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More Couches We Tested
Courtesy of Albany Park
Albany Park Kova for $1,534: The Kova is easy to assemble because you just have to connect hooks, which means disassembly is easy too. The system allows for modular add-ons like corners or consoles. There are two fabric swatches and several velvet color options to choose from. The back and seat cushions are super comfy, and deep—for reference, I'm 6'4", and there's enough cushion and room to nap with my wife and dog on this couch side by side. After a year, it held up well. The problem is that the cushions and seats don't stay put, so it's a constant exercise of adjusting them. There's also a slight gap between the assembled seats, which you'll need to push together every so often. The seats flatten out too quickly for my liking, so you need to fluff them up too. It's a lot. The wood frame inside the mattress isn't that durable—I rested my knee on the frame once and the wood caved in a little. Welp. Be gentle. Despite all this, the Kova is a comfortable, great-looking sofa for a nice price, if you don't mind micromanaging it. —Julian Chokkattu
Couch Accessories We Like
Chom-Chom Roller for $25: We’ve been recommending this pet-hair remover for years, and for good reason—it uses an electrostatic charge rather than tape or battery-powered suction to make short work of any amount of pet hair. It cleans up my large velvet sectional in just a couple of minutes, and I never have to worry about charging a hand vacuum or replacing an adhesive lint roller. —Kat Merck
CouchConsole Drink & Snack Tray for $60: No room next to your couch for an end table? Plop down with this portable caddy and you’ll be in brain-rot bliss in no time. It’s got a gyroscopic cup holder, nonskid surface for a remote or mug, a slot for propping up your phone, a food-safe cup for snacks, and even a USB-C port to which you can hook up a portable charger. Even though I have a coffee table, I still use one of these on my couch to avoid having to get up and disturb the inevitable cat on my lap. —Kat Merck
Anker Power Strip for $26: Former WIRED reviewer Eric Ravenscraft implored us all to put a little power cube under our couch. And he was right. Having a base station like this one will improve your life in small but undeniably convenient ways. It has three AC outlets, plus some USB-C and USB-A ports, so you’ll always be able to top off your gear at a moment’s notice. And if your living room is like mine, and the outlet situation isn’t ideal, you won’t have to stretch your charging cord halfway across the room anymore.
Why Should I Buy a Couch Online?
Buying a new sofa online comes with a lot of benefits. Usually there are more customization options and a wider selection to choose from. Oftentimes it's cheaper than buying outright in-store, too. The biggest bonus is probably that you get delivery, which means you don't have to rent a U-Haul or beg a friend with a truck. If you choose to assemble it yourself, you can do it at your own pace, and if you choose white-glove delivery, they'll just plop your furniture wherever it needs to go. Unless you're near a showroom, you lose out on the benefit of being able to try it in person, but most couch retailers have a trial period so you can return it for free if you end up disliking it.
What Should I Do Before Purchasing a Couch Online?
Before you order, measure the area where it will be (a few times!) and consider putting masking tape down to get a feel for the dimensions if you're struggling to visualize them. If you'll be assembling the sofa yourself, consider having a friend help you put it together. (I've successfully put together a lot of sofas on my own, but it goes faster with a pal.) Consider your fabric as well. Performance fabrics are more durable and easier to clean, but they aren't as soft and luxurious as some other finishes like chenille or microfiber. Many couch manufacturers have swatch books available so you can experience the color and texture in person before committing. After you order but before you get delivery, be sure you clear your space.
What Should I Look for in a Couch?
The best couch for me isn't going to be the best couch for everyone. Couches are subjective! (I can acknowledge that not everybody wants a bright pink velvet confection holding pride of place in their living room.)
You should consider the following:
- Size: Measure your living room. How wide do you want the couch to be, and how deep do you want the cushions? Is your current couch too deep, big, or shallow? How much space do you want it to take up? Measuring your current sofa and the space in which you envision putting a new one can help you get an idea of what you might want.
- Configuration: Do you want a chaise longue? Do you want a sectional? If you want multiple seats, where will the chaise or the corner of the sectional go? Consider marking off your chosen shape with masking tape so you can get an idea of how it might look in your living room.
- Functionality: Want your couch to double as a guest bed? You might want to prioritize a long sofa with deep cushions—or a sofa with a dedicated pull-out mattress. Want extra storage? Consider a couch with a storage ottoman or storage seats. Do you rest your morning coffee on the armrest next to you? Make sure your chosen couch has wide enough arms. Do you have pets or kids? A performance fabric might be ideal.
- Fabric: If you need your fabric to be especially durable or easy to clean, you should consider performance fabrics that are designed to withstand heavy wear. If you want your couch to be a statement piece, you might want to opt for a bright color or fun pattern. If you're easily cold, you might want to avoid leather; If you run hot, you might want to avoid chenille. Most couch manufacturers offer swatches so you can feel and see the fabrics before committing.
Testing couches is a Herculean effort, so our team researched popular or unique couches online and split up the task of testing them. Each tester used their couch in their own homes for a minimum of one month (though usually much longer). We jumped on them. We napped on them. We sat on them with our friends and family. Whenever possible, we assembled them ourselves. We're constantly in the process of testing new couches, and we're testing additional models from Room & Board, Jonathan Adler, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Ikea, and Pottery Barn. We're also on the hunt for some nice slipcovers. If there's a sofa you're curious about, let us know in the comments.
How Does WIRED Select Couches to Test and Review?
I'm always conducting research to find new couch candidates, be it on social media or by pestering my friends into telling me where they got their couches. I look for what's trending and popular, and what classic brands have been a standby for years. Obviously, testing couches requires a huge effort, so I often hit up my fellow Reviews team members to pester them into testing a new sofa. Most of the time, the couches are sent to us by the companies that make them. While we do earn affiliate revenue through purchases made using our links, WIRED never promises any kind of editorial coverage in exchange for testing a sofa (or any other product!).
Testing couches is a slow-going process because we aim to test them for a reasonable period of time before sharing our opinions. You can't just sit on a couch once and say whether or not it's worth buying! We update this guide as often as possible, while factoring in long-term testing (and our limited collective living room space). Every reviewer involved in testing only tries one couch at a time.
After testing is finished, we keep the best couches around for long-term testing so we can assess their durability and quality over time, and compare their baseline to new candidates. If a couch isn't a top pick, we donate it.
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