A blow drier set on 'Cool' is the right tool for the job. Take the mystery out of inflating an air mattress with an over-sized opening, often called an air bed. These inflatable beds often come with the manufacturer's air pump They deflate faster than mattresses with a standard aperture. More subscribers who purchased inflatable air beds reported they were sleeping better compared to those who purchased traditional mattresses, according to Consumer Reports. Whether you use an air mattress for your main bed, guest bed or for camping, there are options for safely inflating it. Go Adjustable Because of the large valve for inflation, foot pumps and many models of air pumps designed for products with standard valves aren't compatible for blowing up the air bed. Certain models of air pumps designed for inflating air mattresses and other sporting goods come with adapters to fit several kinds of openings. Find one through a camping goods or sporting goods vendor. If you want to use the mattress outdoors or live in an area that's prone to power outages, get a chargeable model or one that runs on batteries.
To inflate the air mattress, put the large adapter on the pump, insert it the nozzle firmly in the opening and turn on the pump. The Salon Treatment A blow drier will inflate the air mattress. If you haven't inflated the mattress before, practice closing the valve. Certain models require some dexterity to fit the cover on, press it and twist it to lock in the air. Being able to do this quickly reduces the risk of losing a lot of air through the large opening if you need to stop inflating it before it's fully finished. Use the cool setting and high power. Don't use a high setting, and turn the hair drier off if it starts to feel warm. Seal the mattress opening, wait a few minutes to allow the drier to cool down and then continue. The Vacuum Trick As a last resort, if you have or can borrow a vacuum cleaner or shop vac with an exhaust feature that fits the mattress valve reasonably well, you can use it for inflation. Empty the vacuum first and run it outside to blow out excess dust before you start.
Press the air bed's valve against the exhaust outlet and turn the vacuum on. Fill the bed to the desired firmness and close the cap quickly. Don't Blow Up Checking the floor for sharp objects before you spread out the air bed reduces the risk of punctures. Nails, tacks, staples, rocks, sticks or nearby sharp objects may damage the surface. Even a small hole prevents the mattress from remaining inflated. A fully-inflated air mattress feels firm but not tight. It should give when you press your hand on it. If the mattress won't stay inflated, it may have a leak. Camping supply vendors sell patch kits for air mattresses. Photo Credits Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionIf you need to inflate an air mattress for a guest and can't find your electric or battery powered air pump you can always use a bagged vacuum cleaner as shown in the video above by YouTube user juliakg. Their method inflates the air mattress in around 10 seconds. If you don't have a vacuum cleaner with bags, there are several other YouTube instruction videos demonstrating how to inflate an air mattress with a shop vac, a blow dryer, and even a leaf blower.
Basically you just need something that can force air into the mattress.How to inflate your air mattress in 10 seconds | Travel Trailers & RV CLUB Visa Gear Guide Boats & Boat Centers Showing 1 - 17 of 17 total RecommendedNewestPrice - Low to HighPrice - High to LowProduct Name A-ZProduct Name Z-ARating - High to LowRating - Low to High Less than $30 (3) $30 - $49 (3) $50 - $74 (1) $75 - $99 (2) $100 - $149 (5) $150 - $199 (5) 4.0 - 5.0 Stars (3) 3.0 - 3.9 Stars (3) 2.0 - 2.9 Stars (2) Coleman® Cot with Air Bed – Queen Coleman® Cot with Air Bed – Twin Intex® Comfort Plush Mid-Rise Air Bed Insta-Bed™ NeverFlat™ Air Bed – Queen Intex® Cozy Kidz Air Bed Coleman® DuraRest™ Extra-High Air Bed Intex® Dura-Beam® Supreme Airflow Air Bed Intex® Dura-Beam® Pillowrest Raised Air Bed ALPS Velocity Air Beds Intex® Dura-Beam® Foam-Top Air Bed Eureka!® Rio Grande Queen Air Bed
Intex® Prestige Downy Air Bed Napier Sportz Truck Tent Air Mattress Mac Sports Twin Air Bed with Skirt Mac Sports Queen Air Bed With Skirt Intex® Dura-Beam® Deluxe Single-High Air Bed Rest easy on air with air mattresses from Cabela's. Whether it's at the campsite or giving your guests a place to lay their head, Cabela's selection of quality air mattresses provide the same comfort as your own bed. Brands like Cabela's, Coleman, Insta-Bed, Intex and more are built for a good night's sleep away from home.No, you're not dreaming: Air mattress technology and design has advanced to the point where many temporary air beds are now as comfortable as beds costing hundreds or thousands of dollars more. This makes a blow-up mattress a great choice to keep around for overnight guests, family members who may visit regularly but don't need an everyday bed (like grandkids), or as a temporary solution for someone who has moved and has to wait for their regular bed to arrive.
The right air mattress or sleeping pad can also make camping trips a lot more comfortable, providing a layer of cushioning between your sleeping bag and the ground. Some outdoor air mattresses are, in effect, outdoor beds, bringing all the comforts of the double bed in your home to the great outdoors. Sleeping pads are lighter and thinner than regular air mattresses, making them suitable for folding and carrying in a pack. However, while sleeping pads are thin and lightweight, these self-inflating wonders still pack a lot of comfort in a small package. Queen- and twin-sized air mattresses are by far the most common, but some manufacturers make air beds in full or king size as well. It's important to check the actual dimensions on the blow-up mattress you're considering, however; some air mattresses are sized a bit smaller than the true mattress size. Air mattresses also vary in thickness, but in general they can be either single-height or double-height. A single-height air mattress sits anywhere from 7 to 13 inches off the floor, which can make it difficult for some to get in and out of, especially those who may have physical challenges.
A raised, or double-height mattress, by contrast, inflates to between 18 and 22 inches high, bringing it much closer to normal bed height. One caveat: that extra thickness might require you to buy deep-pocketed fitted sheet sets, which are less common and more expensive than standard sheets. Head on over to our separate report on bed sheets for our top recommendations. Some air mattresses are very basic, just blow up rectangles, but other air mattresses have extra features, such as raised bumpers or built-in pillows. Many people like those features because they help keep your bedding -- and your body -- from falling off the air bed if it's not up against a wall. Parents of small children are particularly complimentary of air beds with bumpers as they feel that those bumpers give their child a feeling of security. All blow-up mattresses, regardless of what they are used for, have one thing in common: they‘re inflated with a pump -- although some sleep pads are then topped off by blowing into a valve.
The pump that blows up the mattress may be built-in or a separate unit, and it may run on standard household current, battery power or muscle power (like a bicycle pump). Some mattresses do not actually come with a pump, which can be both a plus and a minus: you have to purchase the pump separately, but you can choose the type that's most convenient for you, and if it breaks you don't have to replace the whole mattress. Air mattresses should not be confused with permanent-use air beds such as the Sleep Number bed, which uses air-filled pockets in place of springs. Inflatable air mattresses like those covered in this report can be quite inexpensive and are intended for occasional or short-term use only. While some owners do report using an inflatable air mattress as their regular bed, manufacturers do not recommend using air beds for long-term or permanent use. Most of the poor reviews we saw related to our top-rated air mattresses were from people who groused that the mattress started to lose air after months of daily use -- something that's to be expected from using what is, essentially, a reinforced, rectangular balloon.
Also, since you are sleeping on air, blow-up mattresses, even those with pillow or flocked tops, tend to have poor insulation. Because of that, we recommend putting a blanket under your air bed and topping it off with a good, thick mattress pad before adding the rest of your bedding. Permanent air mattresses, on the other hand, are meant for everyday use and get excellent ratings for longevity and comfort, but they can also cost $1,000 or more -- at least as much as a traditional innerspring mattress. For more information about permanent air mattresses, see our separate report on mattresses. of the top six air mattresses based upon a large survey of owner satisfaction. , , a major retailer of camping and outdoor equipment. We looked at what users had to say about how comfortable each mattress is to sleep on, as well as how easy it is to set up and to break down for storage. We also paid a lot of attention to durability: how well the mattress holds air during the night and how likely it is to develop problems, such as a leak or a pump failure.