Sofas That Use an Air Mattress for a Sleeper

How They Work

• Two options exist for a sleeper sofa with an air mattress. Either the sofa comes with an air mattress specifically designed for a sofa bed or you put a separate air mattress on the sofa bed frame. According to the Mattress Insider website, air mattresses designed for use in sleeper sofas stay on the bed frame all of the time. The top layer of the mattress deflates when you are ready to fold up the sofa and stays flat inside the sofa when not in use.

Comfort

• With an air mattress, the metal framework of the sofa bed frame won't poke through as it often does with a traditional, thin sleeper sofa mattress. Air mattresses are usually thicker than a regular sleeper sofa mattress. The level of firmness can also be decided upon by the user. The Air Dream mattress even has a button on the inflation valve that allows the user to change the firmness of the mattress after it has been blown up, states the Best Mattress Reviews website. Air mattresses designed for use in sofa beds often have two layers, according to Mattress Insider, with the bottom layer being made up of supportive coils and the inflatable layer on top.

Convenience

• Air mattresses often come equipped with a built-in pump, allowing for quick and easy inflation. If you opt for a mattress that is made specifically to stay in the sofa bed, it will fold up easily and stay in the sofa when not in use. This eliminates the need for storage space for the air mattress after your guests leave. A sofa bed with an air mattress gives guests a more comfortable place to sleep, almost like being in a regular bed and without the need for a designated guest room.

Negatives

• The downside of sleeper sofa air beds is an issue with all air mattresses and is not necessarily specific to sleeper sofa air beds. It's the fact that the mattress is folded and then remains in that folded position for long periods of time, which may contribute to some wear-and-tear issues. According to Mattress Insider, the most common complaints about these kinds of air mattresses are leaking air valves and bladders, issues with inflation and deflation and broken air compressors.