Burrow Canon Shelving Review

There’s nothing I love more than buying new books, but the problem is that I’ve quickly run out of places to store them. It seems like within a week of buying a new bookcase, it’s already filled to the brim with my favorite titles, along with candles, little knickknacks and other pieces of décor, and I’m back to square one!

If you can relate to this struggle, you’ll be happy to hear that Burrow recently released a collection of modular bookshelves that are super easy to expand.

I tried out the Canon Low Shelf, which is part of Burrow’s new Canon shelving line (available at Burrow) , and it’s the perfect solution for anyone who has book-collecting problems like me.

What is Burrow?

Launched in 2017, Burrow is a direct-to-consumer furniture company—meaning you won’t find these designs in traditional retail stores. It’s known for its modular designs, including the popular Nomad Sofa, as well as its premium materials, which are designed to last for many years.

The brand’s aesthetic is a blend of mid-century modern and contemporary Scandinavian style, and today, Burrow offers a wide range of furniture pieces, including sofas, chairs, beds, office furniture, tables, and, even, accessories like rugs.

What we like

The furniture is quick and easy to assemble

As someone who’s put together her fair share of IKEA furniture, I was happy to find that the Burrow shelves are quick, easy, and intuitive to put together. There were just five large components, along with a box of hardware and the necessary tools.

With the help of my partner, we were able to assemble the shelf in around 20 minutes, but you can easily accomplish the task on your own, if needed.

The brand actually makes it easy for one person to assemble the shelves by including a cardboard form that holds the frame in place while you screw in the connectors—it’s a pretty genius concept!

The selves are sturdy and attractive

Thanks to its metal frame, which rests on three legs, the Canon Low Shelf is extremely sturdy. I arranged the piece in our workout area next to my Peloton, and despite our floors being somewhat uneven, the shelf was stable without any adjustments.

The shelves themselves are equally durable and can support up to 87 pounds per shelf—much higher than many other small bookcases—and it was nice that I didn’t have to worry about resting dumbbells on the shelves.

In terms of aesthetics, the shelves have a slightly industrial feel thanks to the black matte metal frame and wood surfaces, but as a whole, the style isn’t overly trendy. You could easily incorporate it into just about any space—for instance, the room I put it in has a more contemporary feel, and the shelf fits in just fine after I dressed it up with a few pieces of décor.

The design is modular

As is the case with much of Burrow’s furniture, the Canon Shelving Collection has a modular design, which means you can easily expand it with additional units.

There are pre-drilled holes in the frame that make it easy to attach another Low Shelf on either side, or you could pair it with one of the matching Tall Shelves if you wanted even more storage space.

I love that this allows you to customize the shelving to your space, and you can easily expand the system down the road if your needs change—in my case, that would be when I buy more books!

The packaging is plastic-free

I unbox a lot of different products for my job, and I’m always excited when a product is shipped without plastic packaging. Since so many items come wrapped in multiple layers of plastic and styrofoam padding pieces, it was refreshing to find that everything in the Burrow packaging was easy to recycle.

The box itself was just corrugated cardboard, and the shelves were wrapped in brown paper to prevent them from being scratched in transit. I wish more brands would embrace this type of plastic-free packaging!

What we don’t like

It’s expensive compared to other book shelves

I didn’t look at the price of the Burrow Canon Low Shelf until after I had set it up, and my best guess was that it cost around $200. When I finally did take a closer look at the product listing, I was a bit taken aback by its $395 price tag.

I don’t mind paying a premium for well-built furniture, but this price seems quite high for such a small unit, especially since the shelves are only made from engineered wood.

You can find a similar bookshelf, such as the Gracie Oaks Etagere Bookcase with a metal frame and engineered wood shelving, for around $100 on Wayfair.

The finish options are limited

My other main complaint about this design is that you only have two options when it comes to the finish. The frame of the unit is only available in black, and the shelves come in either an oak or walnut finish.

The brand doesn’t typically offer too many color options for its wooden pieces, but I would have at least liked to see a white option, like Burrow has for its Index Shelving Collection.

Should you buy the Burrow Canon Shelving?

Yes, the unit is attractive and well-made.

I am impressed with the Burrow Canon Shelving. The book shelves are attractive and well-made, and the high weight limit makes it possible to store just about anything on the shelves, from stacks of books to heavy dumbbells. Plus, you can’t beat the convenience of being able to expand the shelving at any time thanks to its modular design.

These bookcases are fairly pricey, costing $395 for a short unit or $795 for a tall shelf, but if you like the style, you won’t be disappointed. The construction and versatility are top-tier, and the shelving will make an attractive addition to any room in your home. Shop at Burrow