Where to buy a sofa bed: the 10 best stores to shop

Here's where to buy a sofa bed; we've rounded up the best places to shop, whether you're looking for a corner sofa bed, a budget pull-out or a compact futon

A cream corner sofa bed in a light-filled living room
(Image credit: Loaf)

Wondering where to buy a sofa bed? We've rounded up our first ports of call when looking for a stylish sleeper sofa, whether you're searching for the best place to buy a corner sofa bed (a tricky style to find!), a space-saving futon, or just the cheapest sofa bed around.

If you're in need of some style inspiration before you buy, then check out our guide to the best sofa beds on the market first. This buying guide features the Real Homes team's top picks of the best sofa beds across the board, plus the lowdown on the key details to look out for when sleeper sofa shopping.

But if you're looking for something more specific - perhaps you have an exact colour in mind, or specific size requirements you need to satisfy - then this edit of sofa bed retailers will help to kickstart your search for the perfect piece of furniture.

Where to buy a sofa bed

Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

A white day bed with pull-out sleeping platform and storage drawers in a bedroom

(Image credit: IKEA)

IKEA

Best for: budget sofa beds with a design element

Specifications

Budget: From £99 - £1995
Upholstery options: Limited
Lead-times: Generally not
Showroom availability: Good

Reasons to buy

+
Very affordable options
+
Good showroom availability makes it easy to test before you buy
+
Generally no lead-times
+
Wide selection of models

Reasons to avoid

-
Basic models are often quite firm
-
Limited upholstery options

The Swedish homeware giant is often our first port of call when it comes to design-led furniture at refreshingly affordable prices, and IKEA sofa beds are always worth a look.

In past years we've found the brand's sleeper sofa range has been a little bit hit and miss, with some very affordable - the two-person IKEA Hammarn sofa bed is just £99! - yet very firm options that haven't always reflected the brand's usual design aesthetics. However, its showrooms are brilliant for testing before you buy, and it's one of the few retailers where you can test and walk away with your sofa bed the very same day.

If you're looking for some extra sleeping space in a larger bedroom or playroom we do love the IKEA Hemnes day bed. It definitely looks more like a bed than an archetypal sofa bed, but it makes a great lounging spot during the day and extends into a properly comfortable double sleeping space at night. Plus it offers super useful storage and matches with the rest of the very popular Hemnes bedroom furniture range.

A bright orange sofa bed in a contemporary living room

(Image credit: Habitat)

Argos

Best for: cheap sofa beds and sleeper chairs

Specifications

Budget: From £60 - £1495
Upholstery options: Very limited
Lead-times: Generally not
Showroom availability: Limited

Reasons to buy

+
Very affordable options
+
Now stocks the Habitat collection
+
Generally no lead-times
+
Wide selection of models

Reasons to avoid

-
Very limited upholstery options
-
Limited showroom availability makes it difficult to try before you buy

The Argos sofa bed offering now includes the Habitat range, which has increased the options available considerably and injected some contemporary style into the collection.

Prices start from a super reasonable £60 for a chair bed and around £100 for an entry-level double sofa bed in the brand's own label designs, although the low prices are achieved by offering ready-to-buy models only, so you won't get much choice on upholstery at this retailer. 

Argos' lack of showroom space also makes testing before you buy pretty difficult. On the plus side though, its off-the-shelf, online-only formula does mean your sofa bed is likely to be delivered pretty fast.

The simple yet effective Habitat Patsy single sofa bed at £150 is one of the retailer's most popular lines, alongside the bargain £580 Habitat Reagan Right Corner Sofa Bed with fold-out design and handy storage chaise, and the chunky Habitat Kota Sofa Bed that adds colourful comfort to a contemporary room.

A grey sofa bed in a modern living room

(Image credit: John Lewis)

John Lewis

Best for: good quality sofa beds and helpful customer service

Specifications

Budget: From £179 - £2449
Upholstery options: 100+
Lead-times: Sometimes
Showroom availability: Good

Reasons to buy

+
Contemporary and classic designs
+
Good quality craftsmanship
+
Great range of upholstery options
+
Good showroom availability makes it easy to test before you buy
+
Reliable customer service

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment

The John Lewis sofa bed range features a really good mix of styles, from classic-look sofas with hidden pull-out mattress that echo its bestselling sofa designs, to ingenious contemporary solutions from sub-brand Innovation Living.

A good selection of showrooms across the country mean you're usually not too far from being able to test a model out, and many options come with a large selection of upholstery choices on offer.

A good range of price points are also on offer, from the affordable £299 Clapton Fixed Back Sofa Bed to the smart Innovation Living Cubed 140 Sofa Bed that we think is perfect for a home office/guest room, and the versatile Bailey Double Sofa Bed that matches perfectly with John Lewis' most popular living room furniuture range of the same name.

A blue velvet sofa bed in a period property

(Image credit: Sofa.com)

Sofa.com

Best for: comfortable sofa beds in a great range of fabrics

Specifications

Budget: From £1304 - £2093
Upholstery options: 100+
Lead-times: Yes
Showroom availability: Limited

Reasons to buy

+
Sofa beds from a dedicated sofa specialist
+
Great range of sizes on offer
+
Comfortable feather-wrapped foam cushions
+
Great range of upholstery options

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment

Although you may pay a little more for a Sofa.com sofa bed than some of the other retailers on our list, the investment is well worth it in terms of choice and quality. 

The sofa specialist has developed its sofa bed collection from its bestselling sofa designs, including the popular Bluebell sleeper sofa with its elegant turned wood feet, and the laidback loose-cover Isaac corner sofa

Unusually, the brand offers a similar level of versatility with its sofa bed offering as it does in its sofa range, with a fantastic diversity of size options in each sofa bed model - generally including loveseat, two-seater, two-and-a-half-seater, three-seater and more - plus a great selection of upholstery choices, from relaxed linen to smart velvet or leather upholstery.

The sofa bed range also features Sofa.com's usual seat cushion quality - made from foam cores wrapped in feathers - that make for a really comfortable sitting experience.

A teal green chair bed with velvet upholstery in a modern living room

(Image credit: MADE)

MADE

Best for: contemporary sofa beds and luxe-look chair beds

Specifications

Budget: From £199 - £1399
Upholstery options: 5+
Lead-times: Yes
Showroom availability: Limited

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable options
+
Contemporary design
+
Wide selection of models

Reasons to avoid

-
Generally long lead-times
-
Limited showroom availability makes it difficult to try before you buy

The MADE sofa bed collection has over eighty models on offer, so it's a great place to get a feel for which kind of style of sleeper sofa you prefer, especially if you're a fan of modern design, as most of its range errs towards contemporary.

On the downside, there are only two showrooms across the country - in Yorkshire and London - so trying before you buy can be difficult, and it always pays to doublecheck the lead-time before you buy as many lines have quite a long wait for delivery.

Design-wise MADE's Haru Small Sofa Bed is one of the most luxe-look compact sleeper chairs we've come across for its £299 price tag. Perfect for a kids bedroom, additional seating in a boudoir, or an extra accent chair in the living room, it only sleeps one but upholstered in colourful canvas or stylish velvet, it's a chair bed you won't want to hide away. And for only £80 more there's the Haru Large Double Sofa Bed which sleeps two.

If your tastes are more classic, then the Orson Chaise End Sofa Bed with turned wood feet and rolled back arms is a great option to consider at a very reasonable £1199. Plus there is some handy hidden storage under the chaise section.

Bag the best price with one of our Made discount codes.

A patterned sofa bed in a light-filled room

(Image credit: Sofas & Stuff)

Sofas & Stuff

Best for: classic design with a huge selection of fabric options

Specifications

Budget: From £1893 - £3852
Upholstery options: 1000+
Lead-times: Yes
Showroom availability: Good

Reasons to buy

+
Sofa beds from a dedicated sofa specialist
+
Great range of upholstery options
+
Comfortable fibre wrapped foam cushions

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment

If you want the ultimate flexibility in your upholstery choice, then a Sofas & Stuff sofa bed may well be the option for you.

Unlike most other retailers on our list Sofas & Stuff offer thousands of fabric choices, - in fact, they offer to upholster in any fabric in the world! - from statement florals to smart pinstripes and, of course, more great neutrals than you can shake a stick at. 

Sofa bed styles are classic and brilliant for period properties. We love the traditional detail of the Upperton Sofa Bed that's available in relaxed loose covers for a laidback, slouchy feel or fitted upholstery for a smarter look, plus the plump seats and rolled back arms of the Alwinton Sofa Bed.

A navy blue chaise sofa bed with bedding

(Image credit: Next)

Next

Best for: timeless designs and good showroom availability

Specifications

Budget: From £650 - £2175
Upholstery options: 100+
Lead-times: Yes
Showroom availability: Excellent

Reasons to buy

+
Timeless designs
+
Great range of upholstery options
+
Excellent showroom availability makes it easy to test before you buy

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment
-
Not the widest selection of styles

The best thing about the Next sofa bed range has to be the ease with which you can test its most popular models out. Most large towns now have a Next showroom on a retail park or in their town centre, so getting to sit and sprawl across the actual sofa bed you're hoping to buy can be an easy reality. 

Designs are simple and contemporary classic, meaning they're pieces that are likely to weather changes in interior styles and stand the test of time well.

There are also some good leather options, from the versatile Michigan Leather Occasional Sofa Bed that comes in a range of subtle tones, to the compact Stamford Leather Occasional Sofa Bed.

A wooden futon with navy blue upholstery

(Image credit: Dunelm)

Dunelm

Best for: cheap futons and budget sofa beds

Specifications

Budget: From £129 - £899
Upholstery options: Limited
Lead-times: Generally not
Showroom availability: Limited

Reasons to buy

+
Very affordable options

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited selection
-
Limited upholstery options
-
Limited showroom availability makes it difficult to try before you buy

There may not be the biggest selection of styles on offer, but Dunelm sofa beds and chair beds are very affordable, with a basic single futon starting from £129.

The product choice is mainly contemporary, with limited but colourful upholstery options that can make a useful budget addition to a kid's or teenager's bedroom.

Although Dunelm stores are plentiful across the UK, it can be tricky to find shops that have a good sofa bed selection on display, so trying before you buy is sometimes difficult. 

Comfort can also sometimes take a backseat to affordability, with most designs made with a fold-out click-clack mechanism and fairly firm foam seating, but if a bargain fold-out bed is your mission, this could be a store worth trying. 

A beige sofa bed in a mid-Century modern room with Crittal glass wall

(Image credit: Swyft)

Swyft

Best for: a sofa bed in a box ideal for apartment living

Specifications

Budget: From £1995
Upholstery options: 5+
Lead-times: Generally not
Showroom availability: Limited

Reasons to buy

+
Compact packaging makes for easy delivery to homes with awkward access
+
Superfast 24 hour delivery

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment 
-
Only one sofa bed model currently
-
Limited showroom availability makes it difficult to try before you buy

If you're an apartment dweller, or just live somewhere with awkward access, then the Swyft sofa bed in a box has been designed with you in mind. 

Perhaps better known for its sofa-in-a-box, Swyft's Model 04 sofa bed is its first sleeper sofa offering, and the simple no-tools self-assembly and compact packaging mean it can be delivered to any room - including up tricky flights of stairs. 

Although there is only one mid-Century influenced sofa bed style currently available, this model comes in seven good colour options, with two neutral linen blends and five on-trend shades of velvet. 

This design is fairly expensive for a sofa bed that doesn't have a dedicated pull-out mattress - in this design, the seat pulls forward and the back folds down to form the sleeping surface - but the option is all about convenience, with Swyft able to deliver your guest's new favourite overnight bed within just 24 hours. 

A navy blue corner sofa bed in a white living room

(Image credit: Loaf)

Loaf

Best for: super squishy sofa beds and investment furniture

Specifications

Budget: From £1395 - £3145
Upholstery options: 100+
Lead-times: Yes
Showroom availability: Fairly good

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable feather-wrapped foam cushions
+
Great range of upholstery options
+
Fairly good showroom availability makes it possible to test before you buy

Reasons to avoid

-
An investment
-
Most models take up quite a bit of room, so not for a small property

If you love the laidback look - and are willing to pay for an investment piece of furniture - then the Loaf sofa bed collection offers some super comfortable options that you'll be very happy to snuggle up on in their sofa (or chair) form. 

If you only need a single bed's worth of sleeping space, then the plumptious Pudding Love Seat Sofa Bed is an accent chair you'll be happy to give pride of place in your living room, whilst if you want more room there are several good corner sofa beds on offer, including the versatile Chatnap Modular Corner Sofa Bed to which you can add or subtract sectional sofa units to create a design bespoke to your home, or the Cloud Corner Sofa Bed which combines contemporary design with Loaf's usual super comfy feather-wrapped foam seat cushions.


What else should you know about sofa beds?

Not yet convinced a sofa bed is for you? We've rounded up 11 reasons why a sofa bed is better than a sofa to put any concerns... to bed... And if you want some more top tips on what to look out for when buying, make sure to have a read of our full guide to how to choose a sofa bed

Amy Lockwood
Decor Editor

After completing a major house renovation, Amy discovered what she had always suspected; that decorating is the best part. She joined the Real Homes team to share her love for all things interior, finally putting all those hours spent agonizing over the best white paint to good use in Real Homes’ carefully researched buying guides, and helping readers to find the best furniture, decor, and furnishings to create the home they've always dreamed of. 

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