IKEA Armchairs That Aren't Worth Buying (And Better Alternatives To Consider)

The Sweden-based retail giant IKEA is the go-to home furniture store for many customers with 479 locations all around the globe. IKEA offers a ton of styles at various price points, ensuring that people with a wide array of interior design wants and budgets can find what they need. Its huge catalog includes dozens of armchairs in every color, fabric type, and style. While this variety can be exciting, it can also make it more difficult to know which ones will stand the test of time, be comfortable, and act as a fashionable addition to your space. Unfortunately, there are a few misses, like the ÄRSUNDA, AGEN, and TULLSTA, that are best avoided.

To help, we scoured IKEA's site to find the best and the worst of their armchair options, looking to reviews from real life customers to tell us the various pros and cons of the chairs. We also made sure to include several specific factors that might guide the average shopper in their search, like the materials used, how easy the chairs are to clean, and whether or not they have a comfortable and ergonomic design. For every armchair that didn't quite hit the needs of our readers and IKEA customers, we compiled a few alternative options. Read on to see our full list of must-have and must-miss IKEA armchairs. 

While ergonomic chairs often have pared-down frames for enhanced comfort, the ÄRSUNDA armchair manages to look exceptionally flimsy. That's thanks to the incredibly thin cushion that serves as the sole back and seat support. With a design that's so bare bones, you'd at least expect simple assembly, but, according to a review, this chair is not easy to put together if you follow IKEA's infamous illustrated instructions. 

If you're looking for an ergonomic chair with a sleek silhouette and rave reviews, consider the POÄNG armchair. The IKEA POÄNG chair is one of the brand's most prolific designs and is available in several colors, patterns, and fabric types to fit your unique home style. The signature ergonomic design provides excellent support, as well as a neck rest, which the ÄRSUNDA lacks. One reviewer writes, "Five stars for the chair, my whole body relaxes when I sit down in the POÄNG, brilliant ergonomics." This also isn't a design that's only good for the young and able bodies. According to another IKEA customer, "Everyone loves its comfort from the children to the grandparents. I came to the website to buy our third one for another room. The grandparents took our second one for themselves!"

Nothing beats kicking back and relaxing in your go-to armchair after a long day, and the MUREN reclining armchair looks like the perfect spot to curl up with a book, a drink, and a little snack to unwind. Of course, spills inevitably happen, and when they do, it's important to be able to clean up the mess easily and quickly. Sadly, the MUREN fabric isn't easy to maintain, according to one reviewer who writes, "After a minor spill on the fabric, I followed the instructions to use a damp cloth. Unfortunately, it left a water stain. Any attempt to get rid of it made it worse. At this point, the chair looks horrible from other minor spills including water. It also has pilled just from sitting on it." Sadly, even if it is very comfortable, being easy to stain and difficult to keep looking great makes this chair a must-miss.

For anyone who needs a super easy to clean chair that can deal with the daily chaos of life, consider the SÖDERHAMN armchair. This style looks stunning in both modern and traditional homes, and, best of all, the cover is removable and machine washable. Anytime you notice the chair looking a bit dingy or your pet gets a bit of mud on it, you easily bring life back to your upholstered furniture by popping the covers into the washer. Although it isn't a recliner, the large, deep seat makes it very spacious and easy to relax into. 

The FINNALA Armchair is stylish, no doubt, and with the contact areas made of genuine leather, it's definitely worth more than most fabric-covered IKEA furniture. However, at $800 per seat, it's hard to justify the cost. This armchair is both meant to match with the FINNALA modular sectional seats and act as a standalone piece. An entire 3-person sofa from this collection in the same material and color costs just $1,599, which is a much better value in our opinion. 

Unless it's vitally important to you that your couch and armchair match perfectly, you could consider instead choosing the MORABO Armchair. It provides a similar silhouette as the FINNALA and is made of the same leather and fabrics. It even includes a bit more detail, sporting a tufted back and seat cushion. The most significant difference between the two, aside from minor cosmetic differences, is the cost. The MORABO costs just $599.00, a whopping $200 less than the FINNALA model. 

Since rattan furniture came back into style, we've loved seeing it used to make armchairs. Made from the sturdy vining rattan plant, rattan furniture involves wrapping, winding, and weaving the rattan stalks to create sturdy pieces of furniture that can be shockingly comfortable. IKEA has several rattan armchairs on offer, but some are better than others. We recommend skipping the AGEN Armchair because, despite its tightly woven seat and backing, its durability is a concern. One reviewer reported that they have had to replace their husbands chair twice now because it couldn't support his weight over the long term. Other reviewers said that the finish varies from chair to chair, so even if you buy a replacement, it may not be an exact match. 

The HOLMSTA Armchair has very positive reviews on its listing on IKEA, both for the models with and without cushions. Customers say that both options look great, feel sturdy, and are very comfortable sit in. While this option is a bit more expensive than the AGEN, its comparatively sturdy structure will ensure that you won't have to shell out money on a replacement in a few years.

Based on the picture alone, it's difficult to understand why the TULLSTA armchair has earned some bad reviews on IKEA's website. The slip cover and traditional style seems inoffensive and classic, after all. Sadly, according to reviews, this armchair doesn't live up to expectations. Customers note that it doesn't look as good in person, and there are major issues with the fit of the cover. As one dissatisfied customer writes, "[The cover] gaps and creases across the arms and back, not even fitting against the back of the chair. I will have to exchange the cover to try a new one; if that fits the same way, I will return the whole chair." Another noted that even after ironing the cover, it wrinkled terribly when placed over the cushions. Slip cover furniture already runs the risk of looking a bit shabby chic, so ill fitting cushions and covers make for a very unflattering chair. 

Looking for something similar to the TULLSTA that won't disappoint after unboxing? We love the BACKSÄLEN armchair from IKEA for its classic slip cover style and slightly more contemporary silhouette. The cover can also be machine washed for easy maintenance, and, if you're left with wrinkles, it's made of 100% cotton that is safe to iron.