IKEA Malm Bed Frame Review

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• Specs
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If the time has come to find a new mattress, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. You need to make sure you have a proper bed frame to put your new mattress on or risk the development of mildew and other serious issues that can harm your health and your mattress durability.

When shopping for a new bed, everyone tends to focus all of their energy on the mattress. Fair enough. That’s where the comfort comes from. We get it. However, it’s important not to ignore the importance of a good bed frame. Without the proper base and support, your mattress won’t be used to it’s full capacity. That’s just a fact. So, it’s important to put as much care and thought into choosing your bed frame as the mattress. You’ll want to find a frame that was designed with that same care as well. Thankfully, that can be said about the IKEA Malm Bed Frame.

This is an excellent option to consider if you’re looking to keep the budget under $500 for a full size frame. The IKEA Malm adjustable-height product is affordable, durable, and effective. If you’re thinking about investing in one for yourself, it’s smart to know what you’re getting into. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to this product and provide the information you need to make an educated buying decision. Keep your eyes glued to this page and scroll away. Everything that you could possibly want to know about this special bed frame is about to be revealed.

IKEA Malm Bed Frame Review Specs

Dimensions – 84 inches x 83 inches x 31 inches

 Weight – Around 150 pounds

Brief Look at the Company

Founded in 1943 in Sweden, it has been the vision of IKEA to “create a better everyday life for the many people”. They have made it their business goal to provide their customers with a wide range of well-designed home furnishings at prices they can afford. By now, it’s safe to say that you’ve heard of IKEA and are well aware of what makes their products and stores so special (if you’re lucky, you may have even sampled their meatballs). However, it is worth exploring what makes IKEA so special. To balance quality and price, they take many steps. These include:

• Building long-term supplier relationships
• Investing in highly-automated production processes
• Producing products in large numbers

IKEA founder, Ingvar Kamprad, built the company to remain totally independent and maintain a long-term ownership structure. To say that he succeeded in his goals would be a massive understatement. It has always been his belief that any company operating under the IKEA brand should build resources before expanding. Aside from quality bedrames, other product categories IKEA offers include:

• Home improvement
• Baby and children’s products
• Bathroom storage
• Desks
• Chairs
• Cooking
• Clothes storage
• Decoration
• Home electronics
• Kitchen cabinets and appliances
• Indoor gardening
• Outdoor furniture
• Lighting
• Mirrors

In my experience, IKEA seems to be a customer-focused company. It’s easy to reach out if you need help, and I think the fact they’ve been in business for 75 years says a lot about their overall business model. IKEA is popular for a reason. Students, hipsters, first time home buyers, Canadians who own monkeys, and Europeans all agree that IKEA is the place to be. You should join them.

Related: A Complete Guide To Choosing The Best IKEA Mattress

The Malm Bed Frame Review: An In-Depth Look

It’s easier than ever to get a product from the manufacturing plant to your home. In the case of the Malm adjustable-height bed frame, it’s as easy as purchasing on your computer or mobile device. In my experience, shipping only takes around a week for the standard option. While the experience of going to a massive IKEA store/maze is very much worth your time, it’s good to know that IKEA’s online shopping service is efficient, effective, and satisfying. No matter how you choose to purchase your IKEA products, you can expect the best.

Protection Plans

Life is full of the unexpected, and you just never know what might happen. It’s ways good to prepare for the worst, even as you hope for the best. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to consider a protection plan for any major furnishings. When you order your IKEA Malm bed frame, you’ll have two options:

• a 5 year accident protection for $64.25
• a 3 year accident protection for $38.17

If you opt for either of these plans, you can expect to receive full terms and conditions via email a couple of hours after purchasing. IKEA makes it simple and straight forward to set up a protection plan. No hidden fees. No surprises. Full transparency. What more could you want?

Neutral Look to Fit Just About Any Setting

I like the color of the Malm bed frame. It’s advertised as black-brown, and this is a very accurate description. I’d call it a very dark brown, and this neutral color makes it easy to fit in most rooms. All components of the bed including the side panels, footboard, and headboard are the same color. It’s simple, yet eye catching. Ideal for any bedroom and just about any mattress as well!

Quick and Easy Assembly

The Malm bed frame is pretty easy to put together. While you may be able to assemble it yourself, it shouldn’t take more than two people to get it fully set up. I found the instruction manual to be a little confusing as it only includes pictures. That’s the IKEA way, for better or worse. If you’re a linguistic learner like me, this could make it difficult to put together. However, visual learners may find this preferable. Regardless, IKEA tends to make the assembly process as painless as possible. Just get ready to spend plenty of time making friends with an Allen key.

Support Not Included

It’s very important to note that the slats aren’t included with the purchase of the Malm bed frame. The Ikea Sultan Luroy Full Slatted Bed Base has to be purchased separately. Therefore, if you’re ordering your bed frame to arrive at the same time as your mattress, you’ll end up having to wait for a separate delivery if you don’t arrange for mattress support ahead of time. Make sure to keep this in mind to avoid any unnecessary confusion.

Some people opt to create supports of their own, and this can work. A box spring can work. However, it’s best to use the product as it was intended and the appropriate slats can help you get the most out of the product (otherwise you may accidentally cause some damage and find yourself having to buy another base). The slats are close enough together to accommodate all-foam mattresses without any issues.

Bed Frame Specs and Other Details

Although the online business model has made it much easier to buy sleep products, it has also made it easy for people to buy products that won’t work for their needs. You’re doing the right thing in researching before you buy. Unpleasant surprises involving major furniture or appliances are never pleasant. Do what you can to avoid this.

The dimensions of the IKEA Malm bed frame are 84 x 83 x 31 inches. It weighs around 150 pounds, so you may want to have someone help you put it together if you’re not capable of moving a load of that capacity. This is a big boy of a bed frame, but that’s also a good size for durability. Worth keeping in mind while you struggle to move this thing into your bedroom.

Although you don’t receive slats as part of the purchase, there will be a galvanized steel SKORVA midbeam packaged separately. It’s necessary to add stability to the bed frame and properly support your mattress. Do not purchase this frame without also picking up some slats as well. You won’t be able to use it.

Quick Note on Adjustability

The Malm bed frame is adjustable, and this has caused a little bit of confusion. Some people take this to mean it can adjust to fit different mattress sizes. However, this isn’t the case. Adjustability works to accommodate the height your mattress lies above the floor. For example, if you’re buying the base for your child, you might opt to keep it low.

Cool Accessories to Consider

The space under your bed can be a great place to store things (just ask any teenage boy ever). It otherwise goes unused. You can opt to purchase two or four Malm bed boxes to create lots of extra storage space. Keep in mind, however, that the space between the bottom of the frame and the floor is only 4 ½ inches, so this puts limitations on what you can store.

It can be helpful to get into bedtime mode when you dim the lights 30 minutes before you go to sleep. A great way to do this is to purchase the VARV clamp spotlight which can easily be mounted to the headboard without screws.

A Note on Squeaking

Nobody wants to suffer with a squeaky bed frame. Not only can this disturb sleep partners, but it can even put a damper on intimacy. I have not experienced any issues with squeaking. However, I have read reviews provided by more than one other user where the development of squeaks happen after around three years. Although WD40 provides a fix, it’s only temporary.

Of course, I have no way of knowing how these bed frames were cared for. A few tips to follow to best ensure your bed doesn’t develop annoying squeaks include:

• Ensure there are proper supports in place
• Never jump on the bed
• Follow weight limits and consider the weight of your mattress

Bed Frame Care and Maintenance

You shouldn’t have to invest too much time in cleaning and maintaining your IKEA Malm adjustable bed frame. When it does start to get dirty, just:

• Wipe clean using a damp cloth and a mild cleaner.
• Wipe dry with a clean cloth.

Simple as that.

Customer Reviews and Feedback

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and I’ve shared mine through the course of this Malm adjustable bed frame review. To ensure you get a well-rounded understanding of this product, I took a moment to read reviews by other people.

Who I Recommend the IKEA Malm Adjustable Bed Frame For

If you’re looking for a bed frame under $500 that fits well in just about any setting, I think you’ll be happy with what you get in the IKEA Malm adjustable bed frame. I think it can be a good fit for sleep partners who have a combined weight of less than 500 pounds.

It could also prove to be a good option for kids. If you are considering buying one for children, I think the additional purchase of the storage drawers could be smart. It allows you to take advantage of this space and can help your child learn to keep their living space clean and organized.

You may want to read: Best IKEA Comforter for Your Bed

Final Verdict

Overall, I was pleased with the IKEA Malm bed frame. I found it to be very aesthetically appealing, and it has proven capable of supporting me and my sleep partner. Just don’t forget to order slats.

I am a little concerned with the complaints I’ve seen about the development of squeaking over time, but, if you follow the tips I’ve outlined above, this should minimize your chances of having this problem. I like that the adjustable sides allow you to use mattresses of different thicknesses, and the real wood veneer should make the frame age with grace.