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. The result is our top-rated air mattresses that offer the best combination of comfort, durability and ease of use.Have you ever experienced a frustratingly broken night’s sleep because you had to keep getting up to pump air back into your mysteriously deflating air bed? The good news is that it definitely doesn’t have to be that way. Nowadays you can find sturdy air beds which will resist those unidentified spiky assassins and won’t leak in the twilight hours.
In this review I’ll be looking at 4 of the most popular best air beds. Whether you need one for a camping trip or to accommodate extra guests in your home, hopefully you’ll find one that won’t let you down. Comfortable and durable auto-inflating mattress The SoundAsleep Dream Series air bed is my top pick, providing just the right combination of support, comfort and durability. The main plus is that it has a more extensive internal coil system than most other air beds. If you’re sleeping with a partner, it means you’ll both be comfortable without too much dipping in the middle. And not only is it self-inflating, but it’s also one of the best mattresses on the market when it comes to not losing air pressure during the night. Here are the key points to note: The main downside is that those extra coils do increase the weight, which is something to bear in mind if you’re going to carry it on a camping trip. Overall, the SoundAsleep Dream Series is the best auto-inflating air mattress I’ve tried, earning top marks for quality, comfort and durability.
The coils make it surprisingly comfortable to sleep on and it’s a great option for sharing with a partner. The Coleman Double High Support Rest is my recommended air mattress for camping. It takes top honors in the camping air bed category because of its sturdy design that can measure up to the harsh elements. Additionally, it has a reliable manual pump option for when you decide to truly rough it and leave creature comforts like electricity behind you. Here are the main points to consider: The only real downside is that you have to buy the pump separately. Though that does mean you can choose a good one rather than rely on the cheaper one that’s often thrown in for free with air beds. Overall, the Coleman Double High Support Rest is a great air mattress for a night under the stars enjoying Mother Nature. You can pack it up and carry it easily, and with its sturdy design and easy inflation it’s a favorite of lovers of the great outdoors. An automatic top-up motor to prevent deflation
In some ways a clone of the SoundAsleep Dream Series, the Insta-Bed comes with a little perk that not many air mattress can compete with. It takes the concept of auto-inflation to the next level with its ‘never flat pump system’. This is essentially a pressure monitor that continually checks the air inside, and tops it up if there’s a drop in air pressure. Not only does it prevent you from a rude awakening if the bed leaks overnight, but it also provides guarantees that the same pressure level you went to bed with is still there when you wake up the next morning. Here are the key features: My main criticism is that you have to choose one of three set pressure levels, rather than inflating it to the exact level you like. So what the Insta-Bed delivers in originality and reliability, it loses in its rigid pressure settings. The guarantee of an air mattress not deflating is great, but if you can’t set it to the level you wanted in the first place, it’s a little underwhelming as a perk.
It’s a solid choice, but if you’re fussy about the exact level of inflation, this might not be the one for you. The Intex Pillow Rest air bed is probably the best low-cost auto-inflating air mattress. What it lacks in amenities, it makes up for in affordability, height and convenience. Although for me, some of those convenience features actually take away from the mattress’s overall quality. The main downside is that the internal beams aren’t as extensive as the other air beds I’ve looked at, which can cause it to dip in the middle, especially with frequent use. Secondly, the raised pillow is more of a hassle than a convenience. Most people prefer to use a normal pillow even on an air bed, so the additional height may be uncomfortable. There’s no deactivating the automatic pillow either. The Intex Pillow Rest makes sense if you’re on budget or if you’re only in need of an air mattress once in a while. The auto-inflation is a nice perk and the price is very reasonable.