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Ikea Friheten Sleeper Sofa Review
Overall Rating | 2.7
Quick Overview: Conveniently converts from a sofa to a bed. The chaise lounge extension offers more sofa support than the 3-seater version. Prices start at $499 plus tax and delivery.
The IKEA FRIHETEN sofa bed is well suited for people looking for versatility in their living space. This sleeper sofa is a good option for someone on a budget who wants to turn their living room into a guest bedroom for occasional house guests. It also features convenient storage space underneath the seat (this varies depending on the model).
On the down side, the materials and construction are not that high quality. The bed is not ideal for daily use and the structural integrity of the sofa (especially in the three seater sofa) is compromised by the flexible design.
We’ll go over all the good and all the bad in the rest of the IKEA FRIHETEN sleeper sofa review below.
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Jed of team Sofa Selector testing out the FRIHETEN sleeper sofa
Style & Design: ★★★★
The IKEA FRIHETEN sleeper sofa has a boxy frame and orthogonal lines designed in a modern style. It’s contemporary appearance would work well in minimalist living areas where space is tight.
The 3 seat sleeper sofa transforms from a couch into a sofa with two fairly easy moves. Just pull up the seating area then let down the back rest and voilà, you’ve got a bed. Of note, there is a crack in the middle of the bed where the two sectional sides meet, which is not ideal for sleeping.
The FRIHETEN sofa has a storage space underneath the seat cushion big enough to store bedding. The armrests are appropriately located and the seat cushion is one piece, which I personally like.
The sleeper sectional with chaise lounge is even easier to change from sofa to bed. All you’ve got to do is pull out the bottom part of the sectional and lift up.
On the downside, there are cracks running both vertically and horizontally where the seat cushions and the lounge section meet the pull out bed portion. There’s also no arm rest on the side without the chaise lounge.
The FRIHETEN sleeper sectional also has available storage beneath the chaise lounge. Another neat feature FRIHETEN sectional sofa bed is that you can arrange the chaise lounge portion on either side of the couch.
Essentially, the FRIHETEN is easy to convert from a sofa to a bed and back; however, the crack in the middle of the sofa bed is not ideal.
Comfort: ★★.5
Since the FRIHETEN sleeper sofa is both a couch and a bed I’ll discuss both elements separately.
Sofa:
The back cushions on the FRIHETEN sleeper sofa aren’t that thick and lack back support. Although the back rest is raised above the arms, it also doesn’t provide the best neck support for leaning back.
As mentioned before, the seat cushion is one piece which makes it more comfortable for multiple people to sit on the sofa at the same time without getting stuck in a crack.
The bottom cushions feel firm; however the seat frame (especially in the sleeper sofa version) lacks structural integrity. I could feel it give a bit when sitting on it.
Sleeper bed:
The bed itself was decently comfortable other than the cracks (one in the sleeper sofa and both a vertical and horizontal crack in the sectional sleeper with chaise lounge). The soft cushions in the back could actually serve as pillows if you were in a pinch. I’d be happy if a friend put me up on the FRIHETEN sofa bed for a few nights, maybe a week, but I would not want to sleep on this every night.
FRIHETEN Sectional Sleeper Sofa
Customization: ★.5
The FRIHETEN sofa is available as a 3 seat sleeper sofa and as a sectional sofa bed with chaise lounge.
The sleeper sofa is 88⅝"Wx41⅜D"x32⅝"H with a seat depth 24” and a seat height 18⅛”. Bed dimension are 56¾"Wx78⅜"L.
The FRIHETEN sleeper sectional dimensions are as follows: 90½"Wx59½"Dx26”H, with a bed width of 55⅛" and a bed length of 80⅜".
Both options are available in the 100% polyester Skiftebo fabric in beige, brown, dark gray and dark orange. It’s also available in the IKEA’s black Bomstad faux leather material.
Storage beneath FRIHETEN Sleeper Sofa
Quality: ★★
The FRIHETEN sleeper sofa gets the job done, is aesthetically pleasing in a minimalist kind of way and is fairly easy to switch around from a sofa to a bed and back. At the same time, the materials and construction are not on par with higher end furniture. In other words, you get what you pay for.
Here’s a more detailed look at the materials used to build the FRIHETEN sleeper sofa.
Frame: “Solid wood, Particleboard, Plywood,” the bed box frame is constructed with “Plywood, Particleboard, Paint, (and) Foil.”
Fabric: The Skiftebo is made of polyester and the Bomstad of faux leather.
Cushions: The back cushions are made of “polyester fiber balls”. The seat cushions are a mix of “Polyurethane foam 2.0 lb/cu.ft., Polyester wadding, Polyester wadding, (and) Felt liner.”
Overall quality: like most IKEA furniture, the materials are not that high quality. As mentioned in the comfort section, the frame did not provide that much butt support, which makes me concerned about sag and over time. Ikea does make up for some of its lack of quality with a 365 day return policy and a 10 year warranty.
Quality: ★★
The FRIHETEN sleeper sofa gets the job done, is aesthetically pleasing in a minimalist kind of way and is fairly easy to switch around from a sofa to a bed and back. At the same time, the materials and construction are not on par with higher end furniture. In other words, you get what you pay for.
Here’s a more detailed look at the materials used to build the FRIHETEN sleeper sofa.
Frame: “Solid wood, Particleboard, Plywood,” the bed box frame is constructed with “Plywood, Particleboard, Paint, (and) Foil.”
Fabric: The Skiftebo is made of polyester and the Bomstad of faux leather.
Cushions: The back cushions are made of “polyester fiber balls”. The seat cushions are a mix of “Polyurethane foam 2.0 lb/cu.ft., Polyester wadding, Polyester wadding, (and) Felt liner.”
Overall quality: like most IKEA furniture, the materials are not that high quality. As mentioned in the comfort section, the frame did not provide that much butt support, which makes me concerned about sag and over time. Ikea does make up for some of its lack of quality with a 365 day return policy and a 10 year warranty.
Close up of Skiftebo in dark gray
Safety and Sustainability: ★★★
While IKEA is making an effort to use more recycled products and renewable energy, the IKEA FRIHETEN is made with mass produced, inexpensive materials. IKEA claims that 77 percent of its wood products are either FSC certified or recycled, there is a lot of polymer based materials used in the FRIHETEN and other sofas. IKEA’s DIY construction does cut transportation-related emissions due to more efficient freight and truck packing.
Delivery and Assembly: ★
Like all IKEA sofas, the KIVIK comes in numerous boxes. Depending on size and configuration, it could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 5 hours to assemble the sofa. IKEA offers free in store pick up or in home delivery starting at $39 plus tax. IKEA will send someone to assemble the sofa in your home for $63 to $80 plus tax.
Ikea gives you the option to select a 12 hour delivery window. Shipping can be arranged for as soon as one week delivery.
Value: ★★.5
If you are looking for an inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing sofa bed that’s easy to set up and break down, then the IKEA FRIHETEN might be for you. That said, the construction is not that sturdy, there is a crack (or cracks) when the sofa is turned into a bed and it’s not idea for long term sleeping. The sofa itself is not the most comfortable and would definitely be improved with better, or more back cushions. Ultimately, FRIHETEN starts at $499 for the sleeper sofa version and $799 for the sectional sleeper sofa with lounge. This is on the lower end of the cost spectrum for a sleeper sofa. There are definitely better options on the market but if you are on a budget and need a sofa bed it will do the trick.
What Customers Are Saying: ★★★.25 (Overall rating based on 219 customer reviews)
★★ Nice looking, but cheap. And NOT floor model. “This couch looks great, and seemed to be the perfect fit for my new place. Sat on the assembled version several times in the store, on different days, and even lay down. Super comfortable, sturdy, and more.
I ordered delivery and assembling, which was done in less than 10 minutes, leaving me ready to relax. But over the next few months, I noticed a few things…
-- The bottom storage is simply a thin piece of cardboard that barely holds the weight of pillows and blankets.
-- The seat cushion itself is super flimsy, and nothing like the one in the floor model. Within a few months, It began to sag, and you can feel every board/bit of framing inside it.
-- Recently, the left side armrest has become completely loose, and lifts away from the couch.
Waiting to hear from service and exchange department as I'm still under the 364-day return. Hopefully I just got a bad one and the whole batch isn't bad.” - dp88 (from FRIHETEN sleeper sofa reviews).
★ Broke after a month “I bought this sofa bed a month ago and this afternoon, my wife and I were sitting on the couch and suddenly the couch gave out. I was surprised at how low quality the sofa bed is, press board is holding up the sides which was what failed. I’m not an IKEA engineer, however, press board for the only support on a sofa bed is absolutely insane. I will gladly be returning the product to get my money back and invest in a more expensive but safe to use sofa bed anywhere but from IKEA. Do not buy this sofa bed, you are just waiting for it to break and potentially hurt yourself.” - THE JARDER (from FRIHETEN sleeper sectional sofa reviews).
★★★★ Super comfy, great value “We bought this couch for our tiny apartment 2 years ago and couldn't be happier. We don't have a dining table so my boyfriend and I eat all our meals on it, and spend every evening watching movies on it too. Admittedly, the back cushions do sag a little over time, but some throw pillows provide extra lumbar support when needed.
We haven't had any of the fabric or structural issues that others have mentioned. Despite pretty aggressive daily use, it's still in fantastic condition.
The pull-out ed is also pretty great. Sometimes we pull it out just for fun, and it's super quick and easy. All our guests have said that it's decent to sleep on. I don't think this would be my choice in a studio apartment, but it's comfy enough for guests to sleep well.
I was sorry to see so many negative reviews - we love our couch and haven't had any real problems.” - Forrester - (from FRIHETEN sleeper sectional sofa reviews)
Thanks for reading the IKEA FRIHETEN sleeper sofa review. Read more sofa selector reviews to find the best sofa for you. Whether you’re looking for the most comfortable couch, a stylish sectional sofa, an affordable sleeper sofa or a modern loveseat, you’ll find what you’re looking for on our review pages. So, sit back, relax and read more sofa reviews! You can also check out our furniture sale round ups that give tips on where to buy discount furniture.
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