In this post: After three years, our Ikea Ektorp Couch is still going strong. Here’s what we think of it, with all the pros and cons and helpful tips.
*This post is NOT sponsored! We purchased our Ikea Ektorp sectional, chairs and couch, as well as all of our slipcovers.
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We have had our Ikea Ektorp couch for more than 3 years now. Here’s an honest review, what we love about it, some of the cons and several tips for how to enjoy your own Ikea Ektorp couch!
Table of Contents
Why We Did Our Research
When we were originally in the market for a new couch, Dean and I shopped around quite a bit. Truthfully that’s not really normal for us (outside of appliance shopping). We’re kind of fly by the seat of our pants, impulse shoppers. But a couch is kind of a big purchase, so we definitely didn’t want to make a mistake.
While researching couches, we visited every furniture showroom near our home. On date nights, we’d sit on couch after couch. We’d lounge back like we were watching a movie and sit upright like we were reading a book. We’d feel all the fabrics and read the care instructions.
Dean really wanted a nice, grown up couch. Maybe something in leather. Surprisingly, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money (I tend to be the spender in our house). And we just happened to have a puppy in the house. So, leather was not going to work.
We both agreed a sectional would be best to replace the 2 smaller, two-seater couches we had at the time.
I was leaning toward the Ikea Ektorp Couch for most of the shopping around, but Dean wasn’t convinced right away.
4 Cons of the Ikea Ektorp Couch
1. It’s a wee bit on the small side
By that, I mean, that the backs are pretty low. But for us that’s okay. We’re on the short side – 5′ 1″ and 5′ 7.5″ and find it to be comfortable. I honestly couldn’t tell you, if you’re tall or short or tiny or bigger, if it’s a good couch for you. I recommend you go into Ikea and sit on one to see for yourself.
2. It comes flat-packed
Literally. The couch came in boxes and had to be assembled. I laughed out loud when it was delivered. I couldn’t believe Ikea actually figured out a way to get a couch into a box! Because we bought the sectional, it came in twice as many boxes and the regular couch (which we also bought, second-hand later for our basement family room).
3. The cushions get bent out of shape
Because they’re foam, the cushions of the couch tend to get bent out of shape easily. Like they form a curve after sitting on them for awhile. But that’s easily fixed by flipping the cushions around, or swapping their positions – especially on the sectional.
4. The fabric MIGHT pill
We’ve heard that some people found the Grey slipcover pilled (got little balls of fluff and lint). Honestly, we didn’t have that issue until very recently – and only VERY minorly. Like hardly noticeable.
An easy solution to that would be to get one of those sweater defuzzers and use it as necessary.
5 Pros of the Ikea Ektorp Couch
1. The price
No matter whether you purchase the Ikea Ektorp Couch, the sectional, or the arm chairs, the price point is excellent.
Dean and I talked about having big kids/teenagers (no more puke or sippee cup spills), and being well into our adulthood (no more random, mismatched furniture). And we thought maybe a really nice, more expensive couch was what we wanted. But in the end, creating a relaxed vibe in our house is much more important to us than ‘grown up’ furniture. We didn’t want our kids or our guests to feel like they were going to ruin something just by sitting on it. To me, an expensive couch meant that I’d be hovering and worrying about it more than necessary.
The Ikea Ektorp Sectional was about a third of the cost of comparable sectionals we looked at!
2. The cushions are loose
By that I just mean, they’re not affixed to the couch. Which means that they can be flipped around to prolong the life of the sofa. Which is a very good thing!
And no, the cushions don’t slide around or fall off. They fit the couch really well, unlike some other loose cushion couches we’ve owned!
3. The slipcovers can be replaced
The slipcovers are hands-down my absolute favorite part of the Ikea Ektorp line.
Truthfully I’d fallen in love with white couches when we were shopping for a couch. But I was simultaneously terrified of them! I figured that with the Ektorp, if we tried them and didn’t like them, I could just buy new slipcovers. Which is what actually happened.
After a couple weeks, I couldn’t deal with the way the edges of the white slipcovers got grungy from fingerprints. So, after a couple of months, we bought the Nordvalla Grey slipcovers. And we’re about to put on yet another color just for fun (you’ll see soon which one!). Even with the original price of the sectional and two additional slipcovers – we’ve still spent less than we would have on a sectional from anywhere else!
4. The slipcovers are washable
Because the Ektorp is slipcovered, the whole couch is basically washable. I mean, the covers cover the whole thing. So, they can be spot-cleaned or thoroughly washed. Truthfully, even with this feature, I spot clean more than I actually run them all through the washer. But, it’s relaxing to know the option is there. Just remember to follow the washing instructions for your particular cover (the different fabrics have different instructions).
5. The shape fits into a lot of decor styles
While some have said that the traditional rolled-arm shape is a negative, I disagree. It may not fit a modern vibe, true. But it definitely fits into styles like farmhouse, traditional, preppy, vintage, country, cottage, eclectic and shabby chic.
Tips for Enjoying Your Ikea Ektorp Couch
- Rotate and flip your cushions regularly to keep their shape and minimize wear.
- Buy Ikea’s feather throw pillows inserts and your favorite covers to use as decor and to prop you up for longer lounging sessions.
- Choose a color you can live with. But even if you change your mind, the most expensive replacement slipcover is only $199 CAD, so it can be changed later.
- If you have the sectional, make sure your laundry machines can handle something that large easily. At our old house, when I washed the white slipcovers I actually broke the washer because it wasn’t large enough for the big sectional cover. Take the covers to the laundromat if your home machines are not large capacity.
So, after all the pros and cons, we truly love our Ikea Ektorp Sectional. We even bought the Ektorp three seater sofa second-hand for our basement a couple of years ago. And we enjoyed two Ikea Ektorp chairs for over two years in our living room as well. (We’re swapping them out because we want slightly smaller chairs by the fireplace.)
Have you ever considered the Ikea Ektorp Couch for your house?
