Short answer: Cozey's Eclipse coffee table suits you if you want a compact round table in front of a chaise or sectional. Cozey's Mensa coffee table suits you if you want a longer rectangle with sliding trays for storage, serving or a lap desk.
Both are wood coffee tables with trays, so they look alike in a photo, but they are shaped for different rooms. The Eclipse is round and easy to walk around. The Mensa is a longer, narrower rectangle that follows the line of a sofa. This page helps you choose between exactly these two. For the wider decision, read our guide on how to choose a coffee table, and for each table on its own, our Eclipse guide and Mensa guide.
On This Page
- How do the Eclipse and Mensa compare at a glance?
- Which is better for a small living room?
- How do the sizes and heights compare?
- Which has more storage?
- Which is easier to move or reconfigure?
- Which goes better with my sofa?
- How do finishes, materials and assembly compare?
- Which should I choose, Eclipse or Mensa?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our tables
How do the Eclipse and Mensa compare at a glance?
At a glance, the Eclipse is a round table with two half-circle trays and the Mensa is a rectangle with two trays that slide out like drawers. Every figure below comes from our product pages and guides.
How do the Eclipse and Mensa compare at a glance?
| Eclipse coffee table | Mensa coffee table | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Round | Rectangular |
| Size | 31.5 inches (80 cm) across | 41.7 inches (106 cm) long by 26.0 inches (65.5 cm) deep |
| Height | 15.4 inches (39 cm) | 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) |
| Trays | Two half-circle trays; the top tray rotates and lifts off | Two sliding trays that lift out |
| Storage | Modest: inside tray 3.0 inches (7.5 cm) high, arranged open or hidden | Trays 3.0 inches (7.5 cm) deep that close out of sight |
| Finishes | Oak or Walnut | Oak, Walnut or Black wood |
| Materials | 15 mm MDF with 0.3 mm ash veneer, ash wood legs | 15 mm MDF with 0.3 mm veneer, ash wood trays, powder coated steel legs |
| Legs | Four ash wood legs | Narrow or wide stance, adjustable feet |
| Assembly | Tool-free, about 15 minutes | Mostly tool-free (hand screws and an Allen key), about 15 minutes |
| Suits | Chaise or sectional centres, compact round shape | Straight sofas, hidden everyday storage, serving and laptop use |
Which is better for a small living room?
The Eclipse is better for a small living room where people walk around the table, and the Mensa is better where the table sits against a straight sofa. The Eclipse is 31.5 inches (80 cm) across with no corners, so nothing sticks out into a walkway. The Mensa is only 26.0 inches (65.5 cm) deep, which is 5.5 inches (14.5 cm) less than the Eclipse measures from front to back.
The Mensa is 41.7 inches (106 cm) long, which is 10.2 inches (26 cm) longer than the Eclipse, so it takes more of the sofa's width but less of the floor in front of it. As a general guideline, leave 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) between the sofa and the table and keep 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91 cm) clear where people walk. That is general advice, not a product specification. Our guide to pairing a sofa, accent chair and coffee table covers the wider layout.
How do the sizes and heights compare?
The Mensa is longer and slightly taller, and the Eclipse is deeper. The Eclipse is 31.5 inches (80 cm) across in every direction, while the Mensa is 41.7 inches (106 cm) long and 26.0 inches (65.5 cm) deep. One is a square footprint with a round edge, the other a long, shallow rectangle.
Heights are close. The Eclipse is 15.4 inches (39 cm) high and the Mensa is 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) high, a difference of 0.9 inches (2.5 cm). Both sit low, so the height rarely decides it.
We do not list a way to link either table to a second one. If you want more surface, our side tables share each shape: the Eclipse side table is round and the Mensa side table is square.
Which has more storage?
They are close on capacity, and the Mensa is the easier one to use for storage. Both have trays that are 3.0 inches (7.5 cm) deep. On the Mensa the trays slide out of the tabletop like drawers, so when they are closed, remotes, coasters, a notebook or a throw are out of sight without lifting anything.
On the Eclipse the two half-circle trays can be arranged to leave the space open or to cover it, and the top tray rotates and lifts off. That suits remotes, magazines and small decor, and it gives you a serving tray. We do not publish a weight limit for the trays on either table, so keep them for everyday items. If hidden storage is the main goal, our guide to coffee tables with storage compares the Mensa and Eclipse with our other tables, and our guide to buying living room storage online covers the larger pieces.
Which is easier to move or reconfigure?
The Eclipse is easier to move, and the Mensa is easier to adjust. The Eclipse ships in one carton about 34.5 inches (87.5 cm) square that weighs 21.7 lb (9.8 kg). Because it has no corners, it is also easy to slide across a room, and its round shape does not need re-aiming when the seating changes.
The Mensa's box is the larger one: the longest side is 44.2 inches (112.2 cm) and the weight is 69.2 lb (31.4 kg) on our product page, so plan the stairwell or elevator route. Our guide to measuring stairs, elevators and doorways shows how. Once it is in the room, the Mensa's legs can sit in a narrow or a wide stance, which the Eclipse does not offer.
Which goes better with my sofa?
The Eclipse goes better with a sofa with a chaise or a sectional, and the Mensa goes better with a straight sofa. A round table has no corners, so people can reach it from several sides, which suits the centre of a sectional. This is design advice rather than a rule.
For a straight sofa, use the two-thirds guideline: a sofa 84 inches (213 cm) long suits a table of about 56 inches (142 cm). The Mensa at 41.7 inches (106 cm) is closer to that than the Eclipse at 31.5 inches (80 cm), though both are shorter than the guideline. For height, the usual advice is level with the seat or a little lower. As an example, our Cassini sofa has a seat height of 17 inches (43 cm), so the Mensa sits about 0.7 inches (1.5 cm) below the seat and the Eclipse about 1.6 inches (4 cm) below it.
Our Ciello, Gaia and Atmosphere sofas have their own seat heights. To test a layout, build your sofa in Cozey Studio, our online configurator, and read its overall dimensions before choosing a table.
How do finishes, materials and assembly compare?
The Mensa has one more finish. The Eclipse comes in Oak or Walnut, and the Mensa comes in Oak, Walnut or Black wood. Oak is the lighter wood and keeps a room airy, Walnut is deeper, and Black wood suits a room that wants a darker table. Our guide to table finishes for a light-coloured sofa helps with the choice. Finishes can change, so confirm them on the product page.
The top is the same on both: 15 mm MDF with a 0.3 mm veneer, which is a thin layer of real wood over a board. The Eclipse has ash wood legs, and the Mensa has ash wood trays and powder coated steel legs with adjustable feet. For the Mensa, dust with a soft, dry cloth and wipe a stain with a damp cloth and mild soap, dried right away. For the Eclipse, check the care information on its product page before cleaning.
Assembly is easy on both. Our product pages list the Eclipse as tool-free, and its legs attach beneath the tabletop. The Mensa is mostly tool-free, because the hardware box includes hand screws and an Allen key, and takes about 15 minutes. Our assembly times list the Eclipse at 15 minutes as well.
Which should I choose, Eclipse or Mensa?
Choose the Eclipse if you:
- Want a round table: 31.5 inches (80 cm) across with no corners.
- Have a chaise or sectional: people reach it from several sides.
- Want a lighter carton: one box of 21.7 lb (9.8 kg).
- Like a lift-off top tray: the top tray rotates and carries drinks to the sofa.
Choose the Mensa if you:
- Have a straight sofa: 41.7 inches (106 cm) long follows its line.
- Want storage that closes out of sight: sliding trays 3.0 inches (7.5 cm) deep.
- Need a shallow table: only 26.0 inches (65.5 cm) deep.
- Want a Black wood option: or a narrow or wide leg stance.
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we suggest the Eclipse for a sofa with a chaise or a sectional where a round, compact table is easy to walk around, and the Mensa for a straight sofa where you want a longer, shallower table with trays that hide small items and double as a serving tray or lap desk.
- Chaise or sectional centre: Eclipse.
- Straight sofa and a narrow room: Mensa.
- Everyday items out of sight: Mensa.
- Easiest table to carry in: Eclipse.
- Black wood: Mensa.
Explore our tables
- Coffee tables
- Side tables
- Eclipse tables guide
- Mensa tables guide
- How to choose a coffee table
- Coffee tables with storage
- Cozey Studio
More Cozey comparisons: Stella vs Eclipse, Stella vs Mensa, Tessella vs Eclipse, Tessella vs Mensa, Eclipse vs Arca, Eclipse vs Ombra, Eclipse vs Solis, Arca vs Mensa, Ombra vs Mensa, Mensa vs Solis.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.