Sofa bed suggestions under £250 for daily sleeping

[Daffy711]

I need advice on a sofa bed please.

I’m looking for a sofa bed. My budget is £250 maximum. I want it to be comfortable as a sofa during the day for two people to sit on and I want to use it every night to sleep on so it needs to be comfortable to sleep on. I might be using it to sleep on for potentially 18 months or so, so it needs to be suitable for sleeping on every night and me not ending up with neckache, backache or any other joint problems. Obviously, this is a medium term solution and there are reasons why I am doing this without having to go into everything here.

Ideally, I’m looking for cream/beige or grey.

I have seen this online. Does anyone have any experience of sleeping on something like this? Will it be comfortable or too firm?

www.amazon.co.uk/Folding-Convertible-Sleeper-Chair-Pillow/dp/B0HFN95C1Z/ref=asc_df_B0GT5CYWLQ?mcid=53042c8c53283c4db60961d7280c5077&hvocijid=13686182767993384971-B0GT5CYWLQ-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13686182767993384971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046632&hvtargid=pla-2281435175938&gad_source=1&th=1

Anyone with experience of sleeping on a sofa bed, do you have any recommendations for something that would be suitable?

TIA

I have researched every single option under the sun as I too, need something that people can sit on during the day and that I can sleep properly on at night.

Anyway, I was unable to find any option that didn't either cost £1500( love the chair beds from willow and hall) or look like it would leave me needing the chiropractor.

In the end I went for a day bed as this still allows for a proper mattress. I went for the ikea "hemnes" option. It looks great and has been comfortable so far. It does have the option to be a double but I keep it as a single to save space and keep cost down.

Would have loved one of those wall beds which they use in holiday accommodation but budget did not allow. My ikea day bed with mattress cost me circa £400.

Thanks for that. I understand I’m going round in circles myself. Don’t want to spend a lot and also don’t want to end up with back problems etc.
A daybed wouldn’t work because I need it in my lounge to work as a sofa (other people will sit on it as well) and then I’m going to sleep on it at night as a temporary short/midterm solution.

Yeah, I don't have to use it as my main sofa thankfully though everybody still sits on it! It's definitely more of a bed than it is a sofa but I definitely needed that because of my back. I know ikea does a chair bed option also but it looked a bit too small for me when I saw it in the shop! Good luck anyway, it's a minefield!

I bought my son a sofa bed from IKEA for about £270. Definitely not comfortable for daily use! I hate to say it but I think you are looking for a unicorn with that budget.

Unless you can source it second hand I don't think the budget is enough for anything that does both jobs well and comfortably.

Have you got a sofa at the moment? If so keep using that and get a temporary mattress that rolls up up or hides behind your sofa during the day. A 2.5ft IKEA normal mattress might do it if your sofa is very long, or if not something from the futon company. We have a cube bed from them which is just sponge, but I find super comfy to sleep on. I'd risk sleeping on that for a year rather than a cheap sofa bed. A futon is probably more supportive but it would be a sacrifice on comfort.

If you are getting just a mattress you may find a traditional sprung one easier to move around than one of the modern memory foam type. They tend to be heavy, floppy and a PITA to move about.

I think I could sleep on our camping SIM on the floor every night quite happily- if you get an inflating gadget thing as well it wouldn't be the end of the world to put it up and down every day.

We have Outwell mats, I can't remember what the gadget thing to inflate and deflated to is called but I'll dig it out. You'd easily get kitted out with that budget and you get to keep your proper sofa too.

I think with your budget your best option is to look at good quality/condition second hand. You would be suprised at the bargains you can get. I got a £3,500 sofa that looked immaculate on a freecycle. I always get compliments on it and it cost me nothing so may be worth a look.

We slept and sat on an IKEA Lycksele sofa bed for 3 or 4 months during building work. It's not a thing of beauty but it's comfortable and practical. It feels more like a normal bed than the "in sofa" ones and has sprung wooden slats. You can get different grades of mattress for it IIRC.
You can also fit a box underneath to keep bedding/ covers in.

Check out this LYCKSELE MURBO from IKEA

Here's a little more information:

2-seat sofa-bed, Ransta natural

https://applink.ikea.com/tY8M9r9M4w--09387021gben

PS if budget limited, they have been around for ages, look for a secondhand one and maybe get a fresh cover.

Agree. Everything is so difficult these days, or so it seems. Thanks for your help.

😂. Unfortunately, I always seem to be looking for a unicorn. Story of my life 🤣

I don’t have a sofa at the moment. I’ll have a look at cube beds from the futon company. Thank you. It might be a mattress and a separate sofa if I don’t get anywhere with this.

Thanks, but I don’t have a sofa. So it needs to double as a sofa and be able to sleep on it for the moment.

We needed a sofabed for our study and spare room and I ended up buying this after lots of research
I appreciate this is 3 x your budget but, as others have said, maybe you can find second hand?

Jaybe specialise in sofas/folding beds.

This is a firm but very comfy sofa. Feels really well made but, if you are using daily, would suggest that its very important that it's easy to put up and down and this has a very good mechanism. Super quick and simple.
I'm told it's very comfortable as a bed too so perhaps search for a Jaybe second hand?

www.argos.co.uk/product/3424889

If you get a decent mattress topper made of memory foam (hopefully can fold and store it behind sofa in day?) then it will improve the comfort level a lot

Really isn’t great to sleep on a sofa bed for more than occasional use. For 18 months you could do yourself some damage. Especially as you’re looking at an extremely low budget one. We have a DFS (£1600) sofa bed and even the store sales person said they’re not suitable to use frequently.

A decent mattress is really important, could you use a mattress just on the floor temporarily and stand it up when not in use. Then get a cheap or second hand sofa for the daytime to sit on (id go with Ikea for low budget but well made). Even a blowup mattress would be better.

Yes, this is what I’m starting to think. Buy a sofa, a cheap one for now and pick up a mattress instead. Currently doing lots of research.

A day bed would be fine for occasional visitors to sit on, I'd prioritise a good night's sleep over the aesthetics.

For heavy use I agree with either a daybed or a mattress you could mean against the wall during the day, sofabeds don't seem designed to last well.
I have a daybed in my living room. I also bought some upholstery foam I cut into shape and covered so it has decent support as a sofa.

The upholstery foam is a fab idea for the daybed.

OP I'm not sure where you are but near us we have British heart Foundation, Oxfam and Emmaus charity furniture shops that all sell second hand sofas. These kind of places usually have some volunteers with a van who will deliver it. I find IKEA good value for mattresses though delivery cost may put it out of reach if there's not one near you.

I slept on an ikea sofa bed for several months and was very comfy. But it wasnt the small 2 seater sofa bed it was the L-shaped sofa- not sure hiw much room you have...

I wonder if a Hemnes daybed would be a good idea.https://ebay.io/m/DlZZHA These are proper beds and with Cushions can also make a comfy sofa - my DCs had them going from teens to young adults. The only negative is the high wooden ends and you will def need to buy 2nd hand to hit your budget.

Ive also just seen this 3ft Daybed With A Pull Out Trundle Bed Linen Grey | Wayfair.co.uk https://share.google/wqE6C7O2F6izWohdk which is in your budget.

i was stuck sleeping on a sofa bed for four months - I had had an operation and couldn’t get upstairs. For about two months I was actually bedbound as I couldn’t sit for any length of time so I was in that bed 24 hours a day and I don’t have any back problems….

Our solution: We ended up buying a very cheap small double memory foam mattress from Amazon to put on top of the sofa bed which was totally inadequate for long term use. The mattress can just stand behind the sofa when now in use.

It would be quite a palaver putting it all up every night and taking it down next day but if you have to, you have to.

So get whatever cheap sofa you can afford or find a nice one second hand. I recommend looking on the freecycle of very affluent areas as people often replace things that aren’t really worn out, worth asking if you can go see it then hiring a van to go and collect.

I'd get as decent a bed as possible for that price and people can sit on lawn chairs. It's only temporary.
Or else I'd look into renting a sofa bed. I wouldn't wreak my back with a sofa bed.

We have a daybed that we use as a sofa! It works well. Have larger cushions at the back to make it look more "sofa" like. Has 2 single mattresses on it and very comfy. Used for over 10 years and cost £50 and still going strong. Its a metal frame not wood so doesn't look to "bed" like in a living room. Keep thinking I'll replace it with a real sofa but nothing wrong with it and I like it 😂
Something like this you could make look sofa like then pull out the trundle? https://www.amazon.co.uk/sspa/click?ie=UTF8&spc=MTozOTIzMTM2ODU2NjkyMjM6MTc5MzU4ODg2NDpzcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRmOjMwMTE5MTg3MjEyMzQzMjo6MDo6&url=%2FCOSTWAY-Metal-Trundle-Single-Headboard%2Fdp%2FB0H83NZ538%2Fref%3Dmp_s_a_1_10_sspa%3Fcrid%3D28VD6LAPZM2S8%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.P-ibTymcuH0Js4NSnjQtetJCyJ3es5T7i2AmvUihRfRpxSvDWkVjhH24rxtbVjGv987b3sIBKmleNGDHwwJUfewcYkU1QxNyhESDVRSl4x2sCJaiU2VEfrQRQU6b3mtwy-y9Y4LeUbQ1Ex9VA46yOHI5oQ86hSS3NucoAIXu1F4.pe-Q8IpPToFa2-RiHaX5ggufLl__3REH-xyROi8J0FM%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Dmetal%2Bframed%2Bday%2Bbed%26qid%3D1793588863%26s%3Dkitchen%26sprefix%3Dmetal%2Bframed%2Bday%2Bbed%252Ckitchen%252C136%26sr%3D1-10-spons%26aref%3DsqioVe7Ljp%26sp_csd%3Dd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRm%26psc%3D1&aref=sqioVe7Ljp&sp_cr=ZAZ

The lycksele from ikea is a comfy sleep, but it’s not ideal as a sofa (doesn’t have arms). Possibly check out the charity furniture shops?

I spent alot of money on a double sofabed. Metal frame. Pull out. Thick mattress. Used it for years. Very comfy. It was replaced when we moved house. I got a cheaper one. Horrendous.

i know others have said this but a good second hand one will be better than a cheap sofa bed.