Best sofa covers UK 2023: Transform your living room aesthetic in minutes
Protect your couch from daily wear and tear with one of the best sofa covers UK
We all love a cosy evening spent lazing on the sofa, but keeping your furniture in tip-top condition can be a struggle – especially in a busy household. That’s why the best sofa covers are a perfect solution. Often referred to as a slipcover, these innovative creations are pretty much what they sound like: a fitted removable cover that helps protect your expensive sofa from stains, spills, pet hair, pet claws, and anything else that may damage or wear it out. As it’s removable, a sofa cover can be easily washed or changed out for a fresh cover whenever needed and saves you from having to wash, clean or reupholster the sofa cushions themselves.
If you’re a fan of regularly changing a room’s aesthetic through patterns and colour, sofa covers are a fantastic way to do this. Instead of buying new furniture, simply use a different sofa cover and update your room just in a few minutes. We’ve found the best sofa covers for you to choose from, whether you’re after a soft and stretchy one-piece, multiple cushion covers or a water-resistant slipcover to use when pets and children are around.
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Best sofa covers UK: At a glance
- Best separate cushion protectors: Wayfair Textured Grid Soft Separate Box Cushion Sofa Slipcover | £77
- Best Ikea sofa cover: Ektorp 3 Seater Sofa Cover | £296
- Best cosy sofa cover for winter: Yeahmart Thick Sofa Covers | £33
- Best sofa throw blanket: Silentnight Giant Warm Snugsie Blanket Throw | £35
How to choose the best sofa cover for you
What’s the best fabric for a sofa cover?
While you can find sofa covers in various materials and fabrics, it’s best to go with a durable, medium-weight fabric that’s machine washable, such as cotton, canvas, microfibre or a twill blend like denim. These fabrics drape easily over a sofa with a loose fit.
You can also find more tightly fitted slipcovers made from spandex and polyester. These will have a certain amount of stretch and appear more form-fitting.
How do I choose the right sofa cover?
Consider whether you’d prefer a one-piece protector or separate seat and cushion protectors. The former is easier to remove and wash, while the latter gives a more tailored look. Opting for separate protectors is also useful if you have an L-shaped sofa, as odd shapes like these can be trickier to find covers for.
Knowing your sofa’s measurements is somewhat crucial when purchasing a sofa cover. You’ll need the overall length, depth, width and height, along with the distance from the legs to the floor if your slipcover has a skirt. For separate cushion protectors, you’ll need individual height, length and depth measurements of these too.
Anything else I should bear in mind?
Knowing how to keep a sofa cover in place is important: the thinner the fabric, the more chance it will move and shift when people sit (or children jump) on it. Luckily there are plenty of hacks for this – for example, using velcro strips, elastic corners, drawstrings and even the grip strips used for rugs.
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The best sofa covers to buy in 2023
1. Wayfair Textured Grid Soft Separate Box Cushion Sofa Slipcover: Best separate cushion protectors
Price: £77 | Buy now from Wayfair
We love the cosiness of these Wayfair slipcovers. Available in thirteen different colourways, the twill fabric is made from 100% polyester and has a slightly raised design which adds texture. There’s plenty of stretch to it too, meaning you won’t have trouble with differently-sized cushions.
One piece covers the sofa’s base and back cushions, leaving you with three more slipcovers for the seat cushions. There are also elastic edges to keep the slipcovers firmly in place. When measuring for the fit, make sure there’s at least 1cm of cushion cover beyond the cushion itself, as this allows for the cover to wrap around it sufficiently.
Key features – Dimensions: H104cm x W235cm x D107cm; Material: 100% Polyester; Machine washable: Yes
2. Ektorp Three-Seater Sofa Cover: Best Ikea sofa cover
Price: From £296 | Buy now from Bemz
Ikea sofas are a staple of countless households, but their unique sizes can make it difficult to find a cover that fits properly. Luckily, Bemz specialises in IKEA sofa covers, like this one for the Ektorp Three Seater. The cover comes in seven separate pieces that will adequately cover the frame, seat cushions and back cushions, all of which are fitted with zippers and can be reversed too. Made from a twill cotton fabric, it’s easy to pop into the washing machine and feels much softer than the original Ikea material.
But the real star of the show at Bemz is the choice of 140 fabrics, including cotton, linen, velvet, wool and corduroy, plus a ‘Conscious’ range made of 100% recycled materials. If you’re struggling to decide, you can order free sample swatches that match the quality of your eventual sofa cover.
The prices at Bemz may sting a little – particularly when they’re equivalent to the cost of the Ikea sofa itself – but as the material, craftsmanship, shipping time and customer service are seriously impressive, this may outweigh the cost. There’s also a three-year guarantee on your purchase.
Key features – Dimensions: H88cm x W215cm x D88cm; Material: Cotton, linen, velvet, wool-look, corduroy, ‘Conscious’; Machine washable: Yes
3. Yeahmart Thick Sofa Protector: Best cosy sofa cover for winter
Price: £33 | Buy now from Amazon
During winter – when every soft furnishing could be, well, softer – covering the sofa in a deliciously cosy slipcover will easily crank up the comfort of your living room. Made from a thick, soft velvet-like microfibre with a spandex stretch, this one-piece sofa cover comes in eight colours including silver grey, wine red, purple and blue, and has elastic belts to secure the cover around the base of the sofa.
We’ve gone for the three-seater here, which fits a sofa length of 195cm to 230cm, but there’s also a two-seater sofa (£29.99; 145cm to 185cm) and a four-seater (£36.99; 235cm to 300cm), plus a one-seater chair cover at £23.99, 90cm to 140cm. Some reviewers have found the sizing to be a little off, so it’s worth double-checking your specific sofa’s measurements before you order – and maybe getting the size up just in case.
Key features – Dimensions: L195cm to 230cm; Material: Velvet; Machine washable: Yes
4. Silentnight Snugsie Giant Blanket: Best throw blanket for the sofa
Price: £35 | Buy now from Wayfair
There’s nothing stopping you from using a giant blanket to cover your sofa. While it may not be firmly held in place around the cushions, a blanket like the sage green Snugsie from Silentnight looks gorgeous draped across the sofa in the daytime and then keeps you and the family toasty warm during the evening movie marathon.
The Snugsie blanket is double layered with super soft flannel fleece on one side and a seriously warming sherpa fleece lining on the other, and at 180×240 cm it’s big enough to cover a king-size bed if you just can’t leave it on the sofa. If you want to use it as an elegant sofa cover though, try folding it in half twice and then draping it over the sofa’s arm, or you can drape it across one sofa corner and add a throw pillow to create the perfect cosy look.
Key features – Dimensions: W180 x L240cm; Material: 100% Polyester; Machine washable: Yes
5. Versailtex Reversible Slipcover Furniture Protector: Best waterproof sofa cover
Price: £22 to £40 | Buy now from Amazon
When young children, babies and excitable pets are around, there’s a chance your sofa will be the site of messes and accidents, often involving liquid. So why not add a waterproof sofa cover into the mix?
This Versailtex slipover is fully water resistant, so liquid simply beads up on contact. The fabric is hypoallergenic, has box stitching which helps to reduce any shifting, and as a bonus has a soft quilted lining which retains your pet’s body heat and makes them cosier! We’re particularly keen on the elastic straps that have solid adjustable buckles to create a snug fit around the sofa cushions.
The waterproof sofa covers come in one to four-seater sizes, as well as in a recliner size too. It won’t fit on a leather sofa unfortunately as the elastic straps slide off – but all other sofa materials should be fine.
Key features – Dimensions: W162cm x D189cm; Material: Microfibre; Machine washable: Yes, in cold water/gentle cycle
6. Dunelm Soft Marl 3-Seat: Best sofa cover for minimalists
Price: £50 | Buy now from Dunelm
If you’re looking to create an oasis of minimalistic calm but don’t want the stress that comes with expensive upholstery, this soft marl 3-seat sofa cover in the colour Natural from Dunelm is a fantastic dupe. These covers are easy to slip on, stretchy and machine washable. Plus, they come in a range of other colours, including trendy Denim, stylish Old Gold (a mustard hue) and a dove-like Light Grey. At only £50 a pop, you could mix it up seasonally. Looking to update your living room suite? These handy soft casings are also available as armchair and dining chair covers.
Key features – Dimensions: W182-233cm; Material: 55% Polyester, 40% Recycled Polyester, 5% Elastance; Machine washable: Yes
7. SJH Luxurious Velvet Slipcover: Best sofa cover for style
Price: £37 | Buy now from Amazon
This forest green slipcover does more than just protect your sofa from dust, crumbs and spills. It combines a breathable, non-slip fabric with a super-soft look-and-feel which can look smart atop the shabbiest of sofas. It’s also a great option if you’re toying with the idea of committing to a velvet sofa but aren’t yet sure whether to take the financial plunge.
This velvet-style cover comes in four sizes, designed to fit either a single-seater, two-seater, three-seater or even a four-seater sofa, and can be machine washed in cold water (and even tumble dried on low heat) for ultimate utility.
Key features – Dimensions: W75-30cm single seat, W140-170cm 2-seater, W190-220cm 3-seater, W235-280cm 4-seater; Machine washable: Yes (cold water)
