If anyone knows of a sleeper that is comfortable both as a couch and a sleeper, please share! We don't have the space for a dedicated guest room but the air mattress is difficult for some of our guests who have back issues.

We're thinking of getting the ektorp corner sofa with bed, and wondering if anyone here has thoughts on comfort. We briefly looked at the Manstad but it was a bit too boxy for our taste, and though we liked karlstad more thank ektorp, it was too large for our space. Thanks.

I thought this was the sofa sleeper a couple of weeks ago?

Oftheaprilbirds --

Sounds like you need the Comfort Sleeper by American Leather:

http://www.americanleather.com/ComfortSleeper-Features-Benefits/Features-and-Benefits.aspx

I used to have this couch. We slept on it for 3 months before we got a bed - and it was fantastic. Super comfortable, and we thought that making it a bed was quick and easy, even after working 16 hours... Not to mention that we enjoyed the smaller foot print was great for nyc, while still being large enough (and comfy) to lounge on.

@ Oftheaprilbirds: I have a memory foam type thin mattress (about $100 from a department store) that I use on top of an Ikea futon and it's amazing. Guests who have slept on that have a hard time believing they were actually sleeping on a futon!

bepsf- Thanks for the link!

konar- Thanks for your review!

I've had this couch/bed (or it's earlier IKEA incarnation) for 3 years now. The bed is VERY FIRM. We ended up buying a mattress pad to go on top, and it's much better. You should also be aware that the cushions do not hold shape over time - you're going to be constantly pushing them back into some semblance of a square.

I would only recommend this if you're not looking to make a big investment, and if you're willing to sacrifice on comfort. We've actually had to give up a few movies mid-viewing because we couldn't take the couch anymore. (I almost think it's better as a bed than a couch!)

The couch isn't all bad and practical. But as far as I know it only comes in two ugly fabrics.

JOSE A-

I had the regular Ektorp sleeper sofa (not the corner model), and while it was great as a regular couch, my guests started grumbling after 2 nights sleeping on it. It has a very thin mattress, so more than a night or two on it won't be very comfy.

I just got this sofa and it is great. But I bought it "as is" and the bed part is off somehow and doesn't stay up when in the bed position. Anyone have the original directions for piecing together?

wow, really appreciate the review format. thanks!

I live in a studio and considered this sofabed but was told by friends who own one that it be would very comfortable to sleep on regularly. For casual guests, it might work.

I ended up shelling out the big bucks for a Nuevo Sleeper from Crate & Barrel. It was expensive but considering it's my couch AND bed, the price seemed justified. The mattress and mechanism cannot be beat. You can also order it with an ottoman and extended seat cushion to give the appearance of an L shape.

Though be sure to take into account the size of your doorway, it can be a monster for some older buildings.

We considered the Manstad, but ultimately rejected it due to not being able to easily replace the cover. With 2 dogs, that just wasn't an option. We ended up purchasing the Karlstad sofabed and added the footstool. We love it!

@Jose A - we considered the Ektorp corner sofa bed and was told it was quite uncomfortable for those sleeping on it. We used to have the regular Ektorp sofabed and loved it. We slept on it for months before we bought a proper bed.

My fiancee and I were considering getting the MANSTAD for our small apartment, but we didn't like the blockiness of the couch. We thought about getting the EKTORP 3-seater with a matching storage ottoman to try and mimic the MANSTAD, but we lose the sofabed in the process.

Anyone know of something similar in utility to the MANSTAD with the nice cushy feel of the EKTORP? Hopefully something in the same price range (or lower)!

"I ended up shelling out the big bucks for a Nuevo Sleeper from Crate & Barrel..."

That's one of the American Leather designed sofabeds...
...with an exclusive to C&B arm-style.

We have a full size bed in our 450 sq ft apartment and don't really have room for a sofa as well. We can't have guests over without a sofa. So we're really considering this sofa bed. We're just worried that it wouldn't be comfortable enough to sleep on every night. This wouldn't just be for guests, this would be our bed. Any input from people who've slept on this long term? Would we end up with back problems and totally regret selling our comfy mattress? And what is the mattress made of on this sofa bed? Are there springs or is it just foam? Is it squishy/firm/hard/soft? Any feedback would be much appreciated.

I'm pretty sure the mattress is just foam, but it's very firm. I was surprised at how comfortable it is given that firmness. However, my mother, who has a bad back, found that it was ok for eight hours, but if she slept late she woke up with her back hurting. I usually put a comforter on top to give a little shallow cushioning for guests. I have a bed, but sometimes sleep on the sofa if I'm being insomniac for whatever reason. The seating area itself is also wide enough that I rarely pull out the extension.

As a sofa it's very comfortable and I pretty much live on it when I'm home. I love the storage underneath. I also like the looks, though I guess it does scream IKEA.

My only problem, and it is a big one, is that the fabric is awful. I have 2 longhaired cats, and the fabric just grabs onto shed hair awfully. And every time I wipe it down the fabric naps and pills more and more.

I've definitely been looking at the slipcover post from last week. I'm concerned about how to get the cover on without breaking down and reassembling the couch, but if that's possible I'm dreaming of a nice ultrasuede cover from which the cat hair just slips off...

I like it a lot...but I'm not sure when I'll have a thousand dollars to spend on one piece of furniture.

Again, I thought that it was comfortable to sleep on every night... but we did order a mattress pad to put on top.

I seen small sofa bed online

http://www.shangrilasofa.com/model-SL141.html#pic

this is converted Le Corbusier sofa, deeper seats and more comfortable

Why does the Manstad's construction make it so impervious to easily-removed slipcovers?

I have a dog, and definitely need a removable slipcover for my Manstad. Unfortunately, most of the slipcovers described online are utterly permanent, like the one from Eddie Ross. ("she used a staple gun to secure the cover to the underside of the cushion" - shriek) The only removable slipcover I found was made as a project by Gaytha. (http://gaytha-gaytha.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-ikea-hack.html) Even Benz offers no help.

IKEA, why do you torture me so?

I'm looking for something just like this- a smal sectional that has a connecting ottoman so it can be used as a sleeper. I don't want mechanisms- just two sturdy, confortable pieces of furniture the fit together. Anyone know of something like this?

Hey everyone! Saw quite a few requests for the Manstad sofa bed cover here, so I thought i'd drop a line as we recently worked out a way to sew/make slip covers for the Manstad. Any feedbacks, good or bad would be most appreciated :)

Here're some pictures of the IKEA Manstad cover

My husband and I slept on one of these for about a year while we were transitioning out of college and into the real world. It was fairly comfortable as a bed every night and in our studio living arrangements it held guests well as a couch. Two years later we still have it in the guest room with no complaints other than its ugly frame.