[PeppyGPhiB]

The couch I bought from a local high-end furniture store three years ago is already wearing out. Meanwhile, my mom's five-year-old PB couch is as good as the first day she got it...it's cushions are like new, no creaking or squeaks. And my five-year-old PB bedside tables are still perfect.

Here's a secret for those who don't know: PB, Crate and Barrel, and I'm sure other stores, all have their furniture made by third party manufacturers in North Carolina. There's probably very little difference between them in terms of quality and how they're made. A saleswoman at C&B told me that when I was looking at furniture there.

I didn't read the CR story, but how can they test something like, say, a sofa, for quality/value? Don't they need to monitor the piece over time? For bookcases, tables, etc. maybe it's different, but for things like sofas, plush chairs it's really hard to tell.