Best Couch

An alternative couch is one that has multiple functions.  Below are our top picks for the best couch available to an online shopper.

I am always searching for something far from your grandmother’s boring couch. To be an ALT COUCH or sofa it will need to have some of the following features:

1. Sleeper Sofas
2. Sofas with Storage
3. Helps to host sleepovers for children
4. Modular Couches.  Play around with the settings creating something different every time.
5. Couches that Fit in Your Car
6. Futons
7. Pull Out Couch Beds

Sleeper sofas! Wide and comfy enough to fit 2 people easily.

Each side of the couch’s split backrest can recline independently and the left and right sides of the couch can be lifted to form armrests, pillows or footrests! 

My best pick is the Coddle couch. 

Not to be compared to your typical clumsy sofa bed- I am talking about the ones that cause you aches and pains- Coddle couch is the modern day sleeper couch.  Simple, elegant and comfy!

I love the Coddle for so many reasons, my favorite, the ease of assembly.

It comes in one huge box where you will find on the inside lid useful diagrams on how to unbox and assemble the couch.

All i had to do was to match the way the legs go properly, four clicks and we are in business! No tools required but i love that it came with a metal-reinforced leather thumb protector to prevent my skin from getting pinched as I am pushing the buttons in.

It is versatile.

You can recline each side of the backrest independently where there’s a split right down the middle separating them. You can set it in three positions thanks to a ratchet mechanism: Upright, slightly reclined and fully flat.

High end smart couch. Coddle comes with 1.5-amp USB charging ports and 110-volt AC receptacles on each side.

The Coddle is so sturdy and is built comfortably enough to support up to 750 lbs.

Only downside is that it doesn’t come with storage.

Sofas with storage.

Clean, minimalstic space saving and enough storage to put away your or your guests essentials such as sheets, pillows and maybe a book!

I generally love it when items are hiding neatly!  Storage to me is a life and space saver.  It is really important to have enough storage whether it’s a big or small house!  Especially small space.

IKEA Couches

I went to Ikea just to have an idea on what to try next.  It’s almost impossible to make up your mind on just one couch once you’re there, so i picked the two couches: The Flottebo and The Friheten.  They stood out sitting next to other couches.  They were just more unique and looked modern and stylish. Not just lame couch beds.  Most importantly I was focused on their functionality. 

Couch- Check

Bed- Check

Storage- Check. 

Just like their level of comfort, storage is essential too.  Imagine how easy it would be if instead to going back and forth to that room where your guests are sleeping comfortably, you could store away a couple of pillows, bed sheets, a book even some clothes, and not bother them at all. 

The Flottebo and Friheten have decent storage underneath, one pulls out and transforms into a bed where two small sized people can easily lay down.  The other, all you have to do is remove the back rests, and there you have a full bed too.  Flottebo is more comfy then the Friheten, but at the end you wouldn’t want them as your permanent beds.  They are temporary, great for first apartment, dorm rooms, small space house or if you are a minimalist and like to save space. 

The couch bed that really had it all was the Arden futon with storage drawers. Looks very stylish with its pretty and simple hardwood design.  It is armless, so perfect for someone who is tall and doesn’t like his feet to hit the foot board. 

This couch bed comes in three functional positions, sofa, bed (in full size) and lounger. Just like it’s perfect for smaller spaces, it is ideal for RVs and dorms.  I love the simple design, it looks uncluttered and the drawers are spacious enough to fit all your necessary items.  It is available with arms, but i prefer the armless one because it is more convenient for taller guests. 

Downside: Assembly required. But hey, that’s nothing especially that I was able to assemble 2 couches from Ikea.

Hideaways that can be used for Sleepovers

Sleepovers are no longer a problem!  Especially where kids can share the same room.  Pictured below is a bundle bean bag which is filled with memory foam, to provide a lounging experience that you can sleep on.

With all the cool sleepover products available, there are plenty of solutions to add extra sleeping space without taking up too much room.  Bean bag chairs such as the pillowsac from lovesac and the CordaRoy’s provide excellent sleeping options, and then convert back to a standard bean bag chair.

Below you will see an amazing invention that converts from a couch to a bed in one second.  The problem is that it doesn’t sit very high, so you either need to raise it up on a platform or put it in a kid’s room (since they are smaller people).

Modular Couches

If you don’t like the configuration of your couch, just move a couple of sections around to create a whole new experience.

The best feature of a modular couch is that you can get one that will grow along with your family.

Lovesac is a strong candidate for the best modular couch due to their lifetime guarantee.  I can’t tell you how many couches that I have thrown away as my family has grown through the year.  That crappy couch from my first apartment is certainly not with me anymore.  But, what if it had been a modular option with say 3 sections?  I could have bought a new cover and added 2 new sections as I got into my first house.  Then I could have bought new covers again and added a few new sections to dominate the larger living room in my new house.  It may have seemed like a large upfront investment, but in the long run it would have been a great deal.

Couches that Fit in your Car

You want a nice stylish couch for your apartment, but you still want to be able to move in a flash.  It is time that you met the Bundle Couch.

That’s not my house, but I built a couch on that deck, then disassembled it, put it in my car and reassembled it in my house.

Not that you would, but I had to prove that you could.  

Futons

Futons offer sleeping and lounging opportunities and are best placed in small spaces.  No 1st apartment or dorm room is complete without a futon.

Walmart offers one for less than $200, including free shipping.  You can see it pictured above.  The downside is that it is pretty low to the ground and it isn’t designed to sleep people over 5’6″.

IKEA’s Flottebo is an upgrade on the futon.  Unfortunately, it suffers from a horrible assembly time and it is quite heavy.  Meaning that you may decide to leave it behind as you leave your 1st apartment.

Pull-Out Couch Beds

It is super hard to find a pull-out couch that is actually comfortable.  Just think about what they have to do.  It has to have enough storage for a bed to emerge from inside the couch.

Personally, I wouldn’t pay more than $500 for a pull out couch.  Why?  Design wise, I haven’t found that the quality of sleep goes up enough after that price, so you are better off just getting another type of alternative couch to suit your sleeping and lounging needs.

How about a couch that fits into small spaces? Check out my Feathers modular review.