I have the gus modern sofa and like it a lot. It doesn't look like a sleep sofa imo.

in my office/den/guest room, i have the ian leather sleeper from room & board. the mattress is actually an air mattress, and SO comfortable:

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=19357&catalog=filter&menuCatalog=room&menuCategory=201&menuSubcategory=196

What's nice about Ikea is that they have (or at least had when I was purchasing) different levels of mattresses available for their futons. I knew that mine would be folded up everyday and then open to be slept on nightly. With that in mind, I purchased a futon mattress "graded" for nightly sleeping. It was a foam/coil combo. Granted it was more expensive (I think I spent about $500 nearly nine years ago for the frame, mattress and cover), but I slept on it for 5 years and am still using it as a guest bed with no complaints.

I adore the Encore sofa from Room & Board, but one of the things I loved best about the company was that products were made in the US. Unfortunately, this one is made in China and that's why it's $899 and not $1,899. I'm glad the site is at least up front about where things are made. If Room & Board made the same sofa in the US I would consider it next time we needed a sofa. The design is great.

I looked at some of these but ended up just going with an IKEA Beddinge futon. For the difference in price, it really wasn't worth it to me to spend thousands on a sofabed that people might sleep on a handful of nights a year. The Beddinge futon is functional, comfortable enough for the occasional guest, and costs around $300 brand-new.

We had a craigslisted pottery barn leather sofa bed and it was amazing! We recently got a kivik sofa bed - UGH. The couch is horribly uncomfortable and the sofa bed is okay. It is super low to the ground so my mother in law and father have a hard time getting up and down.

At THOSE prices I'd rather just get a bigger place w a space bedroom. People don't chose tiny, none functional apts because they like it. Hah!

*spare bedroom*

@Longorious - At my last apartment, the difference in cost between a one bedroom and a two bedroom was about $200 a month. For $2,400 extra per year I'd rather buy a sleeper sofa instead. Plus, it's a sleeper sofa. Just use it as a sofa in your living room when guests aren't there.

I have searched for a great sofa bed for a long, long time. I need it to be modern in style (no rolled arms or T-shaped cushions), able to use without pulling out as a twin bed, at least standard full size when pulled out, and not designed to rest directly on the floor. I'm open to a day bed that has a trundle, but it has to be MODERN. And I would actually prefer it to be 2 twin beds that can be pushed together for couples, but left separate for friends. I still have yet to find this unicorn of sleeper sofas.

Bo Concept sleeper sofa - comfy, very good looking in silver, small enough to turn out tiny office into a guest room. Had it for over a year and love it!
http://www.boconcept.us/sofa-beds.aspx?ID=83494&imageid=1398

Anyone have the Room & Board Elke sofa? I've searched for reviews but found nothing so far!
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=21625&catalog=filter&menuCatalog=room&menuCategory=201&menuSubcategory=196

anyone researched the difference between the mitchell gold + bob williams luxe vs super luxe sleepers? Price and comfort?

I have Bo Concept sleeper that's no longer on their website, but here's a photo:
http://www.polyvore.com/boconcept_sleeper_sofa/thing?id=9233024

I think it's comfortable, and it's nice in a small space because it doesn't look heavy. Druzhok, I really like the one you have. Great functionality.

We recently got a sleeper from Macy's that's almost identical to the Soto Sleeper from DWR. It looks sharp and is about 1/4 the price of the DWR one. I didn't hear any complaints from my recent guests, so either it's fairly comfortable or they are extremely polite.

@AG2011 I have the Elke and it's great. It's very easy to use and a nice size. I actually have a guest staying with me now for a month and he's sleeping on it and said it's very comfortable.

@Parnassus I am looking for exactly the same unicorn as you are. If you find it post here and I will do likewise. Hopefully, some furniture designer is looking at this site and our dream will be fulfilled.

I have this Encore Gravel Convertible Sofa Bed and I LOVE it. Bonus: it was UNDER $600!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/928077/Dwell-Home-Encore-Gravel-Fabric-Convertible-Sofa-contemporary-sofa-beds-

We just bought the månstad sofa! It's so comfy! Ist easy to asemble.

What ever happened to the 3-part flip sofa by West Elm? I would really have liked to have eventually bought it, it looked perfect for company, no bar, just real cushiony on the floor. But I always wondered how it held up if used often as a sofa also, would it lose it's shape? It looked like something great for a guest room/office, only to be used for an occasional guest.

Need to add Murphy sleeper sofa to the list: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/murphy-sleeper-sofa

I got it from World Market for $449.99 in '09 and love it. Easily unfolds into a bed, storage underneath. The storage does not rest on the floor but is attached to the sofa. Can't beat the price either!

I see the Flat Out sleeper from Blu Dot is recommended, but I still like the One Night Stand! It was recommended in another round up, and Maxwell put it up as a "buy of the day" a while back. It's got a modern look, a firm mattress, and an easy transition from sofa to bed.

http://www.bludot.com/modern-seating/modern-sofas-sleepers/one-night-stand-sleeper-sofa.html

@Parnassus and @Wordgrl, have you looked at sleeper chairs? They do have to be pulled out to use, but if they're armless,they could be pushed together for couples. Like http://www.carolinachair.com/crawfordsleepersofasingle.html and http://www.fashionforhome.com/copperfield-solo-sleeper-chair.html?gclid=CKSC4v-j1rECFYeo4AodMkkA0Q&CID=COM_SEM_1_53_11775&ef_id=RXdPkIvF52oAAMAj:20120807194626:s#!Color%3DBlue%26Material%3DPolyester

I have a small guest room which doubles as an office, so space is tight. I spent a good chunk of time looking for an affordable and compact sleeper sofa. My favorites were Room & Board's Encore pictured above, as well as CB2's Flex Sleeper (similar to the Blu Dot one above), but didn't feel like their quality met the near-$1000 price tags. So I turned to the interwebs and found this gem at Walmart (!!!)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Emily-Convertible-Futon-Vanilla/16550066
Mine doesn't have the split back (you can kinda see it here: http://whoisamelia.blogspot.com/2011/09/sneak-peek.html), but the faux leather feels like the real thing, and it hasn't shown dirt or wear in spite of daily use. Under $200!

i have a Manstad by Ikea and we LOVE it. so much so, that in the beginning we slept on it more than our own bed!
i wanted something more plush initially but i just could not ignore the functionality and extra storage available under the lounge seat. with our 750 square condo, function plus extra storage always wins brownie points with us!

We needed a small sectional sleeper in our tv room and took a gamble with the Ikea Lugnvik for $499. Doesn't overwhelm the space and sleeps comfortably.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90214134/

Another vote for the Manstad. We've had ours for almost 2 years now. Aside from being comfy and convenient for both sofa purposes and guest bed purposes, the storage aspect makes it worth more than every other sleeper sofa mentioned. My only complaint? I wish it was a little deeper. I find myself leaving it open as a bed for a few days after guests leave, just so I have the extra depth to really lounge on in front of the TV.

We just got Ikea's Karlstad sleeper sofa. It's brand new so no one has slept on it yet, but it looks great (modern styling, but not at the expense of comfort) and I think it's comfy as a couch too. We have a small studio but we make it work--the fact that it is trundle-style helps a LOT on the space factor (but that may just be because of how our apartment is laid out). In my mind, it comes close to the unicorn sought by others--it just can't be separated for friends who don't want to sleep next to each other

My experience with (worthwhile) sleeper sofas has mainly been ikea... beddinge is good and I've slept regularly on at least 2 with different kinds of mattresses, as well as a ps chairbed, and my sister had a manstad that I slept on for a couple weeks. I currently own a lessebo, though good luck finding one, as it was only sold back in 2005 if I'm not mistaken (mine is craigslisted). For a while I also coveted the also-discontinued allerum, which seems more attainable (I have seen at least 3 listed within the last month in my extended area) but not as easy to transport in a honda fit (not that the lessebo was all that fun either!) Apparently the allerum actually has springs in it, which is pretty cool; lessebo is all foam, though a nice density that I find very comfortable. (My normal mattress is currently a foam construct too....)

It does seem key to not have a foldout mattress (that is, what you sit on should be what you sleep on). It's probably at least a little lighter that way, too.

Very happy with our American Leather Kristina sofa (in microfiber upholstery, not leather). As a sofa it's small enough to fit in my tiny home office, but it folds out into an extra-long double bed. Best of all, the bed is a stable platform and comfy foam mattress, not the usual saggy spring deal with metal bars poking you in the back.

We have an American Leather sleeper sofa that folds out to a king sized bed. It's very comfortable in either configuration. I have 2 small problems with it - the first is that it's too long for our tiny Chicago foursquare, and the second is that it's in microfiber fabric, which is a nightmare with kids. If I could afford it, I'd buy the same couch again in leather and the Q bed version. We found it at a department store outlet, so we got it in 2006 for less than the price of an IKEA MANSTAD.

We are estate sale junkies and picked up a mid century sleeper last weekend. It's a little strange because the bed portion lifts up and out and only makes a twin. The wood needs help which is our specialty but we're little stumped on finding a mattress. We've seen what ikea and overstock has to offer but we'd really love some nice modern square corners like the two red couches in the photos. Anyone have some suggestions?

Check out Innovation USA sofa beds -- Danish design, U.S./China manufacturing/assembly. SmartFurniture and many other retailers sell them.
They have one very similar to the Room&Board Encore sofa (I've heard they actually manufacture both the Encore and the Elke), but offer theirs with a choice of stainless steel legs or tapered wooden legs.

I have the Manstad from Ikea. I love it. It is very comfy to sit on. When it is pulled out into the sleeping position the side closest to the back is softer than the part that pulls out. It works for my husband and I because he doesn't mind the firmer side, but I could not sleep on that side. This is both our sofa and our bed, so we use it every day. We've had it for 4 months. My only complaint is that the cotton fabric is not very stain resistant. It would have been better in a microfiber. I have kids and dogs and the only way to clean it is with the upholstery attachment to my carpet shampooer. Overall great and a good value, I would definitely recommend it.

I actually bought in store from Sleepers In Seattle (you can see a photo of my living room on their Facebook page). They have a great selection and I was able to get something really comfortable with a lifetime warranty for just over $1000. The sleeper has been used several times and I am pleased to say no complaints! They sell hundreds of options but I got exactly what I wanted without going over budget.

Why is the Nomade Express from Ligne Roset not on this list. It is superior to every sleeper sofa listed, and at over $4,000 it better be. High style, simple elegance, rich fabrics to choose from and most importantly the best mattress you'll ever sleep on.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Nomade+Express,+Ligne+Roset&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1015&bih=483&tbm=isch&tbnid=qOUygqUpNVILHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ligne-roset.com.tw/seats/nomade-express.htm&docid=BM8KxiCP6fnGfM&imgurl=http://www.ligne-roset.com.tw/upload/product/prod_pic/1171530107_nomade-express002.jpg&w=450&h=236&ei=3HN6UOKJLaa7igKLhoGwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=308&vpy=175&dur=538&hovh=138&hovw=273&tx=165&ty=89&sig=118187047717186321163&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=273&start=0&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:74

Thanks! I was looking at the Gus Modern Flip sofa, but the BoConcept one looks great, too! Can you tell me if I can only set up one half as a twin bed so to speak? Also, would you say it's comfortable enough to sleep two weeks at a time?
Thanks, again!

I've been researching everywhere trying to make a decision! But this list and especially the comments really help. This also helped... http://modernfurnishingsottawa.blogspot.ca/2012/10/best-sleeper-sofas-sofa-beds.html it's just about one brand but they sound good and it gives you an idea of things to think about when choosing a sofa bed. Worth a read

@kbees I'm considering buying the gus modern flip. Would you mind sharing which fabric you chose and how it's performed over time? What's your impression of the couch overall? Any complaints? Many thanks! Dorota

Sofa beds do get such a bad rep sometimes for their uncomfortable bed sections, but I could not agree more they are so functional! Especially if you're hosting during the holiday season and your house suddenly turns into a B&B!;)
I've found a great helpful resource price comparison of different sofa beds to choose from here: http://home-and-garden.become.com/chaise-sofa-bed

We had the GM flip for a while.... Sort of comfy, looked nice... the fabric got really dirty quickly though because it sits on the floor. If you're really clean it should be ok. We ended up buying one from Innovation as a replacement. Very happy with it.
http://www.elevenfiftyfour.ca/collections/living/sofa-beds

One thing to keep in mind with these reviews. Many are from single females. No offense, but it's hard to hang your hat on a review of a sofa bed from a petite girl. I'm an average sized guy (5'-11", 165#) and wouldn't be comfortable with any mattress less than the normal 80". Throw-in my average sized wife, and then the standard 60" queen width would be necessary for a good night's sleep. These requirements cut out half the suggestions on this list if you plan to have guests over) of course, you don't want them to be too comfortable and over-stay their welcome).

Do you know where I could find a slipcover for this sofa? Mine collects lint like a giant lint magnet.

Hi TheGooch, if you need a sofa bed with a slipcover, check out "Play" by these guys:
http://www.thesofabedstore.com/products/play
(we ended up buying the "Movie Night", but this was a close second) Really nice product

CB2 recently came out with a new sleeper sofa that is exactly what I wanted!!! I don't know if it will hold up well long term, but the Tandem Sleeper Sofa is a winner, so I thought I'd add it onto this thread.

http://www.cb2.com/tandom-sleeper-sofa/s526614

It works as a twin bed without unfolding anything:
For a single guest (or a single person apartment) you can sleep comfortably without pulling out the whole bed

When pulled out, mattress is not on the floor:
My guest room/studio has concrete floors. Mattress on concrete = depressing and cold.

Single bench cushion:
I hate multiple seat cushions. Messy visual lines, messy crumbs, uncomfortable cracks. Bench seats forevah!

Very narrow back and arms:
Sleeper sofas usually need to fit in a tight spot, so the narrower the arms, the better.