IKEA
IKEA EKTORP Sofa Reviews + Our Discontinued-Era Verdict
By Sam Hollis · Updated July 2026
Independent editorial review. We never accept payment for coverage, though we may earn a commission if you purchase through our links.
Verdict
The EKTORP keeps a devoted following well past its US discontinuation. The r/IKEA subreddit still runs active discussion on it, mostly slipcover sourcing, cushion replacement options, and secondhand purchase advice. Comfort Works and Bemz, the primary aftermarket slipcover providers, come up in nearly every EKTORP thread, with Comfort Works preferred for its premium fabric range and Bemz for its color selection. The post-wash fitting problem gets documented in detail across multiple threads, and the damp-reinstall technique is the community's settled answer. The sharpest criticism comes from owners who compare recent foam compression timelines unfavorably with older production runs, which they say held their loft longer. That a sofa generates this much affection in communities that usually assess furniture more critically says a lot about how completely it solved one set of problems for its target buyer.
Read full take ↓Similar sofas
A slipcover sofa with genuine staying power
The IKEA EKTORP has reached something like mythological status in apartment-living circles. Back when IKEA US stocked it fully, it was the budget sofa everyone recommended, not because it was luxurious, but because it solved one specific, real problem better than anything near its price. Every fabric surface comes off and goes in a standard home washer. For renters, families with young children, pet owners, and anyone who has ever spilled red wine on a white couch, that isn't a minor feature. It's the whole value proposition.
It sits in an odd spot in IKEA's lineup: roomier and softer than the KIVIK, with deeper seats and cushions that chase comfort over longevity. The silhouette is traditional, not contemporary. Rolled arms, a faint cottage-core streak, more grandmother's living room than minimalist apartment, which is exactly what a segment of buyers wants and can't easily find at the EKTORP's historical price point. Dressed with the right cover and pillows, that traditional shape has proven it works across a surprising range of interior styles.
The big caveat on any current EKTORP review: IKEA US discontinued the sofa, so it may be unavailable or sold only through marketplace sellers. IKEA US confirmed the discontinuation in the US market, though the sofa still sells in some international markets. If you want one now, check IKEA's as-is section, Facebook Marketplace, or third-party sellers. The Comfort Works aftermarket slipcover business that grew up around this sofa is still going, with a range of replacement and upgrade covers.
Availability aside, the EKTORP's community legacy is worth documenting, both for people buying secondhand today and as a case study in what IKEA's slipcover sofa program can deliver when the design puts comfort and washability above everything else.
The discontinuation was confirmed in recent years, though availability keeps fluctuating. International IKEA markets still carry it, and units surface in IKEA's as-is section. The secondhand market has filled the gap with meaningful supply: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp list EKTORP sofas constantly, in every condition. Because the covers wash, a structurally sound EKTORP with stained or worn covers is still a fine buy, since fresh slipcovers are available from IKEA where stock exists and from third-party makers who built entire businesses on EKTORP replacement covers.
The traditional silhouette has always been the polarizing part. In design-forward apartments, the rolled arms and cottage lean read dated or domestic in a way the more neutral KIVIK doesn't. For buyers who want that traditional warmth, and there are many, especially in homes with children, pets, or simply a preference for furniture that feels approachable rather than minimal, it's an aesthetic that's genuinely hard to find at comparable prices. The used market backs that up: units in good condition regularly sell for $200-$400, which is real demand for a discontinued budget sofa.
Construction and materials
The frame combines solid wood and engineered wood over a spring-based seat support, which is where the softer feel compared with the stiffer KIVIK comes from. Seat cushions are high-resiliency foam with polyester fiber fill rather than the pocket springs in newer KIVIK models. The result is a softer, immediately comfortable seat that sinks further and loses its initial loft sooner. Owners typically report noticeably compressed cushions after three to five years, at which point you're buying replacements or supplemental inserts.
The slipcover system covers the whole sofa: back cushions, seat cushions, and the frame covering. All covers machine wash in warm water with standard detergent. Fit after washing has always been contentious, since the covers shrink slightly and reattachment gets fiddly, though plenty of owners wash every six to twelve months anyway and have worked out their own techniques. The aftermarket, led by Comfort Works and Bemz, sells replacement covers in premium fabrics IKEA never offered, which widens the customization options considerably.
The back cushions get their plush look from the sofa's structure rather than zipper inserts, so they're harder to supplement than the seat cushions. Owners who find the backs too flat after several years have fewer easy fixes than owners dealing with flat seats. It's a known limitation, and it shows up consistently in long-term owner reports.
The spring base gives a softer, more immediately comfortable seat than the newer KIVIK's pocket springs, and that softness carries a long-term cost. Foam-and-fiber compresses in ways springs resist, and owners three to five years into heavy daily use consistently say the original cushion loft has meaningfully gone. IKEA sold replacement seat cushions during the EKTORP's US run, and third-party suppliers still make foam inserts cut to EKTORP specifications. Buying secondhand, assess the cushions carefully. Compressed cushions are the primary source of dissatisfaction in owner accounts.
Covers attach with a mix of velcro tabs and zipper closures that work adequately but take some technique to reassemble neatly. The complaint about wrinkles and loose fit after a wash is legitimate. Owners who want their slipcovers looking sharp reinstall them while still slightly damp and tug everything into position before the fabric dries and sets. That trick is documented all over EKTORP communities, and it reduces the problem without eliminating it.
Our Ratings
Overall score
The frame mirrors the KIVIK, a mix of solid wood and engineered wood, but the seat systems diverge. The current KIVIK uses pocket springs; the EKTORP uses a traditional sinuous spring base with foam-and-fiber seat cushions. That gives a softer, more yielding seat that many owners prefer for daily lounging, and it also means cushion compression is likelier within three to five years of heavy use than with a spring-only system. Replacement foam inserts and third-party slipcovers from Comfort Works and Bemz are easy to find, so owners have real recourse when the original cushions reach the end of their useful life. The cover system takes technique to reassemble cleanly after washing, since velcro tabs and zipper closures leave a looser fit if the covers dry fully before they go back on. The community workaround is to reinstall while still slightly damp, then pull and smooth before the fabric sets.
The EKTORP fills a niche the budget market mostly ignores: traditional, soft, and approachable instead of the contemporary-minimal direction that dominates affordable furniture. Rolled arms, a gently curved back profile, and an overall upholstered fullness that reads cottage, Scandinavian-traditional, or classic casual depending on the cover and the room. This is furniture that looks like it's meant to be sat on rather than admired, which is exactly right for households with children and pets. Covers change everything. A white slipcover reads nothing like a textured gray or a Bemz-supplied linen, and swapping the whole look without replacing the sofa is something fixed-upholstery sofas can't do at any price. The aftermarket has pushed the color and fabric options well past what IKEA itself offered, so a discontinued EKTORP is more customizable now than it was new.
US discontinuation changed the math. New, the EKTORP was among the clearest value propositions in budget furniture: a fully washable sofa with genuine comfort for under $700. Secondhand pricing is all over the place, from $50 for a structurally compromised unit with worn covers to $300-$400 for a clean example with relatively fresh slipcovers. Find a sound one at $150-$200, put another $150-$200 into Comfort Works covers, and $300-$400 buys a fully washable, comfortable traditional sofa. That is exceptional value. The risk is cushion condition, the single most common reason secondhand buyers end up unhappy, so examine the cushion loft in person before you hand over any money.
What People Are Saying
The EKTORP keeps a devoted following well past its US discontinuation. The r/IKEA subreddit still runs active discussion on it, mostly slipcover sourcing, cushion replacement options, and secondhand purchase advice. Comfort Works and Bemz, the primary aftermarket slipcover providers, come up in nearly every EKTORP thread, with Comfort Works preferred for its premium fabric range and Bemz for its color selection. The post-wash fitting problem gets documented in detail across multiple threads, and the damp-reinstall technique is the community's settled answer. The sharpest criticism comes from owners who compare recent foam compression timelines unfavorably with older production runs, which they say held their loft longer. That a sofa generates this much affection in communities that usually assess furniture more critically says a lot about how completely it solved one set of problems for its target buyer.
Reddit and Houzz commentary are weighted 3× against blog and editorial sources in our sentiment score. Brand PR has a well-documented influence on editorial coverage — direct owner reports from message boards tend to be more candid.
What Reddit Is Saying
“We bought the Ektorp sofa in Fall 2019 and brought the cushions in to be replace around Fall 2020. At the time Ektorp was still being sold in stores. All we had to do was bring in the old cushions (with original receipt) and they just opened another box and gave us new cushions.”View thread →
“We have a three-year-old Landskrona (now Morabo) in the light green fabric and we love it. It's sturdy, attractive, comfortable, and has taken everything we have thrown at it with no issues. Until we had our home office set up, my husband sat on the sofa literally all day working from home.”View thread →
“The EKTORP range is slip covered, so instead of stapling you might be better off hemming the covers. Comfort Works is an Australia-based company that makes custom slipcovers for IKEA furniture. They have the EKTORP in their catalog.”View thread →
“Still contact them, but you are aware the Ektorps are discontinued. I am not certain the Uppland cushions would fit.”View thread →
“I came here looking for advice on how to dismantle an ektorp corner sofa so we can get rid of it in smaller lighter weight pieces to carry down 16 steps and throw away. The skirt was never laying right even when new.”View thread →
What Houzz Is Saying
“I have had my Ektorp sofa, loveseat and chair for approximately two years. I love the durability and with a little fluffing and washing of the covers they look like new. We have a messy DH, five year old daughter and dog who likes to roll on the furniture in our household and the furniture still looks great in my opinion. It is not as comfy as the average "bubbly" Lazy-Boy sofa or recliner, but it hasn't stopped anyone in my house from lounging on it all day on a Saturday! I do remember the first time I sat on it in the showroom I was surprised on how low to the ground it felt, but we have adapted to that without a problem and DH is 6'2" and not a small man! Here are some recent shots of our set.”Source →
“We’ve had our Ektorp sectional for 3 years and love it! My husband and I both take naps on it, and our 4 preschool age grandchildren have used and abused it, but the covers wash beautifully. Even crayon marks come out. It’s our only sofa so it gets daily use. We think it’s pretty comfortable and we don’t have any issues with adjusting or fluffing as some have mentioned. It’s well worth the price. It still looks almost new and we get a lot of compliments on it.”Source →
“We've had one for 8+ years. It's still in good condition. The old Ektorps had a layer of feathers on the cushions. A few years ago, when I checked IKEA switched the cushion to only foam. On my third cover, I switched out my white cover this year. It shrunk too much from washing and was getting tight. Like you, I didn't want to send a lot for something the kids would destroy. I think including covers I'm in for $650 now. It used to even less expensive. Couch has suffered vomit, urine and food stains and still ok. Our $$$$ Italian leather sofa is in worse condition. Lol. It's worked out for what we needed.”Source →
“This is an interesting discussion. I think it's all in the eye (or the butt) of the beholder. We have had the Ektorp sectional for 3 yrs now. We find them very comfortable to sit on because we aren't large people either--5'3 and 5'9. My hubby and I often nap at either end. I find that the navy cover stays much crisper looking than the white. I also have had the zipper pulls break off on the white but not the navy. They replaced several cushion covers when the couch was new, but more continue to break each time I change them out. I do wash them at home, but that sectional cover is huge, and the white was quite wrinkled and hard to iron. For the money, we're well pleased.”Source →
“WE bought the Ecktorp sofa a few months ago and I'm regretting it big time. We sat down on the couch in the show room and it felt very good, firm but not hard, looks nice and the price is right so why do I hate it so much now? This is not a comfortable sofa. If you are 5 years old and you don't care, it's OK, but most adults or adult size people will not like the feeling of this couch. It's not a sofa to be lounged upon in comfort - it is hard and without "give" and pushes on pressure points to the point of extremities going numb. And that's just after sitting on it for about 20 minuts. Trying to find a comfortable position is difficult, to say the least. Also, the seat cushions poke out from the edge of the bench a bit too much and I think the overall design is only for "looks" and for the occasional use such as in an extra room, a vacation home or if you need a couch you don't mind sacrificing to small children and pets. I'm very disappointed and wished we had gone with another model. I think the biggest problem is that this couch doesn't have the kind of 'foam' and springs in it other more comfortable seating has. But it looks nice and is a good space saver - just don't count on it for anything else!”Source →
“They are right ! ...the new ektorp is nowhere near as comfy as the old”Source →
“Bee -- > I had the ektrop sofa and arm chairs and the chaise in white slip covers in our family room for several years. I would not do it again. - the seat cushions had a tendency to slip forward and would not stay aligned. The cushion cover is almost like a paper. The white stained easily and I was washing it constantly. The zippers are very poor quality. The slip cover had to be ironed with sufficient pressure to look tidy. The fabric looked wrinkled and tidy otherwise. The skirts especially crumpled up and looked wrinkled. The cushion got lumpy after a year (this was in a heavily used family room)”Source →
Frequently asked questions
Is the IKEA EKTORP Sofa worth it?
US discontinuation changed the math. New, the EKTORP was among the clearest value propositions in budget furniture: a fully washable sofa with genuine comfort for under $700. Secondhand pricing is all over the place, from $50 for a structurally compromised unit with worn covers to $300-$400 for a clean example with relatively fresh slipcovers.
How is the IKEA EKTORP Sofa built?
The frame mirrors the KIVIK, a mix of solid wood and engineered wood, but the seat systems diverge. The current KIVIK uses pocket springs; the EKTORP uses a traditional sinuous spring base with foam-and-fiber seat cushions. That gives a softer, more yielding seat that many owners prefer for daily lounging, and it also means cushion compression is likelier within three to five years of heavy use than with a spring-only system.
What styles does the IKEA EKTORP Sofa work with?
The EKTORP fills a niche the budget market mostly ignores: traditional, soft, and approachable instead of the contemporary-minimal direction that dominates affordable furniture. Rolled arms, a gently curved back profile, and an overall upholstered fullness that reads cottage, Scandinavian-traditional, or classic casual depending on the cover and the room. This is furniture that looks like it's meant to be sat on rather than admired, which is exactly right for households with children and pets.
What do real owners say about the IKEA EKTORP Sofa?
The EKTORP keeps a devoted following well past its US discontinuation. The r/IKEA subreddit still runs active discussion on it, mostly slipcover sourcing, cushion replacement options, and secondhand purchase advice. Comfort Works and Bemz, the primary aftermarket slipcover providers, come up in nearly every EKTORP thread, with Comfort Works preferred for its premium fabric range and Bemz for its color selection.
Options Worth Checking Out
Ashley Monaghan Rolled Arm Sofa
Rolled arm sofa with reversible cushions in a classic casual style.
Kingfun Mid-Century Leather Sofa
Faux-leather mid-century sofa with nailhead trim. A different aesthetic from the EKTORP's slipcovered look, for buyers who want a wipeable surface and traditional silhouette.
You Might Also Need
Accessories worth grabbing alongside your purchase
Slipstick GorillaPads Non-Slip Furniture Pads
EKTORP legs are small, these pads keep it from sliding on hardwood while protecting the floor.
Masters of Covers Ektorp Slipcover
Replacement slipcover sized for the EKTORP 3.5-seat sofa. Useful when the original is stained or you want a fresh color without replacing the frame.
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