IKEA's new sofa bed is what I'd buy for my own home as a sofa bed expert – it's the ideal choice for a small space

If you're currently looking to kit out your home with an affordable sofa bed, then now is definitely the right time to be shopping as IKEA has just launched a new sofa bed.

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the last four years testing the best sofa beds on the market, and in that time, I haven't seen that many new additions to the market. At least, not ones that challenge my shortlist to give my top-rated products a run for their money.

But this month, not only has Habitat launched the fantastic Julien three-seater sofa bed, which is a great budget-friendly option for larger spaces, but IKEA has just launched the new IKEA TORNSBORG sofa bed, a £450 two-seater sofa bed perfect for small spaces.

Alongside the two-seater option, there's also the even more affordable IKEA TORNSBORG chair bed. The smaller version costs £299, and most definitely gives the best chair beds a run for their money.

I visited my local IKEA to test both models and was seriously impressed by their comfort and ease of use, especially considering that low price tag.

Whilst £450 may not sound *that* cheap if you aren't familiar with the world of sofa beds, for comparison, one of the best sofa beds I've tested is the Darlings of Chelsea Bromley Sofa Bed. The loveseat option, which is similar in size to the larger IKEA TORNSBORG, starts from £2300. Ouch.

Admittedly, the TORNSBORG is more basic in design. But IKEA does what IKEA does best and makes that into a feature, with the solid pine frame designed to fit the minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic perfectly.

And although it may look simple and functional, this sofa bed doesn't scrimp on comfort.

When I tested it in store, I found it really comfortable for both sitting and lying down. Its cushions are on the firmer side, so this is a sofa you sit 'on' rather than sink 'into', but it still had a good amount of give and bounce.

The seat depth felt great for lounging and the back cushions were supportive. Those skinny armrests were also far more comfortable than I expected, and at just the right height. As long as you don't mind a slightly firmer seat, I'd be happy to use this sofa as my main everyday seating if necessary.

It's also super easy to transform from a sofa into a bed, and vice versa. Simply whip off the back cushions, pull up on the fabric tabs and the ingenious wheeled base does most of the heavy lifting for you. Then the backrest rotates down flat.

I managed all of it with one hand and very minimal effort compared to most sofa beds I've tested.

In bed form, you get 140 x 190cm of sleeping space on the two-seater – that's a smidge more than the average double bed, which offers 135 x 190cm – and 70 x 190cm on the chair bed. That's a little smaller than the average single mattress, which is 90 x 190cm, but average for a chair bed's sleeping area.

Again, the sleep surface is firm but supportive. I'd add a mattress topper – such as the memory foam Panda Topper if you just want cushioning, or the Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper if you also want to add breathability for a cooler sleep. But this is the case with most sofa beds, and you'll want to protect the upholstery anyway.

Having seen and tested the IKEA TORNSBORG in person, I think the larger two-seater model is definitely the sofa bed I'd be opting for if I were looking to buy one for my own small home.

Its compact 140cm width fits easily into most spaces, and its combination of comfort, ease of use, and affordability – plus that double-sized sleeping area – is pretty much unheard of at this price point.

You can get cheaper options, such as the Habitat Roma sofa bed below. But it's very tight on space, with the largest model of the Roma only offering a single bed sized sleeping area.

The armless Innovation Living Cubed 140 Sofa Bed is the other option I would have been eyeing up before this IKEA model launched. But, it's still wider, with a 147cm width, and in my small home every cm of floorspace counts! Plus, it's a *lot* more expensive.