IKEA UPPLAND Sofa Reviews + Our Editorial Verdict

The EKTORP's successor is taller, deeper, and built around pocket springs

When IKEA phased out the EKTORP in the US in 2021, it didn't only retire a sofa, it upended the plans of a generation of buyers who'd spent years reading about the EKTORP's cover ecosystem and tracking down replacement slipcovers. The UPPLAND arrived as the direct replacement, sharing the EKTORP's silhouette almost exactly: same rolled arms, same skirted base, same washable slipcover system. Underneath the familiar exterior, though, IKEA changed substantive things. Pocket springs replaced the EKTORP's all-foam seat cushions. Seats deepened by four inches to 23 inches. The back profile gained two inches of height. Whether those changes count as improvements depends almost entirely on how you sit and how tall you are.

The UPPLAND splits its community. On one side, owners who find it deeply comfortable to lounge in, praise the pocket spring cushions for holding their shape, and report solid performance over multiple years of use. On the other, owners who find it harder than expected, criticize the back cushion support, and in some cases say they'd rather sit on the floor. The split isn't random. It breaks along clear, predictable lines that are worth understanding before you commit.

Firm, seat-depth dependent, and sensitive to height

The pocket spring seat cushions are the UPPLAND's most significant departure from the EKTORP. Pocket springs, steel coil units individually wrapped in fabric, support differently than foam alone: firmer initial resistance, less immediate give, better edge support. If you sit upright or like a supportive base under you, that reads as an upgrade. If you're used to the EKTORP's softer, more yielding foam cushions, the UPPLAND arrives feeling unexpectedly hard.

Comfort here is also height-dependent in a way IKEA's product page doesn't make obvious. The UPPLAND sits taller than the EKTORP, both the frame and the back cushions add height, and the seat depth at 23 inches is generous enough that shorter users (under 5'6") frequently find their feet don't reach the floor when they sit upright. Multiple r/IKEA owners describe exactly that: the sofa suits lounging or reclining better than sitting with feet planted. Taller users with longer legs report the opposite, that the seat depth and height are what they wanted.

Back cushion support is the most consistent complaint in community threads. Several owners call the back cushions thin for the height of the sofa, with a sensation of leaning through the cushion into the frame instead of being held by it. The back cushions are 30% cut foam and 70% polyester fiber, a soft, yielding mix, which some owners find comfortable and others find unsupportive.

Washable covers, but the fabrics don't all perform equally

The UPPLAND's washable slipcover system is one of its strongest features and the clearest argument for buying it over sofas in a similar price range that offer no cover access at all. The seat cushion covers unzip on three sides, which makes removal and washing notably easier than on the EKTORP. Machine washable at warm, normal cycle, with two caveats that matter: wash separately, and no tumble drying.

Cover material varies a lot depending on which fabric you choose, and the difference isn't minor. The Hakebo fabric (available in gray/green and gray) earns consistent praise from owners: soft, chenille-like in texture, no pilling in real-world use. The Remmarn light gray, by contrast, has documented problems, with owners reporting thread snags and visible picking within weeks of use, even with normal household pets. IKEA's own testing rates the Remmarn fabric at 55,000 abrasion cycles, well above the 15,000 minimum for home use, but abrasion cycles say nothing about snagging on pet claws, which is a different failure mode. If you're choosing between covers, the Hallarp and Hakebo options hold up better than Remmarn on owner reports.

Third-party slipcover options exist on Amazon for the UPPLAND frame, and that replacement market is part of what gives the UPPLAND long-term ownership value. IKEA has also priced its own replacement covers reasonably next to custom slipcover alternatives, which can run $200 or more with a six-week lead time.

The EKTORP comparison every buyer is making

A substantial share of UPPLAND research traffic comes from EKTORP owners: people who have an EKTORP and need new covers, people who bought one secondhand and discovered it may be an UPPLAND, and people deciding between hunting a used EKTORP and buying a new UPPLAND. That comparison is worth addressing head-on.

The UPPLAND is dimensionally different from the EKTORP in ways that matter: longer and deeper (23" seat depth against the EKTORP's 19.25"), taller in the back, with smaller armrests. Covers aren't interchangeable without modification. UPPLAND covers on an EKTORP frame fit loosely, particularly on the seat cushions and the overall sofa cover, and EKTORP covers don't fit the UPPLAND at all. The seat construction differs too, pocket springs against all-foam, which changes the feel, the durability profile, and the break-in behavior. And the UPPLAND's seat cushions aren't reversible, which is a downgrade from the EKTORP, where flipping the cushions could double effective seat life.

As of the time of this review, IKEA has discontinued or significantly reduced the UPPLAND line in some markets, with certain configurations marked as 'last chance to buy.' The cover replacement ecosystem, IKEA's own and third parties', remains active, which extends the useful life of any UPPLAND already in use. If you're still considering a new purchase, availability varies by location and may be limited.

Value, and who should buy the UPPLAND

The UPPLAND starts around $699 for the three-seat sofa with a basic cover. That gets you pocket spring cushions, a washable cover system, a 10-year frame warranty, and a silhouette that sits comfortably in traditional and transitional interiors without being difficult to style. The cover ecosystem, whether you replace with IKEA's own options or third-party alternatives, extends the sofa's effective lifespan in a way cheaper sofas without slipcovers can't match.

Buy this if you prefer a firmer, more supportive seat and tend to lounge or recline rather than sit bolt-upright; if you're 5'7" or taller and want a deep seat to stretch into; or if the EKTORP's traditional silhouette is what you want and you can't find a used one. If you're choosing a cover, Hakebo or Hallarp are the safer bets over Remmarn. Skip it if you need a softer, more yielding seat; if you're under 5'6" and need your feet on the floor; or if you're expecting the EKTORP's same feel in a newer body. The UPPLAND is a genuinely different sofa rather than a renamed EKTORP, and the community's mixed verdict reflects a real design trade-off, not a quality problem.