This is a review of the IKEA POANG rocking chair. Their regular Poang chair also has a bit of a bounce to it, but this one has the rocking chair legs.
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How is the rocking motion?
The rocking motion on the Poang Rocking Chair is moderate (see video below) but definitely enough for rocking a baby to sleep.
I actually like that it’s moderate because the chair can be used for multiple purposes; both for rocking a baby (we got it for a nursery) and just for watching TV or reading a book.
Some people are saying the regular Poang has more of a bounce and can work well for putting a baby to sleep. Whereas the rocker doesn’t have much of a rock to it as people expected.
Unfortunately, we did not test out the regular Poang but now I’m curious about it!
Would it be easy to sit down in this and get up from this while holding a baby?
It is pretty low to the ground and the angle is a bit awkward so it’s not the easiest to get out of while holding a baby, if you were sitting all the way back in it, but definitely possible.
I think with a heavier baby you just have to be more mindful so you don’t hurt yourself.
Here is a video of the rocking motion and it shows how easy it is to get up holding a baby-sized item.
Is it comfortable for other purposes?
We’ve found it’s also comfortable for sitting and reading a book, or even watching TV.
Was it tricker than expected to assemble?
My husband assembled it with no help. I think it took him about 1 hour. It wasn’t complicated.
Does it slide back when you sit down?
Yes, which I’m not super happy about.
We can’t really anchor it with a wall because we want the rocking motion so it does slide on our laminate flooring.
I think a rug would keep it in place.
There’s also no finger guard like some of the more expensive gliding rocking chairs have. I could see little fingers getting squished under the rocking legs.
How did it compare to other chairs you considered?
I casually browsed some other chairs but all the low-toxin brands were out of our price range.
I know IKEA has relatively low-toxin furniture so I felt like this was the next best option.
Was there any offgassing/odors?
This was actually one of the only products so far that I didn’t notice any odor coming off of either the frame or the cushion.
I got the premium cushion, so the most expensive one that’s cloth, not leather.
I am chemically sensitive.
Note from Corinne, I have heard from people who have reacted to this so of course like usual it depends on how sensitive you are. This is made from a plywood, polyurethane foam, and synthetic fabric.
Anything else you liked or didn’t like?
I don’t love how the whole chair isn’t cushioned because that would be more comfortable.
However, the clean aesthetic with the raw wood went really well with our other furniture and I couldn’t beat the price for a low-toxin option which was more important to me than extra comfort.
Overall I’m happy with the choice of getting the Poang Rocking Chair.
Fragrance: IKEA stores sell or use fragranced items, but online orders for delivery ship from central warehouses not their store locations.
Tracy Lee
I think people should be very careful with IKEA furniture. When shipping furniture from overseas, especially fabric, wood and leather) the shipping containers can be sprayed with antifungals such as dimethyl fumarate (DMF). This does not have to be reported because technically it’s not part of the furniture. DMF absorbs through plastics and is very difficult to remove (months and years it is poorly regulated and a source of law suits – google funiture rash). DMF rotates between a super fine crystalline powder and a VOC gas. DMF is considered a toxic and very potent chemical VOC.
This is how I developed MCS. There are many reports on Reddit about people having IKEA allergies presently, and dating back over a decade.
As well, also know that “all new furniture” off-gases (new fabrics and wood, and adhesives used in wood products) and can produce secondary VOCs like formaldehyde.
Both DMF and formaldehyde are known “chemical sensitizers, which means that people can become sensitive and allergic to these chemicals over time with low repeated exposures.
Please warn people because people can be one new furniture exposure away from developing Chemical injuries causing MCS.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
IKEA doesn’t use formaldehyde, and doesn’t allow for spraying of shipping containers with pesticides. They have a way better record than most companies and they have a lot more control over their supply chain than most companies (including shipping containers and factories). So of course sensitive people can react, as they can react to almost anything. and IKEA is not 100% VOC free, but it’s a better company.
Kristie Mccadden
I have MCS and bought one of these chairs and had to bring it back because of the odor. The gentleman at the return counter told me they spray a lot of their furniture with some type of chemical. Not sure for what reason, assuming to preserve the wood or keep it from getting ruined during shipping. Whatever the reason, it is horrible.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
IKEA is known for not spraying things so I’m not sure what he was referring to, but this does have some off-gassing. It won’t work for the most sensitive.