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The Spruce / Elena Garcia
Sleeper sofas are the ultimate functional piece of furniture, but after testing more than 30 couches over the years, we've learned firsthand just how tricky it is to find the right one. The best sleeper sofas, in our experience, are comfortable enough to make guests want to stay another night (no metal springs here) yet aren’t clunky and easily slide in and out of your sofa.
While there's a lot to consider when choosing a sofa, our testing proved that mattress comfort is the most important detail. We've sat, lounged, and slept on several sleeper sofas to find out just how comfortable they are as both couches and beds.
These picks are also easy to operate. The beds slide out easily and don't make the couch itself extraordinarily heavy. Whether you’re in a one-bedroom apartment and need to host guests overnight or you want to turn your at-home office into a hybrid bedroom, we’ve tested numerous sleeper sofas that'll work for different needs and spaces.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
West Elm Harmony Modular Sleeper Sectional
Fast Facts
What We LikePlush and supportive cushions
Smooth, easy-to-use pull-out mechanism
Roomy storage chaise
What We Don’t LikeMattress isn’t the most comfortable
Poor white glove delivery service
Why We Picked It
Known to be one of the best sectional sofas we tested, the West Elm Harmony Sleeper Sectional also makes an excellent everyday couch with plush yet supportive cushions and durable construction. This sleeper sofa has five throw pillows, large and small, and a storage chaise we found useful for housing our throw blankets and extra pillows.
We've tested this sleeper sofa for a year so far, and we continue to love its sturdiness and pull-out mechanism. The frame is extremely sturdy and glides in and out so gracefully you'd think it was a ballerina. Converting the sofa took all but a minute.
Unlike the cloud-like cushions, the mattress itself isn't the most comfortable, which is the one downside. We could feel the bars from the frame, but it's doable for one or two nights.
This sectional is perfect for those who need a sleeper sofa for occasional overnight guests but are mainly looking for a high-quality, cozy sectional that fits their mid-century modern design style. And if you’re looking for a stain-resistant sofa, this sleeper has a wide variety of performance fabrics and colors.
When it came to assembling, we opted for the white glove delivery service. However, our experience with the service could have been better, leaving us to finish the work and re-screw the sectional.
Essential Details
Sofa Dimensions: 123 x 69 x 37 inches | Mattress Size: Queen | Frame Material: Engineered hardwood | Upholstery Material: Polyester
Product Images
The thin mattress is our biggest gripe with the West Elm Harmony Sleeper Sectional. Credit: The Spruce Though we could feel the frame through the mattress, we think it's doable for a few nights. Credit: The Spruce It couldn't be easier to open and close this sleeper sofa; it's incredibly smooth and intuitive. Credit: The Spruce
Best for Small Spaces
Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa
Fast Facts
What We LikeSmall space-friendly
Quick, easy assembly
Tempur-response memory foam mattress
What We Don't LikeCouch cushions require a break-in period
Why We Picked It
At just 79 inches wide, the Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa is our pick for the best sleeper sofa for small spaces, thanks to its compact form and versatile look. Enjoy cozy seating for two or three on this versatile sofa, which easily transforms into a bed for overnight guests, making your living room guest-ready instantly.
Additionally, this pick is the most comfortable mattress we’ve slept on, and its quality hasn’t declined or altered since we first started testing it over a year ago. And with its overall compact size, this multi-functional sofa is a great way to maximize and style a small apartment living room.
With a mid-century modern design, this sleeper sofa is constructed with a durable engineered wooden frame and kiln-dried solid wood spring rails. We love the quality of the upholstery and its high-performance fabric, too. Even with accidental spills and dirty paws, there’s never been a stain in sight.
The small sofa’s cushions aren’t the plushest and cloud-like, as we found that it does require breaking in. But the more we lounged on it, the more comfortable it became. So, if you’re someone who prefers firmer seating, this is an excellent option.
However, we found the mattress is the complete opposite. Joybird allows you to choose standard foam or Tempur-Response memory foam. The good news is that after testing this sofa bed for over a year and having numerous guests sleep on it, we still love this mattress's comfort. Pulling out the bed is quick and easy, too, only taking 30 seconds on average.
Essential Details
Sofa Dimensions: 79 x 36 x 35 inches | Mattress Size: Twin, queen | Frame Material: Engineered wood | Upholstery Material: Polyester, velvet, chenille
Product Images
The Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa is a great compact option that doesn't sacrifice comfort. Credit: The Spruce
Best Value
Article Nordby Sofa
Fast Facts
What We LikeDurable, kid- and pet-friendly upholstery fabric
Arrives almost fully assembled
Firm and supportive cushions
What We Don't LikeMattress lacks support
Why We Picked It
The Article Nordby is the perfect mix between a modern upholstered sofa and a daybed, thanks to its extended upholstered seat or attached ottoman. During testing, we found that this sofa bed triumphs in durability, so it's great for busy households.
This couch's performance fabric can withstand any spill and makes picking up cat hair easy. With its tightly knitted material, your pet could scratch the couch, and you still wouldn't get any pilling.
We didn’t find this to be the most comforting sleeper sofa for a night’s rest, but the couch cushions are firm yet comfortable, plump, and supportive. If you’re someone who has aches and pains, however, this isn’t for you. Instead, we recommend investing in the highly comfortable Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa (our best for small spaces pick).
The couch comes fully assembled, so there's no need to worry about paying extra for a white glove delivery. The only setup required is screwing on the legs. We did have to watch a tutorial video to convert the sofa into a sleeper, but we felt like pros after our first try.
After two years of testing this sofa, we're very impressed with how well it has held up. It looks brand new, even after numerous overnight guests have slept on it. The performance upholstery has successfully repelled pet hair and stains alike, and the durable construction quality is evident. We suspect we'll continue to use this sleeper sofa for years to come.
Essential Details
Sofa Dimensions: 35 x 87 x 33 | Mattress Size: Not listed | Frame Material: Steel | Upholstery Material: Polyester
Best for Families
Apt2B Tuxedo Sleeper Sectional
Fast Facts
What We LikeComfortable yet firm cushions
Soft memory foam mattress
Durable kid-friendly fabric
What We Don’t LikeLong delivery time
Why We Picked It
The best couches are ones that the entire family can enjoy, including the tiny humans with sticky hands. The Apt2B Tuxedo Sleeper Sectional is a luxury purchase worth the price tag. After testing for a year in a busy household with two playful young boys and two cats, this sleeper sofa is super durable and built to withstand any spills and pet scratches.
This modern-style sectional is constructed with hypoallergenic and easy-to-clean fabrics. The couch itself is firm yet super comfortable, with high-density foam seat cushions. We found ourselves lounging and sleeping on it for hours, even through our favorite movies.
While the couch itself feels solid, the mattress is plush but still supportive enough that you won’t wake up to any back pain. Even after a year of testing, our overnight guests still chose to sleep on this sleeper sofa before checking into a hotel.
Converting the sectional to a sleeper is quick and simple, only taking us two minutes. And if you’ve never used a pull-out couch, the mattress frame includes helpful diagram tags for guidance.
This large sleeper sectional is super durable, kid and pet-friendly, enjoyable to sleep on, and has plenty of fabric and color options for customizability. Because these are made-to-order, the company reports a 30-day production window, but in our experience, it took our sofa five to seven weeks, with an additional delivery time of 14 to 21 days.
We highly recommend waiting until your sectional ships before replacing your couch.
Essential Details
Sofa Dimensions: 121 x 88 x 36 inches | Mattress Size: Queen | Frame Material: Solid wood | Upholstery Material: Polyester
Product Images
When in its normal configuration, the Apt2B Tuxedo 2-Piece Sleeper Sectional looks lovely. Credit: The Spruce It was extremely easy to smoothly open this sleeper sofa, which we appreciated. Credit: The Spruce
Best Leather
Crate & Barrel Oceanside Leather Queen Sleeper Sofa
Fast Facts
What We LikeHigh-quality, easy-to-maintain leather
Comfortable memory foam mattress
Deep, inviting couch cushions
What We Don't LikeVery heavy and difficult to move
Why We Picked It
If you're looking for a sleeper sofa that makes for a cozy spot to sleep and a stylish centerpiece in any room, Crate & Barrel's Oceanside Sleeper Sofa fits the bill. We tested this leather couch in our own home, and we were impressed with its style and its all-around comfort.
Upholstered in high-quality leather, we adored the look and feel of the sofa. Most impressively, we liked how durable it proved when two adults and a 50-pound dog put it to use daily over two months. The cushions were firm and supportive, though they broke in over time and softened up a bit for great comfort. And we loved the memory foam mattress, which also balanced comfort with proper sleep support for one very inviting temporary sleep space.
We especially love how deep-seated this leather sleeper sofa is; it was deep enough for us to comfortably sit, lounge, and even lie down on the cushions, with plenty of room for our 6-foot, 3-inch tester. While shorter individuals may find that their feet don't touch the ground, we think the extra roominess is a fair tradeoff.
When you're ready to convert this sofa into a bed, the pull-out mechanism is a breeze to use. It took us mere minutes to remove the cushions, unfurl the metal platform, and set up the mattress. It's heavy, but the mechanism glides you smoothly and without too much stress on your back.
Speaking of this sleeper sofa's weight, we were surprised at just how heavy it was overall. Luckily, Crate & Barrel provided white glove delivery, so we didn't have to lift a finger–but if you plan to move this couch yourself, you likely won't be able to do so alone.
However, we've found that sleeper sofas tend to be heavier than your average couch in general, so this isn't too much of a surprise. Plus, with its sturdy wood frame and metal platform, we think the extra weight is a fair tradeoff.
Essential Details
Sofa Dimensions: 89 x 39.5 x 27 inches | Mattress Size: Queen | Frame Material: Engineered hardwood | Upholstery Material: Leather
Product Images
The Crate & Barrel Oceanside Leather Sleeper Sofa has a very comfortable memory foam mattress. Credit: The Spruce We loved how deep-seated this sofa is, which adds to its overall comfort. . Credit: The Spruce We loved the smooth gliding mechanism of this sleeper sofa. Credit: The Spruce It only takes a few minutes to remove the cushions and open the bed, but it's definitely heavy. Credit: The Spruce
Final Verdict
Built to last and with a gorgeous, modern design, the West Elm Haven Queen Sleeper Sofa is our overall best sleeper sofa. Its mattress is comfortable and plush enough to sleep on all week, and its down-alternative deep-seated cushions are cozy yet supportive. If you're particularly tight on space, consider the Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa. Not only is it nicely compact, but we also found its mattress to be the most comfortable in our guide.
The Spruce / Hilary Allison
How We Tested the Sleeper Sofas
Over the last year, we’ve tested five sleeper sofas in our homes. Here’s how we evaluated them:
- Assembly and Delivery: We assembled each sofa, following the instructions, and timed how long the entire process took. If we opted for white-glove delivery and assembly, we documented our experience on how it arrived and how long it took the professionals to assemble the sofa.
- Mechanism Type: We tested the smoothness of each sleeper’s mechanism type, whether it was an effortless pull-out mechanism, a click-clack mechanism where the back is laid flat, or a hybrid mechanism.
- Fabric Quality: We noted how well each sleeper sofa held up over a full year, and how it handled common issues like stains, snags, and scratches.
- Mattress Type and Size: We assessed each mattress and its comfort, including whether or not we could feel the frame underneath, whether or not we experienced any aches or pain, and how firm or soft it was.
- Frame Construction and Durability: Along with examining each sleeper sofa’s mattress feel, we noted whether it had a solid base and how well it held up in busy households with pets and kids or from natural wear and tear.
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The Spruce
When Shopping for Sleeper Sofas, Look for
A Smooth, Easy-to-Use Pull-Out Mechanism
When shopping for the best sleeper sofas, it’s important to consider your mechanism preference. You may envision a traditional pull-out mechanism, like our overall best sleeper sofa pick, the West Elm Harmony Sleeper Sofa, but there are other styles available as well.
These are the most common types of sleeper sofa mechanisms:
- The pull-out mechanism: The traditional sleeper sofa mechanism that most people are familiar with. Under the seat cushions, you pull the mattress frame out from the center and unfold the frame's legs while also unfolding the mattress, both of which will lie flat once the sofa is converted into a bed.
- The convertible mechanism (also known as the click-clack mechanism): This has no physical mattress and is easily converted by a simple lock release. The sofa's backrest is now laid flat with the seat still in place, creating an upholstered-like bed. This mechanism type is the easiest of them all, as it just involves locking the sofa's back in and out of place.
- The hybrid mechanism: A combination of both sofa mechanisms, which involves pulling, folding, or sliding a frame out to convert the sofa into a bed. For example, the bottom of the Article Nordby Pep Sofa Bed slides out, and more cushions lift to create the sofa bed surface.
Durable Solid Wood Frame Construction
Sleeper sofas should be made with a quality frame construction, which means solid hardwoods and double-dowelled, screwed, and glued-together corners for reinforcement. A sturdy, durable frame like kiln-dried hardwood or engineered wood will be able to support weight and perform as a better sleeper sofa for a long period.
“Quality furniture is made with this standard, and sleepers should especially be made to this standard because of the movement and function that will be performed when opening and closing the mattress,” says Danna Smith, managing designer at Pamela Hope Designs.
A sleeper sofa moves more than a plain old couch, so you want to know that the pieces that make it up are going to last for years of good sleeping. Most of the picks on this list are made with kiln-dried and hardwood components, including the best sleeper sofa we tested, the West Elm Harmony Modular Sleeper Sectional.
A Mattress and Sofa Size Appropriate for Your Space
The type of mattress and its size are essential when shopping for sleeper sofas, as you should pick something that matches your space and fits your personal comfort and sleep preferences.
Some sleeper sofas are available with multiple mattress size options if the sofa frame is sold in multiple widths. We recommend measuring your space carefully before buying a sleeper sofa.
Most of the sleeper sofas on this list have queen-sized mattresses, including the Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa, which is our favorite pick for small spaces. These roomy picks are the best choice if you have frequent overnight guests, and even more so if you're hosting multiple guests at a time.
That said, many of the options on our list also come in twin-sized mattresses if you're especially tight on space. However, twin sleeper sofas can only sleep one person at a time.
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The Spruce
Don't Neglect Comfort
While it's categorically known that sleeper sofas aren't nearly as comfortable as actual bed mattresses, we did manage to find a few standouts in the category. Also, although they're not as comfortable as traditional beds, we always preferred sleeping on a sleeper sofa to an air mattress.
As we mentioned, the Joybird Briar Sleeper Sofa is the most comfortable sleeper sofa we've tested to date. A close second is the Apt2B Tuxedo Sleeper Sectional, which has a soft memory foam mattress that overnight guests couldn't get enough of.
In general, look for sleeper sofas with memory foam mattresses. Our testing has proven those to be the most comfortable for overnight guests compared to innerspring options.
We also found that thicker mattresses are more comfortable, decreasing the chance of feeling the bed frame underneath. However, this can make the sofa heavier and more difficult to open, so know that with sleeper sofas, you likely have to sacrifice extreme comfort or convenience.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Kenedee Fowler is a writer for The Spruce, specializing in bedding and furniture. She grew up with an old-fashioned sleeper sectional that squeaked when you pulled it out, but was comfortable to lounge on as a sofa. The mattress wasn’t the most luxurious, either.
For this article, Kenedee updated our list based on her experience of what not to look for in a sleeper sofa while referencing our latest round of testing insights on the best sleeper sofas.
Our Experts:
- Danna Smith, managing designer at Pamela Hope Designs