Sleeper Sofas

[tanastaplo]

Good morning, all!

I will conduct a separate search, I promise, but I wanted to post this quickly in case I don't find anything when I search.

We're in the market for a new couch, but this time we want it to be a sleeper sofa. Most sleeper sofas I've slept on are not very comfortable, and some are downright awful, but a few have been just fine. I really want my guests to be comfortable!! Do any of you have any suggestions about brands/models/makes that you find comfortable, or about separately-manufactured mattresses or support boards that make a big difference?

Thank you! And Happy Monday!
Teddy

[Beth]

When we got ours, they had 2 thicknesses of mnatress you could get, and we found that some frames were made so they would tend to hit you in the wrong spot. We found a frame we thoguht was good and got the thicker matress. I see some now are even thicker, but they are also offering air mattresses for sleeper sofas. That might be the way to go since the thickness is not limited to the space that can fold up inside the sofa. I saw these advertised woth Lazy Boy ans somewhere else. You might also be able to order the sofa without a mattress and add your own air mattress.

[Gail]

I wish my mind weren't just a sieve... I've purchased two sleeper sofas, one of which was divinely comfortable. The one I have right now, which I got from Ethan Allen, I hate. Lovely sofa; REALLY uncomfortable bed, though...

I have a vague recollection that when I was shopping for the first one (I ended up getting a custom-made one from a small store in the Pacific Design Center in LA, so that's not going to help you, I know...) I remember getting a lot of salesman spiel about this new type of construction which didn't have the conventional springs all the way down, and instead they'd come up with some trampoline-looking device to support the mattress which made it supposedly much more comfortable. Balderdash! That's what the Ethan Allen one has and you can feel the support bar through the mattress. I am embarrassed to have guests sleep on the thing...

The custom one I had had a thicker, more substantial mattress and didn't have the "trampoline" bottom. For a time, I lived in a one-room apartment and slept on that thing every night. It was great. We even used it for a time when I got married.

Since I can't give you specifics of brands or construction, about the best advice I CAN give you is to shop around a lot, open and lie on different makes (roll around a bit to see if you feel springs and the support bar) and ask the salespeople for opinions. They'll all tell you their make is best, but in between you pick up little tidbits to look for which may help you in your search.

Wish I had something more concrete to offer.

[tanastaplo]

Originally posted by Gail
Since I can't give you specifics of brands or construction, about the best advice I CAN give you is to shop around a lot, open and lie on different makes (roll around a bit to see if you feel springs and the support bar) and ask the salespeople for opinions.

This is great advice, and sounds like a lot of fun, to boot. Thank you both for taking the time to give some feedback. I'll look into your air mattress idea, too, Beth. That may be a great solution.

Thanks again -- and if anyone else wants to chime in, I'll be grateful to receive more advice!

Teddy