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Original poster

Has anyone bought a sofa from DFS?

27 replies

HeadFairy · 23/09/2009 20:11

They are really quite cheap, but I've had cheap sofas before and they looked cheap (and didn't really last). Are DFS poor quality? It's for our family room and I don't want to spend a fortune... there's one quite plain one that I'd probably get in red (ditch those horrible scatter cushions though....) but I want to know if it's going to be horrible.

I will of course go to a store to see one, but I want to know now what they're like before I invest any more brain time on it.

OP posts:
lollyheart · 23/09/2009 20:16

I have a nice corner one from dfs, so far we have had no problems with it.

The sofa before this one was from a more expencive shop, the arm broke not long after we got it

bran · 23/09/2009 20:22

We have one, we bought it because we knew that we would have kids who would be tough on a sofa and also that we would be moving abroad at some stage. We've had it for about 7 years and tbh it's looking quite tired. It got less comfortable quite quickly because the cushion filling was a bit floppy, but since that initial change it hasn't go any worse.

If I was doing it again I'd go for an Ikea sofa I think as they are much more robust. We have an Ikea sofa in DD's room that was our sitting room sofa in our previous house, so it must be 15 years old, and it's still just as comfortable as it was at the start although the fabric is wearing a bit thin now.

madrose · 23/09/2009 20:25

we've had our two for 8 years and they still look good and are very comfy

Original poster
HeadFairy · 23/09/2009 20:31

so far 2 for and one against... their 4 years interest free credit is very tempting. Bran, madrose and lollyheart, did your sofas come with the 10 year frame and springs guarantee? Do you think they'd pay out if it fell apart in 5 years or is it one of those things they offer you, but woe betide anyone who tries to claim.

OP posts:
ja9 · 23/09/2009 20:33

we got ours from there. it wasn't cheap. that was 5 yrs ago and imo it still looks like new.

morethanyoubargainfor · 23/09/2009 20:36

we have had two from DFS, the first was material hollow fibre filled, and it was a nightmare, the cushions have to be beaten and plumped everyday, very high maintenance, and if they weren't done the cushions went soft and saggy and needed restuffing, which i have to say DFS came out and restuffed the cushions twice, without quibble.

However we now have a corner leather one from there and we are really pleased with it, it easily stands up to 2 large dogs, 2 adults and children on a daily basis and it is still gleaming. It does however have different fillings in the cushions so no need to plunmp and beat daily, much easier.

pinkteddy · 23/09/2009 20:40

we've had two from there, the first one lasted for 8 or 9 years (possibly more!), was getting a bit threadbare towards the end but still comfy. We've bought one relatively recently and I don't think its going to last as long but we didn't spend as much this time so I guess you get what you pay for. I am pleased with it though.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 23/09/2009 20:41

I've been to DFS a couple of times in the last month or so and they do look cheap I think. Shiny and cheap. The fabrics they use are odd, velour like and these cheap loose weave linens. alot of them look alright online and then you see them in the shop and they look shit.

I think you would be better off at IKEA.

nickytwotimes · 23/09/2009 20:42

Ikea or Sofa Sofa.

giddykipper · 23/09/2009 20:43

We're just about to change ours after 8 years. The sofa is fine, it's just that the covers are cream and they are no longer cleanable. I enquiried about buying new covers and it was going to be half the price of a new sofa, so we're going for a new sofa.

bran · 23/09/2009 20:43

I can't remember what guarantee we got, I've lost the paperwork in any case. We didn't go for the interest-free credit, mostly because we had enough money to cover it up front. At the time there had been a few stories in the papers about the finance companies having tricks to stop the customer making the final payment in time and then charging full interest over the period of the loan (so read the small print carefully if you go for this option).

runnyhabbit · 23/09/2009 20:44

We bought our corner leather sofa from there 3 years ago. Stands up to 2 energetic little boys and me and dh. Agree that there's not a great selection, but this sofa was the only one that me and dh agreed on.

Still looks as good today as when we had it delivered

Ewe · 23/09/2009 20:52

I have a sofa just like the one you linked to. I got it purely because it was cheap as I have an 18month old DD. It is very comfy, cleans well (I stupidly got cream!) and hasn't really lost it's shape or filling.

It's not a sofa for life but it'll do until my house is full of civilised people who can treat property nicely

blowbroth · 23/09/2009 20:52

We bought our sofa from DFS 22 years ago when the 0% offer was the attraction.
It is still going strong and the cushions and frame are all still good and comfy.
I am looking to get it covered now though as the fabric is wearing away on the armchairs.
Would highly recommend.
Can anyone beat 22 years?!

Original poster
HeadFairy · 23/09/2009 21:54

I know nickytwotimes, I know.... but I've had one from sofa sofa and it was rubbish, horrible, tatty and the frame was made of balsa wood or something equally flimsy. Ikea all seem a bit too modern and not squishy and comfy enough for me.. all hard corners and edges...

OP posts:
PfftTheMagicDragon · 23/09/2009 21:54

22 years!?

Are you sitting on it or just looking at it?

madrose · 23/09/2009 21:58

the 10 year stuff. They weren't particulary cheap as I remember, but it was before child so a little bit more flushed then we are now. They have also coped with cats!!

ja9 · 23/09/2009 22:34

have used sofa sofa and pretty pleased. would steer clear of ikea... they don't stay looking good for long imho.

kikid · 23/09/2009 22:44

We had a leather one from dfs, the leather did stand up to children & dogs for over 10yrs, went for dark leather though..

We now have a very recent purchase of fabric & leather from argos, which had 15% off the price, it's comfy and looks great.

DaisymooSteiner · 24/09/2009 08:04

We've had ours for 5 years and they still look great (well they would if they'd been cleaned recently!) They get a lot of wear and the frame is still going strong and the fabric has stood up to 2 cats, 4 kids and cleaning really well.

spiralqueen · 24/09/2009 10:20

We had a cream corner sofa from them (before we realised DD was on the way). 3 years down the line sofa is still comfy as you would expect but the cleaning insurance policy we were heavily encouraged to take out was a complete waste of money.

Toddlers and cream are a nightmare combination and we seemed to remember being told that accidental spills were covered. However when we read the policy fully it was clear that you basically could never put a claim in unless you never actually used the sofa. Avoid taking out the insurance like the plague!

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 24/09/2009 11:30

We got ours there nearly 6 years ago and it's still fine and doesn't look cheap, though admittedly we have only had DS for less than 2 of those years so he has not yet done his worst to it! It does probably depend which one you get though, maybe avoid the very cheapest ones?

We paid extra for the stain protection treatment, and it is genius! - very highly recommended, we have spilt SO much stuff on there, from red wine through baby sick to bright red or yellow curry, and it all just wipes off. It's a light/mid blue fabric, so wouldn't hide stains that well normally.

blowbroth · 24/09/2009 14:19

PTMD! Yes really 22 years! We do sit on it and we have cats and a 9 year old dd. The cushions haven't squished or flattened at all, still all in great shape.
The longer it lasts the more determined I am to hang on to it!

OrmIrian · 24/09/2009 14:21

Yes. Leather job - still in good nick. 8yrs ago.

sarah293 · 24/09/2009 14:30

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