When you think of sofa beds, it’s easy to picture sleepless nights on a friend’s uncomfortable, lumpy pull-out. But thanks to recent innovations, the best sofa beds now rival – and sometimes even surpass – the comfort of some of the best sofas on the market. They’re not only a great way to ensure your overnight guests feel at home but also a smart solution for saving space.
Luckily, if you’re clued-up on the best online furniture stores, you won’t have to settle for an uncomfortable sleeper sofa with a flimsy mattress. This new generation of sofa beds champion convenience while rivalling your master bedroom’s bed frame in terms of comfort and style: springy, soft and complete with one of the best mattresses, backrests, armrests and squishy seat cushions.
Yep, whether you’re in need of an emergency bed for the friend that stayed too late or a more permanent fixture that’ll give your home office an update, we’ve got sleeper sofa search down, from compact two-seaters to luxurious corner settee. So, quit trying to get your friends to kip on your tiny loveseat, foldaway bed, futon or chaise lounge. Instead, offer them a good night’s sleep with our pick of the best sofa beds on the market. Here’s our top picks…
SKIP TO: Which type of sofa bed is most comfortable? | What are the benefits of a good sofa bed? | How we tested the best sofa beds | Sofa Bed FAQs | Can you sleep on a sofa bed every night? | What’s the difference between a sofa bed and a sofa sleeper? | Is it worth getting a sofa bed? | Our full reviews.
Which type of sofa bed is most comfortable?
There are two main types of sofa bed to choose from:
Click-clack sofa bed
The first is the “click-clack” sofa bed. With the sofa in its upright position, you simply fold the back down and – as the name suggests – use the clic clac mechanism to ‘click it’ flat. Et voila! You’ve got yourself a double mattress. Click clack sofa beds tend to be cheaper and a bit easier to convert into bed form than their more traditional counterparts.
Pull-out sofa bed
Pull-out sofa beds do tend to be more comfy than the former, but require a little more effort to assemble. You’d need to remove the cushions from the sofa to reveal a pull-out mattress and “bed” frame. Both click clack sofa beds and pull-out sofa beds come in a range of mattress sizes – from single to double – and upholstery options, to suit your interior design style.
What are the benefits of a good sofa bed?
A good sofa bed, personalised to your requirements, will see you through for years to come. Whether you’re shopping at sofa.com on the more affordable end of the scale or Darlings of Chelsea at the premium end, what makes a ‘good’ sofa bed isn’t to do with the price but, rather, the materials. Naturally, these materials can be better quality with a higher cost, but this isn’t always the case.
Our top tips:
- In click clack beds, look to fibre fill seat cushions for a softer, more plush sleep surface.
- In pull-out sofa beds, you’ll want to keep an eye out for specialist pocket spring and memory foam mattresses.
- Frames – the bigger your sofa bed, the bigger your mattress, so you and your guests will be more likely to enjoy an uninterrupted sleep.
- Storage sofa beds are more likely to come in the form of a bigger sofa bed, and who doesn’t love a bit of extra storage for all your spare duvets and bedding.
How we tested the sofa beds:
To test as many sofa beds as possible, our team used them in their own homes, sitting and sleeping on each one for a minimum of 30 days (and often much longer). We evaluated the fabric quality, ease of cleaning, comfort level, and overall design. In addition, we considered the warranty, sustainability credentials, and how practical the sofa bed was for daily use, before deciding whether a model would make it into our round-up.