Castlery: Ultimate Brand Review And Rating

Castlery Ethan L Shape Sofa in Stone Gray Fabric
Castlery is a lower price-tier couch provider that has an upper-tier website and shopping experience. But is the rest of their company upper-tier, too? In this total brand breakdown, I take a look at Castlery and reveal their PotatoMeter rating.

Overall Potatometer Rating:

0 %

Castlery does an amazing job of presenting and displaying their couches. Browsing their website is a joy, and their products are good quality at this price point. They have fast lead times and their customer focus is great for the lower price tier that they occupy.

If you feel priced out by places like Joybird or West Elm or CB2, then Castlery’s stylish, budget-friendly selection will be a pleasant surprise.

97%

Online Shopping Experience

96%

Shipping & Lead Time

90%

Customer Focus

88%

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.

97%

Online Shopping Experience

Castlery: Online Shopping Experience

Castlery has a fantastic website. Their professional display and excellent filtering options make it a breeze to find a couch you love. They also have wonderful images and videos that help you get a great sense of each couch before you buy. Overall the website really impresses me, especially for the price point of their couches.


Ease of Navigation

  • This is a very professional website, especially for couches at this price point. You’d think you were shopping at a high end retailer as you click through the pages. Very impressive and likely a reason Castlery became so popular.
  • Menus are clean and simple and easy to navigate, though the spacing between columns is a bit wide.
  • Category pages have amazing filtering options. Perhaps the best I’ve ever seen. There are sliders to select width, seat comfort, seat depth, seat height, and seat softness. These are options I always wish companies would include and I’m thrilled to see them here on Castlery. The only odd omission is a way to filter by best-selling or trending.
  • Product pages are wonderful. They’re extremely clear and precise. The photography is good and the carousel of photos is easy to scroll through. Customization options are easy to decipher, extended warranty info is right above the Add to Cart button, shipping and delivery info is just below that. A simple scroll reveals the dropdowns for specific product information. And right below that is the Reviews section.
  • I needed to create an account or use a Google/Facebook/Apple account in order to checkout. I didn’t love this aspect and would have preferred to be able to checkout as a guest (or at least not have to make an account).


Information Available “At-A-Glance”

  • On category pages you’re shown the couch name, the price, the sale price, the fabric options, and there’s a tag if an item is on Clearance or on Sale or New. This is a good amount of info.
  • Many competitors show the star rating/number of reviews, as well as a way to highlight best sellers. I think Castlery could benefit from including these.


Product Images

  • On category pages, couches are displayed on a clean white backdrop. The color changes when you pick a different option. Hovering over the couch shows an alternate lifestyle image. It’s all clean and high quality. Unfortunately, Castlery almost exclusively sells beige and white/off-white couches so it’s all a bit colorless.
  • On product pages, there are lots of fantastic photos to scroll through. They also often feature videos showcasing specific features or just a glamorous look at the collection in a real home. Dimensions are easy to access right from the images. There’s a healthy number of lifestyle images and often a 360 view to see the couch from any angle. It’s a very professional set of product images. The color/fabric also changes in all the photos to match your choice.


Quality of Product Information

  • Castlery’s product information is hit or miss. They do a great job of outlining the major aspects of the materials, but their fabric information is particularly lacking. That being said, they do much better than other companies in terms of making it easy to find frame construction, cushion construction, and spring system info. Many companies bury this info or omit it completely.
  • Castlery has an impressive “Product Dimensions” section that shows a diagram of the couch with measurements, a list of ALL the important dimensions, and they even have a scale from 1-5 that illustrates the seat comfort, depth, height, and softness. This is really excellent, especially at this price point.
  • Warranty, return, and assembly information is clearly detailed and easy to find. This is fantastic.
  • Customer Reviews are right beneath the main product information and easy to parse and filter.


Extra Bells & Whistles

  • Castlery does have an AR feature to allow you to see their furniture in your own home.

96%

Shipping & Lead Time

Castlery: Shipping & Lead Times

Castlery’s couches are exclusively in-stock pieces that ship from warehouses. This gives them an edge in terms of lead times.


Made to Order Products:

  • Castlery does not offer made to order couches.


In Stock Items:

  • It only takes about 2-3 days for an item to ship out from the warehouse after you place your order.


Shipping Time:

  • Advertised shipping time to Los Angeles is about 2-3 weeks for most couches. To the midwest the timeline is closer to 4-5 weeks. That’s exceptionally quick.

90%

Customer Focus

Castlery: 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 Castlery stack up to the competition when it comes to customer friendly resources and offerings?


Warranty:

  • There’s a 3 year warranty on couch frames and structure.
  • There’s a 1 year warranty on “soft furnishings” such as the cushion foam, filling, feathers, fabric, stitching, and leather.
  • 1 year warranty on zippers, fasteners, suspension systems, and legs.
  • There’s also additional coverage against accidentals that you can purchase through Mulberry. There are 2 year, 3 year, and 5 year plans available at very reasonable prices.
  • These warranties are fantastic for couches in this price range.


Return Options:

  • Returns must be initiated within 14 days of delivery. There is a 20% restocking fee, the furniture must be in as-new condition, and if you do not have the original packaging there’s a $50 repackaging fee (per item).
  • Shipping fees and add-on delivery upgrade costs are non-refundable.


Delivery Options & Costs:

  • Front door delivery is free on orders over $999. This delivery will be to the “first dry area of your home” (garage, front porch, lobby, etc)(aka not INTO your home). NOTE: This option may not be free outside of select metropolitan areas. Prices for front door delivery could be as high as $199 depending on your location. Check your cart at checkout to see pricing to your area.
  • Room of choice delivery is $50 – $70 depending on your location. The 3rd party delivery team will take the couch into the proper room but will not perform assembly or packaging removal.
  • White glove delivery is $100 – $150 depending on your location. It includes room of choice in addition to assembly and packaging removal.
  • NOTE: Extra add-on options may not be available outside of large metropolitan areas.


Financing Options:

  • Castlery has partnered with Affirm to offer 3, 6, or 12 month options starting at 10% APR.


Is Assembly Required?

  • Outside of attaching legs, there is no additional assembly required. You may also opt for white glove delivery, which will take care of any minimal assembly there is.


Customization Options:

  • Customization options are typically limited to fabric/color and leg color. In many cases there are no additional fabric options. At most there are about 4 fabric options. There’s also no guarantee different leg color options will be available.


Does Castlery Offer Free Fabric Swatches?

  • Yes, but there’s a maximum of 3 swatches. This is very low compared to most companies that offer swatches.

88%

Durability & Quality

Castlery: Durability & Quality

Durability is a major factor when it comes to purchasing a couch, especially when you’re ordering online. Castlery’s website states, “Every choice we make & material we use meets our highest standards, with quality craftsmanship, real-life resilience, and time-tested durability.” So with that in mind, do Castlery couches hold up over time? For the price point they’re pretty good! But their fabrics and seat cushions do concern me a bit.


Quality of Materials:

  • Fabric is generally 100% Polyester. No other information is provided. I’d like to see the double rub count to get a sense of the fabric quality. It’s also likely not very cleanable and it has the potential to pill (see “Cleanability” below). I’d be hesitant about the quality of the fabric.
  • Cushions are typically foam wrapped in fiber with a “pocket spring filled seat”. I’d like to know the density of the foam to adequately judge its quality. At this price point it’s likely low or medium-density. A pocket spring filled seat means that each seat cushion has springs at its core. This helps keep the foam from deforming, but it also adds the potential for more things to break. If one section of springs in the cushion gives out then you’ll be in tough shape. It’s also more liable to wear down if you sit in the same place frequently.


Cleanability:

  • I would be wary about the cleanability of the fabric. Their fabric care instructions make no mention of using water or solvent-based cleaners for stain removal. This indicates to me that they have an X fabric cleaning code, which isn’t ideal. Your option for cleaning seems to be limited to hiring a professional cleaning service for any stains. There’s also a good chance that water itself will cause stains.
  • Almost all of the couches have a disclaimer that pilling is a normal aspect of a fabric’s life cycle. This sounds to me like they’re giving themselves something to point to when customers complain about pilling. It’s likely a real issue with their fabrics since they include this in the fabric care info.


Quality of Construction & Manufacturing Origin:

  • They manufacture all their couches in China or Southeast Asia and import them via cargo ship to the US.
  • They generally construct their couch frames using LVL (laminated veneer lumber aka engineered wood) and plywood. Despite the somewhat negative connotations with engineered wood and plywood, they are both perfectly fine options for constructing a couch. Using LVL is probably one of the major reasons Castlery is able to keep their costs down. At this price range it’s acceptable.
  • Most couches utilize a sinuous spring system, which is actually great for this price range.

86%

Vibe Check

Castlery: 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:

  • Castlery was founded in 2013 with the goal of cutting out the middle man and providing high quality furniture at family-friendly prices.


Sustainability:

  • There are no specific sustainability or eco-friendly aspects to Castlery’s brand. Their furniture is all imported from China or Southeast Asia, which has a costly cargo shipping carbon impact.


Overall Brand Presentation:

  • Castlery has an exceptional website that makes shopping a joy. Everything feels thoughtful and well-formatted. Their glamorous photography and sleek page layouts do an excellent job of making you really want to shop with them. The top tier quality of their presentation makes their low prices seem even better.
  • When asked about what makes furniture so important, founder and CEO Declan Ee said, “[Home’s] not just a place you come back to after work. You are doing your work, you’re pursuing your passions, you have your kids. How you furnish your home matters because you’re spending much more time there.” You can feel the passion in the words and this translates to the quality and effort put into the website.

Castlery Ethan L Shape Sofa in Stone Gray Fabric

What are Castlery's top couches?

Signature Best Seller:


Couch That Intrigues Me The Most:

  • Hamilton Round Chaise Sectional ($3,199). This is a very unique style for a sectional couch. The rounded portion is more like a “media chair” attached to an otherwise standard sofa. Honestly, I kinda love it.


Hidden Gem:

  • Dawson Sofa ($1,999). You might accidentally scroll right past the Dawson Sofa because it doesn’t quite jump out at you. But this is a couch that’s stylistically similar to the expensive Restoration Hardware Cloud Couch at a fraction of the price.

How much do Castlery couches cost?

Castlery offers a great, budget-friendly couch selection that doesn’t skimp on style. Here’s a peek at some of their pricing.

Average Range:

  • The average price range for a 3-seater style couch is $1,500 – $2,000.


Most Expensive Castlery Couch:

  • Jonathan Leather Extended Sofa ($3,699). This modern leather couch is the most expensive 3-seater option. It has wide track arms, exposed seams, and other chic modern touches.


Least Expensive Castlery Couch:

  • Madison Sofa ($1,299). This classic Mid-Century Modern couch has a high-end silhouette for a low price. This is the least expensive 3-seater couch.

Does Castlery have good reviews?

Customers tend to love their Castlery couches and only experience the typical issues that you can expect from ordering furniture online. Overall customers have very positive things to say about Castlery.

Overall Brand Reviews:

  • Castlery is often praised for its quality, selection, and speedy delivery. They have a 3.7 star rating on TrustPilot, which is very high for a furniture company.


Top Product Reviews:

  • Owen Chaise Sectional Sofa 5 Star Review “It made my living room more cozy and pretty. I’m slightly worried about the color from the website, and it’s come so perfectly; it’s better than I thought. This is the best choice for my new house. I’ve been searching for different kinds and different brands, and this is the best decision. The color that I ordered is Opal beige. And I am so in love with the color. This sofa isy so soft and comfortable. I can’t to get more items for this collection. Ottoman is my wishlist” – Yaovaluck P.
  • Owen Chaise Sectional Sofa 1 Star Review: “I was excited for the couch to arrive, but found it quite firm/uncomfortable. Comfort is subjective, but it was listed as 2/5 (1=softest) on the Castlery site, which doesn’t feel objectively representative at all. For a cozy couch for the family room, this doesn’t work. Returning the couch was painful/disorganized. NOTE: returns happen before review links are sent out. Know that disatisfied customer reviews arent included on the site. I fought for weeks to get a review link” – Emily C.


Customer Service Reviews:

  • Castlery’s customer service reviews from 3rd party, unaffiliated reviewers are a mixed bag. Their customer service is often cited as a pain point in negative reviews, but not more than any other similar company in this notoriously difficult industry.
  • NOTE: Castlery does not have a traditional phone number to call for customer service issues. It all appears to be text message or email-based customer service.

What kind of style is Castlery furniture?

Castlery says on their website, “From mid-century modern to contemporary, our design language is intentionally universal; we design so you can settle in, comfortably, for the long haul.” Does that range of styles accurately reflect their product offering? Let’s take a look!

Range of Couch Options:

  • Castlery’s main couch options are 3-seater couches, 2 piece sectional couches, and modular couches.
    Castlery does not offer sleeper sofas, despite an otherwise robust range of options.


Range of Couch Styles:

  • Castlery’s couches are Mid-Century Modern, modern, and they dip a bit into contemporary territory. They feature most of the trendy, modern looks you’ll see from major brands.


Does Castlery Have Other Products Besides Couches?

  • Yes, Castlery has furniture for the whole home. They also have some really nice-looking outdoor furniture you should check out.

What are some alternatives to Castlery?

Castlery specializes in imported couches that are reasonably priced and a good quality. For companies that also offer a similar style and price, check out these competitors.

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