New Ikea storage unit great for LP's!


Desiring new racks for my LP’s, and hearing that the Ikea Kallax was popular with collectors, I went to the Ikea in my new city to check it out. I found the Kallax to have one enticing quality: very large capacity for very little money. Other than that, it didn’t fulfill my desires. At 15-3/4" deep, LP’s are too far from the front edge of the rack. Even worse, the rack is open on the backside, having no rear panel! It is meant to be a room divider, not an LP rack or bookcase. I’m guessing owners don’t mind, as the rack will usually be placed up against a wall, that wall then acting as a rear panel. But I want my LP’s to be inside an enclosed structure, not an open one, if for no other reason than to keep dust away from the LP cover opening. The lack of a rear panel is also at least partially responsible for another problem with the rack: it is not very structurally stiff and strong, being a little wobbly, able to move side-to-side. Ikea has other similar racks---the Bitrade, Valje, and Nornas, but they too fell short of my requirements.

So I kept looking. There are some fine LP racks out there, but I consider the prices ridiculous. Last night I went onto the Ikea website, again looking at their storage units. There was a brand new one named EKET pictured, and it looked like it might fit the bill, so today I went to Ikea to have a look. I do believe I have found my new LP racks! The EKET comes in several different sizes, from a single 13-3/4" cube to a 4-cubicle box. The 4-cubicle version measures 27-1/2" x 27-1/2" x 13-3/4" deep exterior, each cubicle having interior dimensions of 12-7/8" tall, 12-7/8" wide, and 13" deep, perfect for LP’s. Priced at only $50, the EKET 4-cube model provides over four linear feet of LP storage. And it has a back panel! It is also considerable more stiff than the Kallax, which gives me piece of mind. There are a couple of accessory options, including a set of four adjustable feet ($5!) and a 4" base platform, also height-adjustable ($15). Another is a set of screw-on clips which hold multiple units together if they are stacked one atop another. Three of the racks and a base platform end up being 86-1/2" (7’ 2-1/2") tall, perfect for me.

The Ikea EKET is best LP storage deal I have found, so if you have enough LP’s to make their storage an economic concern, check it out. It will leave you more dough for the LP’s themselves!

128x128bdp24
Thanks very much! I also need six, but will probably need to stack them two high. I had much the same thought about the supports, but wasn't sure the single length under frame would attach to a double wide unit. Let us know how it turns out!
jt, take a look at the listing of the double EKET on the IKEA site. It is two of the 4-compartment models side-by-side, with a long underframe under each unit. IKEA sells that combination (two 4-compartment EKET's, two long underframes) as a separate model, but it's priced the same as buying each piece separately, no price break. The pic of it shows you exactly what it will look like.
Thanks bdp24. Makes  Looks like it's time to get to an IKEA and check them out. 
Hey bdp24, thank you for all your info on the IKEA EKET solution for LPs! I’m considering buying some Eket cubes for my rapidly growing collection (and shrinking wallet), but before I make a trip to my nearest Ikea store I’m really interested in hearing your experience with storing LPs in them? My worry is that the cubes are just a liiittle bit too small for the LPs, like when you have filled a cube with LPs you can’t even get a finger in the gap above the cover. Am I right or wrong? Again, thanks a lot for your input.
g-klaven, the 13" interior dimensions (height, width, depth) of the compartments in the EKET is perfect for LP's imo. With the front of each LP about 3/4" from the front of the EKET, and the top of each LP about 3/4" from the shelf above it, it is no problem to get a finger between the LP covers top and the shelf. If one keeps his LP's snug but not tight (as one should, to prevent ring wear), a finger can also be inserted between LP's to remove one. If one desires more space, the Ikea Kallax provides that.