Kaboodle vs IKEA Laundry: Which Flatpack Laundry Should You Buy?

Price: what a Kaboodle or IKEA laundry really costs

I priced two laundry designs at both brands, using the same cabinets, panels, benchtop and handles each time. My quotes include hinges and drawers for both brands, so the prices compare like for like.

• Basic laundry: a single run of about 1.9m with a tub cupboard, space for a front loader under the bench, a door cupboard and two wall cupboards.
• Bigger laundry: a run of about 3.2m with a tall broom cupboard, a tub cupboard, side-by-side washer and dryer space, a drawer unit and four wall cupboards.

Delivery is included: $155 from Kaboodle, and $69 (basic) or $119 (bigger) from IKEA. Like with kitchens, the price gap grows as the laundry gets bigger.

What's included vs sold separately

Both brands sell everything piece by piece, so make sure you've added the same items to both quotes.

Hidden laundry costs people forget

• The tub and tap
• A licensed plumber to connect the tub and washing machine
• An electrician if you need to move or add power points
• Removing your old laundry (demolition and removal)
• Splashback tiles or panels
• Sealant for every edge you cut

Quality and durability

Both brands last well if they're installed properly. Where they differ is the board, the hardware and the warranty.

Carcass board and moisture resistance

For a laundry, this is where the two brands differ most.

Kaboodle is the better choice if your laundry gets wet. But neither brand is waterproof, and water getting into raw board is what makes flatpack cabinets swell. To protect your cabinets:

• Seal every cut edge, including the tub cut-out in your benchtop
• Wipe up spills and drips quickly, especially around the tub
• Make sure your laundry is well ventilated, particularly if you use a dryer

Hinges and drawers

Both brands sell hinges and drawers separately from the cabinets. IKEA uses its own UTRUSTA hinges and MAXIMERA full-extension drawers, both with soft close built in. Kaboodle lets you choose Kaboodle-branded or premium Hettich hardware in standard, soft-close or push-to-open. Timber drawers are standard, with metal-sided drawers as an option.

Warranty compared

You can read the full terms in IKEA's guarantee brochure and Kaboodle's warranty document.

Design, sizes and fit

Door styles and colours

Kaboodle has around 5 door styles in 41 colours. IKEA METOD has 15 door ranges across modern, country and shaker styles, each in one or more colours. If you want to go bold with colour in your laundry, Kaboodle has more options.

Benchtops

• IKEA: laminate, wood and bamboo veneer, porcelain and glass composite. Pre-cut worktops in standard sizes, or custom-made.
• Kaboodle: laminate in solid colours plus stone, timber and concrete looks, as well as solid timber and bamboo. Laminate comes in 2400mm lengths to cut yourself or pre-cut.

Fitting your washer, dryer and tub

Neither brand makes a cabinet that holds a washing machine or dryer. IKEA says its METOD base cabinets aren't designed to hold washing machines or dryers, because of the weight and vibration.

Kaboodle is better for fitting around your machines, because you can order cabinets in the exact width you need. IKEA is better for the tub, because it has a dedicated sink base cabinet.

Neither brand leaves a gap behind the cabinets for pipes and wiring, so you'll cut openings in the cabinet backs for your taps, waste and power points before fitting them.

Storage for brooms, mops and baskets

• Kaboodle offers a broom cupboard kit for its pantry cabinets, plus a laundry hamper.
• IKEA has a METOD high cabinet with a cleaning interior for brooms, mops and the vacuum.

Planning your laundry

Both brands have free online planners. IKEA also offers a free laundry planning appointment in-store or online. Bunnings offers a Kaboodle design consultation for $49 virtually or in-store, or $99 at home, redeemable when you buy.

Make your flatpack laundry look high-end

A few finishing touches can stop a flatpack laundry looking like flatpack, whichever brand you choose.

• Handles: these are sold separately at both brands anyway, so it's an easy upgrade.
• Door fronts: custom fronts on standard cabinets give you a designer look for a lot less than custom cabinetry.
• Benchtop: a stone-look or timber benchtop makes a big difference.
• Tub and tap: an inset tub and a nice tap finish the room off.

Buying experience: in-store, online and delivery

Kaboodle is the main range of Bunnings laundry cabinets, sold per cabinet in stores right across Australia, and modular items are often on the shelf to take home the same day. IKEA laundries are bought per item in-store or online, with home delivery or store pick-up.

Stock and delivery times

• Kaboodle: modular products same day if in stock, or delivered to your store within 7 days. Custom widths take 4-6 weeks.
• IKEA: same day if in stock.

Who makes Kaboodle?

Kaboodle doesn't have a separate laundry range, so you use its kitchen cabinets. It's Australian-owned and made by DIY Resolutions (part of the AHE group), which also makes Flatpax Utility, Bunnings' cheaper laundry range. The modular cabinets are imported, and custom-width cabinets, doors and benchtops are made in Melbourne.

IKEA also uses its kitchen cabinets for laundries. They're from its METOD system, made by suppliers around the world. IKEA also offers other options, including the more basic Enhet range.

Installation: DIY or hire a pro?

I rate how hard each brand is to build, from Easy to Hard. The rating is based on each brand's own assembly instructions, looking at the tools, how the cabinets hang, how the panels join, and how the doors and drawers go on.

IKEA is easier for first-timers. Once the rail is level, the cabinets hook on and you adjust them from there. Kaboodle takes more drilling and more care, but the cabinets are very solid once they're in.

What you can't DIY

In Australia, plumbing and electrical work must be done by licensed trades. You can build and fit the cabinets yourself, but you'll need a plumber to connect the tub, tap and washing machine, and an electrician if you're adding or moving power points.

Installation services

Neither brand installs laundries itself. IKEA refers installers through hipages (not in South Australia), and the Bunnings special orders desk can refer installers or hipages contractors for Kaboodle. You pay the installer directly.

Tip: when you get quotes, ask if the installer can organise the plumber too. It saves you booking two trades.

Tools you'll need for DIY

• Kaboodle: cordless drill with a 4mm bit and countersinking bit, clamps, and something to prop up the wall cabinets while you fix them
• IKEA: screwdrivers, a hammer, and a hacksaw to cut the suspension rail to length
• Both: a long spirit level, stud finder, tape measure, a hole saw or jigsaw for pipe openings, wall screws (not supplied), and silicone for sealing cut edges

Are there alternatives to Kaboodle and IKEA?

I also compare two other laundry brands.

• Bunnings Flatpax Utility was the cheapest in my quotes at $1,114 for the basic laundry. Hinges, drawers and handles come in the box, and it's the only one with a laundry chute and a drying cabinet. But nothing is soft close, there are only two finishes, it has no benchtops of its own, and no warranty period is published.
• Mitre 10 Principal includes soft-close hinges and drawers in every cabinet pack, uses moisture-resistant board, and its cabinets are Australian made with a 10-year warranty. Prices aren't published online, so you'll need a quote.

See all four side by side in our laundry comparison tool.

Our verdict

Go IKEA if price is your top priority or you want an easier build. Go Kaboodle if your laundry gets wet or you need cabinets made to fit around your machines. Whichever you choose, add hinges and drawers to both quotes before you compare prices, and seal every edge you cut.