We Tried the Quince Couch (and 4 Other Sofas Under $1,500)
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
A common refrain on the furniture beat is thatcouchesare getting both worse and more expensive. If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard that a good sofa will run you at least $2,000 — or $3,000 if you really want to ensure quality and longevity — I could almost buy said couch. But what about those of us who don’t have two months’ rent to drop on a piece of furniture?
Well,buy secondhand. But beyond that, there are thousands of styles online that offer interesting solutions to the problem of making a cheap couch amid risingwoodand shipping costs. We tested five of them, including a modular frameless couch that ships in vacuum-sealed packages like a DTCmattress, and a sofa with removable, washable cushions on a steel-tubing frame that reminded our tester of a camping chair. Four Strategist staffers, from Queens to Ohio, reviewed styles we’ve heard a lot about in their own homes (other than a Wayfair sofa, which landed in the Vox Media offices in New York). Here are their conclusions about which couches under $1,500 are worth it and which aren’t.
The Quince Sierra is a great deal for people who like a firmer couch.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Who tested it?Jeremy Rellosa, Strategist associate editor
How did it get there?It arrived via truck with free white-glove service. Two delivery people dropped it off in my living room, and it took less than five minutes to set up.
Is it comfortable?Five out of five. Maybe this is more indicative of my mattress situation, but I often get better sleep on this couch than my own bed. The cushion has a firmness that is comfortable — it’s not memory-foam-like, but it’s also not fluffy and overly soft. It’s supportive for long-haul video-gaming sessions or bingeing Netflix.
How does it look?It looks very much like the photos. I got the Fog color, a lighter gray, so I am wary of dark stains appearing, but I haven’t had any issues yet. The one notable spill was a red Spindrift Grapeade, and you can’t see any trace of it. This is a neutral-looking, comfy couch that would be a good fit for any apartment or house. Its slightly rounded cushions look modern, but its shape has a classic look too.
Is it worth $1,450?Yes, especially with the free white-glove shipping.
The World Market Brynn is like a more structured RH Cloud.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Who tested it?Tembe Denton-Hurst, Strategist beauty writer
How did it get there?In one massive box. The delivery people left it in my lobby because it didn’t fit in the elevator and they didn’t want to bring it upstairs. Beyond having to lug it myself, it was pretty straightforward to set up once we got it inside.
Is it comfortable?Five out of five. I think it’s the down filling — it’s really comfy, like a couch of pillows. It’sflop-adjacentbut not tooRH Cloud–like aesthetically, which I really appreciate.
How does it look?Even better IRL than in the photos. The fabric is a nice-feeling brushed chenille, and the dark color hides stuff well. (And my cats aren’t interested in it, which is the best thing.) I’ve noticed a couple feathers poking out of the cushions, but that doesn’t bother me that much.
Is it worth $1,300?Yes. If you told me this was a $3,000 couch, I’d believe you.
The Rove Lab M1 sofa is a better-than-average “boneless sofa.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Who tested it?Erin Schwartz, Strategist home writer, and their partner, Warren Heller
How did it get there?It arrived in four boxes via mail, which successfully fit up a very narrow spiral staircase. It took less than ten minutes to set up — you cut open the vacuum-sealed plastic packaging and the compressed foam inflates. The modules zip together at the back and base, and the whole thing is lightweight and easy to maneuver. It was so intuitive that we didn’t bother with the instructions.
The biggest drawback from the setup process: There’s a ton of plastic. I appreciate that the sections are double-wrapped to prevent you from sticking a scissor blade into the sofa by accident, but the plastic packaging alone filled two garbage bags.
Is it comfortable?Yes-ish. This is a two-ingredient sofa — it’s just foam and upholstery — so the foam has to be firm enough to give the sofa structure. “From what I can tell, it has a similar construction to my DTC foam mattress, which came vacuum sealed and rolled up in a similar way,” says Warren. “It creates a kind of funny sensation when you lean on the armrests just to be met with more foam.” It’s not cushy, by any means, but it isn’t uncomfortable.
How does it look?It’s an absolute unit of a sofa, with blocky, exaggerated proportions. One design flaw is that the exposed seams draw a lot of attention to the edges of each section, but the foam prevents the seams from laying completely flat and square. It looks a little dorm-room-y, but it’s fun and cute.
Is it worth $997?Yes, if you’re looking for a “boneless sofa” (all foam with no hard frame) or something modular that ships fast and is easy to get up a flight of stairs. It would also be a great sofa for a kids’ playroom — there’s no hard frame, so no risk of bumping your head.
The Anabei washable sofa is clever but not comfy.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Anabei Modular Washable 2-Seater Sofa
Who tested it?Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor
How did it get there?In two boxes — one for each section of couch — delivered by FedEx. Assembly took about an hour. All that comes in each box is a postcard that directs you to assembly.anabei.com, so no QR code to get you there directly.I actually assembled one section of the couch following not-current instructions because I lazily Googled “Anabei couch instructions,” not realizing until I ended up with one leftover part that the company must have slightly tweaked the design over time.
Is it comfortable?It is an odd bird. It does feel pretty solid, but that may be because it is butt-numbingly firm. The sofa makes a noise when I shift positions, and I can’t exactly tell what it is or where it’s coming from. It’s relatively lightweight, so it can shift or slide when you get up or sit down, especially on a hard floor. The dip between the two seat cushions is pronounced; you can’t really sit on the seam where the two cushions meet. I definitely need to add throw pillows to support my lower back. It would be fine for guests sitting upright to hang for an evening, I think, but I would not want this as my only sofa. The boxy shape is stark, and I am still experimenting with how to be most comfortable on it.
How does it look?The fabric seems sturdy and the stitching is even. On the inside of the cushion covers, the edges are nicely serged and finished. I appreciate that all the foam inserts have either a slippy fabric cover or a mesh cover, which makes it dramatically easier to get the cushion covers on. The cushions are firm and plump enough that they smooth out the covers instantly, though some creases and folds are still visible on mine, even after a wash. Steaming them might be useful if you are a perfectionist.
Is it worth $699?It depends. If this sofa were more comfortable, I would be more inclined to recommend it. I am more impressed by the design and assembly than I expected to be; there is some thought and slickness there, but once you see the innards, it is hard to believe this sofa is worth more than $700. This couch is two fancy camping chairs Velcro’d together. The biggest reasons to buy it are the modularity, how easy it is to move around, and the washable covers.
The Wayfair Bentura sofa is not as comfortable as it looks.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Who tested it?Erin Schwartz and Dominique Pariso, Strategist writers; Kathy Li, social-media editor
How did it get there?In two boxes delivered by FedEx, one for each side of the sofa. Wayfair is a million brands in interchangeable trench coats, so although the website lists the brand as “Wade Logan,” the box it arrived in was labeled “Uixe,” which sells asimilar sofa on Amazon.
It took about an hour and 15 minutes to put this thing together with one person. It wasn’t complicated — if you can assemble Ikea furniture, you can handle this sofa — but I was sweaty and annoyed by the time I was finished.
Is it comfortable?The aesthetic of this sofa screams “comfortable” through a bullhorn, but looks can be deceiving. It is not comfortable. There’s a lot of lumpy fill and not much padding, and you can feel the hard frame through the cushions.
How does it look?This couch feels like it was reverse-engineered from a spike in searches for “deep sofa.” The megadeep proportions could be nice for lounging, but for that to work, the sofa would have to be more comfortable. The fabric is soft and a lovely shade of green, but the high-pile corduroy shows every impression — when you get up, you leave a butt-shaped mark behind you.
Is it worth $650?While many people are buying this couch to throw in their basement so a bunch of kids can jump all over it, the testers at Strategist HQ did not find it comfortable enough to recommend more broadly. (Also, the arms have sharp corners without much padding, so it may not be ideal for kids playing WWE in the basement.)
Some more couches we like
More From This Series
- The 15 Very Best Sleeper Sofas
- The 21 Very Best Couches
- Welcome to Couch Week
- Save a Couch, Buy a Slipcover
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
