In this article, we’ll compare Joybird and Burrow to help you determine which is a better fit for your needs.
Joybird and Burrow are both mega-players in the direct-to-consumer furniture business. Both companies strive to offer incredible products at fair prices while simplifying the shopping process — something the furniture industry sorely lacks.
Let’s be realistic: furniture shopping kind of stinks. There are pushy salespeople, weird floor layouts, and in today’s contactless world, who wants to sit on a couch 50 other people have parked it on this week?
That’s why both of these brands focus on removing the middlemen, the pushy salespeople, and the awkward interactions. We’ll compare these two brands, including what we like, what we don’t, and which brand might be a better fit for you.
| | Burrow | Joybird |
| Price Range | $795 for a basic loveseat, up to $3995 for a leather sectional | $1600 for a top-selling sofa, over $4000 for certain sectionals |
| Product Selection | Sofas, loveseats, sectionals, tables, benches, rugs, storage, pillows, and lighting | Sofas, loveseats, sleeper sofas, daybeds, tables, chairs, dressers, beds, desks, pillows, and decor items |
| Shipping Cost | Free shipping | $49 for curbside, varies for in-home delivery |
| Shipping Times | 1-2 weeks | 4-10 weeks |
| Years in Business | 5 years | 11 years |
| Headquarters | New York, NY | San Diego, California |
| Products Made In | USA | Mexico |
| Warranty | 1 year from date of delivery on defects in materials and workmanship | Lifetime (limited) on structural components, 1 year (limited) on manufacturer defects and shipping damage, 90 days (limited) on wood and outdoor products |
| Customer Satisfaction | Unavailable | 4 stars on Houzz |
About Burrow
Formed in 2016, Burrow is the brainchild of two college friends bonding over the horrors of sofa shopping. The two business school students decided that they could do better, and they began fundraising efforts to start their furniture company.
Today, Burrow creates direct-to-consumer furniture with an eye for style and a focus on simple assembly. They manufacture all of their furniture in the US from responsibly-sourced materials.
They also go through extensive tests (such as dropping their couches from a forklift on the company website), and they ensure their products are pet-friendly and stain-resistant.
Burrow offers everything from sofas and loveseats to pillows and lighting. They feature a massive selection, and you can decorate your entire home from just one retailer.
Burrow focuses on creating durable, lightweight furniture. While this does cut down on their shipping cost (which are free to you, by the way), it also makes their furniture easier to assemble.
Many of their sofas are modular, allowing you to mix and match the pieces to create a standard sofa or an L-shape to fit right or left corners.
Burrow Pros
- Lightweight and flexible design makes assembly easy and customizable
- Extensive testing to ensure their products are durable, pet-friendly, and stain-resistant
- Massive selection of couches in a wide variety of materials including cloth and leather
- US-based manufacturing
- Free shipping
Burrow Cons
- Pricing can fluctuate considerably based on materials
Bottom Line
Burrow offers lots of products, and their rigorous testing process should inspire confidence. But, it can be hard to nail down a furniture budget as their product pricing leaps based on materials, so keep that in mind.
About Joybird
Joybird is one of the original in the direct-to-consumer furniture space. As of 2022, Joybird is 12 years old. According to the company website, four former furniture store employees got together, creating the “perfect storm,” intending to turn the furniture industry upside down.
Noticing that the furniture market was shoving overstocked items in front of consumers instead of offering them what they wanted, Joybird decided to offer something different.
The company’s goal was to give consumers the chance to build a piece of furniture that matched their space and fit their style.
Compared to Burrow, Joybird offers even more furniture options. Joybird offers sofas, loveseats, sleeper sofas, daybeds, tables, chairs, dressers, beds, desks, pillows, and decor items on their site.
Most of the company’s designs find inspiration in Mid-Century designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Cara Greenburg, and Eero Saarinen.
Joybird’s furniture is incredibly easy to assemble. In the case of sofas, they’re lightweight, making them easy to unbox, and they usually only require you to attach the legs. It’s as simple as that.
Once you order your sofa from Joybird, it will take 4 to 8 weeks to make it through production and possibly another 14 days for delivery.
Joybird has two shipping options: a $49 curbside delivery (which the company says could be as close as your door, depending on the scenario) and a variably-priced in-home delivery. The in-home delivery includes unboxing, set up, and packaging disposal.
They do not remove your old couch. That’s up to you.
Joybird Pros
- Enormous selection of both products and types of furniture
- Simple set up
- In-home delivery
Joybird Cons
- Extended time from order to delivery
- Even basic curbside shipping isn’t free
Bottom Line
If you have the time to wait for production and delivery, Joybird has a massive catalog of products to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a sofa, a bed, a dining room table, or decor, Joybird has it.
Joybird vs. Burrow: Which Brand is Better for You?
There are a few factors to consider when deciding which brand is better for you. While pricing is pretty similar, there are a few other differences.
Both companies manufacture their products in North America, but Burrow makes theirs in the United States. If that’s a factor for you, it’s a rare opportunity to support a 100% US-based furniture business.
There’s also the fact that Burrow tests for pet-friendliness, which could weigh heavily in your decision-making process.
Do you want in-home delivery? Maybe you live on the 15th floor, and the elevator is always down for repairs — Joybird has you covered; you’ll just have to pay extra. Is minimal set up important to you? If that’s the case, it’s hard to look past Joybird’s simple assembly process.
Honestly, both companies are excellent. We’ll give the edge to Burrow based on the purchase-to-delivery timeframe and the fact shipping is free. But, if you don’t mind waiting, either company’s direct-to-consumer platform and durable furniture make them an excellent choice for furnishing your home.
