argos / homebase sofas, just how bad are they?

Posted 6th Jan 2013

I've seen the perfect sofa for us at argos (and homebase, obviously will go there with the 20% off code!) but not liking the idea of ordering without being able to see it.
I've got friends who bought a different one from them and it didn't even last a year, but others have them and have had no problems. There are good reviews on both sites but obviously they are from people who've only had it a few months at most.
I know places like John Lewis are better quality but they don't have anything I like, and I can't afford to be paying over £1k for a sofa from other places.
If I ensured I kept the receipt, if I have problems a few months down the line, is there likely to be issues about repairs or replacements?

27 Comments

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6th Jan 2013
aircanman
Where a good £800+ sofa will last around 10 years, an argos one will last … Where a good £800+ sofa will last around 10 years, an argos one will last about 2-4.

Well, in 2003 I bought a 2+3 seater sofas for £400, even with 2 young kids and a slight scratch on the fabric on one seat. I listed both sofas on a ebay Buy it now for £200 a few months ago. Had several enquiries and sold it for £200 squids, so paid 200 for 9years of comfy sitting.
6th Jan 2013
Where a good £800+ sofa will last around 10 years, an argos one will last about 2-4.
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
DFS might have a sale on at the moment - but be quick
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
They might last 2 years if you have no kids and are not overweight.

You have to be gavefull paying £800 for sofa because it's all about the build not the price.

I don't understand where most of these advertised sofas and suites go as they seem too big for most rooms. For that reason we has 2 sofas built some 10-12 years ago. Back then they cost £800 each but they are still comforable and firm today. Mind you we had a quote to recover them a few months ago and that would cost nearly £2000 depending on the materal. I'm not talking about leather either.
6th Jan 2013
Our leather sofa came from Argos 10 years ago; we kept the 3 seater and gave the 2 seater to our MIL. My kids are 7 and 5, so they've had a few years of jumping up and down on them. They're still in really good nick, leather isn't worn, scuffed or sratched. I woudl recommend but I know that's not everyone's experience.
6th Jan 2013
I spent £900 on a corner sofa from Homebase the summer before last, and I've just replaced it in the January Sales. It was SHOCKINGLY badly made, wasn't even good enough to flog on ebay 2nd hand!
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
GemmaJayne
I spent £900 on a corner sofa from Homebase the summer before last, and … I spent £900 on a corner sofa from Homebase the summer before last, and I've just replaced it in the January Sales. It was SHOCKINGLY badly made, wasn't even good enough to flog on ebay 2nd hand!

Could you not tell this before sitting on it.
6th Jan 2013
snigface
Our leather sofa came from Argos 10 years ago; we kept the 3 seater and … Our leather sofa came from Argos 10 years ago; we kept the 3 seater and gave the 2 seater to our MIL. My kids are 7 and 5, so they've had a few years of jumping up and down on them. They're still in really good nick, leather isn't worn, scuffed or sratched. I woudl recommend but I know that's not everyone's experience.

10 years ago, companies were not trying to squeeze as much value out of the manufacturers and material suppliers!
6th Jan 2013
We got ours from Ikea about 6 years ago, cost £800 and it is still ok now, DFS is your best bet, do one of the interest free things and you are good for 4 years at least.
6th Jan 2013
Ektorp Sofas from ikea are about 250 and are comfy and have removable covers which can be washed

Would rather sit on a clean cheap comfy sofa than an uncormtable and dirty designer sofa
(edited)
6th Jan 2013
Bought a pair of black leather 2 seater sofas 4 years ago from Argos and still fine. They were £500 for the set so impressed really
6th Jan 2013
I've just been sofa shopping and finally bought one yesterday.

Homebase do a nice Shreiber range that I looked at. It would have been my choice but I found a gorgeous sofa with a chaise in CSL with two of the three seats reclining coming in at a nice £1000

Most of the sofas in home base look well made so if its a good price you should be alright.
Author
6th Jan 2013
I'm not bothered about designer in the least, but it has to be leather as my son suffers from reflux
I love the look of ikea sofas but most of them are quite low backed and hubby is very tall (he moans if he can't lay his head back!)
Oh, what to do, what to do! I've currently got a suite I bought second hand from ebay, we've had it over 4 years ourselves and I love it, but a corner sofa would actually free up quite a bit of space in our small room. Ours is also starting to look a bit tatty now
6th Jan 2013
We got DFS leather sofas for the living room about 7 years ago and they've been perfect and still look good now, I would say the only negative comment I could give is they have shaped a bit towards the middle. Still comfy though.

We got a Tesco Corner sofa a couple of years ago for the conservatory (would imagine quality to be similar to argos) - it cost a fraction of the amount. It's suede and material. It doesn't get sat on as much but has held up fine, it's still as comfy as ever. The suede has faded from the sun though.

I wouldn't fancy the tesco one as my main sofa though, but it's been more than adequate for the job, and I wouldn't have paid a big amount out for the conservatory.
6th Jan 2013
dontasciime
Could you not tell this before sitting on it.

No, I ordered it and when it came it looked alright, but pretty much fell to bits over the last 18mths.
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
Argos Sofa's; People have short memories;

news.bbc.co.uk/1/h…stm
6th Jan 2013
I got 2 leather sofas from Argos in 2004 and they still good now, looking a bit worn and we thinking of getting new ones but they not broke and we got a 9 year old boy who's jumped all over them and what not, they were 2 for £700 or something like that.
6th Jan 2013
we have had a few and although their quality is not great they have lasted 6 or 7 years and still going.
6th Jan 2013
hotukdeals.com/dea…012
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
no idea
missus paid for one from argos using card - had to chase up and months later refunded by cheque
useless articles
Anonymous User
6th Jan 2013
got our leather corner unit from harveys in 2008 still going well love it and it is still in good nick

friend of mine bought sofa leather from argos lasted 6 months it was rubbish. You need to go to a proper furniture store why not try dfs.
6th Jan 2013
and the scratch was my fault, i sat down with a screwdriver in back pocket!
6th Jan 2013
We bought two leather sofas from Argos about 7 years ago the kids were aged 5 and 7 then we gave them to a friend a few years ago and there still going strong. A little worn and sagging but lasted well.
6th Jan 2013
aircanman
Where a good £800+ sofa will last around 10 years, an argos one will last … Where a good £800+ sofa will last around 10 years, an argos one will last about 2-4.

Proof?
Anonymous User
7th Jan 2013
not wanting to slate argos but my experience with them yrs agowas awful ,id never buy one again from them.
Anonymous User
8th Aug 2015
I had two leather Homebase sofas that lasted a good few years before the leather started cracking. With Homebase you can see the sofa in store before buying unlike Argos. I have learned to never buy any sort of furniture from Argos as it falls apart after a while. We got all our furniture (including sofas) from Oak Furniture Land. Fully assembled and solid wood that will hopefully last forever.
Anonymous User
24th Oct 2017
deleted3417806/01/2013 13:56
Argos Sofa's; People have short …Argos Sofa's; People have short memories;http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7961969.stm

Not that short considering you are referring to products that Argos stopped selling over 10 years ago and the Chinese manufacturere was sued by Argos and the other comnpanies involved, stop scaremongering, your post has no viable point to it.