Sofa beds promise a handy two-in-one solution; both a sofa for relaxing and entertaining, and a comfortable bed for guests. Historically, they have been neither; most seem to be too firm and unyielding as a sofa and uncomfortable and creaky as a bed. 

As the resident of a small flat in London (I prefer bijou), I have a vested interest in finding a sofa bed that’s durable and comfortable enough for entertaining and evenings spent in front of the TV, and spacious enough to host weekend guests. So, I set out to remedy the sofa bed’s disrepute and test the best models on the market. 

But first – what should you look for in a sofa bed? According to interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke, a click-clack sofa bed, in which the sofa cushion folds out or down to form a bed, are preferable to traditional pull-out mattress sofa beds.

“Sofa beds have definitely improved – sleeping on one in the 80s was definitely not as comfortable as today. But they’re still never going to be the most comfortable sofa, nor the most comfortable bed,” she says, “A really comfortable sofa would have a spring base then cushions. Intrinsically, if a sofa contains a folded mattress it’s less comfortable.” On a click-clack sofa bed, you’re sleeping on the surface of the sofa itself rather than on a pull-out mattress, which compromises the comfort of the sofa, she says. 

But if you need a larger sofa bed, a pull-out model may be the best option. “The comfort of the mattress is key – even when choosing beds for clients, the base isn’t the expense, it’s the mattress,” says Astley Clarke. Opt for a pocket-sprung, rather than foam, mattress if possible – it will pay dividends down the line. 

Much like the princess and the pea, I can be rather fussy about sleeping surfaces. But I was pleasantly surprised by the options on the market, many of which are far more comfortable and less creaky than their ancestors. 

How I tested

Due to the aforementioned small flat, I was unable to trial each sofa bed at home. But I could persuade shop assistants in furniture shops to let me have a shameless lie down. I visited all the big names – John Lewis, Heals, DFS, Made, etc – to try the bestselling sofa beds out for myself, testing them for comfort, quality and ease of use.

The best sofa beds for 2022

1. John Lewis Sansa 3-seater sofa bed

£1,349, John Lewis

Best for comfort

We liked: the spacious, family-friendly sofa with a built-in chaise