I bought this sofa to convert an empty bedroom into a guest room that could also serve as a 'study.' This piece is a nice middle-ground between the poor comfort aspects of a traditional roll-out sofa (those unfortunately placed cross-bars that seem to bite into your back) and more typical futons, which I've never liked the look of. This piece is a good value- though definitely a two-person assembly job; and, if you're not mechanically inclined, be prepared to really focus on the instructional photos rather than the words! First time assembly was easy- 'til we realized the entire thing was backwards when you moved it from flat to sitting position! Once we figured it out though, it went together well and looks very good.
At first glance, it definitely looks like a comfy sofa and you'd never guess that it's a futon. The mechanism allows you to lock into place upright; one notch reclining; and flat- where it makes an extremely comfortable double bed. The futon itself is an inner-spring coil mattress, covered by foam and the cover is also padded. When laid flat, it all rests on boards- no cross-bars. Outer material is very nice quality too. Pay attention to the dimensions- they're accurate, and it IS big...at least as large as any family room sofa so if you're using in a small space, that needs to be considered. Overall, very happy with the purchase.