We built IKEA’s Hemnes bed in lieu of testing the more universally known Malm, because the Hemnes bed is made with solid wood instead of veneer, and it looked more traditional. The build experience was a familiar IKEA afternoon of screws, holding bolts, and dowels—and reading the instructions multiple times. The package had dozens of pieces and little hardware bits to contend with (annoying if you need to reassemble a frame), and the bed wasn’t very comfortable; the slat base was too flexible. The now-discontinued Lönset slat base had slats that were just over ¼-inch thick, and though they’re tightly placed, at 1¼ inches apart, the net effect was a less firm, flat support for a mattress. Friends and co-workers with IKEA bed frames have noted broken or slipped slats in the past. You can replace the slats in the Hemnes (and the Malm) with a prebuilt bunkie board, but that’s an additional cost. We think our picks are a better value. If you’re ordering a lot of IKEA furniture already and you particularly like the look, a Hemnes or Malm will probably do just fine.
