A Shopping Editor's Honest Review of 5 IKEA Sleeper Sofas

ikea sleeper sofas outlined next to ikea store

(Image credit: Ikea | Brigid Kennedy (Livingetc))

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Friheten
Älvdalen
Morabo
Balkarp
Friheten Sectional

last updated 3 October 2024

For quick-ship convenience and do-it-yourself assembly, there is nothing like IKEA. The Swedish house and home retailer is known for a lot of things, but those, plus its emphasis on affordability, are perhaps chief among them. As a result, it's a great place to shop for most things, like home decor, office accessories, dishware, and bedding.

Things like sofas — larger pieces of furniture where comfort is a top priority — get a bit tricky, though. There are some real gems here (especially during an IKEA sale), but there are also some pieces editors and buyers would advise against, whether due to overall build, durability, or quality relative to price. I find sofa beds to be particularly difficult to suss out; it's one thing to sleep on an IKEA sofa, but it's another when your guest is expecting a bed-like experience.

The good news: I've spent 100+ hours researching, writing, and interviewing experts regarding the myriad things that take a sofa from good to great. These convos have had less to do with sleepers and more to do with overall construction — but to mitigate this narrow gap, I also spent an afternoon inside IKEA sitting, converting, and lying on as many IKEA sofa beds as I could. My goal? To garner at least a cursory understanding of each sleeper's pros and cons, and nab a few in-store images for you product imagery skeptics (don't worry, I get it). The frame build and fill choice for each of these couches is pretty similar — a mix of plywood, solid wood, and particleboard, plus polyurethane foam. Construction-wise it doesn't seem you're getting something much different from one piece to another. But where things very obviously changed was in the sleeper mechanism, something I did not see noted online but experienced first-hand in the store. Comfort is also tantamount with a sleeper, so I tried to take note of the sit and the lay of the couch where I could (without getting to sleep on them, of course).

Finally, I included four sofa beds I didn't get to try but found decent reviews for, in case they better speak to your needs. Off we go!

Friheten Sleeper Sofa

Price: $749
Size (closed): 41" D x 33" H x 89" W
Size (open): 57" D x 33" H x 89" W

If you've heard of any IKEA sleeper sofa, you've probably heard of the Friheten. A best-seller with over 500 reviews, the boxy and structured sofa bed is well-known by customers and editors alike — perhaps one of the most popular budget options out there. I tried it out in the store and could see the appeal. It's certainly not the chicest on the market (although the leather option upped the ante), but for the price, it gets the job done. It folds down quickly and easily, and I loved the built-in storage for the cushions when not in use. The sit was decently comfortable.

As for construction, the Friheten is crafted from plywood and particleboard — not the very best, but par for the course. The seat foam is polyurethane, the most common type of foam fill for sofas, per Living Spaces, but the back cushions are filled with polyester fiber balls instead. I only mention this because you can definitely feel the difference between the two when sitting. And, as is the case with all of these pieces, they don't hold their own as a main couch, in my opinion, but if you need something secondary for an office or a guest bedroom, the Friheten could really shine.

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friheten sleeper sofa from ikea — (Image credit: Ikea | Brigid Kennedy)

Älvdalen Sleeper Sofa

Älvdalen 3-Seat Sleeper Sofa With Chaise

Price: $549
Size (closed): 32" D x 32" H x 76" W
Size (open): 53" D x 16" H x 76" W

The Älvdalen is super small and compact — tall or broad individuals, take heed. It's quite firm, too; if you want a deep sink, this isn't the one. I will say that the bed set-up was sleek and smart, and much like the Friheten, I loved the included storage space. Oddly enough, I found it more comfortable as a bed than a sofa. It could have been the model I tried in the store, but it felt like the seats were pitched forward when I sat on it in its couch form.

Although there are just 13 reviews (compared to the Friheten's 500), the overall score is solid. The three-seater version is better reviewed, although I didn't get to try that one. "Would not like as my everyday sofa, but this is used in a common area where a sofa is sometimes needed and a guest bed is occasionally needed as well," said one reviewer, who bought the three-seater. "As others have mentioned it is very firm but we have alleviated this by using a thick mattress topper," added another.

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ikea sleeper sectional — (Image credit: IKEA | Brigid Kennedy)

Morabo Sleeper Sofa

Price: $1199
Size (closed): 89" W x 33" H x 36" D
Size (open): 89" W x 33" H x 63" D

I loved the look of the Morabo the most; definitely the chicest of the bunch with its button tufting, thin metal legs, and light green sofa cover (there is a dark gray option also). Set-up is still easy, but marginally harder than the previous two. You first pull a trundle frame out from underneath the sofa before removing the back cushions and folding the top portion of the bench seat onto the frame (my photos should help show you what I mean).

I thought the "mattress" was decently comfy, but I'd still recommend a topper, as you can feel the springs through the fabric; that's always a no-go for me. As a sofa, though, the seat was quite firm ... not what you'd want for everyday use. Most reviewers agreed with me; it seems that was the chief complaint among them all.

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ikea sleeper sofa — (Image credit: Ikea | Brigid Kennedy)

Balkarp Sleeper Sofa

Price: $249
Size (closed): 74.75" W x 33" H x 33" D
Size (open): 74.75" W x 33" H x 39" D

The Balkarp is a college sleeper sofa and should be treated as such. Looks-wise, there's not much going for it. But functionally, it would excel in a dorm room or student apartment, as it converts quickly and is inexpensive. It also felt sturdy, despite a bare-bones frame. Fair warning, though: I didn't think it was that comfortable either.

A quick glance at the reviews suggests that, if you're looking for an inexpensive, short-term piece, the Balkarp fits the bill. Buyers say the quality is fair for the price and that assembly/installation was easy. I was actually kind of shocked by the overall positive score — a 3.9 out of 5 — and the number of reviews (137 at the time of this writing).

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Friheten Sleeper Sectional

Price: $899
Size (closed): 90.5" W x 34" H x 59.5" D
Size (open): 90.5" W x 34" H x 59.5" D

The Friheten sectional boasts the same trappings as the Friheten sofa but in sectional form. It does not feel like a luxury sofa and it's not the most design-forward either, but I felt genuinely comfortable in it. The sleeper setup felt easier than the sofa version, but there was one big issue in my experience: the trundle, which pulls out from underneath the loveseat to form one large bed, did not lock securely into place. As I moved and rolled and turned, as you do while sleeping, the trundle moved with me, not so much that it fully separated from the sectional, but enough that the crack between cushions felt even more noticeable.

Customer reviews are quite varied. You'll see what I mean if you take a look. Some buyers have nothing but nice things to say, while others ... not so much.

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friheten sleeper sectional — (Image credit: Ikea)

Honorable Mentions

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Finnala Sleeper Sofa

Price: $899
Size (closed): 80" W x 33.5" H x 39" D
Size (open): 80" W x 33.5" H x 96" D

I didn't get to try the Finnala, and there are only six reviews on the website at the time of this writing. But all six are four stars or above, which I'm very impressed by. I also believe this is one of only two options on this list with a genuine mattress. In an extensive review on her blog Hydrangea Treehouse, interior design hobbyist Kelin described the Finnala as a "fantastic addition to my home" with a medium-firm cushion, easy set-up, and machine-washable cover. "I highly recommend the Finnala Sleeper Sofa, but I still suggest visiting an IKEA store to try the cushions and test the bed’s comfort in person," she writes. "I can confidently say that it’s a practical and stylish choice for any home.

Lycksele Lovas

Price: $549
Size (closed): 56" W x 34.25" H x 24" D
Size (open): 55" W x 16" H x 74" D

The Lycksele Lovas is an interesting one. It's almost like a glorified bean bag — armless, somewhat shapeless, and primed for comfort. Almost like a couch alternative, while still being a couch. The gimmick is quite impressive; simply remove the washable sofa cover, available in this funky blue and white pattern as well as black, gray, tan, and green, to reveal a scrunched-up mattress you can then extend into a sleeper. I'll admit, I was pretty skeptical. Aesthetics aren't at the forefront here, and I didn't think the build of the sofa would live up to the promise of the premise. That said, I am pleasantly surprised by buyer feedback. "Perfect as a guest bed instead of a Murphy [bed]," wrote one buyer. "Very happy with this sofa bed. It was easy to assemble and is comfortable to sit and sleep on. Perfect addition to our guest room as it looks good, feels good and when not needed as a bed it doesn't take up a lot of space," said another.

Hyltarp Sleeper Sofa

Price: $1449
Size (closed): 76.75" W x 36" H x 37" D
Size (open): 76.75" W x 36" H x 94.5" D

Like the Finnala, the Hyltarp includes an actual fold-out mattress. And for those of us who aren't partial to the look of a white sofa, you can choose from nine other washable covers instead, including a lovely soft blue that I think would look great treated as a neutral. Indeed, the six customers who left reviews gave the Hylarp a 4.2 for product quality and a 4.3 for appearance, so style really is the stand-out factor here. But otherwise, we have 3.7 stars for ease of assembly/installation; a 3.8 for value for money; and a 3.7 for "works as expected."

Fridhult Sleeper Sofa

Price: $299
Size (closed): 50" W x 29" H x 30" D
Size (open): 50" W x 29" H x 82.25" D

The Fridhult might be new, but it still has 6 customer reviews we can use as a proxy for testing. Aesthetically, the bright yellow frame offers a fabulous pop of color. And functionally, the couch is designed to take up as little space as possible, so it could be a great solution for smaller homes. It's also apparently quite comfortable as a little loveseat. But I would recommend using it for dorm rooms, offices, and playrooms only; reviews say it's quite low to the ground and smaller than expected, and note that the fold-out cushion sleeper is probably best for just one body. Plus, you'll likely need a topper or extra padding to make it comfortable.

How do I choose the right IKEA sofa bed for me?

For starters, measure, measure, measure. You want to choose a piece with the right sofa depth and sofa dimensions for your space — Livingetc has two excellent guides on each. If you're planning to use the sofa regularly, as either a bed or a sofa, it's worth at least trying to get to a store to test out the mattress and cushions. Consider how the sofa transforms into a bed — some are easier to convert than others. Generally speaking, something that pulls out into a metal mattress will probably be trickier to maneuver than a trundle that pulls out from underneath the sofa (although there are, of course, exceptions). And finally, think about style and sofa colors! Is your couch a focal piece? If so, you might want to splurge on something a bit nicer. And if you have kids or pets, you might prefer a darker fabric that's easier to clean in the event of accidents and stains.

What is the best IKEA sofa bed?

Just as there is no best sofa, there is no best IKEA sofa bed; it all depends on your preferences and needs. That said, my favorite of the ones I tried was probably the Friheten — the three-seater, not the sectional. It felt sturdy and well-reviewed, and I know it's quite popular among IKEA's consumer base. If you want something that looks a bit more chic, I'd try the Finnala (the comfort of which I cannot verify as I didn't get to test it).

Brigid Kennedy is a freelance writer and former style editor for Livingetc.com, where she scoured the internet for the best and most stylish deals on home decor and more. She also served as the website's in-house sofa expert, completely revamping and reworking Livingetc's expansive sofa buying guide by interviewing a total of 17 interior designers and sofa experts at top brands like Article and Benchmade Modern; sitting on upwards of 50 sofas across both Pittsburgh and New York City; extensively polling her friends and family for their own sofa-buying anecdotes and product recommendations; and traveling to Dallas, Texas, to tour the floor of a couch factory. In total, she estimates she has spent 40+ hours (and counting!) reading, writing, and talking about couches with accredited sofa connoisseurs o then pass that knowledge on to you. She describes her personal design style as colorful and clean, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching movies, and curating impossibly niche playlists on Spotify. She recently relocated from Manhattan to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she's decorating and DIYing a new home downtown.