Burrow: Ultimate Brand Review And Rating

Burrow provides a minimalist yet approachable website that hits most of the major marks. It has a softer edge to it than most minimalist websites, which makes it feel more geared toward everyday consumers rather than trendsetters. It’s an overall positive shopping experience, but the more you click around the more minor issues you’ll uncover.

Burrow’s Ease of Navigation

• Menu navigation is clean and convenient, providing exactly what you need to get where you’re going.
• No filtering options on main category pages makes it difficult to narrow down your options.
• Clicking “Sofas” takes you to a page that also lists dozens of sectional options. It’d be preferable to keep the sectionals in their own, uhh, section. This is exacerbated by the lack of filtering options.
• Menus have lots of wasted white space that could be better utilized, either with photos or more options.
• The mobile version of the website is elegant and responsive. It’s superior to the desktop version in many ways, which is rare for this type of retailer.
• I experienced a repeated issue where clicking the “back” button on my browser required several clicks to take me back to the main category page.

Burrow’s Information Available “At-A-Glance”

• The main “Sofa” category page features an image of the couch on a gray background, the couch name, the price, and its financed price/month.
• Hovering over a couch image reveals an alternate lifestyle image, but it will not change color depending on your fabric selection.
• If a couch has additional color options, you must click a slide-out menu and then click the new color to see it on the product image. However, you’ll be hovering over the image when you choose a color, which means that it will be showing the lifestyle image. You must move the cursor aside to see the new color displayed.
• They feature tags for “New,” “Performance Fabric,” and “Top Rated” products. It’s a nice touch, but they’re not that useful since almost every single couch is tagged.

Burrow’s Product Images

• Main couch product images are clear and impactful.
• The alternate lifestyle images are generally nice, but several are zoomed in too far or show an odd angle, which makes them less practical than they could be. Some are also repeated, so you’ll see the same Nomad Velvet Sofa with Chaise image when you hover over the standard Nomad Velvet Sofa, despite the second product not having a chaise.
• On product pages, the image carousel only features a couple alternate angles of the couch. I’d like to see far more angles and close-ups of specific features the way that other competitors do. Their Fields 3-Piece Sofa had 0 alternate angles, which was surprising considering it’s a very standard configuration.
• Product page image carousels feature predominantly lifestyle images. But they show the couch style in all sorts of configurations that are often irrelevant to your needs. If I’m looking for 3-seat couches, I don’t want to see images of a 6-piece corner sectional.
• GIFs and short videos are used in a clever and creative ways to show off unique features and modularity.

Burrow’s Quality of Product Information

• Burrow puts a lot of great info right at the top of the page, which makes it easy to quickly find what you need.
• The customization area on the right hand side can get very cluttered and feel overwhelming when products have fabric type, fabric color, leg material, leg color, back pillow style, and arm style choices to make. Little “?” icons help explain what some of the more vague options mean.
• There’s a large section dedicated to dimensions that features a practical diagram. This section is detailed and has a high priority on the page, which is great.
• Burrow does NOT list specific information about materials and craftsmanship on product pages. This is a major shortcoming and a red flag for me.
• Scrolling down does reveal several blocks of information, but the material descriptions are still more vague than I’d hope. For example, “Contract grade polyester” is likely true, but I’d like to know the double rub count and the exact makeup of the fabric.

Burrow’s Extra Bells & Whistles

• Burrow has very few bells and whistles compared to competitors. There’s no live chat, no way to favorite couches, no 360 view, and no AR “see it in your room” features. For a brand that emphasizes forward-thinking and modern approaches, the lack of these features feels like a real oversight.
• I found a “Compare Collections” page that felt completely buried on their main menu, but is actually the most valuable page on the entire website. It lays out a ton of important information in a breezy and beautiful format. They should really be putting this page front and center.

This category is where Burrow should have a clear edge over the competition due to the fact that their business model doesn’t rely on traditional freight delivery. Burrow ships everything right to your door in convenient individual boxes. It’s one of their major selling points. That’s what makes their current long lead times so disappointing. It’s also the reason I was forced to grade them more harshly compared to other retailers that have traditional delivery methods. Burrow claims that their current lead times are a result of the pandemic. But in 2023 that excuse is starting to run thin for most customers.

Burrow’s Made to Order Products:

• Burrow does not offer made to order products, so I did not grade them on this criteria.

Burrow’s In Stock Items:

• In-stock items ship out in 1-3 weeks, but can take up to 4 weeks to arrive at your home. And many of their standard offerings are currently out of stock or have lead times that are anywhere between 4 and 10 weeks. For a couch that ships in boxes to your door via FedEx, a potentially 3+ month delivery timeline is egregious.

Burrow’s Shipping Time:

• Once your couch ships from the warehouse, it can take up to 4 weeks to arrive at your home. The boxes ship via FedEx, which is convenient, but it’s nearly impossible to schedule an exact delivery date. That means your couch boxes might be sitting on the curb all day while you’re at work. That’s especially not ideal for people living in a big city where porch pirates are plentiful.

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. One of the founders, Stephen Kuhl, says, “We knew from the beginning that we wanted to focus on convenience and the customer experience.” So Burrow manage to nail the customer experience?

Burrow’s Warranty:

• Burrow offers a 1 year non-transferrable warranty for material defects and workmanship. There’s no repair, replace, or return fees if it’s under warranty.
• Burrow has partnered with Mulberry to offer 3 or 5 year extended warranties for an additional charge. So the extended warranty covers far more than simply material and workmanship defects, so there’s good value here.

Burrow’s Return Options:

• Returns are available within 30 days of delivery, but there will be a 10% fee for a return with original boxes and a 20% fee for returns without the original boxes.

Burrow’s Delivery Options & Costs:

• Burrow provides free shipping to your door. Your couch will arrive in multiple smaller boxes and be delivered via FedEx.
• Because shipping happens through FedEx, Burrow understandably does not offer in-home delivery, nor does it offer a white glove delivery/assembly service.
• A specific delivery date cannot be specified, which could be problematic if you’re at work when your couch arrives outside your front door.

Burrow’s Financing Options:

• Burrow is partnered with Affirm to offer 3, 6, or 12 month financing plans starting at 0% APR.

Is Assembly Required?

• Yes, assembly is a major part of Burrow’s brand. Couch pieces are delivered in individual boxes (roughly 40 pounds each). The customer must then assemble the couch using the helpful printed instructions or by visiting Burrow’s extensive online database of instruction manuals.
• A proprietary and patented interlocking system advertises a snappy and quick assembly process. However, assembly can be far more strenuous and challenging than it initially seems. I’d recommend having several people give you a hand.
• IKEA has partnered with TaskRabbit to offer assembly help with their furniture when you purchase online. I’d like to see Burrow attempt to offer a similar service, especially for the elderly or customers with a disability. Carrying multiple 40 pound boxes to the proper room can be a strenuous affair on its own, much less tackling the full assembly process.

Burrow’s Customization Options:

• What Burrow lacks in individual options they make up for in terms of modularity. Customers can build massive, unique sectionals from the available options. Ottomans, chaises, and adjustable arm pieces can lead to some truly amazing modular couch shapes. This is a major plus.
• Burrow offers on average 4-5 color options for each fabric. They also offer velvet and leather fabric options for most couches. However, fabric options are fairly limited overall.
• Customers also have a choice of leg material and leg color. Wooden legs come in a handful of stains and metal legs have a couple good options to consider as well. This is a great way to add some personal flair to your couch.
• Certain couches also have back cushion tufting options and arm style options like block, arch, or slope.

Does Burrow Offer Free Fabric Swatches?

• Yes, Burrow provides swatch kits for each couch collection. You can get 2 swatch kits for free, but any additional kits will be $5 each. With only 5 different couch collections, you’re looking at a max of $15 if you buy a swatch kit for every one.

Burrow’s built their modular couch philosophy upon the idea that you’ll be able to add more pieces to your Burrow couch as you and your lifestyle grow. It will go with you on your journey from studio apartment to multi-bedroom suburban home. In order to achieve this goal, Burrow couches need to be durable and long-lasting. But are they?

Burrow’s Quality of Materials:

• Specific material information was incredibly difficult to track down on their website, which is always concerning.
• They use Olefin fabric to upholster several of their couch styles. Companies often use this fabric for outdoor furniture. This means the fabric is durable and stain resistant, but it’s not necessarily the most comfortable for in-home use.
• Burrow rates their Performance Velvet at a 100,000 double rub count, which far exceeds the 50,000 required to be considered commercial-grade. That’s fantastic, but I do wish they’d make the same information available for their other fabrics.
• They describe their leather as being “leftover hides from agricultural use.” I could not find any specific leather grade information, which is information that should absolutely be made available.
• After a while of searching I found that at least one collection uses “composite 3-layer cushions,” which have a strong central foam core surrounded by lesser foam and shredded foam. I’d like to know the exact density of the foam core, so that I could more accurately judge it against the quality of competitors in the same price range. “Shredded foam” is not promising.

Burrow’s Cleanability:

• Olefin and “contract grade polyester” are inherently cleanable and stain resistant fabrics. This makes them good choices for cleanability. Their performance velvet is also highly rated and should be extremely cleanable.
• Burrow has an exhaustive instruction page detailing the best ways to clean each style of their sofas (swearing by a 4:1 water to bleach ratio as the best option). I was impressed by this breakdown, which is above and beyond most retailers.

Burrow’s Quality of Construction & Manufacturing Origin:

• Burrow lists their manufacturing as taking place in North Carolina, Vietnam, Poland, Mexico, and India. It’s unclear which location manufactures their couches. I’d hope North Carolina since that’s the furniture capital of the USA, but I’d expect them to proudly state that if it were the case.
• Their frames are made from Birch, which is a perfectly good option. They also use single sheets of bent plywood for some of the other framing, which is less ideal though still acceptable in the long run.
• I was not able to find information about their spring support systems.

Vibing with a brand is important, whether it’s a matter of matching your lifestyle and interests or whether it’s trying to achieve similar sustainability goals. That’s why it’s my mission 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.

Burrow’s Key Differentiators & Unique Facts:

• Burrow made it their mission to try and shake up the furniture industry by creating a new shopping and delivery model. They’re a forward thinking company that’s always trying to find ways to make the couch shopping experience better for the customer from start to finish.
• Burrow’s focus on modular design means their products can move with you and expand to meet you and your family’s needs. Your Burrow couch could start as a loveseat in your NYC apartment and be upgraded to become a massive sectional when you settle down and start a family in the ‘burbs.

Burrow’s Sustainability:

• Burrow has a major focus on sustainability. It’s a core philosophy of their brand. Cutting out traditional freight shipping is a great way that they minimize their carbon footprint.
• Fabrics are made from upcycled materials and feature zero chemical treatments, VOCs, PFCs (bad chemicals like formaldehyde), or fire retardant sprays. This is a unique and admirable aspect of their manufacturing.
• The wood used for their frames comes from responsibly managed forests.

Burrow’s Overall Brand Presentation:

• This is a sophisticated and cool brand that manages to still be approachable. They have a very customer-forward mission, which shines through every part of their brand.
• Their website states, “Style is nothing without substance, which is why how things work is every bit as important as what they look like. From the modular assembly, to built-in chargers, to multipurpose trays, we’re always looking to add delightful, functional features.” You can tell they bring this same passion and energy to their brand presentation and website.