MARY HENN FOR FAMILY HANDYMAN
MARY HENN FOR FAMILY HANDYMAN
Pros:
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Modular design allows for multiple arrangements
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Multiple fabric and size options
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Matching ottoman and other furniture available at Burrow
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Modern design appeal
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Durable fabric is easy to clean
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Easy setup, no tools needed
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Financing available
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Free shipping
Cons:
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Ships in 8-10 weeks
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Limited, one-year warranty
With the Mambo 4-Piece Sectional, you can choose from two different fabric colors (gray or green) or brown leather and two arm styles (high and low). “I opted for the camel leather fabric in the low-arm style. You can also throw in an ottoman for an upcharge, but I opted not to do that,” Shopping Editor Mary Henn says. The only inconvenience with ordering from Burrow is that this sectional takes about eight to 10 weeks to ship. So, if you need a couch pronto, you may be in a bit of a bind with this one. Other than that, the sectional arrived securely wrapped and boxed right at my doorstep, and assembly was incredibly easy. The setup involved unpackaging the couch, screwing on some legs and snapping pieces together.
“One of my favorite things about the Burrow sectional is that it’s modular, so you can arrange it multiple ways and even pull sections out to adjust the size of the sofa,” Mary says. There are also 4-, 6-, 7- and 8-piece sectional options in the Mambo Collection, along with chair, loveseat and standard sofa options. While the Mambo 4-Piece Sectional is on the pricey side ($5,000+ for the leather option), it looks incredibly sleek in person. It’s also very comfortable if you’re someone who enjoys a deep-set sofa with a wide seat. There are financing options available via Affirm if that’s something that appeals to you.
The sectional is 100 inches long, 28 inches tall and 74 inches deep. So, it’s a longer, shorter sectional with deep seats. In fact, with a seat depth of 26 inches, it’s about as deep as it is tall. “It does feel super sturdy when sitting and lounging on it, however,” Mary adds. “Being wide and low to the ground, it feels stable enough to support several people at once. Additionally, the smooth leather surface is easy to wipe clean after quick spills and messes, but with any leather furniture, you’ll want to watch out for pets with long nails. However, I will say that the leather surface on this sectional feels thick, as thought it would take a good amount of force and a sharp object to puncture through the surface.”
MARY HENN/ FAMILY HANDYMAN
Overall, the Mambo Leather Sectional is firm to sit on. While a person of average height will sit deeply in the sofa due to the wide seat surface, they probably won’t sink into the sofa. “The back is also short, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re looking for head and neck support,” Mary says. “I’d recommend this sofa for a basement or den, perhaps somewhere you’ll be entertaining or hanging out, where you’ll want to sit back but still be alert.”
Burrow has a 30-day return policy for all products. However, there is a return shipping fee equal to 10% of the purchase price, and the original packaging of the product must remain intact. Without the original packaging, the return fee bumps to 20% of the purchase price. The fee is always capped at $250 per returned item. Defective or damaged items are covered by Burrow’s warranty and do not require any return shipping fees. Burrow’s furniture comes with a one-year warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship. You can add additional warranty coverage through Mulberry for an extended warranty period and accidents that may cause damage to the furniture. See their full warranty details for what’s covered and what’s not.
“I’ve owned the Burrow Mambo for over a year now, and it still looks great. It hasn’t lost its shape and remains firm. I was worried about how the leather would hold up against kids and pets, but the fabric has been pretty resilient,” Mary says. “To be honest, I thought the couch would soften over time, but it hasn’t. We use the Mambo in our basement to watch sports when we have a few guests over. It’s perfect for that, but we prefer our softer, more plush sectional upstairs for curling up for naps.”
What to Look for When Shopping for a Comfortable Sectional Sofa
The first and perhaps most important thing to consider when shopping for a sofa sectional is size. Where do you want to put your new sectional, and how much room do you have? You’ll want to take measurements of your space before you buy furniture. Trust me, I have made this mistake before, and it’s much easier and less of an inconvenience to measure ahead of time than hassle with returning a sectional that doesn’t fit your space.
Beyond size, you’ll want to think about what fabric and color you want your sectional to be. Do you want a light or dark color? Does microfiber or leather suit your design desires? Depending on your lifestyle, you may want a sectional that hides messes (perhaps not a cream-colored couch) or is easy to spot clean (like microfiber).
Because many sectionals are L-shaped, you’ll want to think about configuration, too. You don’t want to block a doorway or walkway with a chaise lounge-style sectional, so determining whether you want the sectional sofa to extend forward on the right or left side ahead of the purchase is important. If you’re unsure, there are many sofa sectionals online that allow you to reverse-configure the ottoman or chaise lounge section. Modular sofas, in general, are great options for trying out different configurations in a space or even changing up the look and feel of a space over time.
Finally, price and comfort are two things you’ll want to consider as well—and they’re probably high on the priority list for most shoppers. If you’re on a budget or looking to splurge on your new living room, we have options above for just about every budget. As far as comfort goes, that’s a little more subjective. Firm sectionals might appeal to people who want a little more support when it comes to seating, and softer “cloud-like” sectionals may be ideal for people who want an ultra-plush, soft feel. You’ll definitely want to check to see what material the cushions are filled with—most are filled with foam, polyester, feathers, coils or a blend of materials. Each will feel different.
Why You Should Trust Us
We made it our mission to test every sofa sectional we could get our hands on. Compiling this piece truly required an all-hands-on-deck approach, as nearly every one of our experienced shopping editors and product testers tried a sofa sectional in their own homes.
We ordered the sofas, had them delivered to our homes and apartments, assembled and moved them on our own, and used them in our spaces for months on end. Some of the sectionals were delivered by delivery teams and didn’t require any assembly, while some were delivered in several individual boxes that each had to be moved and opened.
Every sofa tester recorded and shared extensive notes on their experience trying out each couch. They considered cost, ordering and delivery experience, ease of assembly, quality and durability. Some of our editors went as far as to purposely spill coffee and pasta sauce on their sectionals in order to test performance fabrics. No table (or sofa, I should say) was left unturned.
After more than a year, we came back to update some of our findings and answer questions like, “Did the sectional we tested hold up after a year of daily use?”
Plus, this isn’t our team’s first foray into testing furniture. We’ve evaluated multiple other product categories, including reading chairs, bed frames, coffee tables and box mattresses.
We Tried Every Sectional Sofa on This List for a Year
We considered more than 40 sofas for this list of best sectional sofas! After a lot of research and discussion, we narrowed down our list to the top sofas we wanted to test for ourselves. We looked at leading online furniture brands, product reviews, price points and availability before sending each sectional sofa to our team of experts. After months of testing the sofas, our experts put together extensive notes to tell you how each sofa performs in real life after daily use, pet wear, food and drink spills, moves and more.
FAQ
What sizes do sectionals come in?
Sectional sofas come in all kinds of sizes and configurations. With modular options, you can add and remove pieces to fit your space. Typically, however, sectionals are 90 and 160 inches in length. The budget sectional on our list is just 78 inches, so it’s a great space-saving solution.
What is the best material for a sectional sofa?
The majority of sectional sofas have a linen- or wool-blend fabric surface. Many people love the look of linen, but it tends to wrinkle and stain easily. Wool, on the other hand, is very durable and easy to clean. It can also be blended with synthetic materials for added strength.
How do you know if a sectional is good quality?
Perhaps a dead giveaway for determining the overall quality of construction when it comes to a sofa is what the frame is made of—solid wood frames signal top-quality production, while plywood and particle board suggest that the sofa was made with cheaper materials.