Sleeper Sofa Buying Guide: Quality, Price and What It All Means

Find Your Perfect Sleeper Sofa Bed 

The entire sofa bed category can be (almost) completely wrapped-up in three groups.  There will be similar dual-purpose furniture pieces, such as wall beds, which do not fit into one of these–but for the most part these groups cover the bases. 

The Futon Family ($199 – $599) 

Futons include 2 distinct components: a thick, foam mattress, and a frame which often offers 2 positions; upright as a sofa or flat as a bed.  

With a futon, the bed is ‘opened’ sideways over the width of the piece–a fundamental difference between this type of furniture and the long pull-out system of a more traditional sleeper sofa.  The disadvantage with this mechanism is that a guest will sleep on the same surface as is sat on day-to-day.  There is no dedicated mattress, and the foam must be built to handle both of these uses; often doing neither in an optimal fashion.  

These products are fairly inexpensive and wear quite well.  While they do not provide the comfort or support of an innerspring mattress, they can be slept on soundly for a few nights a year.  

A child or young adult will rarely have trouble sleeping on a futon.  A similar or more modern futon may be called a click-clak, which features both of these components in one unit to look more like an upholstered sofa. 

Search for a futon from futonsandbeanbags.com

Traditional Sleepers ($749 – $2299) 

Traditional Sleepers, or Classic Sleepers from Sleepers In Seattle, most resemble the sleeper sofa you may remember from your grandmother’s home back in the day.  However, there are several key differences–none greater than the comfort provided by the bed inside.  

First, that dreaded ‘bar in your back’ has been moved, and quite simply is no longer in your back.  It has been lowered (about 2 feet), and now does not impede sleep.  Also, the mattresses available in the past were thin, support-less, and just plain crummy.  

In our Classic Sleepers, the most basic mattress available is about 6″ thick–with a significantly better coil system that provides much greater support and comfort than older options.  There are also upgrades available, including Sealy Posture-Pedic options, Air-Coil Mattresses, and even Latex or Memory Foam mattresses. 

Traditional Sleepers offer the best selection and most versatility of all the sleeper sofa groups.  The price range is vast, and the various manufacturers, styles, upholsteries and mattresses allow consumers to narrow down what really will work best for them. 

The Valencia Queen--One of our many Classic Sleepers

The American Leather Comfort Sleeper ($2049 and above) 

The American Leather Comfort Sleepers are truly the ‘Cadillac’ of sleeper sofas.  These pieces feature a premium, high-density foam mattress atop a solid wood platform, offering a night’s sleep that rivals a boxspring and mattress set you might find in the bedroom.  

There are no bars in the mechanism, and without springs in the mattresses, the bed will last significantly longer–as no steel will be worn out after years of use. 

At Sleepers In Seattle, we carry the Generation III Comfort Sleeper, an improvement over the company’s previous model, which includes a softer, thicker mattress, and an anti-microbial, stain and water-proof mattress protection system.  Also, the revamped mechanism is spring-loaded, making it much easier to open and close. 

Comfort Sleepers are available in 8 sizes, including Queen Plus, two sectional options, and even a King sleeper.  All styles are available in fabric or leather, and now there is a Tempur-Pedic Swedish Sleep System Mattress upgrade option. 

The Tolle Queen Comfort Sleeper--One of the many wonderful American Leather Sleeper Sofas

Which Sleeper Sofa Is Right For You?                

Mechanism specifications and general pricing alone will not determine which sleeper sofa fits your needs best.  In general, however, sleeper sofa pricing is quite in-line with the comfort and quality provided. 

Some dual purpose furniture is meant for the cousin’s kids to use once every-other year.  For some, their sleeper sofa will be their couch every day and bed every night.  Most people fall somewhere between those ends.  

Perhaps the top questions to ask are: Who will be sleeping on this piece? and How often?  If the answers include “me”, “my family and friends”, “frequently”, or even “often enough”, it may be wise to stay away from the futons, and focus on the differences between the Classic and Comfort lines.  Once you factor in the available budget, the answer may very well become clear!