Ikea Malm Furniture Review

The Ikea malm line of furniture is one of the most popular Ikea products in existence. Odds are, if you’re just starting out in a new house or apartment and you live near an Ikea store, you’ve at least considered purchasing something in this line of furniture-be it a bed, nightstand, dresser, or other piece. Speaking as somebody who has owned several malm furniture pieces for years, I can attest that there are both pros and cons to the items. Here is a summary of some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Ikea malm furniture line.

Strengths

Flexibility. The Ikea malm series takes minimalism to an extreme. The lines are simple and there is no frill to speak of. It represents Scandinavian design to the hilt: clean, plain lines in standard colors such as white and black. The result is a neutral furniture line that can adapt to almost any other piece around it. True, it might stand out a bit juxtapositioned to something colonial. But by and large, the plain and simple Ikea malm line has a way of blending in to whatever you put next to it.

Durability. Like most Ikea furniture, the malm series is a veneer over particle board. Nonetheless, it is a heavy particle board that is resilient to damage. You can do significant harm to the malm series and it will still retain functionality. For those pieces that involve rollers (e.g. the dressers and nighstands), you will find that movement doesn’t deteriorate much over the years. The drawers will likely slide as well at three years as they did when the piece was first purchased.

Portability. This is a strength of only certain pieces in the Ikea malm furniture line-namely the Ikea malm bed frame. Transporting a bed frame is a difficult affair, especially for young people who are more apt to move frequently. The malm bed frame can easily be disassembled in to five pieces by dislodging the metal support bar that runs down the middle of the bed, then unscrewing the side rails from the headboard and footboard. Disassembled, the bed can easily be transported in a sedan where the rear seats fold down.

Weaknesses

Chipping at the corners. This may seem like an odd criticism of to give the Ikea malm furniture series just after singing the praises of its durability. Nonetheless, the two qualities seem to coexist. While the overall durability of the Ikea malm series is strong, the corners of the pieces seem especially prone to chipping. Owners should be mindful not to bash the edges, especially while moving the pieces, for the particle board beneath the laminate easily gives way. However, the chipping that I have seen is typically minimal and affects aesthetics but not functionality; hence the strong durability.

Separation of the cam locks. As with a lot of self-assembly furniture, the Ikea malm series is put together with cam bolts and cam locks. There is a tendency for the cam locks to untwist and cause adjoining wood pieces to separate. This is a problem that manifests gradually over time. I have noticed it most on sliding drawers in the nightstands and dressers. Luckily, the cam locks are easy to twist back in to place. And if you lose a lock, as has happened to me, you can easily get replacement hardware at Ikea. However, the problem can be a nuisance.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ikea malm series is easily recommended-especially to younger people who are just starting out and may have a limited budget for home furnishings. You may find that you keep the pieces for quite some time and can continue to grow your furniture arrangements around them. But be advised of the old adage “you get what you pay for.” To a certain extent, this is true. Don’t set unreasonably high expectations of a $100 dresser or $150 bed frame, because greater quality can be had for a higher price.