Measurable Decline in QualityBeth10 years ago we purchased 5 Hemnes glass-front cabinets. Love them to this day. Sturdy, good looking, and durable. Fast forward to July 2026 when we ordered 2 more Hemnes glass front cabinets. The decline in quality is noticeable. The paint was peeling on one of the units (inside and out) and we had to sand and repaint (photos are of after sanding). In the drawers, many of the drilled holes weren't aligned with the holes in the hardware and we had to redrill. Some of the pegs for assembly were missing, requiring a trip to the hardware store for more. The wood is soft, and the units feel lightweight and flimsy. In all, a less than satisfying purchase. As we live 90-100 miles from the nearest Ikea stores, we're not likely to borrow a vehicle large enough to make the trek to return the cabinets. We are Ikea Super-Fans when it comes to design. Their furniture is well thought out for small space living. Disappointed, however, in the quality of our latest purchase.2
HemnesJanineI love the Hemnes series. It is made of real wood and fits well in my small space.5
Great design, quality so-soLindaVery nicely styled piece. Unfortunately, returned due to areas of uneven stain, poor filler application covering a knot in a visible location, a few over-drilled holes for hardware connectors that resulted in a bit of wobble, and disappointed that drawers were not made of sturdier wood/plywood and seemed likely to bend and bow over time.3
ReviewJanIt's a simple design yet looks sharp with this particular color.
Perhaps the shelves should have a finish preserving the wood surface to avoid any stains or wear5
not Ikea quality.CarolynVery cheaply made. Cracked front of drawer, and paint chipped. I wish I would have just taken it back, but by the time we put it together it was not worth it. Should have headed the other reviews about quality2
Love this cabinetPhyllisLove this Cabinet! It took about 4 hours to assemble with 2 people. Hinges were tricky but not impossible. The cabinet had paint peeling from both sides of one of the side panels. I'll need to lightly sand it and paint it so nothing can't be fixed.4
Drawers made of cardboardKeithMarks all over wood and drawers made of card board that don’t hold anything before collapsing!1
Have 5!JosephI absolutely love these cabinets! I wanted three white ones for the living room so I was able to get those and they looked so nice I had to get an additional one for one of the bedrooms. I wanted then a green one for the bathroom but they didn't have any so I bought a white one with the brown stain and painted it blue for that bathroom and it looks absolutely awesome! I even bought matching towels to put in it! Ikea was having a big sale so I ended up in the end buying five of these cabinets and I love all of them. They were quite easy to put together and only one of them was missing a small minor part that I was able to live without. The white cabinets make the living room look larger because they blend in with the walls whereas the black cabinet and the blue cabinet stand out as a highlight making a wonderful addition to each of those rooms. I would have been happy with the green but since I had to paint a cabinet I chose blue. I am considering getting two more green ones.5
Frustrating pieceSusanBought this unit to match the Hemnes bookshelves I already had in my house. I built the first one, but it wouldn't stay together because the holes on the left and right sides were not aligned. The drawers would not go in straight, and the shelves could not balance. Took it back to the store and had it exchanged for another one. Had the second one built through TaskRabbit and the gentleman that built it had the exact same problem with it. He had to make adjustments to keep the piece from falling apart.
It looks nice from the front, and I like that it matches the other shelves, but I'm frustrated with all the issues we had.2
Not worth the priceMilanThis bookshelf atleast the newer batch has lot of issues. Windows not aligning (no room to adjust) , drawers not working smoothly and cant hold any weights, cardboards, assembly not aligning etc etc. For the price we pay, the quality is no where close and returning will be pain once you assemble it. I wish I never bought this but now I am stuck with this defective yet expensive furniture. For this price there are better options in market.1
GorgeousFrancesI was impressed when the assembly finished. Sturdy, great materials, and beautiful. No problems, bought several months ago. It's fully loaded up and works great. I tend to be careful with the glass doors but it seems ok without it. Definitely worth the price.5
Doors are warpedKristinaHad to return this item twice-doors are severely warped.3
Top piece brokenLacyLove the look but the top board arrived split.3
Poor QualitySusanI have ordered other items from IKEA and they were well made. This cabinet has numerous issues - no metal sleeve in one adjusting foot, split center shelf, holes on one side did not match up with hardware, one shelf won't fit because of the hole issues, etc. But for the fact that I have another one that is fine and matches, I would send this back. As it is, I cannot use one shelf, and one drawer does not fit properly. Quality control needs to look at this. Item was manufactured in Brazil.1
Poorly designedJoyI am a lover of ikea & its products, but this one is a hard pass. The drawers are so terribly designed and constantly come off the track and the ledges inside the cabinet are also terribly designed. We had to buy support screws & hinges to support the ledges & actually hold things. I honestly want my money back for this product, its does not hold up. Overall a beautiful cabinet from the outside but in no way built for actual practicality. Spend your money on something else1
Not Perfect, but Pretty Good and Worth the PriceAnonymous reviewerI bought the Hemnes glass-door cabinet along with the Hemnes bookcase to add storage in the kitchen. The pine construction is worth the added price: it feels light but sound, like any of the pine bookcases I've had for decades. One may consider installing a 1/4" plywood panel rather than the MDF/particle board which forms the bottom of each drawer and the back of the cabinet--an easy, affordable upgrade which would improve the longevity and structural integrity of the unit. Have third-party anti-tip fasteners ready to go, especially if you have children. The hardest part of assembling the cabinet was simply recognizing the parts (easy enough), besides the physical task of assembling something on the floor rather than on a workbench. I made sure to have wood glue on hand for added strength. Overall, the process was somewhat enjoyable and meditative. Naturally, I would love to have the same furniture made of oak or another hardwood, but I'm on a budget. Would buy others.4
Total garbageMichelleThis was so tedious to put together only for it to have a CARDBOARD back and CARDBOARD drawers! Put any books in and their weight rips the rear ‘panel’ (made of cardboard!!!!) right off and the whole thing collapses. Same with the sides.
What a flimsy, expensive piece of crap. I bought 2 of these and another HEMNES and I regret this purchase but how TF can I return it? It won’t go in the car that’s for sure.
SAVE YOUR MONEY! This is the last IKEA purchase I’ll be making.1
Poor quality Anonymous reviewerTakes forever to out together. Feels and looks cheap, shouldn't have paid extra for a better quality product 1
Nice with a few issuesMarkMy wife likes her cabinet but a few things were disappointing.
1. She likes to display plates but there wasn't a grove in the shelves to allow this. Her husband put a grove in each shelf with his table saw.
2. Would like to have lights in the cabinet.
3. There were small cracks found in the side panels and the local store gave them a discount because of it.
Other than the above, she is very happy with the cabinet.4
DisappointedTatianaVery cheap quality. I don't recognize Ikea products.2