Feather Furniture Review: A Comprehensive Look at the Popular Furniture Rental Service

Buying furniture is a big commitment, not just financially but also in terms of the space it takes up in your home and the style it establishes. But what if you‘re someone who moves frequently, likes to change up your home decor often, or simply doesn‘t want the hassle of transporting and storing furniture for the long-term? Enter Feather, an innovative furniture rental company striving to make it easy and affordable to furnish your space in a flexible way.

In this in-depth review, we‘ll take a close look at how Feather works, the pros and cons of its rental model, an overview of its furniture selection and prices, and feedback from real customers. By the end, you‘ll have all the key info you need to decide if Feather is the right furniture solution for your home and lifestyle. Let‘s dive in!

What Is Feather and How Does It Work?

Founded in 2017 in New York City, Feather is a furniture rental service that allows customers to rent individual pieces of furniture for their home on a monthly basis, with the option to swap items out, add more, or purchase pieces you love. The company‘s mission is to provide a more sustainable, flexible, and affordable way to furnish your space than traditional furniture ownership.

Here‘s a quick step-by-step of how the rental process works:

1. Browse Feather‘s online catalog of 200+ furniture pieces, searching by room or product category. The selection includes larger items like sofas, dining tables, and dressers as well as smaller accessories like lamps, mirrors, and rugs.

2. Choose the specific pieces you want, select a rental term starting at 3 months, and check out online.

3. Schedule a delivery date and time. Feather offers fast delivery, often within 7 days, and the fee starts at $99. The Feather delivery team brings the furniture into your home, assembles it, and removes all packaging.

4. Live with the furniture for the duration of your rental term. At the end of your initial term, you can renew the rental for the same items, swap out pieces for something new, add more items, or return everything. If there are pieces you really love, you have the option to buy them at a discounted price.

5. Whenever you‘re done with the furniture or ready to move, just schedule a pickup and Feather will come disassemble and remove everything. They handle all the heavy lifting for you.

So in a nutshell, Feather aims to make furnishing your space as easy as a few clicks online, removing the expense and commitment of buying furniture and the physical labor of moving it yourself. But is renting furniture actually better than buying it? Let‘s examine some of the major benefits and drawbacks.

Pros and Cons of Renting Furniture with Feather

There are some significant advantages to renting furniture rather than buying, especially in certain situations:

Pros:

• Flexibility to change furniture to match your style or needs over time
• Ability to furnish a temporary space like a sublet or temporary corporate housing
• Easier to manage furnishing if you move frequently
• Access to high-end furniture for less total cash than buying
• Don‘t have to deal with selling or storing furniture later
• Less furniture waste going into landfills
• White glove delivery and assembly is included

Cons:

• Higher cost over time compared to buying (Feather estimates renting for 12 months costs about 1.5-2x more than buying outright)
• No ownership of rented furniture unless you choose to buy pieces later
• Responsible for damages beyond normal wear and tear
• Furniture selection is more limited than traditional retailers
• Not available in all locations across the US currently

So renting furniture makes the most sense for people who value flexibility and convenience over long-term ownership, such as students, frequent movers, or those living in a space temporarily. If you plan to be in the same home for many years and don‘t intend to change your furniture often, buying likely makes more financial sense in the long run.

It‘s also important to consider the quality and style of furniture you‘re getting for your money. Feather emphasizes that it selects "durable, well-made pieces created for modern living" and its catalog includes both its own in-house furniture designs as well as recognized brand names like West Elm, Joybird and Casper.

However, the furniture options are definitely more curated and limited than a traditional retailer – you won‘t find hundreds of sofa choices for instance. The style also leans more modern/mid-century, so if you‘re looking for very traditional furniture styles, Feather might not be the best fit.

Pricing, Fees and Fine Print

So what does it actually cost to furnish a space with Feather furniture? The company provides some example rental packages on its website to give you a general idea:

• A bedroom set with a queen bed, dresser, and nightstand starts at $99/month
• A dining room set with a table and 4 chairs starts at $79/month
• A living room set with a sofa, coffee table, rug and lamp starts at $109/month

Of course, the exact monthly cost will depend on the specific pieces you choose and the length of your rental term. In general, expect to pay about $200-$800/month to furnish a 1-bedroom apartment on the lower and higher end respectively.

One thing to watch out for: Feather requires an active renters or homeowners insurance policy to use its service. And you‘re responsible for any damages to the rented furniture that go beyond normal wear and tear.

The good news is that Feather offers an optional Furniture Protection Plan for an additional $49/month that covers you for one-off accidents like stains or tears and provides a discounted repair or replacement cost for more major damage caused by things like fires or floods. It‘s similar to the insurance plans traditional furniture stores offer.

The other fee to be aware of is Feather‘s pickup fee when you‘re done with your furniture. It starts at $99 but can increase for more items/rooms and depending on location. However, you can avoid the fee altogether if you choose to buy or donate the furniture instead.

Real Customer Reviews and Experiences

Overall, Feather furniture gets positive reviews from customers online, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars on popular review sites like Yelp and Google. Happy customers frequently praise the:

• Convenience of the service and fast delivery times
• Helpful and friendly customer service
• Quality and style of the furniture, especially for the price
• Flexibility to swap out or add pieces over time

For example, one reviewer in Brooklyn, NY wrote about furnishing her apartment with Feather:

"I cannot say enough good things about Feather! The convenience of being able to furnish my apartment so easily and quickly was unparalleled. And the furniture itself is amazing quality – I was worried it would feel cheap but everything is very well made. The couch is so comfortable and I get compliments on it all the time! 100% recommend if you want great furniture without the commitment of buying."

On the flip side, the most common complaints tend to revolve around:

• Expensive delivery/pickup fees and extra monthly costs adding up
• Inconsistent furniture availability and long waits for certain pieces
• Frustrating or slow customer service, especially when trying to arrange pickups
• Concerns about being charged for damages that were pre-existing

This reviewer had a more mixed experience using Feather in Los Angeles:

"I used Feather for about a year while living in a short-term rental. Overall I was happy with the service and would use them again, but there were some hiccups. It took 3 weeks longer than quoted to get my dining table delivered which was frustrating. And I didn‘t love that I had to buy insurance to rent with them. But the furniture itself was great – my couch was super comfy and held up well."

While the vast majority of customers seem happy with Feather, experiences with delivery delays and additional fees can clearly vary. It‘s a good idea to read all the fine print about insurance requirements, damage/repairs, and delivery fees so you know exactly what to expect before signing up.

How Feather Compares to Other Furniture Rental Services

Feather is one of the most well-known and widely available furniture rental companies, but it‘s not the only option out there. Here‘s a quick comparison to a few other popular services:

• CORT: One of the oldest and largest furniture rental companies, CORT offers a huge selection of furniture for both home and office. Prices are a bit higher than Feather on average, but the minimum rental term is only 1 month.

• Fernish: A newer startup that‘s very similar to Feather in its rental model and modern furniture style. Fernish has slightly lower prices and no pickup fees, but is currently only available in Los Angeles and Seattle.

• ZZ Driggs: A more high-end furniture rental service that partners with premium brands like ABC Carpet & Home and Design Within Reach. Prices are significantly higher than Feather, but the furniture quality and unique designs are top notch.

• Brook Furniture Rental: Another big player that‘s been in the furniture rental game for a while, Brook has a huge selection of traditional and modern furniture. It requires a 3-month minimum rental and its prices are higher than Feather for comparable pieces.

So while there are several legitimate furniture rental alternatives out there, Feather hits a pretty sweet spot in terms of its balance of style, quality, price, and availability. It‘s more affordable and flexible than many traditional rental companies but offers a wider variety of furniture than other startups in the space.

The Bottom Line: Is Feather Worth It?

After an in-depth look at how Feather works, its pros and cons, pricing, and real customer experiences, here‘s my expert assessment on whether the service is worth it:

Feather is an excellent option to consider if you‘re looking for an easy, flexible, and stylish way to furnish your space without the commitment or expense of buying furniture outright. It‘s especially well-suited for:

• Students or young professionals moving to a new city
• Anyone living in temporary housing like a sublet or corporate apartment
• Frequent movers who don‘t want the hassle of transporting furniture
• Those who like to refresh their home decor and style often
• People who want access to quality furniture on a smaller budget

On the flip side, you‘re likely better off buying furniture the traditional way if:

• You plan to be in the same space for 3+ years
• You have very specific furniture tastes that might not be available to rent
• You‘re able and willing to spend more money upfront for long-term ownership
• You prefer a more hands-on approach to delivery and assembly

The most important thing is to think realistically about your budget, lifestyle, and furniture needs, both now and in the next couple years. Don‘t forget to factor in the additional monthly costs of renting, delivery/pickup fees, and the potential for damage fees.

If you decide Feather is right for you, I recommend starting with just a few key pieces or a single room package to test out the service. That will give you a sense of the furniture quality, speed of delivery, and ease of the rental process before you commit to furnishing your entire home.

And if you‘re debating between Feather and another rental company, don‘t hesitate to compare quotes, furniture options, and customer reviews to find the best fit. With the growing popularity of furniture rental, you have more choices than ever to find a service that suits your particular needs and style.

At the end of the day, Feather is a great solution for a huge segment of the population looking for a simpler, more sustainable way to furnish their space. If you value style, flexibility and convenience, it‘s absolutely worth checking out for yourself. With Feather, you can make any space feel like home – even if it‘s just for a few months at a time.