IKEA Bråthult and Sandbacken sofa review: Same frame, different name?

IKEA recently launched two different series this year called the Bråthult and Sandbacken, and guess what? They’re almost identical – we were surprised as well!

Both of them come in these size varieties: the 3 seater sofa, Corner sectional with Ottoman and Corner Sleeper sectional with Ottoman.

When we entered the IKEA store for another team outing, we found the two sofas with different names and didn’t realise it until we took several double takes.

“Feels like dejavu” we thought but upon careful examination of each sofa we found out the truth – their wireframes are indeed exactly the SAME, copied and pasted.

The only thing that sets them apart are the cushions and skirts:

IKEA Sandbacken IKEA Brathult

OVERVIEW

Both of them were designed by Lisa Hilland and David Wahl, and it seems like they were meant to give two different overall vibes.

The IKEA Sandbacken looks a lot more relaxed and laid back, with its two oversized back pillows that look like a giant ribbon, additional armrest cushions for extra comfort and the pleated skirts on all corners of the sofa.

The IKEA Brathult on the other hand, looks a bit more modern minimalist with no pleats on the skirt and has 3 distinct boxed back cushions.

Sandbacken Knife edged cushions (left) and Brathult Box shaped cushions (right)

This seems to be further exemplified by their colour offering: Sandbacken comes in Lofallet beige and Frillestad light gray which are more neutral while the Bråthult is available in Borred gray-green and Vissle red/orange – which seems more daringly avant garde.

Another similarity between the two though is that the Corner sectional and Corner Sleeper sectional for both come with an Ottoman with an extra storage space.

Note: This ottoman is not sold separately.

While dimensions and structure are generally the same, there is a slight price difference nonetheless.

PRICE

3 Seater Sofa:

Interestingly, the IKEA Sandbacken 3 seater sofa is listed at US$229 while the 3 seater Bråthult is tagged with a price of US$249.

IKEA Sandbacken (Top) and IKEA Brathult (Bottom) 3 seater sofa

3 Seater Corner sectional

We’re not exactly sure why there’s a US$50 difference between the two – but it could possibly be because of the extra lumbar armrest cushions?

IKEA Sandbacken Corner Sectional (Top) and IKEA Brathult Corner Sectional (Bottom)

The sleeper versions are US$30 more, respectively at US$349 for Sandbacken and US$299 for Bråthult, with the same price difference between the two models still.

The sofa turns into a bed without much hassle and the mechanism seems similar to its ancestors – the Manstad and the Friheten.

In terms of price point though, the IKEA Friheten corner sofa bed seems pretty expensive at US$599 – so it does feel like a good bargain to get the Brathult or Sandbacken!

Let’s see if they can hold up to the luxurious feel and comfort of its ancestors though.

<uNote:</u

  • Prices for Sandbacken in Frillestad light gray are higher than in Lofallet beige
  • Prices for Bråthult in Borred gray-green are higher than in Vissle red/orange

Comfort

Now comes the real test!

Upon immersing ourselves into the sofas, we felt the seat cushions are not as comfy as it looks to be. When you closely inspect the sofas and pull up the skirt for example, you’ll find that the wireframe is indeed a wireframe.

The Manstad and Friheten were built with solid wood, but the Sandbacken and Brathult are built on metal stilts – which are quite disappointing but explains a great deal of its significantly lower price point.

Height of the armrests are pretty good but they are quite lean and non-existent, so you cannot have a person sit on it during a family get-together nor can you rest your head on it comfortably for a 5 minute power-nap even!

The saving grace is that the Corner and Sleeper sectionals have a modular Ottoman, you can place them wherever you feel like – left, right, centre of the sofa OR just use it as an extra seat even.

Overall it does look alright for a typical apartment, but when it comes to actually sitting on the sofa it’s hard to shake off the feeling that it feels cheap.

Verdict : 5/10

Aesthetics

Neither the Sandbacken nor the Bråthult comes with a WOW or an OMG factor. Again an okay-ish set of furniture by IKEA.

The Vissle red on Bråthult looks relatively cheap and the Bolmsund mattress on them for sleeper sectionals make them uncomfortable and less classy! The Sandbacken with the more neutral and practical options does allow it to look more premium with a few accent throws even.

The sleepers are also good for an additional guest for a night over. But what I like the best about this series is the muti-purpose Ottoman – useful as an extra storage and versatile enough to create different looks in the space just by moving it around.

Verdict : 6/10

IKEA Sandbacken with an Ottoman

Hackability

As mentioned above, just changing the position of the Ottoman you could give a different look to your room. And with many new IKEA sofa models, it comes with removable sofa covers, making it easy to make your own cover in a different fabric even.

This is typically a great way to personalize it and protect it from daily wear and tear.

Also the sad and the boring looking Bråthult can be elevated by replacing the normal-looking cushions with some funky pillows in contrasting colors with the sofa.

Maybe try picking out some pillow covers here.

Verdict : 7/10

IKEA Sandbacken Sectional with Contrast Pillows

Overall Conclusion

Well, the truth is that we don’t really like this sofa.

If you’re on a budget then we’d say go for it as it is relatively cheaper when it comes to prices when compared with other Ikea sofa beds.

But if you’re willing to invest a bit more (and you should), there are definitely better IKEA sofa beds out there. Check out our Friheten sofa bed review and Flottebo sofa bed review.

The main priority while buying a sofa is that you can always sit comfortably and happily on it, since they are an essential part of the house decor and allows one to be a couch potato when needed.

Hence the need for a sofa or sofa bed to be comfy, practical and beautiful as well!

That’s just our take on it though – what’s yours? Leave it in the comments below!

10 baby steps you can take to go zero waste at home

Zero waste doesn’t mean having to become a vegan or trade all your worldly possessions for a hut in the woods to be kinder to mother nature in your daily routine.

Alongside our efforts to go zero waste, we thought we’d show you how and where to start doing the same right at home.

All it takes to begin with, are these 10 simple steps.

1. Use energy-saving bulbs

Lightbulb c/o Nick de Partee

Yes, these will cost you $10-$20 more than your regular, incandescent light bulbs upfront, but they also use 5-10 times less energy and last 10 times longer in comparison, which translates into massive savings on your electricity bill and less waste sent to your local landfill.

2. Recycle your trash

“Recycle bin” c/o aSilva

By sorting out your paper, glass, metals, batteries, and broken appliances before you have them taken away, you’ll be making it a whole lot easier for the folks are your local recycling facility to do what they have to do: Minimize your trash – Go zero waste.

3. Ditch paper towels for reusable ones

Reusable tea towels c/o Susan Fitzgerald

The next time you feel tempted to reach for that roll of paper towels to clean a spill or spot of kitchen goo, consider this: It takes 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water to make a ton of paper towels. A more earth-friendly solution? Microfibre towels, which you can toss in the wash after you’re done and reuse over and over again.

4. Say “No” to packaging

Grocery sack c/o Unverpackt

If you’re the designated buyer of groceries and everyday essentials in your home, you’ll know just how much waste each shopping trip creates. Out of the 1.4 billion pounds of waste that ends up in U.S landfills every day, 40% is made up of packaging that’s used just once. To cut down on the amount of packaging you consume, try shopping the way our grandparents used to: Packaging-free.

5. Waste less food

cost of wasted food c/o of savethefood.com

A great side-effect of shopping package-free: You’ll buy only what you need, which means less food going bad and ending up in the trash. Why is this important? Besides your hard-earned cash going into the trash, uneaten food that gets tossed, rot, generating heat-trapping methane into our atmosphere. Here are some zero wasteideas on how to use leftovers in the fridge instead of letting them go to waste.

6. Compost your food scraps

Food scrap compost c/o Malloreigh

Rather than let your uneaten food and food scraps rot in a landfill, turn them into nutrient-rich food for the soil in your garden and its inhabitants by mixing them with the right ingredients under the right conditions. Learn how to start composting your food scrap here.

7. Make your own cleaning supplies

Homemade cleaning suppliers c/o Kolya Naturals

Besides being easier on your wallet—most DIY cleaners cost less than $1 to make in comparison to about $15 per store-bought bottle of cleaner)—homemade cleaning supplies are also much safer for you and your family. Making your own for the first time? Get going with these recipes.

8. Upcycle your old furniture

Comfort Works Muji sofa covers in Kino Willow

Got a chair, sofa or table you’re thinking of throwing out? Don’t. Consider breathing new life into it with a fun hack. You’d be surprised at what a big difference a new coat of paint, legs or a custom slipcover can make. Plus, ‘renewing’ your old furniture will cost considerably less than buying new ones.

9. Say “Yes” to reusable food wrappers

Reusable food cover c/o Eco Parents Australia

If you’re using plastic cling wrap to store your food, it’s definitely ending up in a landfill. And considering that it takes up to 500 years for it to break down once it gets there, it’s worth rethinking its place in your home. Consider swapping your cling wrap for reusable food wraps (which you can easily buy or make at home).

10. Make your own reusable bags

Got old clothing or linens that you haven’t used in years, lying around? Instead of designating them to the trash pile, put the fabric to work by upcycling them into reusable bento, knot and drawstring bags that you can use for shopping and storing your everyday essentials.

To get started, download our free tutorials here.

Want to start minimising waste and lead a more trash-free life? Join us on our zero waste journey here!

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