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Best sofa

Which sofa is best?

Every home needs a good sofa. They come in many shapes and sizes, use all manner of materials and have a large grasp over your room’s aesthetics. Knowing what kind of sofa to purchase can be a difficult process of elimination.

One of the best sofas is the Allform Three-Seat Sofa. It comes in nine configurations of material and color and includes options for matching blankets and pillows as well as an ottoman and armchair.

What to know before you buy a sofa

Types of sofa

There are five subtypes of sofa outside of the traditional design.

  • Traditional sofas are one solid piece of construction. The various aspects of its construction, like the armrests and frame, vary from sofa to sofa.
  • Love seats are effectively miniature sofas meant to comfortably sit only two people at a time. They can be anywhere from 51-70 inches long. Once a love seat hits 71 inches long, it officially becomes a traditional sofa.
  • Recliner sofas add footrests to a traditional sofa. These are activated with manual levers or at the touch of a button, with button-activated footrests requiring the recliner to be plugged into a wall outlet. Some recliners only have footrests at the ends of the sofa with other models having footrests for the length of the sofa.
  • Sleeper sofas come in a few alternate forms but the intended use is the same: it can be switched from resembling a sofa or a bed at will.
  • Sectional sofas come with smaller pieces that can be combined to form various shapes, with L-shaped sofas being the most popular.
  • Divans are essentially traditional sofas with no backing.

Size

Sofas are expensive and take up a large amount of space. It’s important to triple-check the size of your prospective couch against the size of your room. You also need to consider how to move your sofa into your home. Essentially, try to buy the smallest sofa that can comfortably seat the number of people you expect to have in your home.

What to look for in a quality sofa

Stuffing

Sofas use one or a mix of various materials as stuffing. Common low-cost stuffing materials are polyurethane and high-resilient foam. Feathers are expensive and difficult to maintain but provide some of the most comfortable seating.

Material 

The exterior of a sofa can be made from many materials. Fabrics, like cotton and linen, are common due to being inexpensive and comfortable. Leather is also common and comfortable, but expensive. There are also rarely used materials like velvet which look the best but aren’t meant for regular use.

How much you can expect to spend on a sofa

Sofas are available at a wide range of prices but none of them are cheap. The least expensive sofa is still a few hundred dollars while the most expensive is a few thousand dollars. Most sofas are available for $300-$1,000.

Sofa FAQ

Should I buy a sofa with removable cushions?

A. That depends on your circumstances. A sofa without removable cushions has more stable seating. It also tends to look neater as the cushions can’t be moved out of line. If you have pets or children though, removable seating can be a lifesaver. The cushion can be flipped to hide stains and other damage if it can’t be cleaned or repaired. Many removable cushions also have removable covers for the easiest possible cleaning and repairing. Finally, removable cushions can be ammunition in one of childhood’s most time-honored traditions: building blanket forts!

Which sofa materials are the easiest to clean?

A. If you have children and/or pets or are just prone to spilling things, having a sofa of easily cleanable material is paramount. The top four easiest cleanable materials are wool, denim, vinyl and leather. Wool is naturally stain-resistant and can easily be vacuumed and spot cleaned. Denim cleans easily and becomes softer over time through each cleaning. Vinyl resists absorbing foods and liquids, allowing you to quickly wipe them away before they set in at all. Leather acts similarly to vinyl but it costs more because it’s a better overall material.

Is there a difference between a sofa and a couch?

A. Yes and no. Some linguistic history technically dictates a difference, being that sofas have armrests and couches do not. However, modern usage of both words has combined the two to mean essentially the same thing. At best, a couch is considered to be slightly more casual than a sofa.

What are the best sofas to buy?

Top sofa

Allform Three-Seat Sofa

What you need to know: This sofa is the perfect addition to any living space and comes in a variety of styles.

What you’ll love: It’s available in seven fabric colors, two leather colors and three leg finishes. Matching ottoman, pillows, blankets and armchair are available for an extra cost. Construction requires no tools and the instructions are easy to follow.

What you should consider: This sofa is expensive. The two leather options aren’t as high-quality as the fabric options or leather-only sofas.

Where to buy: Sold by Allform

Top sofa for the money

Honbay Convertible Sectional Sofa

What you need to know: This low-cost sofa includes an ottoman for modular setups.

What you’ll love: It’s available in three colors: beige and light or dark gray. It’s easy to build and take down as needed, plus requires no tools to do so. The ottoman can be placed to make an L- or T-shaped couch or situated to the side for additional seating.

What you should consider: It doesn’t comfortably seat the five people it is listed as being able to concurrently seat. Some sofas arrive with missing parts.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Novogratz Brittany 81.5-inch Round Arm Sleeper

What you need to know: The vintage stylings of this sofa add a touch of refinement to any living room.

What you’ll love: The angle of the backrest can be adjusted, including being laid flat for conversion into a bed. The design isn’t old enough to appear too formal. It has a weight capacity of 600 pounds.

What you should consider: Some consumers found the sofa to be too firm. It only converts to a twin-size bed.

Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair

 

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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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