Which brand offers the most stylish and durable seating – Joybird or Burrow? Dive into the comparison to uncover which couch contender claims the crown in comfort and design.
Alex Back | Couch.com CEO & Founder
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In the red corner, we have Joybird, and in the blue corner, the challenger Burrow! Which of these furniture fighters will emerge victorious in the battle of the couches? Let's find out in this epic comparison.
Side By Side
Features
Joybird
Burrow
Made to Order Lead Times
4-8 Weeks
N/A
Free Shipping Option
White Glove Delivery Option
$129-$299
Return Option
Warranty Included
Financing Option
Affirm
Affirm
Assembly Required
Large Fabric Selection
Free Swatches Available
Manufacturing Origin
Mexico
USA + Import
Avg. 3-Seat Couch Price
$$$
$$-$$$
Joybird presents an extensive fabric selection and a variety of styles, guaranteeing a wide range of options for buyers. Their emphasis on durability and sustainability, coupled with a lifetime warranty on sofa frames, positions them as a premium choice for quality seekers. On the other hand, Burrow excels in modern tech integration and customization, catering to those looking for innovative features and design flexibility. Although both brands offer noteworthy aspects, Joybird's commitment to style, durability, and sustainability makes them a standout choice for those seeking top-notch quality and design in their furniture.
BRAND #1: Joybird
Joybird was launched in 2013 and instantly charmed the world with their Instagram-worthy couches. They've since cemented themselves as one of the top online furniture brands. They are currently owned by La-Z-Boy.
Joybird | Brand Summary
Joybird has stood the test of time and firmly cemented themselves as one of the best online couch retailers at their price point. They have a professional-yet-fun presentation, offer great quality products for the price, and allow customers to pick from dozens of beautiful fabrics.
I have a few minor gripes with the website shopping experience and I’d encourage everyone to thoroughly examine the shipping and return policies, but overall there’s very little to criticize. Dare I say that Joybird sparks joy? I do dare.
Couch Potato Note: Joybird is almost always on sale for up to 30% off. For this review, their price point is assumed to be 30% off the listed price. You should always wait for a sale before you buy a couch from Joybird (and you won’t have to wait very long). For all intents and purposes, their sale price is their actual price.
Joybird presents itself as a fun, trendy, and flashy brand. And for the most part, their couches deliver on that promise. But there are a few aspects that might detract from their appeal. Their couches are all made in Mexico, which also means that their lead times are not quite as good as other brands. Pricey white glove delivery and potentially costly returns might make ordering online feel like a gamble. And while Joybird has a huge fabric selection for their custom couches, choosing certain fabrics can add hundreds of dollars to your order.
On the flip side, Joybird furniture has many brick-and-mortar locations in major metropolitan areas, allowing you to test out their couches in person. This is rare for an online couch company but is a major perk. Like Apt2B, Joybird has a large selection of stylish couches in a huge range of sizes and configurations. They offer loveseats all the way up through large modular sectional sofas. Joybird also has a great selection of affordable sofa beds and sleeper sectional sofas. They also back their high-quality couch frames with a lifetime warranty as well as a 1-year warranty on their top-tier upholstery craftsmanship. If you want it, Joybird has it.
Burrow is an online-only retailer that was founded in 2016. The original idea was actually a class project before it transformed into a real company. Burrow's goal was to modernize the entire couch shopping and couch ownership experience. Modularity, expandability, and ease of assembly were the core principles.
Burrow | Brand Summary
Burrow provides a clever and creative solution to the many issues that have historically plagued couches – bulkiness, inflexibility, and immobility to name a few. Burrow’s modern, modular methodology has some major benefits over the competition, but it also leads to several flaws that are hard to gloss over. Their emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly practices are admirable and commendable. However, the materials used for their modular couches are not as high a quality as you’d hope for given the price.
Burrow’s primary goal is to modernize the furniture market. Their couches are designed to be modular and expandable so that they can grow with you. They’re also delivered in boxes and easily assembled and disassembled. Great for apartment dwellers!
Burrow’s couches ship for free via FedEx, though you might end up with a dozen boxes if you order a sectional. Their couches come with a 1-year warranty on craftsmanship. A Mulberry extended warranty is also available, which protects against accidents and damage.
Several of Burrow’s couches have multiple customization options so you can really design a sofa that suits your style. There are also modern, high-tech options like having a phone charger built right into the couch. Perfect for those nights you’re browsing on your phone while half-watching “Love is Blind” on TV.
One of Burrow’s drawbacks is that the material quality could be better. It’s not terrible at the lower end of their price range, but for their higher-priced couches, the cushions could feature higher-quality fill materials. On top of that, their business model implies that their couches will be inexpensive, but they can actually get quite pricey.
Lead times are also longer than you’d expect. If a couch is in-stock it could ship out in 1-2 weeks. It could take 4-6 weeks or even 4 months if not. And once your couch arrives, assembly can be much more challenging than advertised.
After a thorough comparison, the crown undoubtedly goes to Joybird for its superior fabric selection, durability, and commitment to sustainability. Joybird's inclusion of modern tech features alongside a vast range of styles solidifies its position as the winner, offering unrivaled value and quality for couch enthusiasts.
Alex Back
Couch.com CEO & Founder
Alex Back is the founder and CEO of Couch.com. Previously, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B, which was acquired by a large US retail furniture chain in 2018. He worked to integrate Apt2B, one of the very first online furniture retailers on the Shopify platform, into the operations of the 100 year old larger business entity and was deeply immersed in the business operations of both online and brick and mortar retail for 4 years before leaving in 2023 to start Couch.com. Working in various parts of the furniture industry since 2004, he has 20 years experience in retail sales, e-commerce, marketing, operations, logistics and wholesale manufacturing and distribution. He has worked extensively with partners such as Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon and his work has been highlighted in many publications such as Forbes, CNN and HGTV, among others. Alex is delighted to bring his experience and authority on couches and the furniture industry to this platform, along with many of his industry colleagues who are helping him keep the Couch.com audience informed and engaged on a daily basis.
