Sleeper Sofa Mattress

Sleeper sofa mattresses have a bad reputation. Generally it’s a well deserved reputation, but things have changed. You can now buy a comfortable sleeper sofa mattress that will satisfy you or your guests. Construction and materials have changed through the years, allowing manufacturers to create durable and comfortable mattresses.


Ah, the dreaded sleeper sofa mattress. That thin, cheap mattress with a legendary center support bar, which is typically reserved for the poor, unsuspecting house guest. That may have been true about yesterday’s sleeper sofa mattresses but today’s mattresses are made with modern technology that would impress even the most finicky of house guests.

Do Your Homework

Before you invest in a new sleeper sofa or a new mattress for your sleeper sofa, you need to decide what the primary function of the sofa and mattress will be. It’s amazing how many different names a sleeper sofa and mattress have, so when you’re searching for information, expand your search to include hide-a-bed, convertible couch, fold-out couch, adjustable sofa, sofa sleeper, sofa bed, and guest mattress.

The same technology available for modern full-size mattresses is also available in sofa bed mattresses. The most popular types of sleeper mattresses include air beds, memory foam, polyurethane foam, and traditional coil mattresses. Plus, sleeper mattresses are available in a variety of couches, chairs, and futons.

What Type is Best?

As with full mattresses, there is no “best” sleeper sofa mattress. Each selection offers its own unique benefits and only you can determine what’s best for you and your guests. Air bed mattresses offer adjustable support while visco-elastic memory foam mattresses are made of dense foam that uses your body’s heat to support you evenly without much bounce. Polyurethane foam mattresses are made of dense foam, too, but tend to be springier than visco-elastic foam, and they have a known off-gassing problem that could impact your health. Traditional coil mattresses are far more advanced than in the past and can offer great support. There really is no best in selecting a sleeper mattress: there is only your opinion of what’s best for you and what’s best for your guests.

Sleeper Sofa and Mattress Considerations

Before you select a sleeper sofa or sleeper sofa mattress, it’s important to clarify its primary purpose. Do you need a couch for comfortable seating with the added benefit of extra guest bedding? Or do you have a lot of guests and want a comfortable bed for them to use with the added benefit of extra seating? Or are your needs something entirely different? It’s important to pinpoint exactly what your needs are because your choice of sleeper sofa could differ significantly based on your needs.

Regardless of your primary needs, by definition a sleeper sofa mattress will serve multiple purposes and you may find that certain compromises must be made for this versatility. For example, if you have a small den or living room, you may have to sacrifice the luxury of a larger bed in order not to over-crowd your room. Or if your sleeper sofa mattress serves as your primary bedding, you might opt to invest in a higher-quality mattress since it’ll be used every day and it must be able to support you so that you sleep comfortably and soundly.

Before You Buy

Just as with standard mattresses, it’s important that you test your sleeper sofa and mattress. Since internet sales are often more affordable than purchasing your mattress at a store, testing your mattress may not always be possible. However, if you can, lie down on the sleeper mattress and test its support and comfort. If you aren’t able to test your mattress, you may be able to leverage your choice based on past experience and preference. If you already know you prefer one type of mattress over another, selecting that same type is probably a good option for you (and hopefully your guests).