Choosing a Sofa Bed
Buying Advice
Designs of different sofa beds vary considerably. In some of those for sale today the mattress simply slides out, or the back folds down. Others unfold themselves in a masterpiece of engineering which requires a degree in quantum physics to operate. Seriously, the ease of assembly is a point to consider if the bed is likely to be set up late at night when people are tired and emotional.Some of the modern sofa beds on the market have enough internal space that it is possible to have them made up with basic bedding even when they are closed and in use as seats. This saves a lot of time. However you will still need to find somewhere to store the pillows, etc. Other models take the opposite approach and use an inflatable ait mattress. You can even buy ones where the entire unit - sofa and bed - is inflated with an air pump when needed.
Don't forget to consider the size. Sofa beds are often used in small rooms - but will it still be possible to open the door when the bed is open? If not then it could make answering a nighttime call of
nature tricky. And what happens to the sleeper if there is a fire or other emergency? On the other hand, sometimes the beds are so short that many people will find their feet hanging over the end.
You can buy sofa beds in a wide range of price bands from the most basic functional design to top of the range contemporary leather models. It's certainly possible to get a bargain however, as is so often the case, you usually get what you pay for. I've slept on plenty of sofa beds in my time and can vouch for the fact that some are a lot more comfortable than others. But then you have to ask yourself whether it's worth spending the extra for the best in the store if it will only be used occcasionally.