The 11 Best Sleeper Sofas of 2021
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Wayfair Custom Upholstery Sarah Sofa Bed at Wayfair
At under $1,000, this is an affordable pick compared to most sleepers—and to top it off, you get to choose from 31 different fabrics.
Best Sectional: Darby Home Co Velvet Sleeper Sectional at Wayfair
Best for Small Spaces: Joybird Hopson Sleeper Sofa at Joybird.com
Best With Storage: Article Soma Sofa Bed at Article.com
Size
FAQs
best sleeper sofa 2022
Best Budget: Mercury Row Imani Velvet Convertible Sofa at Wayfair
This wallet-friendly sofa has a split back that folds flat when it's time to snooze, and comes in a variety of velvet fabrics.
Best Leather: Wayfair Custom Upholstery Jennifer Leather Sofa Bed at Wayfair
You can choose from more than a dozen genuine leather upholstery options including Vintage Ash and Durango Strawberry.
Best Slipcovered: Wayfair Custom Upholstery Carly Sofa Bed at Wayfair
This affordable sofa bed's queen-size pull-out mattress can comfortably accommodate two people.
Best Sectional: Darby Home Co Velvet Sleeper Sectional at Wayfair
This spacious L-shaped sectional can seat up to six people, and it has a queen-size mattress inside it.
Best Splurge: Pottery Barn Buchanan Deluxe Sleeper Sofa at Pottery Barn
A larger sleep surface, kiln-dried hardwood frame, and timeless design make this sofa worth its high price.
Best for Small Spaces: Joybird Hopson Sleeper Sofa at Joybird.com
At just 78 inches wide, this sleeper sofa is small enough to fit into most apartments, and has a clean, modern shape.
Best with Chaise: Crate & Barrel Barrett Sleeper Sectional at Crate & Barrel
This reversible sectional has a hidden storage space in the ottoman, which makes up part of the chaise.
Best Chair: Pottery Barn PB Comfort Twin Sleeper Sofa at Pottery Barn
This sleeper chair has a twin-side memory foam mattress that's ideal for a single overnight guest.
Best With Storage: Article Soma Sofa Bed at Article.com
This cool sectional has a hidden storage compartment inside its chaise, and the cushion lifts up for easy access to its contents.
If you feel bad making house guests crash on your couch—or worse, the floor!—it's time to invest in a sleeper sofa. These versatile pieces of furniture may look like your average sofa, but with a few easy movements they can be transformed into a bed, allowing your visitors to sleep comfortably. In fact, some of today’s sleeper sofas have extra-comfy memory foam mattresses inside them, making them a prime sleep spot.
When you’re shopping for a sleeper sofa, you’ll naturally want to consider the space where you plan to put it. Sleeper sofas are available in a variety of sizes and forms, ranging from chairs to full sectionals, and the size of the inner bed will change accordingly. While traditional “pull-out” sofas feature a mattress folded up inside the seat, there are also other styles of sleeper sofas, including ones that simply fold flat or have a trundle-style pull-out. Depending on your needs, these alternatives may work better for your home...and your overnight visitors!
Here, the best sleeper sofas to keep your guests comfortable all night long.
What to Look for in a Sleeper Sofa
Size
Before settling on a size, check how much room you have for both a couch and a fully extended sleeper. Split back sleepers tend to be smaller and need a lot less clearance space than a traditional pull-out, so that style might be your best option if you're working with a very small space. If the piece needs to be hauled up or down stairs, consider its weight, too—sleeper sofas tend to be very heavy.
When it comes to mattress size, most pull-out sofas are Full- or Queen-sized—although take a look at the dimensions, as many sleeper mattresses will have the width of a Full or Queen but not the length. Sleeper chairs and split back sofas are typically closer to a Twin size.
Comfort
Spring mattresses are the most common and often the least expensive, but they can be loud and uncomfortable. (To ensure a better night’s sleep, look for 600 or more stress-relieved coils.) Some spring mattresses, however, are equipped with foam or air mattress toppers, which can increase comfort. Memory foam mattresses tend to be more expensive, but they offer more support. If you're worried about comfort, invest in a mattress topper to give your pull-out bed a plusher, more supportive feel.
Mechanism
If you're buying a traditional pull-out sofa, make sure that it lifts up and out easily, has smooth edges, and features a locking mechanism. If you’re making your final purchase in-store, test the sofa’s operating mechanisms before you buy it—or read the reviews or watch video tutorials online, if the retailer has those on their site.
FAQs
How do you open and close a sleeper sofa?
To open a traditional pull-out sofa bed, you’ll want to start by removing the sofa’s seat cushions. Underneath, you should see a handle—some sofa beds also have straps that hold the mechanism in place, which you’ll need to undo at this point. From here, grab the handle and pull upward and out, guiding the support legs to the floor. Next, pull the front of the bed frame to fully extend the mattress. You can then make the bed to get ready for your guests.
To close the sleeper, you simply reverse these steps. Grab the end of the bed and fold it up, folding the mattress in half. Lift the folded bed frame upward, then push it down at an angle so it sinks back into the frame of the sofa. Once it's in place, push down until it’s flat, then strap it back into place. After this is done, you can replace the seat cushions and use the sofa as normal.
How do you make a sleeper sofa more comfortable?
Many of today’s sleeper sofas are surprisingly comfortable as is, thanks to thicker mattresses and minimal supports. However, if you still find your sleeper sofa mattress to be uncomfortable, one easy way to improve its feel is with a mattress topper. A thick memory foam or latex mattress topper will provide extra padding and help minimize discomfort caused by any metal supports. However, keep in mind that you’ll have to remove it to fold the mattress back up, and many mattress toppers are quite bulky, making them tricky to store.
How long do sleeper sofas last?
A standard couch will last for seven to 15 years—this time frame will vary depending on its construction and how you use it. In general, you can expect a well-made sleeper sofa to last a similar length of time, but it also depends on how you use it. If the sofa bed is used as a couch the majority of the time, it will last longer than if you’re using it as a bed on a regular basis. If the mattress of your sleeper sofa begins to wear down, you may be able to find a replacement mattress, which will save you from having to replace the whole piece.
Can you leave sheets on a sofa bed?
When folding away a sleeper sofa, you can simply leave the sheets on the mattress, if desired. This won’t affect the bed’s ability to be folded up, and it’s often convenient if the bed is going to be used several days in a row, as you won’t have to remake the mattress every night. However, if you’re not planning to use the mattress again for some time, you’ll want to take the sheets off, and linens will often get musty or dirty if they’re left folded up in the sofa for too long.