We Compared Prices for 20 Items at IKEA Versus Target — Here’s What We Learned

Both IKEA and Target promise to provide you with everything you could possibly need for your home — including stylish furnishings, cookware, entertaining essentials, and more. And at both, there’s also a budget factor: You know to expect good quality at even better prices.

Which store has better prices? We compared 20 everyday items in order to find out.

The results: IKEA is consistently cheaper (yes, there are a few exceptions and even a couple of ties!), while Target consistently has more options. IKEA’s products are sometimes half the price of Target, but if you’re a person who’s particular about your products and likes to comparison shop, you may feel more fulfilled at Target.

This kitchen basic is available in a few styles and colors at both places (with more options at Target), but the price at IKEA can’t be beat.

• WINNER! IKEA LEGITIM Chopping Board, $1.49
• Target Dexas Polysafe Cutting Board with Handle, $9.99

I know there are many other factors besides price that go into choosing knives, but if you’re looking for something basic, Target is the way to go. IKEA has a few knife set options, while Target has many — from cheapies to much pricier ones.

• IKEA ÄNDLIG 3-Piece Knife Set, $7.99
• WINNER! Target Copper Titanium Coated Chef Pairing and Utility Knife Set, $5.25

This was another one where it was hard to compare apples to apples, but if you’re looking for a starter set of pots & pans for an apartment, Target’s a good bet. This set was pretty much the cheapest comparable option, however Target had many in the $100 range to match IKEA’s price — plus a bunch that were even more expensive.

Both stores had a few good, classic options, and some fun ones, too, in a comparable price range.

These are priced the same — but have very different looks. The Target version is a classic, while the IKEA one is a little more design-forward.

Though the IKEA one is smaller than most of the options at Target (reviewers say it makes two medium-sized cups of coffee), it’s also much cheaper than the Target version. There is a larger, 34-ounce IKEA option for $9.99.

The classic tool to open your wine is way cheaper at IKEA.

Simple white stoneware is pretty cheap per place setting at both spots, but IKEA offers a better value.

• WINNER! IKEA FLITIGHET 18-Piece Dinnerware Set, $19.99 ($3.33 per 3-piece place setting)
• Target Room Essentials Coupe 12-Piece Dinnerware Set, $19.99 ($5 per 3-piece place setting)

While the Target glasses might have a cleaner style, the IKEA glasses are stackable and about 20 percent cheaper.

• WINNER! IKEA IKEA 365+ Water Glasses, $4.99 for six ($0.832 per glass)
• Target Luminarc Classic Glass Tumblers, $15.99 for 16 ($1 per glass)

Target actually has several different styles at the $9.99 price point, and more/better options in this department in general. So if you want something beyond what you see here, check Target.

• TIE! IKEA FÖRNUFT 20-Piece Flatware Set, $9.99
• TIE! Target Room Essentials Pryce 20-piece Stainless Steel Silverware Set, $9.99

The wine glasses at IKEA are a steal — the closest-priced ones at Target are about 50 cents more per glass, and wine glasses from their Threshold line come in between $1.50 and $2.50 per glass.

• WINNER! IKEA SVALKA Red Wine Glass, $4.99 for six ($0.832 per glass)
• Target Luminarc White Wine Glasses, $4.99 for four ($1.25 per glass)

IKEA’s napkins are 3-ply, and Target’s are 1-ply, so perhaps you’re getting a better per-ply value from IKEA, but Target wins this one from a package-value standpoint.

• IKEA FANTASTISK 3-Ply Paper Napkins, $2.49 for 100 ($0.025 per napkin)
• WINNER! Target Up & Up 1-Ply Napkins, $2.99 for 230 ($.013 per napkin)

The centerpiece of many a summer meal, both stores offered nice, good-looking salad serving bowls. Price is a tie, although the Target one is slightly bigger.

Perfect for steaks off the grill or ears of corn, you can get a simple white serving platter from IKEA for less than half of Target’s Threshold brand.

• WINNER! IKEA VARDAGEN Serving Plate, $7.99
• Target Threshold Large Basic Modern Oval Platter White, $16.99

IKEA’s big bags in this set are a quart short of a gallon, which is confusing, but if you can deal with that, they’re actually cheaper per bag than Target’s in-house brand.

• WINNER! IKEA ISTAD Plastic Freezer Bag Set, $2.49 for 25 three-quart bags and 25 one-quart bags ($0.050 per bag)
• Target Up & Up Quart Storage Bags, $5.69 for 80 ($0.071 per bag)
• Target Up & Up Gallon Storage Bags, $3.39 for 40 ($.084 per bag)

Whoa, IKEA blew it out of the (soapy) water with their scrub brushes. Their next-most-expensive one is $1.50, while Target’s next-most-expensive one is $2.99. That being said, IKEA had two scrub brush options, and Target had many.

• WINNER! IKEA ANTAGEN Dish Brush, $0.49
• Target Scotch-Brite Small Scrub Brush, $2.49

The IKEA sponges are actually pretty good-looking, for sponges, and still have the scrubby on one side and soft on the other. They get good ratings from reviewers, too.

• WINNER! IKEA SVAMPIG Sponge, $1.49 for three ($0.49 per sponge)
• Target Up & Up Heavy Duty Scrubbing Sponges, $2.29 for four, ($0.57 per sponge)

The Target bags are quite a bit less than the IKEA ones, and a more normal shape for most U.S. trash cans. But if you have an IKEA trash can, their bags might fit better.

• IKEA FÖRSLUTAS 12-Gallon Trash Bags, gray, $3.49 for 16 ($0.218 per bag)
• WINNER! Target Up & Up FlexGuard Tall 13-gallon Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags, $8.99 for 60 ($0.150 per bag)

If you want a tall broom and a dustpan from Target, you’ll pay about twice as much.

Target had many glass storage container options, including big packs and individual containers. IKEA was more limited.

• IKEA FÖRTROLIG Clear Glass Food Containers, $14.99 for three ($5 per container)
• WINNER! Target Pyrex 6 piece Round Storage Value Pack, $10.19 for three ($3.39 per container)

If you had to pick one store for all your kitchen-stocking needs, which one would it be: IKEA or Target?