Are The Least Expensive Couches At IKEA Worth Buying?

You may not think about it much, but your couch is a very important piece of furniture. The couch is where you can relax, hang out with family, and take a much-needed nap or two. No matter how you use it, your couch is essential to your home, so you shouldn't skimp on its quality when shopping for a new one. Of course, that's easier said than done when home furniture prices continue to rise. ComfyLiving says we're paying up to 10% more for things like clothes, electronics, and furniture because of the pandemic.

While those numbers are drastic, they shouldn't dissuade you from purchasing new furniture. The key here is to shop smart, which means looking for high-quality items at a low cost (yes, it is possible). If you look at IKEA, you'll see many couch options for low budgets, but which ones are worth purchasing? There are several subdivisions of the "couches and sofas” category, but for this article, we will only discuss the least expensive fabric couches and whether or not they're worth buying.

Linanäs couch

The first least expensive IKEA couch on our list is the Linanäs, which sells for around $350. Available in beige or dark gray, this three-seater is made of 100% polyester and measures 6 ½ feet wide by 2 ½ inches tall by 2 ½ feet deep. Its size makes it an excellent choice for medium-to-larger living spaces. While this couch is lovely and affordable, it seems a bit . . . basic? You probably won't enjoy having this piece of furniture in your living space unless you're a minimalist. Between the blasé color choices and its bench-style seating, it doesn't offer much "wow" factor, in our opinion.

If you have children and-or pets, we wouldn't recommend this inexpensive IKEA couch either. When you look at the maintenance instructions, you can't clean the couch other than simply dabbing a spill or stain with a damp rag. The cushion cover is non-removable, so if you have a big stain, you'll have to work around all of its "don'ts" to get the couch clean again. So, if you know you'll be dealing with a lot of messes, maybe pass on the Linanäs couch.

Pärup couch

The second least expensive couch at IKEA is the Pärup, which is about $450. This couch has a couple of color options: Gunnared beige, Gunnared dark gray, Vissel dark green, and Vissel gray. Whereas the Linanäs couch is rounded, the Pärup is your typical squared armchair couch that offers much more style and versatility. Unlike the Linanäs, the Pärup couch does have a removable and washable cover, so for those who are typically clumsy or have children running around, you won't get a headache trying to remove those tough stains.

That being said, the Pärup is smaller than the Linanäs, which may pose a problem if you have a lot of people in your home. If you aren't concerned about its size, we recommend this couch to anyone looking for something new. Its color selection isn't outstanding, but it is versatile enough to match pretty much any living room style.