Warby Parker is popular, but is it a good brand? Here’s my honest Warby Parker review after 5+ years of wear.
Whether you’re in the market for sunglasses, eyeglasses, or even contacts, you’ve probably come across Warby Parker.
As one of the first major accessories businesses to go direct-to-consumer, and perhaps the most popular non-Luxottica brand, they’re a reliable source for everything eyewear related.
In this Warby Parker review, I’ll tell you all about my firsthand experience with their service, sunglasses and prescription glasses.
Quick Take
Warby Parker was one of the first direct to consumer eyewear brands, bringing an innovative approach that really disrupted the whole eyewear industry.
Pros
- Good quality glasses at a fair and reasonable price
- Stylish frames in a wide variety of sizes
- Great customer service and shopping experience
- One of the best at-home try-on programs available
Cons
- Not really a “premium” quality brand; you’d have to pay a lot more for top shelf glasses
- Metal frames lack durability
Today, they’re still one of the best options for getting great looking glasses online. The shopping experience is top notch, and that’s why I’ve been wearing their glasses for about five years now.
Warby Parker Modest Man approved and highly recommended!
About Warby Parker
Warby Parker was born out of a simple problem: When its founders went to buy glasses, they were always bothered by how expensive they were.
Why should people have to pay so much for a decent pair of frames and lenses?
It turned out that a lot of the cost of most glasses came from the middlemen who handled their distribution. So Warby Parker set out to shake things up, using the internet to offer glasses directly to consumers in the comfort of their own home.
Today, they’ve continued with that innovative mindset and even expanded into a few brick and mortar locations in major cities.
What I Like
I’ve been using Warby Parker’s services for years now, and I continue to appreciate how easy they make their shopping and home try-on experiences.
They offer a wide variety of frame sizes and shapes, and can easily match your prescription with the help of their online app.
Probably the best thing about Warby Parker, though, is how affordable their glasses are.
Though they’re not the premium quality glasses that you’d expect from a more expensive brand, every pair I’ve owned has held up really well over time, with the exception of some metal aviators that broke unexpectedly.
That’s all topped off by excellent customer service. I had one pair of metal-framed glasses from Warby Parker break while they were in my pocket.
So I took them to a Warby Parker store, and they replaced them on the spot for me, even though they weren’t covered under warranty.
What I Don’t Like
I really don’t have much bad to say about Warby Parker. I’ve been wearing their glasses for about five years now, and I’ve gone through about half a dozen pairs (including the ones I still wear).
That said, Warby Parker’s glasses all seem to fit into a certain aesthetic. If their styles aren’t quite what you’re looking for, there are plenty of Warby Parker alternatives that cater to different fashion senses.
That includes a few brands that cater to a more premium look, feel, and price.
The Warby Parker Aesthetic
Warby Parker wouldn’t have been so massively successful if they hadn’t invested in great product design.
These days, so many eyewear brands have copied WP, so it might seem like their designs are ubiquitous.
But in reality, Warby Parker is deciding what’s popular in eyewear. They’re creating a design language that other brands adopt.
This isn’t to say that their designs are groundbreaking, or even that they’re the right aesthetic for everyone.
But I will say that Warby Parker does a great job of making glasses and sunglasses that look good on pretty much every face.
They offer a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including narrow frames that look good on people with narrow faces (like myself).
I think WP is good at toeing the line between trendy and classic. Most of their frames will look just fine 5 or even 10 years from the day you buy them.
Getting a Prescription from Warby Parker
One thing I love about Warby Parker is how easy they make it to get or update your prescription.
I’ve done this using the Warby Parker smartphone app and by visiting a WP store.
Both methods were extremely easy, quick and affordable (much better than going to an eye doctor).
Questions About Warby Parker
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Warby Parker:
What is Warby Parker’s return policy?
Warby Parker has a 30-day return and exchange policy for glasses, sunglasses and unopened contact lenses. They’ll also replace any scratched lenses within a year of purchasing.
How are Warby Parker’s BBB reviews?
Warby Parker is not BBB accredited but has an A+ rating.
Are Warby Parker glasses good?
Warby Parker glasses are good for the price (i.e., they offer a lot of bang for your buck). They’re not as high quality as what you’ll find from premium eyewear manufacturers, but Warby Parker glasses are absolutely good enough for most people.
What is the average cost of Warby Parker glasses?
Warby Parker glasses start at $95 for single vision prescription lenses, non-prescription glasses and readers. Progressives start at $295.
As with most other glasses, choosing add-ons like blue-light filtering and transition lenses will increase your cost significantly.
Is Warby Parker blue light worth it?
Despite the popularity of blue light glasses, the best scientific evidence we have right now suggests that blue light isn’t actually causing eye strain or preventing people from falling asleep.
So the answer is: no, Warby Parker blue light lenses aren’t worth it.
Final Verdict
As one of the first eyewear brands to go direct to consumer, Warby Parker is still one of the best too.
Their shopping experience is easy to navigate, their frame options are abundant, and the quality of their glasses is great for the price. I’d recommend their glasses to any guy I know.
Thank you for your helpful review. Question: can you give a couple examples of what you believe to be a “premium quality frame” and what is a “top shelf pair of glasses”?
Just trying to compare products but this reference seems incredibly vague. You again mentioned “though they’re not the premium quality glasses that you’d expect from a more expensive brand”… what are the more expensive brands that provide a better product that you are referencing please? Thank you
Examples of luxury eyewear brands are Oliver Peoples, Moscot, Persol, Tom Ford and Garrett Leight.
Thanks!
I had 3 pairs of WP frames given to me as a gift. I took them to WB with my prescription to have progressive lens added. When I received the finished glasses they had charged me for the already purchased frames and lenses. When questioned they said they refunded the original gift purchase and charged me the whole price. What the heck
I liked one of WB’s aviator glasses that I purchased many years ago from their DTLA popup store, but it only lasted about 3 years before the lenses popped out and the frame cracked not a good value for $120.
I am now a big fan of JINS which has a few stores in California (3 in SF/SJ area, 3 in LA area), but they also have insanely fair all in one pricing and fast service (30 to 60 minutes after the order is placed).