TOFU BLOCK or TRI-FOLD? Choosing Between Two Single Sofa Beds

Most people who ask us about a single sofa bed are solving the same problem. The spare room has to work as a study on weekdays and a guest room a few nights a year. Or the apartment is a studio, and the one piece of furniture you have room for needs to be somewhere to sit in the daytime and somewhere to sleep when someone stays over.

You have measured the corner. You know you want one piece of furniture rather than two. You have narrowed it down to the two single sofa beds we make — the Tofu Block and the Tri-Fold — and now you are staring at two product pages that both look like they would do the job. Both fold out. Both are corduroy. Neither needs assembly.

The difference between them is not quality or price. It is the space you have, and the way you want to sleep. Here is how to decide in four steps.

Step 1 — Measure the space in both positions

Measure the room twice: where the sofa bed sits during the day, and where it reaches when it is open. The folded footprint is what you live with every day; the extended size decides whether the bed can actually open without blocking a doorway.

· Tofu Block: 85 × 85 cm folded, opening to 86 × 190 cm.

· Tri-Fold: 70 × 90 cm folded, opening to 70 × 210 cm.

If floor length is tight, the Tofu Block finishes 20 cm earlier. If width is the problem — a narrow study, a hallway, the gap beside a wardrobe — the Tri-Fold is 16 cm narrower when it opens.

Step 2 — Decide how you want to sleep

The two sleeping surfaces are different shapes, and this is usually what settles the decision.

· Tofu Block: 86 cm wide and 22 cm thick, with 190 cm of length including the head cushion (the mattress area itself is 170 cm).

· Tri-Fold: 70 cm wide and 11.6 cm thick, with 210 cm of length.

A wider, thicker mattress feels closer to a real bed — that is the Tofu Block. A longer one suits taller guests — that is the Tri-Fold. If your guests are adults of different heights, keep in mind that 70 cm is a single-person width, while 86 cm gives noticeably more room to turn over.

Step 3 — Think about what the bed looks like when it is open

This is the difference people notice after delivery, not on the product page. The Tri-Fold has a fixed backrest: when you unfold it, the backrest keeps its shape, so the open position still looks like a day bed rather than a mattress on the floor. The Tofu Block works the other way — its backrest and cylindrical head cushion can be moved and arranged however you like, so you can lay it flatter to sleep or prop it up to read.

Step 4 — Check the seat height and how it arrives

The Tofu Block sits at 44 cm, close to a conventional armchair, which makes it easier to get up from. The Tri-Fold sits lower at 35 cm, with a more relaxed lounge profile. Neither is better; it depends on who uses it every day.

Delivery is the same for both. They arrive compressed, with no assembly required — unpack, let them expand, and they reach full plumpness within 48–72 hours. The fabric can arrive with some creases from the packaging; a quick pass with a garment steamer smooths them out, and the shape settles as it does in the photos.

The comparison at a glance

Compare	Tofu Block Sofa Bed	Tri-Fold Sofa Bed
Folded size	85 W × 85 D × 44 H cm; seat height 44 cm	70 W × 90 D × 75 H cm; seat height 35 cm
Extended size	86 W × 190 L cm; 22 cm thick	70 W × 210 L cm; 11.6 cm thick
Sleeping width	86 cm — a wider single	70 cm — a narrow single, best for one adult or a child
Sleeping length	190 cm including the head cushion (170 cm mattress area)	210 cm — longer than a standard single bed
Backrest	Backrest and cylindrical head cushion can be moved and arranged however you like	Fixed backrest that keeps its curved shape, even when the bed is unfolded
Fill	High-polymer foam beads, 22 cm	Compressed foam back support with a high-polymer foam seat
Upholstery	Corduroy	Corduroy
Best for	A wider, thicker bed for guests and everyday lounging	Tight spaces, and a bed that still looks like a chair when folded

Which one is right for you?

Choose the Tofu Block if you want the widest and thickest sleeping surface of the two (86 cm wide and 22 cm deep), you prefer a seat height close to a normal armchair, and you like being able to move the backrest and head cushion out of the way to make a flatter bed.

Choose the Tri-Fold if floor space is tight. It is the narrower of the two at 70 cm, it gives you 210 cm of length for taller guests, and its fixed backrest keeps its shape when the bed is unfolded — so it always looks like a proper chair or day bed rather than a mattress on the floor.

Quick answers

Can one person open them? Yes. Both unfold in seconds, with no tools and no assembly.

Can they be used every night? They are designed for everyday sitting and occasional sleeping, which suits guest rooms, studies and studios. For nightly use, add a mattress topper.

What about delivery? We deliver Australia-wide, with local delivery available across Sydney. If you would rather collect, email us to arrange a pickup time. If your home has any special circumstances, let us know by email and we will work out the delivery with you.

Still deciding?

If you are not sure whether either one will fit, send us the measurements of your room — both the everyday position and the open position — and we will tell you which of the two suits your space. Explore the Tofu Block Sofa Bed and the Tri-Fold Sofa Bed, or browse our Sofas & Sofa Beds collection.