Ikea INGO Table Impressions: As a desk?

What makes a table a table and a desk a desk? Or are those words interchangeable? I spent a lot of time working off a step stool throughout my years in school, but sometimes I used the kitchen table. There were chairs and a proper hard flat surface to work off of. It didn't seem that different from all the desks I used at school. The table seemed to have everything except the storage compartment.

All I look for in tables nowadays is a large, expansive surface to work off and put things. An adjustable height isn't a concern as long as it's around 70 cm high -- actually, non-adjustable is preferable just to avoid having to worry about the height-adjustment mechanism slipping/failing. Solid wood would also be nice but I bought a few solid pine items recently and the smell is starting to get to me.

Underneath an Ikea Desk with a Solid Wood Table Top

Using a kitchen tables as a desk has been an idea I've had for a while. It probably popped up a few years ago when I started looking to buy a new desk and it dawned on me that there were additional options in the kitchen section of the store. Not sure if the Ikea INGO was around back then but I recall a table or two that looked like they were made of solid pine.

Disclaimer: I had not had any firsthand experience with any INGO products when I wrote this piece. Details were quoted from the Ikea United States website or Canada website in the final few days of October 2015. Details on this page are NOT guaranteed for accuracy.

The INGO Desk sit/stand
This table was found under the Dining Tables section of the Ikea.com United States website. According to the product page, it was 120 cm x 75 cm in length and width, and 73 cm in height. The "Product description" noted that the INGO was "Solid pine, Solid pine." It was selling for US$ 69.00 and CA$ 79.99 when I visited the site.

Under an Ikea GALANT Desk

First Impressions from the Product Page
The INGO table appeared to be pretty comparable in size to the GALANT desks I had previously purchased. It didn't seem to have an adjustable height but, as I previously stated, it's not that big a concern to me. This INGO table supposedly stood 73 cm tall. A rough measure of my current GALANT desk showed that I had set the height to around 65 cm to 70 cm on my own for comfort. Those extra few centimeters probably wouldn't bug me. I should also mention that my two GALANT desks are currently around 120 cm in length and 60 to 80 cm in width.

A look at the product photos on the website suggested that the INGO table was fairly simple and a pretty no thrills table. Everything appeared very square: just a flat surface and four legs. The most attractive quality for me was what looked to be solid pine. I did not see any mention of lacquer or any other surface treatment. This seemed both good and bad: a natural surface but a potentially difficult to clean surface. I have a few untreated, solid pine items and I have always had more trouble cleaning them compared to lacquered surfaces. Specifically, Swiffer pads seem to get caught on the wood even if well sanded. Wet paper towels eventually get caught and dust rolls into cylinders or balls that have to be picked up. One could probably do their own surface treatment, but I enjoy having a natural surface so it's something I've learned to live with.

An Ikea GALANT Desk

Price-wise, I found the INGO to be pretty competitively priced. My GALANT tables were a minimum of CA$ 100 each. The similarly sized INGO was just shy of CA$ 80.00 when I looked it up. An Ikea THYGE at 120 cm x 60 cm in length and width was CA$119.00 at the time. I took a look at the Table Bar -- do they still call it that? -- options and didn't find a combination with a solid wood table for less than CA$ 80. Maybe I missed something?

Final Thoughts
And that's the INGO. I don't need another table or desk right now, but the INGO seems like a good option to me to serve either role. The things that I find attractive are the solid pine, square and simple appearance, and competitive pricing. Cleaning probably wouldn't be as easy given my experience with untreated solid pine though.


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