The conversation about finding a good night's rest often revolves around standard beds, but how about the sofa bed users out there? Whether it's a daily use or a convenient piece for your guests, having a good mattress on the sofa bed can significantly enhance the comfort experience. Today, I take a look at the Bodyshape Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress - designed to provide "sumptuous comfort, body-hugging support and pressure relief". As someone who admittedly isn't the biggest fan of sofa beds, this product intrigued me.
Design and Features
The Bodyshape Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress features a combination of memory and support foam filling, promising natural hypoallergenic properties for those in search of a cleaner and healthier night's sleep. The product incorporates a base layer of reflex foam which is designed to provide adaptive support - personalised to your unique body shape.
The mattress arrives covered in a soft, knitted polyester fabric promised to be kinder to your skin. One detail that caught my attention is the cover: the specification lists it only as a knitted cover, with no mention of it coming off for washing - a small red-flag given it's positioned as a hypoallergenic product. My gut tells me it might not stand the test of time.
Available in two different sizes, the mattress can complement either a 2-seater or 3-seater sofa bed. The product is also rolled up for delivery convenience, which ticks another box in its favour.
How we assessed it
The whole mattress is 8cm deep: 2.5cm of memory foam on top of 5.5cm of reflex foam. That's a thin comfort layer on a thin base, so I'd expect the memory foam to soften the feel of the sofa bed frame while the reflex foam underneath does most of the supporting. It's single-sided and has to stay slim enough to fold away inside the sofa, which is why I'd judge it as a guest bed first.
Mattress Comfort
The Bodyshape Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress claims to provide a "sumptuous comfort", and owners mostly back that up. One was "Pleasantly surprised for a sofa bed mattress it's extremely comfortable and supportive". Don't expect the deep sink of a memory foam bed mattress, though. With only 2.5cm of memory foam over the reflex foam, I'd expect it to feel firmer than the medium rating suggests, and a few owners say just that: "Firm but comfortable" from one, "Very hard certainly not like the memory foam I have on my bed" from another.
However, myself (not the biggest fan of sofa beds, admittedly) and some reviewers highlighted slight thinness of the mattress which might be a turn-off for those who prefer a more cushioned feel. With only 8cm in depth, a bumpy sofa bed frame could diminish the positive aspects of this mattress.
Suitability
With a medium firmness, the Bodyshape mattress can serve a range of sleepers. I suggest it would perform best with side sleepers who, because of the pressure points involving shoulders and hips, need something that contours to their body well. Back sleepers may wish to opt for something slightly firmer for better alignment.
What Customers Thought
A lot of owners bought this to replace the mattress their sofa bed came with, and they rate it as a big step up in comfort. One owner wrote "Replacing the one the sofa bed came with and this is far better". Another was "No longer feeling the bars on my tri fold sofa bed." Fit gets plenty of praise too, with one owner writing that it "Fits our sofa bed perfectly and extends the life of the sofa."
However, not all comments were glowing. The chemical smell on unwrapping is the gripe that comes up most. One owner said it "required very lengthy airing before use due to pungent, persistent smell", and for another the "strong chemical smell on the mattress took a couple of days to leave it".
The other gripe is thickness. "It could be a bit thicker but it's perfectly fine for an occasional use bed" is typical, though one owner found it "so thin I couldn't use it". A few also found it slightly short for their sofa bed, and one said it held on to body heat in warmer weather. These concerns, while not standout features in my opinion, do add a splash of realism to the seemingly stellar reputation of the mattress.
The Verdict
Despite my personal scepticism regarding sofa beds, the Bodyshape Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress makes a compelling case for itself. It's comfortable, relatively affordable, and caters to a broad range of sleepers. However, its slight thinness, non-removable cover and aforementioned chemical smell, do mar its overall appeal.
Ultimately, my feelings match several customers who felt that the Bodyshape Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress could have been a little thicker. In the battle of comfort versus convenience, while it hits some right notes, I believe there is room for improvement. So, if you're in the market for a sofa bed mattress, this one might be worth considering, but bear in mind it may not be the perfect fit for everyone.
