A “loss leader” is a product a retailer prices so aggressively low that it helps draw shoppers into the store, hoping the shopper buys other things while they’re there. One of the best-known examples is Costco’s rotisserie chicken, which has long been treated as a classic traffic-driving bargain. In a recent Reddit thread, IKEA shoppers named plenty of items that feel like must-buy bargains at the Swedish retailer because they’re cheap, useful, and surprisingly durable.
OFTAST White Dishes
If one item dominated the thread, it was IKEA’s OFTAST dinnerware, which are sold for around $1 each. Redditors repeatedly praised it as a budget alternative to pricier tempered-glass dishes, especially for families who want something simple and durable. One commenter summed it up this way: “I doubt Ikea has any true loss leaders, but the Oftast white dishes are a dupe for Corelle tempered glass, and are insanely cheap and durable.”
FRAKTA Big Blue Bag
The iconic blue IKEA bag got a flood of love for laundry, moving, hauling kids’ stuff, and just about everything else. A Redditor wrote, “Need to take a bunch of baby stuff to grandma’s? Big blue bag. Need to bring a bunch of baby gifts home from Auntie Carol’s? Big blue bag.” Another added that they use them for “laundry, hold sheets, towels. Everything.” For $1 each, these bags are a must-buy.
HEAT Cork Trivets
These cork trivets were one of the most enthusiastically endorsed kitchen basics in the thread. One shopper said, “I love their round cork trivets. I probably have 4 packs of them around my house.” Another called them a long-term buy-it-for-life-style value, saying, “We’ve had the 8” cork coasters for over 30 years and they’re still going strong!” IKEA currently sells the HEAT cork trivets for $5.99 for a 3-pack.
ANTILOP High Chair
For parents, this was one of the clearest “why pay more elsewhere?” picks. One Redditor wrote, “The $24.99 ANTILOP high chair (with tray, $18.99 without) that I got when my daughter was small lasted through her high chair days, and was used by two further children (not mine) until it was given by the third set of parents to someone else.” Another said theirs “survived 4 kids.” Now that’s impressive.
LADDA Rechargeable Batteries
Batteries are not usually exciting, but IKEA’s LADDA rechargeables got serious praise from frugal shoppers. One commenter wrote, “I don’t know if they are a loss leader, but they are exceptional value.” Another added that shoppers have long viewed them as strong value compared with better-known rechargeable battery brands. The LADDA rechargeable AA 2450 mAh batteries are currently $11.99 for a 4-pack.
Trending on Cheapism
HILDEGUN Dish Towels
Simple, cheap textiles were another recurring theme, and HILDEGUN stood out by name. One commenter wrote, “I love their HILDEGUN kitchen towels (99 cents) that we use as dinner napkins.” That is about as clear a frugal endorsement as it gets, especially for something used every day.
GLIMMA Tea Lights
IKEA’s candles also came up as a bargain pick, especially for shoppers who use lots of tea lights. One Redditor said, “Glimma tea lights. Half the price and twice the quality of any others I’ve used.” That kind of strong value language is exactly what made these feel like a loss-leader-style buy in the thread. The tea lights are currently priced at $5.99 for a 100-pack.
ANTAGEN Dish Brush
A dish brush is not glamorous, but Redditors made the case that this is exactly the kind of tiny, cheap household staple IKEA overdelivers on. One shopper wrote, “Also the ANTAGEN dish brushes (79 cents) with the hooked handle that I can hang over the sink to dry. It has an edge you can use to scrape off cooked-on gunk.”
Sign up for our newsletter
Colorful IKEA Spatulas
Small kitchen tools were another category where shoppers felt IKEA overdelivers on price and quality. One commenter wrote, “They have the best spatulas in the world. The colorful ones with the two-toned squiggly line down the handle. Used them for a decade and have never found a better one. They’re like $1.” These budget-friendly utensils are typically priced around $0.99 – $1.99 depending on the style and location.
