ᐅ Excessive Costs for the Kitchen?!

ypg schrieb:

Yes, just buy somewhere else. But don’t be surprised if your property eventually loses value instead of increasing because, due to the “as cheap as possible but cool” buying behavior, a lot of jobs around your area will disappear over time.
If our only supermarket closes because everyone shops at Netto, the town becomes less attractive for some people.

haydee schrieb:

Regardless of where the kitchen was produced, regional jobs are connected to it—sales, planning, installation. That’s what Ypg meant.

Even though defending capitalism is becoming less popular today: if regional jobs are no longer competitive, it’s better for everyone if those businesses go bankrupt. Everyone should produce what they can manufacture most efficiently. Relying on accumulated wealth and saying “just spend the money, they need it” leads to a dangerous weakening of the entire economy (Japan is an impressive example of stagnation caused by prosperity).
If products in Germany no longer offer better quality or service to justify their higher price, there is no reason to buy them.

(Disclaimer: I also bought my kitchen at the kitchen studio because of the service. But the quality wasn’t worth the price to me.)

What you say is true.
However, highly automated furniture manufacturing—which includes kitchens—is a major industry in Westphalia, as quality is very important and is often excellent.

ypg schrieb:

I have to admit that I buy a lot from IKEA and also really like their kitchen designs, but I wouldn’t want my utility room cabinets from 2013 in the kitchen due to quality. The Metod system seems to be much better?! What I find confusing in hindsight is that even the Faktum system, the one from before 2014, which I installed in the utility room, was so highly praised in this forum. The entire interior wasn’t really made for constant use. Not even my drawers, which I bought as base cabinets in 2001—they barely held any load. For me, IKEA was out of the question during planning because of that.

I know exactly what you mean.
We bought an IKEA kitchen in 1992 and replaced it after one year because a friend installed a Bax kitchen as a reference kitchen for me. That kitchen was, of course, excellent, but I couldn’t have even remotely afforded the original price.
The parts back then were really flimsy, which is why I didn’t want an IKEA kitchen anymore. Only when this same friend (who is no longer a kitchen builder) recently pointed out that IKEA kitchens are now a reasonable option because they have improved quality did I consider it again.
The kitchen is now stylish and high-quality, even after the second move. With a bit of creativity, you can implement a lot with it or nicely complement it with third-party products.
In terms of quality, I believe that nowadays you can absolutely choose IKEA kitchens and, in my opinion, they would suffice for 98% of users here. It used to be very different quality-wise some time ago. Of course, there are also other solid kitchen brands.

Basically, I think that today’s cooking skills are not proportional to the now expensive design kitchens and appliances people buy—or else how do you explain the high sales of convenience foods, ready meals, and frozen products? For that, a ceramic cooktop is usually overpowered.
Like a popular tabloid newspaper: nobody reads it, yet it’s still the best-selling.

Wow, pagoni, right on point... cooking skills, gourmet kitchen, and all that.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

Basically, I do believe that the cooking skills of today’s users have not grown proportionally to the now expensive designer kitchens and appliances they buy....

I totally agree with you: my car, my house, my kitchen... I think glass countertops are really cool, and a huge 90cm (35 inch) wide induction cooktop with consistent heating is definitely practical when you have a roaster, pan, and pot on it at the same time. But how long until it wears out or is no longer liked? To me, this seems like poor planning in the sense of “you only build once,” “I want exactly THIS,” and status considerations, without thinking about whether something a bit smaller wouldn’t look just as good. Sometimes the extra cost runs into the four-digit range... But maybe I’m just comparing a VW Golf with an Audi Quuuu...

ypg schrieb:

By the way, Amazon is not a brand.

Of course it is a brand. That’s what makes Amazon so valuable. Amazon is the go-to brand for online shopping. I don’t like them and therefore don’t have them in my portfolio. There are alternatives for investments.

Nordlys schrieb:

With our Metod system, everything is built very solidly and durably. Honestly.

For our guys’ kitchens, Metod is definitely below Nolte in our house. Price aside.

Ybias78 schrieb:

As I already said, I have rarely read so much nonsense. You don’t buy just any house, no matter the price. And where do you think many windows/stairs/fences come from?

No, that’s not nonsense. I charge a lot for my work and am willing to pay my neighbors accordingly as well. I’m no island. If I can’t afford something locally, then I simply don’t do it. Most home builders anyway only have luxury problems from unrealistic standards or impractical wishes.

Stefan001 schrieb:

If the performance of local jobs is no longer competitive, it’s better for everyone if they go bankrupt.

And what do you do with your own demands and services? Do you arrogantly exclude yourself from that?

Either you live in a community and accept the local price level, from which you also benefit yourself, or you simply reduce your consumption. Earning well locally but buying cheaply elsewhere may work for a while and for individuals. But it’s not a contribution to society. In the long run, it’s also harmful to oneself to damage the society you live in for selfish short-term gain. “Cheap” purchases elsewhere, in my view, are ultimately rather unwise and shortsighted.