IKEA Dishwashers | Who Actually Makes Them?

IKEA is one of the most well-known furniture stores in the world. But what about their appliances? Things like dishwashers are becoming a nearly necessary part of a home nowadays, and with IKEA selling them, it is important to do your research.

Although IKEA may be selling dishwashers, that doesn’t mean they are making them. As such, it is important to know who is making the dishwasher in order to understand the quality that is being purchased.

IKEA Offers a Limited Range of Dishwashers

IKEA is mostly known for its furniture. That being said, they do have a range of appliances. When looking at dishwashers, there are six models that IKEA has to offer:

1. Stainless steel Essentiell
2. Black stainless steel Essentiell
3. Lagan
4. Rengjord
5. Villkorlig
6. Spolad

Whirlpool Used to Make IKEA USA Dishwashers

IKEA dishwashers are not branded in the sense that the name of the manufacturer is not displayed on the appliance. That being said, we do know that Whirlpool used to be a manufacturer of IKEA’s dishwashers in the past.

This is because information on the appliance guarantees (published in 2009) state that Whirlpool performs aftersales services. This would only make sense if Whirlpool was the one who made the dishwasher in the first place.

However, the dishwashers aren’t sold as Whirlpool appliances. This means that IKEA isn’t buying up the dishwashers at retail prices and then upselling them in their store for a higher price. In fact, IKEA’s dishwashers used to cost less than the Whirlpool counterparts when Whirlpool was the manufacturer.

Current Dishwasher Manufacturers

Electrolux and specifically Frigidaire are the current manufacturers of IKEA dishwashers.

This can be shown when looking at specific models that are being sold by IKEA and Frigidaire. For example, IKEA’s stainless steel Essentiell is the exact same dishwasher as the Frigidaire 24-inch stainless steel top control built-in tall tub dishwasher.

Similar to the situation with Whirlpool, there is no reason to believe IKEA is purchasing these models and then charging more than the retail price inside their store. In fact, the opposite seems to be true.

With this as well, IKEA is not displaying the Frigidaire or Electrolux brand on the appliance itself.

Similar to when Whirlpool was the manufacturer, IKEA has also included warranties for the appliances that go through Electrolux and Frigidaire. This is another excellent piece of evidence that these two manufacturers are producing and providing IKEA with appliances.

Comparing the Branded and Non-Branded Models

The appliances sold at IKEA tend to be middle-of-the-road options when looking at their counterparts that are offered through Electrolux or Frigidaire.

For example, a base, standard dishwasher from Frigidaire costs around $450.

The dishwasher IKEA sells (that has a counterpart at Frigidaire) goes for about $500. The same model sold directly from Frigidaire is sold for close to $600 (although there is a slight difference regarding the handle).

So, when it comes to cost, IKEA has the better deal.

When it comes to reviews and questions regarding the quality of IKEA compared to direct from Frigidaire, they seem to be relatively similar, with differences coming in terms of customer service, delivery, etc.

Essentially, significant differences in the quality stem from the operation of the company, not the appliance itself.

One significant difference is that IKEA tends to offer longer warranties for the dishwashers (normally around five years), while Frigidaire warranties tend to be shorter (typically one year).

What About Other Countries?

The IKEA website for Belgium explicitly states that Whirlpool and Electrolux are the dishwasher manufacturers.

For IKEA in the UK, dishwashers are manufactured by Whirlpool, Electrolux, Elicia, and Faber. It may depending on the appliance, but any one of these four companies are the ones specified regarding warranties, so they are most likely the manufacturers.

IKEA dishwashers in Canada are made by Whirlpool. Dishwasher warranties were only ascribed to Whirlpool in Canada, so I can comfortably say they are the ones who make the dishwashers there.

Dishwashers sold by IKEA in Australia are made by Whirlpool, as are dishwashers sold by IKEA in Spain. These conclusions were reached in the same way regarding who was ascribed warranties.

Are IKEA Dishwashers Worth It?

Overall, it does seem that IKEA dishwashers are worth it.

Compared to their brand name counterparts, they tend to cost less. Additionally, when it comes to warranties, IKEA seems to offer warranties that cover longer periods of time, which is certainly a bonus.

IKEA dishwashers may miss out on some of the options that would allow the appliance to be customized. This could be things like color, features, etc. Whereas purchasing from the manufacturer may allow for more customizability (but most likely with a higher cost as well).

One wouldn’t need to worry about a change in the materials being used for the manufacturers dishwasher compared to IKEA as they are essentially the exact same.

Most IKEA appliances are made by the same manufacturers, including their microwaves, fridges, and ovens.

If you are installing a dishwasher, then don’t forget to install an air gap.

Sources

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/dishwashers-20825/

https://www.ikea.com/be/en/customer-service/product-support/kitchen-appliances/

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/customer-service/returns-claims/appliances/

https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/customer-service/appliance-support-pubcd059980