We tested every style, size and budget of sofa to compile this list of the best sofas for 2023
In the average sofa’s 11-year lifetime, it will be used for an estimated 6,500 hours of TV-watching, according to a semi-scientific 2017 survey by retailer Furniture Village. As the centrepiece of the living room and the furniture that sees the most day-to-day use, the comfort and durability of a sofa is very important indeed. We’ve spent months researching the best sofas to buy because, as a big ticket item, it’s a decision you want to get right first time, and there are lots of factors to consider.
Even the best online homeware or interior shops can’t let you try before you buy, which is why bricks-and-mortar sofa stores continue to thrive. We couldn’t have written this article without them. But there are upsides to internet shopping for a sofa – more fabric options, wider choice, and the fact that you can shop from the comfort of your (current) sofa. That’s why we have only chosen sofas you can buy online.
Scroll to the bottom of this article for Telegraph interiors editor Jessica Doyle’s expert guide on how to choose the right sofa for you. In short, while trends for styles, shapes and colours come and go, the most important factors within your budget are the size of your room, the uses you want to put the sofa to and how long you want it to last. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five sofas:
Quite simply, a sit test – it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. We visited showrooms and quizzed experts, taking into account the design, comfort, range of fabric options, quality and filling of each sofa. Most importantly, we tested how comfortable each was and how much support there was for our backs. Here is what we found, starting with our favourite…