Inside Weather vs West Elm: Who Has Better Couches?

You might love the way Inside Weather’s Bondi Sofa looks, but here are a few things to consider before you buy it. The return policy of Insider Weather can be misleading and pricey. The 10-25% return fee is based on pre-discounted pricing. And with such large discounts (sometimes 50% off), you could spend thousands to return your Bondi Sofa.

While we love the style of the Bondi Inside Weather couch and its hardwood frame, the support system is elastic webbing, which isn’t super durable and it isn’t great at this price point.

If you don’t pony up for the white glove delivery, you could face a challenging assembly process.

But don’t let the cons spook you. Inside Weather’s Bondi has plenty of pros. There are tons of ways to configure and customize your Bondi Sofa. Inside Weather also has tremendous, eco-friendly fabric options to choose from. They’re super cleanable and many are machine washable.

Their hardwood frames are sustainably sourced, and many of their materials have eco-friendly benefits, too.

Any order over $1,500 ships free, and you can add on white glove delivery (including assembly) for only $175. That’s a budget-friendly white glove option, especially with the amount of assembly required.

The Bondi is also made in the USA using high-quality craftsmanship. This majorly cuts down on Inside Weather’s carbon footprint. 

Is West Elm good quality? The brand has become a go-to brand for stylish sofas at surprisingly affordable prices. But those lower prices come at a cost. There’s no standard warranty on their couches, made-to-order couches can’t be returned, and their 7-day return window may not apply to their In-Stock or Quick Ship couches. That could make them an expensive gamble. Additionally, West Elm has a very low 1.1-star rating on Trustpilot, which could give you pause. But one saving grace is that you can purchase a 3-year Allstate Protection warranty for your sofa. This covers accidents, stains, material damage, and more.

On the positive side, West Elm has a huge number of glamorous couches to choose from. They’re also generally available in a wide range of luxury fabrics. So you can really design a couch that you love. The pricing is wonderfully competitive for their quality and the number of sofa styles available. West Elm also has plenty of brick-and-mortar locations where you can test out their couches in person. And if sustainability is important to you, West Elm has some impressive initiatives on that front. However, they are part of a big corporate umbrella, which might negatively affect some shoppers.