Short answer: Cozey's Stella media unit is a low, compact module you link into a run of up to four, while the Mensa credenza is one wide, tall cabinet. Choose Stella for small walls and open or closed storage you can grow, and Mensa for a 55-inch TV and shelves behind doors.
Both hold a TV and hide cables, but they solve the problem in opposite ways. At Cozey, we sell Stella as a unit you build by adding modules and Mensa as one fixed piece, so the right choice depends on your wall width, your screen and how much you want to store. For a wider look that includes our Aurora credenza, see our guide to choosing a credenza or media unit.
On This Page
- How do the Stella media unit and Mensa credenza compare at a glance?
- Which is better for a small room or a small wall?
- Which is better for a TV?
- Which has more storage?
- Which is easier to expand or change later?
- How do the finishes, materials and assembly compare?
- Which goes better with my sofa and the rest of the room?
- Which Cozey TV storage should you choose?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our storage
How do the Stella media unit and Mensa credenza compare at a glance?
Stella is a 22.4-inch (57 cm) module and Mensa is a single 52.8-inch (134 cm) cabinet. The table uses our published sizes, with depths rounded to the nearest 0.5.
How do the Stella media unit and Mensa credenza compare at a glance?
| Feature | Stella media unit | Mensa credenza |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 22.4 inches (57 cm) per module; two are about 44.9 inches (114 cm), three about 67.3 inches (171 cm), four about 89.8 inches (228 cm) | 52.8 inches (134 cm), one piece |
| Depth | 15.0 inches (38 cm) open; 15.5 inches (40 cm) with a door | 16.5 inches (41.5 cm) |
| Height | 15.7 inches (40 cm) | 26.5 inches (67.3 cm), including legs |
| Storage | Open or closed, chosen per module; no adjustable shelves listed | Four height-adjustable shelves behind reversible doors |
| Cables | Cord opening of 15.7 x 2 inches (40 x 5 cm) per module | Cable management |
| Base | Steel legs with felt floor protectors | Steel legs, 10.4 inches (26.3 cm) tall, plus leveling feet |
| Material | 18 mm MDF with a melamine finish | 15 mm MDF with a thin ash veneer |
| Finishes | Oak, Walnut | Oak, Walnut, Black wood |
| Assembly | Mostly tool-free; clips, hand screws and an Allen key; 40 minutes per unit with a door, 30 minutes without | Mostly tool-free; about 40 minutes |
| Suits | Small walls, small screens, a unit that grows | A 55-inch TV, dining storage, a home bar |
Stella's multi-module widths add the modules together before any gap you leave between them.
Which is better for a small room or a small wall?
Stella is the better fit for a small room, because one module is only 22.4 inches (57 cm) wide and 15.7 inches (40 cm) high. It sits low, keeps the wall above it open and works in a bedroom, an entryway or beside a larger piece. Our Stella media unit guide covers every layout.
Mensa needs a wall at least 52.8 inches (134 cm) wide, and it stands 26.5 inches (67.3 cm) high. It is also deeper: 16.5 inches (41.5 cm) against Stella's 15.0 to 15.5 inches (38 to 40 cm). Mensa is still shallow for its width, which helps in a hallway, and our Mensa credenza guide shows where it fits best. Leave clear floor in front of either piece so the doors can open.
Which is better for a TV?
It depends on your screen width. A 16:9 screen is roughly 87% of its diagonal in width, so a 55-inch TV is about 48 inches wide and a 65-inch TV is about 57 inches wide. This is general advice, not a product specification, so check the width on your own TV's specification sheet.
One Mensa top is 52.8 inches (134 cm), which carries a 55-inch TV without overhang but is narrower than a 65-inch screen. Stella has to be linked to reach that width: two modules at 44.9 inches (114 cm) suit a TV up to about 50 inches, and three at 67.3 inches (171 cm) suit a 55-inch or a 65-inch TV. We do not publish a TV weight limit for either piece, so check your TV's weight and its stand or mounting needs before you order.
Which has more storage?
Mensa has more storage in one piece, and Stella has more choice in how you arrange it. Mensa holds four height-adjustable shelves behind reversible doors, and each shelf is 16.8 inches (42.7 cm) wide and 13.5 inches (34.5 cm) deep. That makes room for plates, bottles, tall books and full-size records.
Stella gives you open or closed storage module by module. A closed module has a door and hides a router or console, and an open module keeps a remote within reach. We do not list adjustable shelves for Stella, so choose Mensa, or our Aurora credenza, if you want to move shelves around. To compare more storage pieces, see our guide to buying living room storage online.
Which is easier to expand or change later?
Stella is the one designed to grow. It is one unit you expand by adding units, and our product page lists layouts of one to four modules, such as a closed centre with open ends. Choose the same finish, Oak or Walnut, so the modules match.
Mensa is a single fixed-size piece, so we do not describe it as joinable. If your wall changes, you can add a separate piece or wall shelves beside it. Stella is also the easier piece to carry in: each module ships flat, and the longest box is 26 inches (66 cm). Mensa ships in two boxes, and the longest is 58.1 inches (147.5 cm), with a heaviest box of 55.8 lb (25.3 kg). Our guide to measuring stairs, elevators and doorways shows how to check your route.
How do the finishes, materials and assembly compare?
Both come in Oak and Walnut, and Mensa also comes in Black wood. Stella is 18 mm MDF with a melamine finish on steel legs, while Mensa is 15 mm MDF with a thin 0.3 mm layer of real ash veneer on powder-coated steel legs. Colours on a screen can look different in your own light, so judge the finish where the piece will sit.
Both ship flat and connect with clips, and both are mostly tool-free: the hardware includes hand screws and an Allen key. Mensa takes about 40 minutes to assemble, and Stella takes 40 minutes per unit with a door and 30 minutes without. Check the assembly guide on its product page.
Which goes better with my sofa and the rest of the room?
Choose by the wood tone and the height of the seating, because both pieces work with any of our sofas. Stella's low 15.7-inch (40 cm) height suits a low seat and leaves the wall open, while Mensa's 26.5-inch (67.3 cm) height gives a TV more presence in a larger room. You can pair Stella with our Stella coffee table, which also comes in Oak and Walnut, and Mensa with the Mensa tables in the same three finishes.
Our sofa collections are Ciello, a soft sofa with deep loose cushions, Gaia, a soft seat with a high backrest, Cassini, a curved low layout, and Atmosphere, our deepest seat. We also make two modular sofa beds, Neptune and Orian. Preview a layout in Cozey Studio, then add vertical storage with Altitude wall shelves and cabinet or the Themis modular wall system.
Which Cozey TV storage should you choose?
At Cozey, we suggest choosing by wall width first and by how much you need to hide second.
- Choose Stella if your wall is small, your screen is under about 50 inches, or you want open and closed storage you can add to later.
- Choose Mensa if you want one 52.8-inch (134 cm) cabinet for a 55-inch TV, four adjustable shelves, or a piece that doubles as a dining sideboard or home bar.
Before you order, check these points:
- The full wall width, and the clear floor in front for the doors.
- Your TV's width and weight against the product page.
- The route into your home against the longest box.
- The finish in your own light.
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we recommend Stella for small rooms, bedrooms and walls that may change, and Mensa for a living room with a 55-inch TV or a dining room that needs closed shelving. If you want a longer run with door styles, our Aurora credenza joins up to three units.
Explore our storage
- Stella media unit
- Mensa credenza
- Stella media unit guide
- Mensa credenza guide
- How to choose a credenza or media unit
- Aurora credenza guide
- Buying living room storage online
- Living room storage
- Cozey Studio
More Cozey comparisons: Mensa vs Aurora Credenza, Stella Media Unit vs Aurora Credenza.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.