Which of these two leather reclining sofas is better?

Which of these two leather reclining sofas is better?

Customer Question

I am looking at a leather Bassett Dawson Lane Marque sofa and recliner from Nebraska Furniture Mart vs a Wrangler leather reclining sofa and recliner from Haverty’s. What should I be comparing?

For most furniture shoppers (and industry professionals) there is little to distinguish between these two reclining sofa choices.
 
Both are Asian imports. Both are "leather match" (not leather.) Leather match seating uses genuine top grain leather only for the parts of the furniture that you touch, seat and back cushions, inside arms. The rest of the sofa is a matching vinyl. 
 
  • Using leather match rather than all-leather, reduces the retail price by $200 - $300 for a reclining sofa in this style. (Leather match uses the least expensive top grain leathers available.)
The Wrangler sofa describes its cushions as using 2.0 density foam. The Dawson Lane sofa does not specify foam density. That almost always indicates the use of 1.8 density foam. 2.0 density foam usually lasts slightly longer than 1.8 foam. 
 
Although these two reclining sofas are very similar there are two reasons why I would choose the Dawson Lane over the Wrangler, if these were my only two choices.
1) The Dawson Lane is 84" long and weighs 293 lbs. The Wrangler is 87" long and weighs only 229 lbs. That is a substantial difference.  It indicates to me that the Dawson Lane will be more durable overall (except for the cushions.)
2) Another factor is that Nebraska Furniture Mart has a better reputation for customer service than Haverty's.

Reclining sofas in this price range have the shortest lifespan and highest complaint rate of any type of furniture. 

  • The average lifespan for mid-range reclining sofas is 3 - 5 years. 
  • The #1 problem is that the seat cushion foam loses its resilience and comfort. The loss of resilience and comfort sometimes begins within one year after purchase.
  • Reclining sofas in this price range almost always have non-removable seat cushions, which cannot be replaced economically.

The photo shown above is the Bassett Dawson Lane Marquee reclining sofa and loveseat.

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