BenchMade Modern: Ultimate Brand Review And Rating

BenchMade Modern couch and armchair in orange velvet fabric
BenchMade Modern is a cool brand with a fun collection of cleverly-named couches. But are their couches cool enough to actually buy? In this total brand breakdown, I take a look at BenchMade Modern and reveal their PotatoMeter rating.

Overall Potatometer Rating:

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BenchMade Modern is a cool brand with a laid back vibe. They offer some really great lead times for custom, USA made couches. Plus they have lifetime warranties on their frames and a seriously generous 100 day return window.

But customizing a couch on their website can be a cumbersome and misleading experience. On top of that, the quality of their materials and workmanship is simply not good enough to justify their luxury pricing.

86%

Online Shopping Experience

96%

Shipping & Lead Time

94%

Customer Focus

85%

Durability & Quality

86%

Vibe Check

Our Own Rating System

The PotatoMeter is Couch.com’s very own rating system that grades furniture retailers on a variety of – what we consider to be – essential criteria. While we aim to be fair and objective in our assessment, subjectivity based on our expertise and personal biases is unavoidable.

86%

Online Shopping Experience

BenchMade Modern: Online Shopping Experience

BenchMade Modern has a cool website and a laid-back vibe. It’s an easy site to navigate and they do a good job of listing product information. But a clunky customization system, lack of pricing transparency, and an overall colorless aesthetic weighs it down.


Ease of Navigation

  • The homepage is great! A nice carousel advertises any current sales and highlights some unique features with nice, wide photos.
  • The top menu is unique. A “Shop Furniture” dropdown takes over the full screen and shows big squares of all the different categories. It also displays useful shipping and return info on the left hand side.
  • On category pages you can sort by price, date, featured, and best selling, but not by star rating. There are also no filters for narrowing down your options.
  • Everything on product pages feels BIG. The couch name, the price, and the customization box all have big font and barely fit on the screen. This works much better when shopping on a phone, but it’s still too big overall.
  • Scrolling down a product page makes part of the page scroll down, but not all of it. Then only part of the customization box scrolls down. Then the whole page scrolls down. It can make it really hard to just navigate up and down the page. It’s all clunky and cumbersome.
  • It can be hard to scroll through all the fabric options. It’s also easy to miss the filter that lets you choose “Luxe Fabric & Velvet” or “Premium Leather.”
  • It’s nice that the couch name, price, and Add to Cart button stick to the bottom of the page so you can always see your choice even when scrolling around.


Information Available “At-A-Glance”

  • They list the couch name, the price, the sale price, and the star rating plus number of reviews. This is OK but feels a bit sparse.
  • Some couches have one differentiator compared to another in the same collection. These are identified in the couch name. For example, “Laguna Sofa” vs “Laguna Sofa (Bench Cushion).” It’s not the best system.
  • It can be hard to differentiate between couch styles when one is named “Couch Potato,” one is named “OG Couch Potato,” and another is named “Couch Potato Lite.” You can’t tell at a glance what’s actually different.


Product Images

  • Product images are generally nice. They do a good job of clearly showing the couch on a white background. However, browsing a category page results in lots of gray and white couches, which isn’t very aesthetically pleasing.
  • There’s a good mix of the couch from every angle + lifestyle images and close-up feature images. Always good.
  • Your customization choices do NOT update the product images. This is a surprising oversight compared to every other brand in the market. It makes it very difficult to determine how your couch will look as you’re customizing it.


Quality of Product Information

  • They do a great job of listing important dimension and construction information on each product page. It could be slightly more specific, but it’s quite good, especially compared to other brands.
  • There’s a lack of pricing transparency, which is disappointing. Choosing certain customization options will increase the price of the couch without any warning. Certain fabrics are more expensive, certain cushion options are more expensive, etc. They do not let you know that there will be an upcharge as you’re selecting these options. The price just quietly updates. At the very least they could say “from $_____” when they initially list the couch price.
  • There are essentially no product reviews below 4 stars. This is always suspicious. Additionally, product reviews are pooled together for an entire collection. So you’ll be looking at the “Crowd Pleaser” standard sofa reviews but getting reviews for a “Crowd Pleaser” 2 piece sectional too.


Extra Bells & Whistles

  • They offer free design services.

96%

Shipping & Lead Time

BenchMade Modern: Shipping & Lead Times

BenchMade Modern has made fast lead times a big part of their brand. But do they deliver on their promises?


Made to Order Products:

  • It takes 2-6 weeks to manufacture each couch. Out of stock fabrics plainly list when they’ll be back in stock. This is a good, competitive lead time.


In Stock Items:

  • These pieces ship out in a little as 2 days.


Shipping Time:

  • On average it’s about 2-3 weeks for delivery once a piece has been shipped out.

94%

Customer Focus

BenchMade Modern: Customer Focus

Our goal at Couch.com is to provide customers with the information they need to find the best couch for their home. We take customer satisfaction very seriously. So how does BenchMade Modern stack up to the competition when it comes to customer friendly resources and offerings?


Warranty:

  • Frames and suspension systems are covered under a lifetime warranty.
  • Fabric and cushion resiliency are covered for 1 year for manufacturing defects, assuming normal use. Note, this is only applicable for the original owner AND original delivery address.
  • Sleeper sofas have a lifetime warranty on the frame and a 10 year warranty on the sleeper mechanism.


Return Options:

  • Returns initiated within 14 days receive a full refund (minus original shipping charge) if the piece is in like-new condition.
  • Returns initiated within 100 days will receive a refund (minus 10% processing fee and minus original shipping charge).
  • Return shipping is free for the above options.
  • If a return is initiated because the couch doesn’t fit inside your home, there’s a $400 return fee.


Delivery Options & Costs:

  • Threshold delivery is $249. The delivery team will bring the couch through your front door, but you’ll be responsible for everything else.
  • White glove delivery is $399 and includes room-of-choice placement, assembly, and packaging removal.


Financing Options:

  • They’ve partnered with Affirm to offer 3, 6, or 12 month payment installments between 0% and 36% APR.


Is Assembly Required?

  • Legs need to be attached for certain styles and sectionals need to be connected, but otherwise no assembly is necessary.
  • White glove delivery is an available upgrade to perform any necessary assembly.


Customization Options:

  • Customers can choose the size, fabric, leg color, and sometimes an added depth option.
  • Couch widths come in 5″ increments so you can really dial in your perfect size. They can potentially do even more specific widths if you ask – originally they had a “By the inch” size system. Other unique dimension customizations range between $150 to $500.
  • Can use customer’s own material (C.O.M.) for upholstering couches.


Does BenchMade Modern Offer Free Fabric Swatches?

  • Yes, though they offer them in a unique way. You order packs based on color and then receive a swatch for every fabric in that color (for example, “Greys & Blacks” or “Creams & Naturals”).
  • It appears as though you could order every set if you desired.

85%

Durability & Quality

BenchMade Modern: Durability & Quality

Durability is a major factor when it comes to purchasing a couch, especially when you’re ordering online. So do BenchMade Modern couches hold up over time? They do, but the quality of their materials is on par with couches that are generally offered by other brands for $1,000 to $1,500 less than BenchMade Modern’s prices. This makes it hard to fully endorse their couches since I can’t figure out how they’re justifying their higher prices.


Quality of Materials:

Here’s what founder Edgar Blazona says about the company’s quality goals: “From frame to fabric, we source our materials from responsible suppliers to ensure each furniture piece is beautifully constructed from the inside out. When comfort is everything, every detail matters. From the world’s leading tanneries and textile mills, our hand-selected leather and fabric collections play a key role in creating a truly custom piece of furniture that lasts for years to come.” It’s a nice quote, but does that statement hold true in practice?

  • Fabrics are generally high quality, ranging between 30,000 and 100,000 double rub counts. That being said, 30,0000 is fairly low, especially for homes with kids or pets. For reference, anything over 40,000 is considered commercial grade.
  • They offer two different types of leather. Their Marfa is a full-grain leather (top tier) and their Ponti is a top-grain leather (one tier below full-grain). This is great and exactly what you’d hope for at this price.
  • Their seat cushions are either foam and fiber or foam and trillium (which is a microdenier down alternative). These are usually the options you’d find in couches that are at a lower price point. I’d like to see real down for BenchMade’s prices, as well as something more premium than simply dacron-wrapped foam for the standard cushions.


Cleanability:

  • All fabrics are cleaning code W or W/S. They’re all properly labeled and easy to clean.
  • A great Fabric Care Guide can help you if you have any issues.


Quality of Construction & Manufacturing Origin:

  • Their couches are all made in the USA. Specifically Dallas and Los Angeles.
  • Their frames are either 7-ply wood framing or solid kiln-dried alder wood depending on the collection. The frames are joined with corner blocks, industrial staples, and low-VOC glues. There’s nothing inherently wrong with using plywood for couch construction, but it’s not what you want to see at these price points. Same with stapled joints – it’s perfectly fine for couches that are $1,000 less expensive, but at this price you’d expect better.
  • Their suspension systems are either unidirectional webbing or sinuous springs depending on the collection. Again, for the price I’d like to see a premium offering like 8-way, hand-tied springs. Unidirectional webbing has no business being offered at these prices unless there’s a very specific reason why it’s required (not the case here as far as I can tell).

86%

Vibe Check

BenchMade Modern: Brand Vibe Check

Vibing with a brand is important. Brands can also promote certain lifestyles and sustainability goals. That’s why it’s my goal to help you find a company and brand that you vibe with so that you’re as comfortable with your new couch as you are on your new couch.

Key Differentiators & Unique Facts:

  • Aim to buck the luxury standards by offering made in the USA couches in a shorter timeline and without needing these luxury-level products to be babied or left unused to stay looking pristine.
  • They originally offered the option to build their couches “By the Inch” so you could order any couch in any width. Their couches are now only available in 5″ increments, which is still fantastic.


Sustainability:

  • Their couches are made in the USA, which helps cut down on their overall cargo shipping carbon footprint.
  • They say that they try to recycle any manufacturing waste, but there’s no specific sustainability programs or target goals.


Overall Brand Presentation:

  • BenchMade Modern describes itself as, “a rebellious luxury brand for a growing generation of design junkies from all walks of life.” That’s all well and good, but nothing about their website supports this claim. The only thing rebellious is the laid-back naming conventions, boasting names like “Skinny Fat” and “OG Crowd Pleaser” and “Like Butter.” I do have to give them bonus points for naming a couch the “Couch Potato,” I assume in my honor (or should I be suing them for identity theft?) .
  • The website itself is perfectly nice, but it’s mostly row after row of gray couches on a white background without much to distinguish or differentiate them.

BenchMade Modern couch and armchair in orange velvet fabric

What are BenchMade Modern's top couches?

Signature Best Seller:

  • Skinny Fat Sofa (from $3,986 at 65″w). It’s a really nice style that’s a good blend of modern and Mid-Century Modern stylings. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser (even though they have another style named the Crowd Pleaser…)


Couch That Intrigues Me The Most:

  • OG Crowd Pleaser Sofa With Bumper (from $3,552 at 65″w). It’s cool and unusual to see this type of couch as a one-arm chaise style sofa. You also still get two cushions for seating. The scatter back means you can really customize your comfort. Very interested to know how it feels to sit or lay on it!


Hidden Gem:

  • Sit Tight Sofa (from $3,553 at 65″w). There aren’t a ton of hidden gems to discover, but the Sit Tight has some lovely, traditional touches that might make it more overlooked than others.

How much do BenchMade Modern couches cost?

BenchMade Modern presents itself as a hip, rebellious brand, but their pricing is decidedly luxury tier. They’re on the pricier side of the market.


Average Range:

  • You can expect to pay about $3,500 – $4,500 for a standard 3-seater couch.


Most Expensive BenchMade Modern Couch:

Least Expensive BenchMade Modern Couch:

  • Laguna Sofa (from $2,804 at 85″w). This 85″w sofa is surprisingly less expensive than all of their 65″w loveseats and chaises.

Does BenchMade Modern have good reviews?

BenchMade Modern is well-reviewed, but the truth is that – compared to other brands in this competitive market – they don’t have that many reliable 3rd party reviews. This seems to contradict the founder, Edgar Blazona’s, thoughts about the company’s goal: “For us, quality is the lead driver. If you break it down a bit, in our business, word-of-mouth is the most important. […] We focus on the quality and also the experience, and people then tell that story to others.” So what do people think about BenchMade Modern?

Overall Brand Reviews:

  • Where available, the brand is well-reviewed. Wirecutter gave them a nice write-up.


Top Product Reviews:

NOTE: customer reviews of their couches are all pooled together for an entire collection, which means you might be looking at a loveseat but seeing reviews for a 2 piece sectional if that’s part of the same collection. This, plus a lack of reviews below 4 stars, makes it difficult to honestly gauge certain aspects of the company and their couches.

  • Skinny Fat Sofa 5 Star Review: “Well made. Super solid. Way faster delivery and customization than we could find at big box stores. Very happy.” – Aaron C.
  • Skinny Fat Sofa 4 Star Review (this is the lowest rating review on their site I could find, which is suspicious): “Love so much about this couch and even more so the amazing customer service I’ve received both before and after buying it. The only glitch was in the manufacture (some defects in the leather + a frame that is far too visible through the material on one piece of the sectional) — but the folks at Benchmade have been nothing but helpful and I am confident it will all be made right!” – Jon S.


Customer Service Reviews:

  • The customer service is rated very highly. This is likely in part due to their very generous return system.

What kind of style is BenchMade Modern furniture?

BenchMade Modern offers a cool but approachable style of couch. Their offerings are generally modern and transitional, with a few veering into Mid-Century Modern terrain. They also offer a range of practical offerings like sleeper sofas and modulars.

Range of Couch Options:

  • They have a smaller range of couch collections, but each collection is available in an armchair size all the way up through a sectional size. So if you like one style then you’ll be able to outfit your entire space with it in various shapes and sizes.
  • There’s also a range of sleeper sofas to choose from, as well as modular couches you can custom configure.


Range of Couch Styles:

  • BenchMade Modern mainly offers modern and transitional pieces, but they also have pieces that are firmly Mid-Century Modern. It’s a pretty standard offering for a modern couch company.
  • Many collections are available in one-arm chaise styles, which is a unique offering.


Does BenchMade Modern Have Other Products Besides Couches?

  • Yes, but it’s restricted to a couple dining chair options and a collection of 3rd party rugs and lamps that can be found for less money elsewhere. Their bread and butter is couches.

What are some alternatives to BenchMade Modern?

BenchMade Modern focuses on USA made couches in a limited but cool selection of styles. If you’re looking for handcrafted couches that are made in the USA at a luxury price point, here are a few competitors to consider.

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