It’s all of us in situations where we have to sleep on the sofa bed. I remember many childhood vacations where I would toss and turn on a squeaky setup. If this is you too, sofa beds may not jump out as the most attractive option. But they’ve evolved from the rickety pull-out mattresses of the first—sofa beds are now a more comfortable and efficient way to make a guest bed wherever you need it, in a spare bedroom or small apartment.

As such, sofa beds, also known as sleeping sofasnot all are of the same caliber. This is where Australian furniture brand Koala aims to stand out. Since entering the US market in the fall of 2023, it has focused on comfortable, stylish, and easy-to-assemble sofa beds. However, as a professional mattress tester, I was curious to see if the newest Koala sofa bed offering, the Wanda, was as comfortable and supportive as mattresses I usually try. So I went on an attempted side quest and dedicated an entire week to Wanda’s sleep. What I’ve found is that it’s a comfortable short-term solution for guests and general rest, but I wouldn’t replace your mattress setup with it.

Quadruple Threat

Sofa beds often use a “2-in-1” design, combining a sofa with a pull-out bed that folds under the seat when not in use. Wanda offers a “4-in-1” design that combines a couch with a daybed, a reversible chaise, and a queen-size, slide-out bed.

The Wanda arrives in four large boxes—you’ll definitely need help moving it, especially if you plan to climb any stairs. Besides the size, these boxes have a weight from a possible 47 pounds to 104 pounds, which I tried to move up myself.

All Together Now

Photo: Julia Forbes

In honor of all my previous experiences with the sleeper sofa, I wanted to know how the Wanda would do in a small room. So instead of my usual spacious studio setup, with dimensions of 13 feet by 15 feet, I decided to use my home office upstairs. Because I didn’t move my desk out of the way, Wanda took up half the room, which is 10.5 feet by 10.5 feet, give or take, with the rest of the furniture in it. The sofa bed is 99 inches long (8.25 feet) and resembles an “L” side, with the chaise extending to 69 inches (5.75 feet). As if it wasn’t comfortable, my husband and two small dogs decided to set up shop with me.