Ikea HEJNE versus GORM Shelving Units

GORM shelves have been around for years. I know because I bought three sets of them to get some more storage space over five years ago. They are all still standing. What drew me to them originally were the natural materials and relatively low price.

Are its days limited?

I first noticed the HEJNE line of shelves a couple months back on the Ikea.ca website. My first impression was that they looked a lot like GORM shelves. They were even priced similarly. Upon further inspection of the product details on the website, it was noted that the dimensions and materials appeared to be similar as well.

Overly-Close Close-up of a GORM shelf

Dear GORM?
And then it happened: the GORM disappeared from the Ikea.ca website.

However, I could still find the GORM on the American website. The difference was that the HEJNE appeared to be available for sale online while the GORM was not -- not sure if it was a website-wide thing or tied to my IP address. Around this time last year, it looked like the GALANT was on the way out to be replaced by the BEKANT. They're both around, last I checked -- lot fewer options with GALANT compared with last year though. Regardless, let's see how they stack up against each other.
Video
Size Comparison: Ikea HEJNE vs Ikea GORM Shelf
In 32 seconds: Ikea HEJNE Shelf Assembled
Ikea HEJNE Shelf Review

Goodbye, Caroline?
To do a short and brief comparison, the product details were pulled from the United States, Ikea.com website and summarized below. I tried my best to copy the details without error but accidents happen, so please don't consider them to be accurate, especially the loading details. And to be clear, I probably bought the 30.75" x 13.75" x 68.5" shelves years ago -- unsure if the dimensions have changed since then. There may be some HEJNE shelves in my possession (Edit: did it!) within the next few months, but the decision hasn't been finalized yet.

Disclaimer: I had not had any firsthand experience with any HEJNE products when I wrote this piece. Details were quoted from the Ikea United States website or Canada website some time in 2015. Details on this page are NOT guaranteed for accuracy.

GORM Shelves (All data from Ikea.com US website)
US$ 10.99 for 30.375" x 12.25" (2 pack)
US$ 14.99 for 30.375" x 20.125" (2 pack)
US$ 29.99 for 30.75" x 13.75" x 68.5" (Max load/shelf: 77 lb)
US$ 39.99 for 30.75" x 21.625" x 68.5" (Max load/shelf: 110 lb)

Main Materials: "Solid pine, Solid spruce"

HEJNE Shelves (All data from Ikea.com US website)
US$ 9.00 for 30.375" x 11" (2 pack)
US$ 14.00 for 30.375" x 18.5" (2 pack)
US$ 34.00 for 30.75" x 12.25" x 67.375" (Max load/shelf: 77 lb)
US$ 44.00 for 30.75" x 19.625" x 67.375" (Max load/shelf: 110 lb)

Main Materials: "Solid pine or spruce"

Differences I Noticed
From this snapshot in time, the details suggest that the HEJNE shelves are slightly cheaper than the GORM shelves. Their load capacities per shelf look the same though. Width-wise, both shelves have similar dimensions. In terms of height, there is a difference of 1.125" with the HEJNE coming up shorter. The depths of the shelves dropped between about 1" to 2", depending on the version, with the HEJNE coming up shorter again. The materials under the "Product description" are slightly different in terms of layout of words and grammar -- is there an actual difference aside from maybe writing style?

In summary, it looked like the HEJNE was an ever so slightly smaller and slightly cheaper version of the GORM.

Concluding Ramblings
I used to prefer the GORM over the IVAR due to the price and more rustic look. Nowadays, the IVAR probably wins because I had to deal with a few too many splinters and rough edges on some GORM shelves. The IVAR shelves I bought were generally smoother and more finished from my observations.


Related
Ikea HEJNE Shelf, 1 Section, Review
Ikea IVAR Shorter Shelving Unit Review -- Revisited?
Ikea IVAR Shelf Review
Ikea GORM Shelf Review