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12 Best Sleeper Sofas in 2026 That Sleepyhead Editors Recommend
What to Look for in a Sleeper Sofa
Size: In addition to measuring the spot where you want the sofa bed to live to ensure it’ll fit both in sofa and bed form, also pay attention to mattress dimensions. “I don’t think a sleeper queen is always the size of a queen, queen,” says Pennington. She’s right—a number of options are slightly shorter or narrower (or both) than standard mattress sizes.
Conversion mechanism: While most of the sleeper sofas on our list use a traditional pull-out frame that lifts from the bottom of the couch after seat cushions are removed, other options exist, as well. Some daybeds, for instance, use a trundle system that pulls out from under the seat, and the frameless Teddy from OMHU drags directly onto the floor.
Mattress: Foam mattresses in sleeper sofas are increasingly common, allowing for lighter-weight pieces of furniture that are easier to maneuver. Some models may still have traditional innerspring components, which may degrade faster. Also pay attention to mattress height, as that loft may translate to plushness and comfort.
Cushions: While a lot of the emphasis while shopping for a sleeper sofa might land on the mattress portion, keep in mind that you’re probably going to use the item as a couch quite a bit—if not for the majority of the time. That’s why Pennington suggests making sure you think it’s comfortable in sofa-form, too. “Prioritize the comfort and durability of the cushions, because it’s also being used as a sofa,” she says.
Types of Sleeper Sofas
Traditional: These usually involve a metal frame tri-folded within the couch, and a thinner-than-average mattress on top of it. The high-quality options offer great support, comfort, and durability so you can keep them in service in that guest room or office for years to come. Just know that the internal metal support system often makes these heavier than a typical couch—crucial info if you’re someone who moves a lot. Also, since a full-on mattress emerges from its depths, these require a large enough space to store both your couch and a bed.
Futon-style: These fold in such a way that you can lie down straight on the surface of the couch itself, rather than pull out additional materials, so they’re often a good choice for smaller spaces. Another big perk is that they’re less bulky than pull-out beds, so you’ll have more living room, but they also have a reputation for landing on the firmer, stiffer side.
Daybed: A convertible sofa daybed that transforms into a twin or queen bed with or without a pullout trundle can be easier to convert to a bed than a traditional pullout couch, though it’ll be just as heavy to transport.
Sleeper Sofa FAQ
What should I know about sleeper sofas?
Traditional sofa beds have a bad reputation for being expensive, heavy, and often pretty ugly. At their worst, they resemble an ugly Transformer: a hunk of metal emerging from your couch, with a flimsy-looking mattress on top, and a sinkhole in the middle that lands you right on top of the dreaded support bar in the middle.
But sleeper sofas have evolved in a lot of ways in recent years. More futon-like options have emerged comprised of comfy layers of foam (denser at the bottom, cushier on the top), just like today’s mattresses are made. While we didn’t review any recliners or sleeper sectionals for this piece, those options are great, too.
Where do I get the best sleeper sofas?
We recommend shopping from a retailer on this list. While we’re certain you can find good options at most retailers—and some cheap ones on Amazon and IKEA—be advised that in our testing, we did find that some less-expensive options weren’t the quality sleepers that slightly pricier brands tend to offer.
How We Tested
We tested as many of these sofas ourselves as we could, sleeping on them, sitting on them, and repeatedly transitioning them from couch to bed and back again as if we were counting workout reps. When we couldn’t get our sleepy heads on certain models, we researched options based on variability and high-quality materials—and punted anything that had wishy-washy reviews.
