The Best Sleeper Sofas We’ve Ever Tested

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Comfort meets versatility with these convertible, stylish pieces.

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If you’re looking to add more versatility to your living space—or find yourself welcoming more guests these days—a sleeper sofa could be the perfect solution. The best sleeper sofas serve as comfy lounge locales during the day before converting into a bed for the night. They’re a great couch style for making the most of your space, allowing for more effective multi-use spaces like living rooms.

To help you find the best sleeper sofa, we researched and tested sofas from popular brands, evaluating factors like quality, durability, comfort, and ease of use. We also spoke with interior designers Sarah Latham of Latham Interiors and E. Norton of Norton Interiors for insights on selecting a sofa that balances style and function.

Its construction is durable and comfortable, made with materials that look and feel high-end.

The sleeper mechanism is a bit heavy and difficult to convert.

This Barrett II Sleeper from Crate & Barrel combines all the elements of a great sleeper sofa: comfort, durability, and plenty of style options. We found the mattress and cushions to be very comfy; it’s plush enough that we didn’t feel the metal mechanisms through the mattress. While spacious and supportive, it’s not ideal for lounging when it’s in sofa mode, since the cushions aren’t very deep.

Style-wise, this was one of our favorites. The materials are durable and high quality, giving a classic and sophisticated appearance that stands up to wear and tear. A hardwood frame provides real stability, while the upholstery materials look and feel well-made. Even better: they come in a truly massive range of colors and textures, with over 200 fabrics available (these can be sampled in swatches before making your final decision).

During testing, we struggled a bit to get the sleeper mechanism in place. It’s surprisingly heavy, and the couch itself kept moving. Once we got the leg mechanism up though, it became much easier. Like most sleepers, the mattress is on the thin side, but it’s large enough to comfortably sleep two people.

Upholstery Materials: Performance weave, boucle, canvas, chenille, linen, microfiber, shearling, twill, or velvet | Mattress Type: Gel-infused memory foam | Sofa Dimensions: 91 W by 36 D by 30 in. H | Bed Dimensions: 59 W by 71 D in.

Removable cushions, pre-assembly, and hidden wheels make setup and moving convenient.

There’s no mattress, just the cushions, so it’s not as supportive or comfortable.

For an easy-to-use, more affordable sofa, this Article Nordby Sofa Bed is a great pick. We immediately noticed how straightforward and user-friendly the setup is. The sofa comes pre-assembled, so you only have to attach the legs. Hidden wheels on the underside make it easy to move, while the cushions are removable for thorough cleaning. When you’re ready to convert it to a bed, just pull on two cloth handles and the bed portion pops out.

The upholstery options are limited, with just three colors of polyester fabric available. We did find, however, that the fabric was surprisingly durable, standing up to extensive use (and even pets!) without tearing or pilling. It also comes in two layouts—a basic two-seater and an L-shaped reversible sectional—for greater versatility in your space.

The main downside is the lack of an additional mattress. Instead, you’ll sleep on the foam cushions, which we found firm but not the most comfortable. The couch is fine for lounging on a daily basis, but the bed portion is definitely not comfortable enough for more than a night or two.

Upholstery Materials: Polyester | Mattress Type: No mattress; high-density foam cushions | Sofa Dimensions: 87 W by 35 D by 33 in. H | Bed Dimensions: 54 by 72 in.

It provides plenty of space for sleeping, lounging, and storage.

The cushions and pillows tend to be very soft and slouchy.

If you like your couches cushy, this West Elm Harmony Sleeper Sectional will be just right. One of the first things we noticed during testing was the plush, sink-into-it feeling of the ample cushions and pillows. They’re supportive but slouch and squish over time, which can be a double-edged sword. If you like a more casual, cushioned feel, this style is great, but if you prefer sleeker, firmer furniture, you may not like this one.

Despite being a sizable sectional, we found this couch to fit surprisingly well into a living space without dominating it. The hardwood frame provides great support, and we could just slightly feel the bars underneath the sleeper mattress (which isn’t nearly as comfortable as the couch portion). We especially loved the quality upholstery. You can choose from over 160 fabrics in different colors and textures, including stain-resistant and low-chemical materials. The cushions come with removable, washable covers, making it extra easy to keep the couch clean even in a busy household.

One of the best features is the additional storage—something we can definitely all use. The chaise section lifts to reveal extra space, great for storing sheets, blankets, and pillows. Since the couch is modular, you can arrange it how you like and place the chaise on either side.

Upholstery Materials: Basketweave, chenille, linen, velvet, boucle, canvas, twill | Mattress Type: High-density foam and gel-infused foam | Sofa Dimensions: 123 W by 69 D by 37 in. H | Bed Dimensions: 60 W by 72 in. D

It pairs a firm, highly supportive mattress with quick and easy setup.

It takes time to break in the mattress and feel truly comfortable.

The Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa offers surprising comfort in a compact design. It’s available in a twin or queen equivalent, which can comfortably accommodate two people. During testing, we particularly appreciated the ease of converting it from a sofa to a bed; it typically takes less than a minute to pull out and set up.

The mattress in this sleeper (which comes in standard foam and memory foam) has both upsides and downsides. The downside is that it’s very firm, to the point that it took some breaking in before it felt truly comfortable. The upside is that this firmness provided great support and comfort, as well as the durability required to stand up to frequent use.

The style is angular, with tons of customization options for the upholstery. You can choose from over 75 fabrics in a wide range of colors, textures, and materials, including several that are specifically designed to be pet-friendly, stain-resistant, or environmentally-friendly. Our testing revealed that the pet-friendly upholstery for this option lives up to the name—despite plenty of pets on and around it, the sofa hasn’t stained.

Upholstery Materials: Cotton, performance fabrics, polyester, twill, velvet l | Mattress Type: Standard foam or memory foam | Sofa Dimensions: 79 W by 36 D by 3 in. H; 53 W by 36 D by 37 in. H | Bed Dimensions: 60 W by 72 in. D; 39 W by 70 in. D

Thanks to its sturdy construction, high level of comfort, and numerous style options, the Crate & Barrel Barrett II 3-Seat Queen Sleeper is our top pick for the best sleeper sofa. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, the Article Nordby Sofa Bed provides easy setup, movement, and versatility.

To get hands-on insights on the best sleeper sofas, we tested six sofas from top brands in real living rooms. First, we kept track of how long each sofa took to be delivered, as well as the time and effort put into assembly out of the box. We also noted how many options (configurations, fabric types, and colors) were available to order.

Prior to using them, we closely evaluated the quality of each sleeper sofa, considering the sturdiness and quality of the frame, the cushions, and the upholstery fabrics. Throughout the testing period, we continued to check on these to note any obvious wear and tear.

Over a period of four weeks, we evaluated both the sleeper and “regular” functions of each sofa. Once a week, we converted the sofa to a sleeper as per the manufacturer’s instructions, taking note of how easy or difficult the conversion was. We slept on the sofa bed overnight in order to assess the firmness of the mattress, the level of comfort and support, and whether it could comfortably support multiple people.

To test the sofa portion, we made sure to sit on the sofa regularly, using it like we would any other sofa. We evaluated the firmness or softness of the cushions, how comfortable it was to sit for short and long periods, and whether the cushions or fabric showed any signs of wear or breakdown.

Finally, for a longer-term perspective, we revisited our insights on quality, comfort, durability, ease of use, and overall value after a six-month period.

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A sleeper sofa mattress usually won’t be as plush and comfortable as a regular bed mattress, since it has to recede into the sofa when not in use. That’s why most sleeper sofas, including our picks here, feature some kind of foam mattress.

“Memory foam is often used in sleeper sofas because you get a lot of cushion per each inch of thickness, so you lose the ‘bar in back’ issue that was so common in earlier versions of sleepers,” says Norton. “As you scale up in quality, the mattresses get thicker and nicer.” For a more luxe feel, look for high-quality foam with a gel hybrid or memory foam from a well-known brand.

The upholstery is where you can put the most customization and style into your sleeper sofa, but function still matters, too. Look for materials that feel comfortable to the touch and have the color and texture you want, but more importantly, consider whether you need fabrics with extra durability, water- or stain-resistance, or pet-friendly qualities.

“Always take into consideration the use of furniture when deciding on upholstery. In sleeper sofas the back cushions can get a lot of wear and tear,” Norton says. “For example, if you primarily expect to use your sofa for young family members, we'd suggest a medium colorway and performance fabric.”

Norton suggests keeping two questions in mind when deciding on a size for your sleeper sofa: “Who is the end user? And how frequently will you be using it?” For instance, if it’s intended to be used by grandparents spending a long weekend, it needs to be large and supportive enough for two grown adults to sleep comfortably for full nights. If it’s more of a one-night sleepover or movie night situation, a smaller piece may suffice.

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Article Braam Sofa Bed: This sleeper is easy to convert between its sofa and bed modes, and the material is durable and high quality. However, it’s rather low to the ground, and a surprisingly short piece of furniture, given the price.

Pottery Barn Cameron Roll Arm Sleeper Sofa: The washable slipcover makes this one a great choice for families with kids, pets, or frequent guests. The price, however, may deter budget-conscious shoppers and the sofa took six months to arrive so the timing will need to be taken into consideration.

If you have a family with kids or pets, Norton and Latham suggest prioritizing durability. That means looking for sofas with sturdy construction to stand up to heavy use, plus options for performance fabrics that resist wear and tear, dirt, stains, spills, and all those other daily incidents. Our Best Sectional Pick, the West Elm Harmony Sleeper Sectional, is a good, large size for families, and you can choose from over 160 fabrics, including stain-resistant materials, that make it ideal for pets.

Sleepers, daybeds, and futons are all similar pieces, and manufacturers may not always use the same definitions, so it’s important to look closely at the features of the furniture piece you’re considering. Sleepers more often have actual mattresses rather than the couch-cushion-style base of a daybed—but, again, manufacturers may choose a different label.

Latham offers this description of their differences: “A sleeper sofa is primarily used as a sofa, a daybed is in a fixed position as a sofa or bed, and a futon is a traditional Japanese style sofa/bed that, when in the down position, becomes a bed, and in the up position is a sofa.”

You can certainly find comfortable sleeper sofas on a lower budget. The lower costs, however, will probably show in areas like durability, mattress comfort, and upholstery quality, so be sure to balance those needs with your budget range. Our top affordable pick is the Article Nordby Sofa Bed, which boasts easy setup, movement, and versatility.

This article was written by Amanda Prahl, a contributing writer for Real Simple with over five years of writing lifestyle content. To put these recommendations together, we extensively tested sleeper sofas from top brands, considering factors such as size, upholstery, and mattress type and quality, for a period of four to six months. For further expert advice, Amanda spoke to interior designers E. Norton, owner of Norton Interiors, and Sarah Latham, principal at Latham Interiors.