The short verdict
MALM was a plain, roomy budget dresser with a serious safety history, and in the US it is now a secondhand buy. When we checked in October 2026, IKEA US listed no MALM dresser or chest, and the old product links redirected to the MALM series page, which now pairs MALM beds with STORKLINTA dressers. If you are looking at a used MALM, check its date stamp, get the anti-tip hardware, and anchor it before anyone opens a drawer. If you are buying new, compare STORKLINTA's sizes first, because its drawers are narrower.
A used MALM can make sense if
- Its date stamp reads 1622 or later and the toe kick sits flush with the bottom drawer
- You want the 63 in wide dresser, which no current STORKLINTA matches
- You can fix it to a stud or a solid wall
- You are happy with particleboard at a low price
Skip it if
- The date stamp is below 1622 or the toe kick is recessed: it is a recalled unit
- You cannot anchor furniture where you live
- You move often; several owner reviews describe drawers loosening after a move
- You want solid wood or full-extension runners
How we reviewed it
This is a source-verified review. Because the US pages are gone, the MALM specifications come from IKEA US product pages captured by the Internet Archive in August and September 2024, when IKEA was marking each size "Last chance to buy": the 6-drawer dresser, 6-drawer chest, 4-drawer chest, 3-drawer chest, and 2-drawer chest. We also read IKEA's MALM 6-drawer dresser instructions (dated November 2023), the current IKEA US STORKLINTA pages, the CPSC recall notices, and the Federal Register rule. Ideal Home's June 2026 report quotes IKEA saying "parts of the MALM range will be phased out globally." We have not assembled or used a MALM.
MALM sizes, in inches and cm
| Last US MALM (white) | W x D x H | Inside drawer | Shipping weight | Last US price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-drawer chest, 802.145.49 | 15 3/4 x 18 7/8 x 21 5/8 in (40 x 48 x 55 cm) | 16 7/8 in (43 cm) deep | 38 lb 11 oz, 1 box | $89.99 |
| 3-drawer chest, 105.762.09 | 31 1/2 x 18 7/8 x 30 3/4 in (80 x 48 x 78 cm) | 28 3/8 x 15 3/4 in (72 x 40 cm) | about 90 lb, 2 boxes | $149.99 |
| 4-drawer chest, 905.762.10 | 31 1/2 x 18 7/8 x 39 3/8 in (80 x 48 x 100 cm) | 28 3/8 x 15 3/4 in | about 106 lb, 2 boxes | $199.99 |
| 6-drawer chest (tall), 505.762.12 | 31 1/2 x 19 x 48 3/8 in (80 x 48 x 123 cm) | 28 3/8 x 15 3/4 in (large drawers) | about 132 lb, 3 boxes | $279.99 |
| 6-drawer dresser (wide), 705.762.11 | 63 x 19 x 30 3/4 in (160 x 48 x 78 cm) | 28 3/8 x 15 3/4 in | about 145 lb, 3 boxes | $299.99 |
The large drawers are the same inside on every size: 28 3/8 in wide and 15 3/4 in deep (72 x 40 cm). IKEA said each holds "about 15 pairs of folded pants or 30 T-shirts", and the two small top drawers of the tall chest about a third of that. It listed storage capacity only for the 3-drawer chest (5.2 cu ft) and the wide dresser (10.5 cu ft). The archived URLs show the last US range in white, black-brown, and white stained oak veneer; earlier generations also came in gray-stained finishes, so a used one may not match anything sold today.
STORKLINTA, the US replacement, compared
STORKLINTA is what IKEA US now pairs with MALM beds, and Ideal Home reports IKEA presenting it as the range taking MALM's place. It looks similar, with integrated handles along the top edge of each drawer, but it is not the same size. All figures below are from IKEA US product pages, checked October 2026, for white; oak effect and dark-brown oak effect cost $20 to $30 more, and some sizes come in gray-green.
| STORKLINTA (white) | W x D x H | Inside drawer W x D | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-drawer chest, 905.592.96 | 19 5/8 x 18 7/8 x 20 7/8 in (50 x 48 x 53 cm) | 16 1/8 x 15 3/4 in | not listed | $79.99 |
| 3-drawer, 005.592.91 | 27 1/2 x 18 7/8 x 29 1/2 in (70 x 48 x 75 cm) | 24 x 15 3/4 in (61 x 40 cm) | 4.2 cu ft | $129.99 |
| 4-drawer, 405.592.89 | 27 1/2 x 18 7/8 x 38 5/8 in (70 x 48 x 98 cm) | 24 x 15 3/4 in | 5.6 cu ft | $179.99 |
| 5-drawer (narrow), 205.592.85 | 15 3/4 x 18 7/8 x 47 1/4 in (40 x 48 x 120 cm) | 12 1/4 x 15 3/4 in | 3.6 cu ft | $179.99 |
| 6-drawer (tall), 105.592.81 | 27 1/2 x 18 7/8 x 47 1/4 in (70 x 48 x 120 cm) | 24 x 15 3/4 in | 6.8 cu ft | $229.99 |
| 6-drawer (wide), 605.612.48 | 55 1/8 x 18 7/8 x 29 1/2 in (140 x 48 x 75 cm) | 24 x 15 3/4 in | 8.4 cu ft | $249.99 |
The wide STORKLINTA is 7 7/8 in narrower and 1 1/4 in lower than the wide MALM, each drawer is 4 3/8 in narrower inside, and IKEA's listed capacity drops from 10.5 to 8.4 cu ft, about a fifth less. Several IKEA US owner reviews make the same point in plainer words: the drawers are smaller than MALM's. IKEA also lists a drawer pull-out of 10 7/8 in (28 cm) against a 15 3/4 in inside depth, so the back of each drawer stays inside the cabinet.
That locking is the biggest functional change. Late MALM units already had a drawer interlock, letting only one drawer per column open at a time. STORKLINTA goes further: IKEA says it "must be anchored to the wall in order to open more than one drawer at a time." IKEA adds that the feature significantly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the tip-over risk.
Materials, drawers, and build quality
MALM is particleboard and fiberboard throughout, which is normal at this price. On the last US pages IKEA listed:
- Top, sides, plinth, and drawer fronts: particleboard with acrylic paint (veneer on the oak versions).
- Drawer sides and backs: particleboard with plastic foil; drawer bottoms: fiberboard with printed acrylic paint.
- Back panel: fiberboard; runners: "smooth running drawers with pull-out stop", plus the drawer interlock on 3-drawer and larger units.
Owner reviews on the archived IKEA US pages were split. In September 2024 the 6-drawer dresser averaged 3.5 of 5 from 46 reviews, the 4-drawer chest 2.9 from 37, and the older 2-drawer chest, which had no interlock, 4.6 from 2,029. Positive reviews mention roomy drawers and units that survived several moves. Negative ones describe drawers that are stiff on the newer interlock design, plastic stops that jam, missing hardware, and drawer bottoms that came loose after a move. These are individual accounts, not tests, but the pattern matches what you would expect from cam fittings in particleboard. For how that compares with solid wood, see our guide to repairing engineered wood.
The 2016 recall and the US tip-over rule
On June 28, 2016, IKEA and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of MALM and other chests and dressers that did not meet the voluntary standard ASTM F2057-14: children's chests taller than 23.5 in and adult chests taller than 29.5 in. CPSC listed four child deaths involving MALM, and noted that none of the chests in the reported incidents had been anchored. The November 2017 reannouncement revised the count to about 17.3 million US units, reported eight child deaths across the recalled chests, and recorded 186 MALM tip-over reports, 91 of them involving injuries to children.
| Recall check | What it means |
|---|---|
| Date stamp below 1622 | Recalled. IKEA's recall page says the stamp is usually under the top panel, sometimes inside a side panel. |
| Recessed toe kick | Recalled. IKEA says non-recalled MALM has a toe kick flush with the bottom drawer. |
| Recalled MALM sizes (CPSC list) | 3, 4, 5, and 6-drawer models sold from 2002 to June 2016, including a 15 7/8 x 19 x 48 1/4 in 5-drawer and the 63 in "6 LONG". |
| Remedy (IKEA US, October 2026) | Refund, free pickup, a free anchoring kit, or free in-home anchoring. A recalled MALM 6-drawer earns a $175 IKEA refund card or $110 cash. |
The rules have since become mandatory. Congress passed the STURDY Act, signed on December 29, 2022, and CPSC responded with a direct final rule (88 FR 28403, 16 CFR part 1261) adopting the performance requirements of ASTM F2057-23, effective September 1, 2023, for clothing storage units made after that date. It covers free-standing units 27 in or taller, 30 lb or heavier, with 3.2 cu ft or more of enclosed storage. The tests simulate carpet, drawers filled with a simulated clothing load, several open drawers, and the force of a child up to 60 lb climbing or pulling.
By IKEA's listed sizes, every MALM and STORKLINTA above the 2-drawer chest falls inside that scope; the 2-drawer chests are under 27 in tall. A used MALM made before September 2023 was not built to this rule, which is one more reason anchoring is not optional.
How to anchor a MALM to your wall
A dresser tips when its combined centre of gravity moves past the front edge of its base. Open drawers full of clothes shift that weight forward, and a child pulling on or climbing an open drawer adds force at the worst possible point. An anchor strap at the top back stops the rotation before it starts. The diagram is conceptual: it shows the mechanism, not a stability calculation for any model.
- AAnchor strap or bracket at the top back, fixed into a stud or a fixing that suits your wall.
- BThe front edge of the base, which the dresser would rotate about if it tipped.
- CCentre of gravity. Clothes in open drawers move it forward, toward B.
- DWeight on an open drawer: a heavy load, or a child pulling or climbing, which the US rule simulates up to 60 lb.
The later MALM kit and the current STORKLINTA kit both include screws and plugs that IKEA says "can be used with most solid and hollow walls", while the product pages still tell you to use fixings suited to your own wall. Older and secondhand units may arrive with no hardware at all; if it is a recalled MALM, IKEA will send a free kit.
| Your wall | What the sources say to use |
|---|---|
| Wood stud behind drywall, or solid wood | IKEA: the supplied screw without the plug, in a 1/8 in (3 mm) pilot hole. Use a stud finder; Anchor It lists one for drywall walls. |
| Drywall or plaster with no stud at the bracket | IKEA: the supplied plug in a 5/16 in (8 mm) hole, as for "hollow walls". If the plaster crumbles, ask a hardware store. |
| Brick or concrete | IKEA: the plug in a 5/16 in (8 mm) hole for solid walls. Anchor It lists a masonry bit, hammer drill, and concrete screw anchors. |
| Metal studs, tile, or unsure | Neither source covers it. IKEA says to seek professional advice; Anchor It says to ask a hardware store for the right fastener. |
Assembly: what the instructions ask
IKEA gives no assembly time. The MALM 6-drawer dresser instructions run to 44 pages and show two people building it. The tools pictured are flat and cross-head screwdrivers, a hammer, a pencil, and a drill with 5/16 in (8 mm) and 1/8 in (3 mm) bits for the wall. Anchoring is the second-to-last step, and the warning page lists the rules: always install the anti-tip device, never put a TV on it, never open more than one drawer at a time, never remove the drawer interlock, and put the heaviest items in the lowest drawers.
Owner reviews on the archived MALM pages and on the current STORKLINTA pages describe the build as tedious rather than difficult: every drawer is a flat-pack box of its own, and several reviewers mention unlabelled parts and missing screws or brackets. Estimates run from a couple of hours to, in one STORKLINTA review, a third day. Lay the parts out and count them before you start, and put the boxes somewhere you can return them. Shipping weights of up to about 145 lb across three boxes also mean two people for the carry.
Fitting a MALM in your bedroom
The MALM footprint is easy: about 19 in deep for every size, and 15 3/4, 31 1/2, or 63 in wide. The space in front of it is what catches people out. Allow about 36 in (91 cm) clear in front so you can pull a drawer out and stand at it, as in the bedroom clearances of our clearance guide, and more if the dresser faces the foot of the bed. Our 12 x 12 ft plan in bedroom layout ideas leaves 40 in between the bed and the dresser.
| Your wall or room | MALM size that fits best |
|---|---|
| A wall 6 ft or wider facing the bed | The 63 in dresser; keep TVs off the top, as IKEA's warning says |
| A narrow wall or the space beside a closet | The tall 6-drawer chest: 31 1/2 in wide, 48 3/8 in high |
| Under a window | The 3-drawer chest at 30 3/4 in, if your sill is higher than that |
| Beside the bed | The 2-drawer chest, 21 5/8 in high, which IKEA also sold as a nightstand |
If a wardrobe wall is also on the plan, our IKEA PAX review shows how much floor hinged doors need. A dresser and a hinged wardrobe on facing walls can each need about 3 ft in front.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
- Buying a used MALM with a date stamp of 1622 or later?Fine at the right price; get the kit and anchor it on day one.
- Date stamp below 1622, or a recessed toe kick?Recalled. Do not buy it; if you own one, claim the refund or anchoring.
- Buying new from IKEA US?Compare STORKLINTA's narrower drawers with what you need to store.
- Renting with no permission to drill?Ask your landlord first; do not use any tall chest unanchored around children.
Whichever you choose, measure the wall, the clearance in front, and the wall construction behind it before you order. A BILLY bookcase in the same room needs anchoring for the same reason.