IKEA BRIMNES bookcase

Room×Lab Review · Review updated October 15, 2026 · Evidence rechecked October 17, 2026

Owners across five BRIMNES bookcase listings praise its slim fit, but report falling shelves, spreading sides and failing drawer hardware

Room×Lab read 1,257 distinct written reviews, in many languages, from December 2015 to September 2026; in September 2026 IKEA showed 1,259 ratings, some without text. The reviews and the 4.7-star rating are shared across five BRIMNES bookcase listings, not only the white 23 5/8 × 74 3/4 in bookcase with open shelves above two drawers shown here. Reviews only about black units, other BRIMNES pieces or IKEA in general are left out. Most owners don't say how long they've had it; where they do, use runs from weeks to a few years. None of the reviews below mentions an incentive, and all but one leave the reviewer's region unstated. They show two detailed praise reviews and four detailed accounts of problems, from a strong odor to falling shelves; most ratings are four or five stars.

Room×Lab rating: 7.0 out of 10 (medium confidence). Owners across IKEA's BRIMNES bookcase listings praise the slim footprint, lower drawers and manageable build, and the combined rating is high. The caveat is durability: repeated reports of shelves falling, sides spreading or drawer tracks loosening within months to a few years.

• Slim footprint suits tight spaces: 138 favorable and 7 critical mentions about fitting narrow spots — Across the five BRIMNES bookcase listings, owners describe it fitting alcoves, closets, bathrooms, small bedrooms, offices and kitchen pantries. Critics wanted more width or depth for their use, or found it too narrow for many folders or too large for a closet once the drawers were in.
• Sturdy for many, but some shelves and sides gave way: 124 favorable mentions, mostly of general sturdiness, and 19 critical ones about shelf supports and side panels — Critics on the white listing and other listings describe shelves bowing or falling and sides spreading apart within one month to a few years, sometimes under modest book loads; two blame the small shelf pins. These are individual accounts, not a failure rate.
• Drawer hardware draws specific complaints: 18 favorable and 38 critical mentions about drawer runners, fit and handles — Across the five listings, some owners find the drawers smooth and quiet. Critics describe drawers that won't close flush, slip off their runners or wobble, tracks loosening after about two years of light use, and brittle, cracked or loose handles. Two found the drawers don't soft-close.

Before buying

Choose it for a tall, narrow bookcase with drawer storage if you will anchor it and keep shelves well under 40 lb. Owners report shelves falling and drawer tracks loosening within months to a few years, and spare shelves are hard to find.

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