Buying a sofa has never been easier. There are tons of options out there in all manner of shape, size, and price point. With so many parameters to consider, though—from style to color and fabric to function—the process can be overwhelming. The good news, in addition to having a huge variety to pick from, is that sofa-buyers no longer need to wait weeks (if not months) for their new sofa to arrive. Now, many can be had in just days. In pursuit of finding the perfect sofa for small spaces, we picked up the Zinus Jackie Classic 71-Inch Upholstered Sofa. Our 16-year-old daughter has been lobbying for a bedroom sofa for a really long time, and with floor space at a premium, her room seemed like the ideal place to test it. Read on for our full assessment of the sofa’s assembly, design, comfort, competition, and more.
Assembly: Almost too good to be true
The Zinus Jackie sofa arrived quickly after ordering (within days) and was amazingly easy to put together. The instructions say it should take 20 minutes, and while we would have been perfectly happy with that, the process actually only took us five minutes. Everything arrives in one box, with the smaller parts—including two back pillows, two arms (each with three brackets and conveniently marked with an L for left or an R for right), and a box with the four screw-on legs—hidden in a pocketed compartment in the sofa’s base. The other pieces are the sofa back and the sofa base itself, so you should have 10 parts in total. No tools are needed for assembly. All we had to do was twist the wooden feet into the arm pieces, then lift the base and slide its brackets (two on either end) into the matching brackets on arm pieces. Next, we fit the back piece into the remaining brackets on the arms. Lastly, we placed the pillows and that was it. The only hard part was lifting the sofa base to attach it to the arms. This would be too unwieldy for one person to do by themselves—not because it’s heavy (it’s actually quite light) but because it’s awkward to lift the base while adjusting the arm pieces. The instructions say it’s ideal to do this with two people and an extra person is definitely needed. In fact, we did it with three instead, which made it super easy. Having the arm pieces marked with an R and L respectively also sped up the process as there was no question about what went where.
Design: Pared down style
This sofa offers minimalist, grown-up style in a small size. Since the sofa measures just 71 inches in length, it’s both portable and easy to tuck into most small spaces. The modern lines pair well with the two neutral color offerings: soft gray (which we selected) and gray with a hint of green (which is darker). Both colors are sophisticated and can fit in with most any décor. Despite being only 85 pounds and taking just minutes to assemble, this sofa is very sturdy. It has a strong wood frame and provides comfortable seating for up to three people. The sofa’s sleek, simple lines feel modern and chic but also warm and inviting. Also, the sofa’s compact shape offers the additional bonus of making the room the sofa is in look a bit bigger. So, while from a comfort perspective the back and sides of the sofa could be slightly taller, visually, this is a design plus.
Comfort: Solid
The Zinus Jackie sofa is quite comfortable and easy to sit on. The back cushions are the right balance of soft and firm and the seat cushion is firm but still squarely in the comfort zone. The soft cushions are filled with supportive foam cushioning, specifically CertiPUR-US certified foam that complies with strict standards for durability, emissions, and content. For my 5-foot, 7-inch frame, the back and seat lengths work perfectly, but the arms and back are about an inch too short. While I think the piece would really be elevated with a few extra inches of height, my 5-foot, 3-inch daughter thinks otherwise as she’s able to not only sit comfortably but fully lie down, too. Dimensions aside, we both really like the look, feel, color, and weave of this sofa’s pale gray fabric. It has a subtle texture that’s soft to the touch and very appealing to the eye. This sofa’s neutral gray fabric and modern shape nicely compliment the walls of my daughter’s pale lilac room as well.
Ease of Cleaning: A snap
The compact sofa is made with durable, easy-to-clean polyester fabric. In the few months we’ve had it, the Zinus has had a whole can of sparkling water spilled on, it’s been christened by dirt-covered shoes, and a whole slew of snack crumbs have been wedged between its cushions. In every case, we were easily able to wipe it down or give it a quick once-over with a handheld vacuum. Our labradoodle puppy has picked this sofa as his new lounging spot and despite climbing up and down on it many times each day, he has yet to leave a trace.
Price: A steal
The Zinus Jackie Classic Upholstered Sofa retails for $370 which is a great price given that its sleek design could pass for far more expensive. Comparable sofas can be found for $275, but the majority of those look their price.
Zinus Jackie Classic 71-Inch Upholstered Sofa vs. Zinus Josh Traditional 77.5-Inch Upholstered Sofa
Zinus’ Jackie and Josh sofas are very similar. Both models retail for roughly the same price and they feature the same streamlined, modern design, durable fabric and construction, and easy assembly. The main distinction between them is that the Josh sofa is a bit longer at 77.5 inches and it comes in beige rather than gray. Since the Jackie style has narrower, straighter arms (compared to Josh’s rounded arms), it definitely fits better in small spaces but the choice really comes down to the room you’re furnishing. The Zinus Jackie Upholstered Sofa is a great small-space sofa. A few minor design tweaks would make it fantastic, but it’s modern, comfortable, and well-priced nonetheless.
