13 Best Sectional Sofas of 2024, Tested by Experts

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All-leather sectionals are often pricey and out of reach for most consumers. That’s why we were particularly excited to test the 25Home Modern Leather Sectional. This DTC brand offers this specific sectional in a variety of sizes and configurations, but we chose the 100-inch right option, which retails for just over $3,000.

“The leather promises to be durable and puncture resistant, and so far, it has lived up to the claims,” Senior Shopping Editor Caroline Lubinsky says. “This is saying something, because a certain gray cat loves to sprint across the surface of the couch with her claws ablaze. We haven’t seen a single puncture yet, and our fingers are crossed that the leather holds up for years to come (yes, I will report back in a year).”

The one downside to the 25Home Modern Leather Sectional is the delivery process. Caroline had this sectional delivered to the second floor of an apartment complex (with no elevators), and the delivery person would not bring it up the stairs. “Mind you, this sectional is about 300 pounds in total, so there was no way we’d be able to get it up ourselves,” Caroline explains. “Luckily, we were able to recruit some random people we found in the parking lot, but you might not be so lucky. I highly recommend having multiple sets of hands available for delivery if you don’t live on the ground floor.”

We are also very impressed with whatever coating the brand uses on the leather fabric. Caroline spilled a cup of coffee (whoops) on the couch and was able to easily wipe it up without any remaining residue or staining. “I think this is an especially nice perk for folks who have messy kids or dirty pets, because you can easily clean anything up without ruining the leather,” she adds.

If you find that you are unsatisfied with this sofa, you have 30 days to return it from the day of receipt. It must be in its original condition and packaging, and there is a restocking fee of 10% of its purchase price. There’s also a one-year limited warranty, covering manufacturer defects in workmanship and materials. Additionally, the frame and springs have a three-year warranty.

Pros

• Tough leather is waterproof and very easy to clean
• Durable construction is resistant to claws and sharp objects
• Solid wood frame
• Cross-stitch detail feels luxe
• Pillows come with the sectional
• Comfortable
• Nice seat depth of nearly 27 inches
• Nice clearance under the couch for easy cleaning

Cons

• Company will not deliver up a flight of stairs (even with white glove delivery of an extra $150)
• Lots of packaging and wooden pallet to dispose
• No instructions

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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 set up involved unpackaging the couch, screwing on some legs and snapping pieces together.

“One of my favorite things about the Mambo 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.”

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.

Pros

• Modular design allows for multiple arrangements
• Multiple fabric and size options
• Matching ottoman and other furniture available at Burrow
• Modern design appeal
• Durable fabric is easy to clean
• Easy setup, no tools needed
• Financing available
• Free shipping

Cons

• Ships in 8-10 weeks
• Limited, one-year warranty

What to Look for When Buying a Sofa Sectional

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 single 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. Then, every sofa tester recorded and shared extensive notes on their experience trying out each couch. No table (or sofa, I should say) was left unturned.

We Tried Every Sectional Sofa on This List for Months

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 in order to tell you how each sofa really holds up.

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.

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