranty, but user reviews are also largely negative, pointing out that the machine is slow and performs poorly. That said, some users praise the quiet operation, its ability to dry dishes, and the overall look.

There are times when IKEA's products actually cost more than similar appliances. The IKEA ÖVERSKÅDLIG French door refrigerator offers 22 cu ft of space, two freezer drawers, and an ice maker for $2,999. But LG's 28 cu ft French door fridge with freezer drawers and an ice maker is only $1,699. When it comes to choosing appliances, comparison shopping is key here. IKEA isn't always a more affordable option, but it may give you what you need for a better value.