Ratings > Waterbed Reviews Waterbed Mattress Reviews and Ratings Based on 602 Actual Consumer Experiences THE GOOD: Contours to body for reduced pressure points • good longevity possible • often inexpensive • largely dust mite resistant • temperature control. THE BAD: Can leak / be punctured • heavy • set up and maintenance not easy • noise and initial odor potential • possible heating expense. THE BEDS: Waterbeds come mainly in two types: hard-sided and soft-sided. A hard-sided waterbed (more common of the two) consists of a water chamber inside a wood frame placed on a deck and platform. A soft-sided waterbed looks like a conventional bed. It consists of a water chamber encased inside a frame of sturdy foam and fabric placed on a platform. THE COMPETITION: Waterbeds tend to compete mostly with airbeds. See how waterbeds compare to airbeds and other bed types in the mattress type comparison. THE RESEARCH: This page rates only waterbed mattresses – meaning not the frame or any other aspect of the beds including liner, heater, pad, fill/drain and hose.
Consumer data was gathered using an unbiased, accurate methodology. The table below shows how waterbeds as a group compare to the average mattress. Waterbeds overall have 74% owner satisfaction. Punctures / leaks are the top complaint of hardside waterbed owners. Most punctures / leaks are caused by cats, zippers, pens, pencils. Punctures / leaks can often be easily repaired. With good maintenance, waterbeds can last for over a decade. Hardside waterbed mattresses often are $50-$400, while softside ones often cost $800-$1800. Higher priced models have more features, namely wave reduction and lumbar support. In general and compared to other mattress types, support is not a strength of waterbeds. About 15% of owners report (back) pain relief, while 9% complain that their bed causes pain. (See mattresses and pain relief for more analysis.) Also, the "hard side" of hardside waterbeds may be uncomfortable when getting on or off the bed. Waterbeds contour to the body as well as, if not better than, other mattress types.
The result is a mostly even distribution of one's weight and reduced pressure points. A mattress with good motion isolation absorbs movement from spreading across the bed and keeps one's partner from being disturbed. Single bladder, free flow waterbeds perform poorly, while dual bladder, waveless models can perform fairly well. Motion of the bed causes sea sickness-like symptoms for about 3% of owners. Waterbeds tend to have resistance to large dust mite populations because the mites cannot enter into the water chamber. This can reduce allergies for some people. About 17% of waterbed owners report a significant and bothersome initial odor, usually from the vinyl. Waterbeds are generally quiet if air is removed from inside; otherwise the water may be heard (swishing, sloshing). In addition, the heater may make some noise. The mattresses are more likely to sleep cold (without the use of a heater) than they are to sleep hot. For the majority of owners, the beds are viewed as no better than average on this issue.
See mattresses and sex for more info. Short break in period Hardside waterbeds tend to have a somewhat faster break-in period than softside. Easy to set up A main disadvantage compared to most other mattress types. Setting up / assembling a waterbed requires considerable time and effort. A water conditioner should be added occasionally, and the water level needs to be maintained. On the positive side, the mattress never needs to be flipped / turned. Easy to lift, handle, move Waterbeds are the heaviest type of bed and can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds whenMoving the bed is difficult and time consuming because you must drain the bed to move it. Energy use / cost Waterbeds are usually heated (at least in the winter) to prevent an uncomfortably cold sleep surface. Heating water takes significant energy and will result in somewhat higher electricity costs. The table below compares waterbed mattresses that have at least 84% owner satisfaction based on a sample of 40+ consumer experiences.
The mattresses below are all suited for traditional hard-sided (wooden) waterbed frames. Blue Magic Fiber 1000 Blue Magic Fiber 3500 super single, queen, king super single, twin, full, queen, king Waveless or Free Flow 12 yrs total (3 yrs full coverage and 9 yrs prorated) 20 yrs total (2 yrs full coverage and 18 yrs prorated) * Thicker vinyl often means reduced puncture potential. Owner Satisfaction and Wave Reduction Waterbed owner satisfaction is somewhat linked to wave reduction. A mattress with wave reduction will have only a few seconds of motion, while a free-flow mattress will have up to a full minute of motion. About our unbiased Waterbed review and research Ratings are based on 600+ waterbed owner experiences related to a variety of brands and manufacturers. Find out more about our mattress research methodology and sources. – At the peak of their popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 20 percent of the U.S. population owned a waterbed.
Our research suggests that today about 2 percent of people own a waterbed. Nevertheless, advances have been made over the decades, such as wave reduction, that make waterbeds more competitive with conventional mattress types in many ways. At Amazon: A Top-Rated Waterbed Mattress $ Non-members pay 10% surchargeJoin now! Shipping Enter ZIP Code for shipping options Estimated arrival Free Pickup Add to list About this item Description Member reviews & questions Policies & plans Description The American Sleep Collection Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress minimizes motion to provide custom tailored comfort that pampers every curve of the body, resulting in virtually perfect body alignment as defined by physicians and chiropractors for the ideal sleeping posture. The Complete Water Mattress System Kit includes a premium Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed mattress, Premium Standup liner, Solid State Heater, Premium Mattress Pad and Deluxe Fill/Drain & Hose Kit. For use with hard-side wood waterbed frame (not included).
Wood waterbed frame sold separately. Deep fill fluid suspension evenly supports your body like an astronaut in gravity neutral sleep. The American Sleep Collection Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress provides all the pressure relieving support benefits of full depth flotation sleep incorporated in the latest mattress design technology. It is a well established scientific fact that the body can only be truly relaxed when muscles do not have to constantly fight the forces of gravity. Archimedes' Principle proved a body floating or submerged in a liquid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the liquid displaced and thus the body loses the amount of weight of the liquid displaced so that body weight is lightened and imposes less pressure on the body parts. As your body consists of over 90% water, the deep fill Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress enables you to float in a near weightless environment that virtually eliminates muscle tension. And digital temperature control enables you to precisely regulate your environment for the deepest most rejuvenating sleep.
For hygienically clean hypoallergenic sleep the Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress is ideal. The Water Flotation Chamber is easily accessible for cleaning with the Vinyl Conditioner included with your American Sleep Collection Waterbed. As well as providing supplies for you to maintain the most hygienically clean sleep support system available (you really don't want to know about all the stuff you can't clean out of a conventional mattress), the American Sleep Collection Waterbed comes complete with a 25 ft. In & Out Hose, Faucet Adapters, Waterbed Fill Adapter, Multi-Purpose Water Conditioner, Vinyl Cleaner/Conditioner and a handy Venturi Siphon. The American Sleep Collection Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress provides custom tailored comfort that pampers every curve of the body, resulting in virtually perfect body alignment. The Fluid Chamber provides true Full Depth Flotation, and Waveless Performance is additionally enhanced with Mid Body Lumbar Support. Other features include 24 Mil Premium Vinyl, Ultra Contouring Molded Top, Air Release Valve, Multi-Laminate Reinforced Corners, 4-Way Tethered Support System, L-Seam Construction and a Thermally Efficient Black Bottom.
Specifications Premium Ultra Waveless Lumbar Waterbed Mattress: Premium enhanced mid-body lumbar support system Multi-Layer total body wave elimination system 24 mil premium pearlized vinyl Molded low tension sleep surface design Phase II air release valve L-seam construction with recessed black bottom Multi-Laminate dual color molded reinforced corners 4-way hook & eyelet tethered support system Integrated internal component stabilization 20 year limited warranty Premium Standup Liner: Heavy duty vinyl construction Heat compatible black vinyl Stand-up side construction Ample over-cut design Premium Digital Solid State Heater: Certified to the standards of the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) for Waterbed Heaters #1445 18-gauge power cord 32-gauge nickel/copper flexible circuitry Larger pad with 64-gauge Thermal Fused Duraflex® vinyl State-of-the-art ultra sensitive digital electronic control Unique double mount control 4 year limited warranty Deluxe Fill/Drain and Hose Kit: 8 oz. multi-purpose plus waterbed conditioner 8 oz. multi-purpose vinyl cleaner & protectant Venturi siphon drain pump Faucet adapter Hose-to-valve coupling 25 ft. hose Premium Convert-A-Fit Mattress Pad: Billowy clouds of polyester are quilted in for an extra layer of padding 50% cotton/50% polyester top offers breathable year-round comfort Quilted sides for protection Machine wash and dry for easy care protection between you and your mattress Converta-fit™ spandex ends provide a convertible
, guaranteed fit on all conventional, high profile and waterbed mattresses Non-allergenic Waterbed Dimensions: King Dimensions: 9" x 72" x 84" Due to vacuum packing for cost efficient shipping, it may take up to 30 days for wave reduced water mattresses to fully loft out and achieve maximum wave reduction performance. Assembled Country USA Component Country USA And Imported Member reviews & questions Policies & plans Shipping Information Standard - 2 to 6 business days Delivery is not available to AK, HI or Puerto Rico Warranty Information 20 years limited on mattress 4 years limited on heater Any damages during delivery must be reported by the Member immediately. Specialty Sleep Services is responsible for providing warranty service for this product. For return information and complete warranty details call Specialty Sleep Services at 1-866-879-1994. Member returns require an attached receipt for verification upon pickup, delivery or return. No refunds will be issued until returned merchandise is received by Specialty Sleep Services.