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Sofa Beds have never been as convenient as separate “sofas” or “beds”, and have always catered to a very niche-specific market. Still, Koala’s sofa bed has managed to make a name for itself in the Australian bed market.
But it has not always been like this; Koala began their operations with a typical bed industry product – their Koala Mattress! Now, they have expanded their line of products and offer sofas, tables, stools, and a lot of other stuff.
Talking about sofa beds, they have now become an Aussie household staple for smaller homes for several reasons. The latest sofa beds add to the home’s interior beauty and provide extra space for a weekend sleepover.
Nonetheless, despite its beauty and space benefits, the Koala Sofa Bed comes with a few noticeable flaws that do raise some eyebrows. So, is it wise to invest in one? Let’s find it out.
Overview
Koala did a wonderful job merging the Koala Sofa’s and Koala Mattress’s features and produced a fine-looking sofa bed that can be put to a diverse set of uses. It comes in three different sizes, namely single, double, and queen. Plus, you can choose from four different colors, meaning it can look fabulous in different house designs.
The base model in queen size is priced at $1500 and can be delivered anywhere in Australia. If you live in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Adelaide, you can get it delivered to your doorstep in just four hours.
Like their other products, the Koala Sofa Bed is aesthetically pleasing, easy to assemble, and perfect for eco-enthusiasts. In addition, it comes with a 120-day trial, a 5-year warranty, and an easy return policy.
To be honest, it’s a bit expensive and there are cheaper options available. But with brands like Koala, one can remain assured that you are getting what you pay for – hassle-free assembly and a sturdy product that outlives its cheaper competitors.
Design
A Koala Sofa Bed might seem extra thick and fat at first look. Its sides look especially bulky, which adds to the chunky look. However, since the piece is all covered in non-removable fabric, it settles nicely into the space and your eyes start seeing the beauty in no time.
The mattress of the Koala Sofa Bed is a dual-layered polyurethane foam that is covered in a stiff but comfortable Dacron fabric. The mattress body is made up of three folding parts; when folded together, they make up the sofa’s cushion, and when unfolded, it turns into your sleeping abode.
When unfolded, you’ll be able to spot tiny blobs on the top mattress surface that keep the three-piece body of the sofa from slipping when you use it as a sofa.
Overall, the sofa bed’s design is intelligent and can adjust pretty much anywhere in the house.
Assembly
The sofa bed arrives in five separate pieces that can be easily assembled. However, assembling the queen size would require having at least one person to assist you with it. Still, the assembling process is fairly simple. You don’t need a drill to punch screw holes or a wrench to tighten any bolts, so it’s a completely tool-free exercise.
Decide where you want to place the furniture and join the 12mm plywood baseboards with the connector. Now, fix the arms and backrest in the designated space on the boards. Then, secure them in place with the large screws that come with the package.
The last step is easy but requires you to carefully align the “Velcro” or “magic strips” of both the mattress and the wooden base to put together the final piece of the puzzle. Congrats! Your Koala Sofa Bed is ready.
And, good news: if you ever need to move home, you can disassemble the bed with the same ease!
Comfort
Even with an intelligible design, the sofa bed does poorly in providing consistent comfort. While the cushion (and mattress) are nice and firm, the corners are rather sinking. As a result, the mattress has poor edge support and the seat sinks significantly at the bank and near the armrest.
When we tested the bed and sat on the cushion, we found that the sinking effect causes an imbalance in our bodies that may cause back issues. We predicted that the issue might go away when the foam settles, but sadly the problem remains even after five months of use.
However, the sofa does very well in accommodating people with its extended depth. For example, the queen-size lets three people sit together quite comfortably. Moreover, its backrest is sturdy and provides excellent support and comfort.
There is one more concern that might put off some users. When unfolding, the little blobs on the non-skid surface of the mattress can be a little agonizing. The blobs don’t really hurt but might keep irritating you and keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. The issue will remain but can be alleviated a bit with a thick mattress topper.
Pros:
- The bed’s fabric gives a luxurious, pleasing look that will complement all house decor.
- The product might be a little expensive but Koala offers 15 – 20% discounts on major shopping events like Black Friday.
- You can get it delivered to you in 4 hours, given that you live in the selected metro areas.
- Purchasing the Koala Sofa Bed is risk-free as the company offers a 120-day trial and a 5-year warranty. If you aren’t happy, Koala will refund the billed amount and even pick up the mattress from you free of charge.
- Their customer service is excellent – on receiving your bed, they call you to inquire about how you liked the product. And if you have any critique, they listen to you with great interest and pass on your concerns to their design team.
- Assembling the bed requires little outside help and no tools. Plus, its construction without any screws and nuts means disassembling the sofa bed wouldn’t cause any wear and tear, extending its life. Normally, furniture that has screws and nuts can get damaged from repeated assembly and disassembly.
Cons:
- With $1500, you can get similar models in the market that might outperform the Koala Sofa Bed.
- In the unfolded “mattress” state, the non-skid surface’s blobs keep bothering you when trying to sleep.
- The sinking effect on the corners of the cushion ruins the balance of your body when you are sitting on the sofa.
- The cushion/mattress offers very little edge support, reducing the usable area and bringing the comfort level a bit down.
Finally: Is It Worth Buying?
Now, for the final part, here is what we think about the Koala Sofa Bed: YES it is worth buying.
With its beautiful design, sturdy build quality, and comfort, it is safe to say that you can consider buying it if it doesn’t hurt your pocket.
You don’t have to worry about whether or not it will suit your house interior because it comes in four colors that add beauty to almost every house. And since it’s easy to assemble and disassemble, you can move it around easily.
However, if the company can work on the edge support, sinking corners, and “feeling the blobs,” the bed will definitely go up against the best ones in the category!