I Tested John Lewis' Sofa Bed Offering — Here Is Which Styles Are Actually Comfortable and Look Good in Real Life
Getting hands-on with a sofa bed is the only way to know how comfortable they really are, so I've done the hard work for you, so you can buy with confidence
Let's face it, a truly comfortable sofa bed is a little bit of a unicorn — its dual-function nature often means sacrificing structure and material (and, to be honest, style to some degree) to create a sofa that turns into a bed. Some certainly outclass others, and by testing sofa beds side by side, it's an easy comparison.
That was my plan in evaluating which John Lewis sofa beds are best. However, you'll probably find, like me, that not all John Lewis stores stock models of its sofa beds, so unless you can get into the largest of stores, it's hard to try before you buy. With that in mind, I spent time visiting a few stores to test John Lewis sofas-turned-beds, including the Oxford Street flagship (with helpful demonstrations from the floor staff) to find my favorites.
Though, to be clear, they have to satisfy two criteria: style and comfort. It won't be included in my top picks unless it hits both. Unfortunately, I couldn't find some of my favorite sofa bed designs from John Lewis in stores to try, namely the Innovation Living Cozy Pad Sofa Bed and the Duplet Day Bed, so if you were looking at these two stylish designs, you might still have to pop one of them in your basket and hope for the best (though I can vouch for their style). Otherwise, these are the John Lewis sofa beds I'd actually consider buying.
John Lewis stocks Swyft sofa beds, as well as its own ranges.
For clarity, John Lewis not only stocks a range of its own-design sofa beds but also designs by the specialist sofa-bed brand Innovation Living, as well as Swyft and Swoon. I've included my picks from these brands in this list, too.
I've ranked each sofa bed by how it compares to like-for-like sofa beds, too. For example, any sofa bed with a pull-out mattress is undoubtedly more comfortable for sleep (and sitting on) than one that uses the couch cushions for a mattress, but it really depends on what style you like, how easy you want it to be to pull out, and where the sofa bed is being used. A guest bedroom that needs to sleep your elderly parents when they come to visit has different requirements than a teenager who has friends round to crash now and again.
So, these were my favorite John Lewis sofa beds from the selection I tested.
Luke is a content creator, journalist, and stylist who has worked in the industry for almost 10 years. Not only has he photographed and styled hundreds of sofas during his career, he even designed his own limited edition sofa range for a brand back in 2022. For Livingetc, Luke tests products firsthand, including bedding tests in his own home, as well as visiting showrooms across the country, comparing furniture products.
Swyft's Sofa Beds
This model is finished in the brand's Mottled Velvet.
Best Fold-Down Sofa Bed
My Score: 4/5
My overall favorite was the Model 04 from Swyft's sofa bed range, but I've tested the whole collection of sofa beds from Swyft on offer from John Lewis before, and they all stack up to around the same basic premise, packaged up in different styles.
Swyft's sofa beds are generally all fold-down styles, which use the sofa's seat cushions as the mattress for the sofa bed, but Swyft has managed to get the balance right between sitting comfort and sleeping with its range. The sofas are on the medium-firm side, but with a double layer of foam and pocket springs, it feels comfortable to lie on. As with most sofa beds, I'm still going to recommend a mattress topper, and Swyft actually offers its own ones to fit the sofa beds.
All the Swyft sofa beds disguise their double function pretty well. The Model 04 from John Lewis is great for a mid-century style look, but the newer Model 12 is probably my favorite classic style.
Barbican
Best Mattress Sofa Bed
My Score: 4/5
A sofa bed with a pull-out mattress is generally going to be more comfortable for both sitting and sleeping, as each element can be better considered for the job it has to do, rather than trying to do the best of both worlds.
John Lewis has a few pull-out mattress sofas, but the John Lewis range Barbican sofa bed has sort of triumphed by default. The Slumber isn't comfortable enough to sit on for your living room, and the Camden and Charlotte II's styles are a little too dated for a Livingetc home.
The Barbican, again, has that inoffensive mid-century style that works for a lot of homes. I found it has a softer-feeling seat and a slightly firmer back, but it's high, supportive, and comfortable to sit on. I tried the sofa in the Connie Grey Aquaclean and found the material quite firm and unrelenting — good if you want durability, but less loungey — but the sofa comes in a wider range of fabrics, made to order, including softer chenilles and velvets.
Linear
The Linear is a very simple, but effective design.
Best Budget Sofa Bed
My Score: 3/5
I get it, a sofa bed in the £1,500-£2,000 price range isn't for every situation, especially if you're adding it to a kid's room or playroom. Budget sofa beds can be hit or miss, but you can be a little more forgiving with their qualities, within reason.
My pick? John Lewis' Linear sofa bed. It's a fold-down bed that comes in at just under £700 (or a little more if you choose a velvet). It has a very small range of fabric choices, but each of them is stylish.
It's almost a little more futon-y in style, but it feels a little more sprung and full than some of the alternatives I tried. Again, it's not a sofa bed for your living room necessarily, but a good, affordable choice if you need to add an extra spot for guests to your home.
Cubed 140
The design of the Cubed 140 is well-suited to a small room.
Best Small Sofa Bed
My Score: 3/5
Lots of John Lewis' sofa beds are small-space friendly, without arms, for example, or in smaller, two-person styles. The smallest, however, is the Innovation Living Cubed 160, and it has enough about its design to be one of my favorites from the range.
It's a bouncy seat, which I don't mind, and a slightly more dorm-room-esque sofa bed style, but it still feels elevated. What sells me on it is the clever design that folds out to a much larger mattress than its initial footprint suggests. It's a little more complicated to fold out than some, but not tricky per se.
One complaint? I found the fabric a little coarse. I'm sure it'll be durable, but it wasn't my favorite feeling if you're thinking of spending many a night sitting on this particular sofa bed.
That said, I'd recommend avoiding the Innovation Living Ripple (unless you're obsessed with its style). The back cushions are softer than the seat (which is quite firm), but the back is quite low, and it's not very deep or well-proportioned for comfort.
Also Worth Considering
These John Lewis sofa beds have a few areas that could be improved, but they might suit your search if you're looking for something specific.
Camber
The Camber is a classic design with roll-top arms.
My Score: 3/5
When it comes to the practical stuff, John Lewis' Camber sofa would have been one of my top picks for John Lewis sofa beds. It's another pull-out design, and though the mattress isn't the thickest or most plush, it's definitely comfortable enough if you layer in a topper into the mix.
I'm in two minds on the style. I don't mind a sofa with more traditional leanings, but it's perhaps a little uninspired. A great chameleon if you don't need a piece that will stand out, but not a design moment. To sit on, it feels well-proportioned — soft and bouncy in a good way, with a generous backrest.
If traditional is your style, I'd skip John Lewis' Charlotte II. I'd suggest that, with its high seat, back, and arms, this sofa bed was designed with an older person in mind. If that suits what you're looking for, then it's a solid choice, but its proportions feel a little off for an everyday home that isn't looking for more accessible seating as a priority.
Slumber
My Score: 3/5
Design-wise, Slumber was the sofa bed in the store I was drawn to first. It's a good-looking, modern sofa, and in the dark blue Ocean colorway, it makes for a striking figure. I tested the pull-out mattress first this time around and was impressed. It ticks the box for comfort for sleeping and good looks.
However, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't get on board with the feel of sitting on it. It's very firm and doesn't feel like a sofa you could have in your living room. As a guest room buy? Absolutely, I'd recommend it.
FAQs
Are John Lewis Sofa Beds Good Quality?
My overall verdict? John Lewis' sofa bed category isn't as strong as its sofa range, but it's worth remembering that sofa beds are, by their very nature, a bit of a compromise. I was most impressed by the quality of both Swyft's sofa beds, stocked by the retailer, and its own sofa bed versions of some of its classic sofas. These are generally the more expensive options.
If you're on a budget, I think you might find more comfortable sleeper sofas from IKEA, rather than going for John Lewis' more budget offerings.
What Is the Best-Selling Sofa Bed From John Lewis?
Based on the reviews, John Lewis' ANYDAY Clapton Sofa Bed is the best-selling model, with the most star ratings on the site. Although I couldn't find a sample to test in any of the stores I visited, it has a majority of 5-star reviews.
Though customers say it's great value for money, they do suggest it's very firm and requires a mattress topper to be able to sleep comfortably on it.
What have I learned from testing these John Lewis sofa beds, in particular? You may need to bite the bullet and learn how to make a sofa bed more comfortable when shopping for one, especially if you're on a budget. That will help open up your options, as, otherwise, you might find yourself a little limited.
For more trusted product recommendations, subscribe to Livingetc's newsletter.
