How are you supposed to kick back and relax at the end of the day when your sofa doesn’t have adequate back support?
You end up slouched back, in a position that’s really bad for your posture, and you just can’t get comfortable no matter what you try. And if you try to take other people’s cushions you don’t hear the end of it.
The solution of course is to get yourself a sofa that is built with proper support for your back, giving you firm cushioning behind your back - right where you need it most.
The good news is that we’ve been checking out some of the best sofas out there for back support, and have come up with a selection of our top 5 which we will be reviewing for you here today.
But just to give you the heads-up, most sofa manufacturers who emphasize their product’s back support are makers of floor sofas, which usually don’t feature very good back support, so they make up the bulk of our product selection.
And after that, we’ve also got a handy buying guide for you that walks you through some of the key things to think about before you buy.
And then we’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
And without further ado…
OUR TOP PICK
We just love this adjustable floor sofa! Stylish AND ergonomic and comfortable.
It’s kinda like a cushioned version of those adjustable loungers you see at the poolside at all those top hotels.
It’s available in three different colors so you could go for an edgy black, an elegant grey, or a super cozy light brown.
It’s big enough to comfortably accommodate 2 adults or three small children.
The sofa’s dimensions are 23 inches in height, 43 inches in length, 25 inches in depth when used as a couch, and 18 inches in depth when the bottom is folded out.
It has a high back at 23 inches, but the back of the sofa is adjustable, and there are 5 different reclining positions you can set it to, to really help you relax.
You can have it at 90 degrees to the seat which is best for your back, or at any of the 5 positions, all the way to a flat horizontal position,
What gives it such excellent back support is the strong metal frame.
And as for lumbar specific support, it features 2 removable thick cushions, one for each seat, measuring 19.5 inches long, 7 inches high and 5.5. inches deep. Giving you that extra bit of back support right where you need it most.
All in all, it's a great sofa for just chilling in and enjoying a favorite movie together.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular sofa - simply click on “Check price” to see if there’s a deal on now.
Pros
- Great color options available
- Excellent value for money
- Adjustable reclining position
- Can also be unfolded into a bed
- 2 cushions for lumbar support
Cons
- Some customers say that it isn’t as comfortable as a bed as it is as a couch
EDITORS CHOICE
Please note this review is for Type 4 on the product page, which is the sofa with the great back support.
It’s available in two different shades - a sleek rich black, or a pale grey, which is lighter and will make the room look more spacious.
What we love about this particular sofa bed is how it’s a little higher off the ground to sit on compared to most other thinner sofa beds, nearly 10 inches off the floor to be exact.
The dimensions as a sofa are 24.4 inches in height, 44.09 inches in length, and 24.02 inches in depth.
As a bed, this works out at 5.12 inches in height, 78.35 inches in length, and 44.09 inches in width.
What makes it such a good sofa for back support is the high back in combination with steel frame and the firm lumbar support pillow.
And when you’re not using the pillow for lumbar support, it also makes a great pillow for your head.
The backrest is adjustable and can be secured in up to 5 different positions from 90 degrees through to 180 degrees.
The whole couch is made with firm high-density sponge, and the fabric over it is both breathable and wear proof.
You can just picture yourself relaxing on this sofa to watch a bit of TV or Netflix.
There may not be many customer reviews around on the net for this particular sofa, but what few reviews there have been have been incredibly positive.
When this article was written, the sofa had an average Amazon customer rating of a full 5 stars out of 5, which is something you don’t see very often.
Pros
- Two great color options
- Great value for money
- Sofa doubles as a bed
- Adjustable reclining position
- Firm lumbar support pillow
- Excellent customer ratings
Cons
- Very few customer reviews around
BEST VALUE
This very affordable folding sofa comes in quite an array of colors, so you don’t have to stick with either black or gray.
You can also choose from powder blue, dark blue suede, a rich chocolate brown, pale linen.
What we love the most about though, is how you can simply fold it away when it’s not in use.
Perfect if you don’t have too much space in your home. You can just slide it under your bed.
So, it doubles as a sofa and as a bed. As a sofa its dimensions are 27 inches high, 39.37 inches long, and 29.52 inches deep.
When positioned flat, this works out at 39.37 inches wide and about 60 inches long. Either as a sofa or as a bed it will comfortably accommodate 2 adults.
What makes it such a good sofa for back support is how it features a high back and how the sofa bed has a very rigid steel framework, but with ample cushioning.
It also features two matching cushions.
These can either be used on top of the seats themselves to lift you further up off the floor, or you can use them behind your back to give you better lumbar support for your back.
This sofa hasn’t had a lot of customer ratings just yet as it only became available in 2021, but it has already become an online bestseller in the category of chaise lounges.
Customer ratings have been very positive so far. When this article was written it had earned 4 and a half stars out of 5 from customers on Amazon.
It’s a great sofa to come home to at the end of a long day, where you can relax and unwind.
Pros
- Folds away when not in use
- Wide selection of colors
- Features matching cushions
- Sofa that doubles as a bed
- Offers great back support
Cons
- Not well suited for individuals over say 180 pounds in weight
RUNNER UP
Now, here’s another great sofa bed. What we love about this one is the fabric. It comes in a very cozy looking light brown.
And although it’s not made with actual suede, it sure looks like it does.
Sure it’s a little more expensive than some of the other sofa beds we’ve shown you here today, but we would argue that it’s still great value for money.
It’s dimensions as a sofa are 43 inches in length, 25 inches in width, and 23 inches in height.
When you’re not using it as a sofa you can unfold it and use it as a comfortable bed for the night.
Great if you have guests stopping over, just what you need. As a bed it has a length of 71 inches and a width of 43 inches.
It gives you great support for your back thanks to its very sturdy framework and its firm padding.
And better yet it also comes with two cushions measuring 18.5 inches length, 7 inches height and 5.5 inches deep.
These are perfect for providing that all important lumbar support for your back.
These cushions are removable, so you can use them as pillows when you convert the sofa to a bed.
Moreover, the back can recline to multiple positions from the 90 degree sofa position all the way through to 180 degrees.
It’s great for just kicking back with a soda and catching a movie with a bucket of popcorn.
We also love that it comes backed by a full year’s warranty.
The after-sales service is top notch, they’re quick to respond to your messages, and if you’re not happy with the sofa for any reason during that year you can be sure to get a free replacement.
Pros
- Really nice suede like fabric
- Sofa doubles as a bed
- Adjustable recline positions
- It’s great value for money
- Two lumbar support cushions
- Backed by a 1 year warranty
Cons
- Only available in light brown
- Not many customer reviews around for this sofa just yet
RUNNER UP
And here we have another great sofa bed that’s great for back support. It comes at a great price and has a 4 star rating on Amazon.
It’s available in 3 different colors, there’s classic gray, a creamy beige, and the other is an accent color, a bright turquoise blue that would make quite a centerpiece for your living room.
But that’s not all there is to love about it. When you’re not using it as a sofa, you can convert it into a bed, and when you’re not using it at all, you can simply fold it up and stow it away.
You might even get it to slide underneath your other furniture.
As a sofa, the dimensions are 58 inches in length, 44.5 inches in width and 23 inches in height.
And when you’re ready to kick back and relax you can recline the backrest to any one of 6 different available secure angle settings, ranging from 90 to 180 degrees.
This sofa bed can probably fit 3 slim adults rather than just the usual two. That can come in very handy at parties.
In addition to the sturdy backrest, the other thing that makes it such a great option as a sofa for back support is the inclusion of 2 matching cushions.
You can use them as lumbar support, or in any other way you wish, since they are not sewn in place.
And we just love the fabric too, it’s made of real suede and is very soft and skin friendly. And the cushioning is nice and thick too, very comfortable.
All in all it makes for a great sofa to just lounge around in and chill for an evening.
Pros
- Great price & great ratings
- The sofa doubles as a bed
- 6 Adjustable recline positions
- 3 great color options available
- Two cushions for lumbar support
Cons
- Some customers have noticed a not too pleasant smell when the sofa first arrived, but this should dissipate
Best Sofa For Back Support Buying Guide
As promised, here's your buying guide. Here we’ll walk you through what to look for in your sofa with back support. First, we’ll start with what to look for in a sofa in general, before concentrating on the back support.
Dimensions
You will of course need to ensure that you can comfortably place the sofa in your home, and still have room to move around it. And to that end we were sure to include the sofa dimensions in each of our reviews.
The best way to judge the size of your preferred sofa in your room is to get a measuring tape out and place markers down where the corners of the sofa would be in the room.
This will really give you a feel for exactly how much space you have to move around it.
Aesthetic
You should decide whether you like the look of the sofa, and whether it’s appearance is in keeping with the decor of the room you want it for.
Neutral colors such as black and gray will work just about anywhere, but you’d have to be more careful with colors such as blue. You should also give some thought to what sort of fabric you would like.
Value for Money
Sometimes you can expect to pay about $1000 for a sofa. However, the sofa beds that made our shortlist are all sofa beds, and these are typically sold at a fraction of the price of a regular sofa.
But there is variation in price even within this sub category of sofas, so you might like to make a note of prices as you go along.
Back Support
High Back
When shopping for a sofa with back support in mind, we would argue that it’s important for the sofa to have a high back to it. That way you can lean back in full comfort, and rest your whole spine.
Lumbar Support
But when it comes to back support, it is perhaps even more important to consider lumbar support. Lumbar support is support for the lower part of your back.
Now you can either buy special lumbar support products for your furniture or you can simply use good, firm cushions. Either option will cushion your back where you need it most.
Materials in the Sofa
The sofa has to sufficiently firm and secure to take your weight when you lean back. To that end you should look for sofas that feature a good solid and rigid metal framework.
Some sofas that look soft and cozy can actually be a lot sturdier than you think!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sofa for back support?
To be perfectly honest, we would say that all of the sofas that made our shortlist of top 5 picks are about equally as good in how much back support they have to offer.
They all offer a high back, so you can rest your whole spine, and they all have good sturdy frameworks...
Moreover they all also come complete with matching pillows, all of which can provide that much needed lumbar support for your lower back.
Can a sofa give you a bad back?
Unfortunately this is true, sometimes reclining on a sofa can give you bad back. If you were to purchase a soft sofa rather than a good firm one, then the support that you need for your back just isn’t there.
This can result in symptoms such as lower backache or shoulder strain.
Are reclining backrests good for your back?
We are very pleased to report that sofas with reclining backrests can be very comfortable and good for your back, provided that you have proper lumbar support in the way of firm cushioning for your lower back
