Alexandra Ramirez
1. SoundAsleep
Best Overall Air Mattress
5/5 Product Rating
Even the motor is 20% quieter during inflation than others that are competitors. You won’t have to worry about sagging or loss of air pressure that you may have experienced with other mattresses. With a weight capacity of up to 500 pounds, singles or couple can sleep on it with ease and comfort. It’s made from a puncture resistant material that provides added durability against normal wear and tear in the house but can still be punctured, so care must be taken to avoid sharp pointy objects.
The SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress comes with a 1 year guarantee so if you are not completely satisfied with the performance and comfort level, they will give you your money back. It comes with the built in pump and easy instructions guide as well as a carry bag for convenient travel.
Your guests will have plenty of room on the Queen sized air mattress that features extra thick, waterproof flocked material on top for added comfort. The “Sure-Grip” bottom prevents the bed from sliding around the floor, a common occurrence among older models of air mattresses. The 19” height is almost the size of some traditional beds so you don’t feel like you’re sleeping on the floor.
– Sarah Lytle
2. Serta
Best Overall Air Mattress – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
The Serta Raised Air Mattress comes with three choices for comfort: firm, medium or plush. Set it on the desired level and the primary and secondary pumps will take care of the rest.
It has a removable, pillow top cover that gives it the feel of a real mattress rather than it feeling like an air mattress.
The 19” height is almost as high as a real bed and prevents that “sleeping on the floor” feeling.
If the bed starts to lose air pressure during the night, you may not even know because the secondary pump will quietly kick in and keep the bed inflated to the level you want it.
– Sarah Lytle
3. Insta-Bed
4.5/5 Product Rating
Users are given a choice of comfort level: plush, medium or firm. Once you have it pumped up, the secondary pump makes sure that it stays at that level and kicks in silently and unobtrusively if there is any change in pressure from the comfort level you’ve chosen. The auto shut off cuts the pump off when the bed reaches the desired firmness so you don’t have to stay there and monitor it.
35 circular coils make up the Queen sized bed that creates a comfortable sleeping surface while the reinforcements, both horizontal and vertical maintain shape. The flocked top keeps your air mattress in place and prevents it from sliding around. The 18” height keeps users from feeling like they are sleeping directly on the floor. The puncture resistant material is also water resistant making it a good choice for camping, the RV, the boat or overnight guests. You will still need to make sure that nothing sharp comes in contact with the mattress. You get a 1 year warranty with this air mattress as well.
The comments above are all from customers who have purchased the Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress and used it. The comfort level, the fact that it stays pumped all night and the quality are all things that make it one of the top choices out there for air mattresses.
– Sarah Lytle
Air Mattress Buying Guide
What is an Air Mattress?
Air mattresses are used for many different reasons, most notably camping and when guests stay overnight and there isn’t enough bed space. Whether it is you sleeping on it or guests, you want the experience to leave everyone with positive memories and a good sleep. Finding the air mattress that is right for you is dependent upon what you need it for.
Someone who just wants to have a place for overnight guests to sleep will need something very different than someone who camps regularly and wants something comfortable to sleep on in the great outdoors. There is a large variety of styles available to fit all needs and this buyer’s guide can give you the information you need to choose the one that will work the best for you.
Before You Start Shopping for Your Air Mattress
There are a few things you need to know about your air mattress needs before you start shopping around. Know the answers to these questions will help you choose the right one.
How is the Air Mattress going to be used? There are several types of air mattresses available. If you’ll be using it mostly for overnight guests, getting the double height mattresses make for a much more comfortable and enjoyable sleep. If you’re going to be camping, you should more than likely opt for the single level size because they are much easier to put into a tent. Other factors that need to be looked at for camping mattresses are how long they take to inflate and deflate and also how heavy they are, especially if you’ll be hiking.
How will the Air Mattress be inflated? A plug in pump works great for air mattresses that will only be used indoors. It makes fast work of inflating the air mattresses and also deflating them. If you’re going to be going camping, you may want to opt for a battery operated one, or even a manual one, but those can be very tiresome. Some mattresses come with a pump but you will need to make sure that you get what you need to adapt to the situations you want the mattress for.
What Size Air Mattress do you need? Always check the dimensions on the air mattresses you are considering. They will have sizes listed such as twin, full, Queen, etc but you will need to look at the actual measurements to know which size is the best for your needs. If you’re sharing the mattress with someone while camping or guests sometimes have spouses staying over with them, make sure you get a wide air mattress so there is plenty of space. Don’t forget to check the weight capacity as well.
In general, even if you were only having a single person sleep on the air mattress it is better to get a full size one at the very least. For couples a minimum of Queen Size is preferable. This gives the users plenty of room not to fall off the edge which is not as sturdy as a regular mattress and box spring.
Is Storage Space an Issue? The biggest misjudgment you can make is to think you’ll fit the air mattress back into the original box! It never seems to work no matter how carefully you try. J For this reason, you will need to take storage space into consideration. Unless you’re using a vacuum pump, you will not be able to get all of the air out of the mattress after it’s deflated. When looking around at the different models, read customer reviews to see if anyone talks about how large it is once it is deflated. Then see if that will fit in your closet or storage space sufficiently. You can also buy large totes that work wonderfully as long as you have room for the tote in the closet. A tote protects it from being stepped on and having things dumped on it as well.
Features of a Great Air Mattress
The best quality air mattresses have some common features that you should look for when shopping around. If the styles you’re looking at have these features, you can rest assured that you have a good quality air mattress in your possession.
Comfortable to Sleep On – You don’t want to hate sleeping on the air mattress nor do you want your guests to hate it. Look for one that promotes comfort and guarantees it. One of the things that can make a mattress more comfortable is the material it’s covered with. Plastic can be hot; even with sheets covering it and it can squeak when you move on it. The cloth covered air mattresses are much more comfortable in the winter time because they too can cause the temperature to be warmer on the mattress. In general, the cloth covered mattresses are just simply more comfortable to lie on.
Easy to Inflate/Deflate – Battling with the air mattress, either while camping or at the end of the evening when you or a guest wants to go to bed is not fun. Look for air mattresses that are easy to inflate and that the pump is easy to use as well. You shouldn’t have to struggle with it.
Easy to Store and Travel with – Once the mattress is deflated, it needs to be light enough and compact enough that it can be packed away easily and carried in the trunk when camping or the closet when at home.
How Quiet is it? – Look for air mattresses that have a flocked fabric cover or even a pillow top cover. The plastic of some air mattresses (usually the less expensive kind) can be noisy when you’re moving around trying to sleep.
Does it Stay Inflated? – It’s not uncommon at all to sleep on an air mattress and have it less filled with air by morning. Sometimes it’s not that it is losing air, it’s that it is stretching and becoming softer. Many of the new models have built in auto pumps that quietly turn on to keep the air mattress at the right level all night long. They may be more expensive but they are well worth it.
How is the Durability? – Puncture resistance is important when it comes to air mattresses, but you also want to look for those that are durable and long lasting with strong seams and valves which is where air often starts to leak out. Warranties against defects are important for this reason. You want to find warranties that cover both the bed AND the pump. The longer the warranty the better and make sure that it doesn’t just cover defects in the manufacturing but also covers unexplained leaking or the fact that it won’t hold air.
Bells and Whistles are not always good – Don’t let yourself be swayed by the shiny features that some air mattresses offer. When it comes to special features such as remote controls and “frames” think about what you need the air mattress for and decide if they are features that sound good or are they really functional and you’ll be using them often.
Care and Maintenance of Your Air Mattress
Once you have purchased your air mattress there are things that you can do to ensure that it lasts a long time and stays working properly. Follow the tips outlined below so you can use your air mattress for a long time to come.
Cleaning
There are many different things you can do to keep your air mattress looking like new. Maintaining your air mattress is important if you want it to last and these steps are not hard at all. If your air mattress is covered with cloth or fabric of some kind (many are covered in suede) use a vacuum with attachment or a brush to clean it and keep crumbs and dirt out of the crevices on the surface of the mattress.
Always use sheets on the mattress – Even though you can always wipe off the air mattress, it is much better to always use deep pocket sheets to cover the material on the surface of the mattress. This prevents accidental stains and spills or even just dirt from someone’s feet from staining the mattress.
Spot Clean Stains – If there are any stains that get on the mattress, use a soapy rag and spot clean those places and let air dry. If the stain doesn’t come out with soapy water, you can try a spot remover but you may want to test it in an unseen place first to see what it does.
When Not in Use – if the air bed is not going to be used for a length of time, it’s better for it to be deflated and stored away. If it’s going to be used every night, then deflating it every morning and re-inflating it each night is not a good idea. If it is not going to be used for a week or more, then deflating it should be fine and will protect it from being jumped on and potentially ruptured.
If it Gets Punctured – Don’t think that just because your air mattress gets punctured that you have to immediately throw it away. Most holes can be fixed with a repair kit that has a sealant that is like what is used to fix pools. Larger holes are much more difficult to patch but the good news is that the material that is used in today’s air mattresses are much harder to puncture making holes rare.
Don’t Overinflate – If you fill you air mattress up too much that can actually cause air leakage. The reason for this is that the seams of the air mattress become work from the constant air pressure. You should only inflate your air mattresses to about 90% capacity the first time you inflate it. This allows the material to stretch without putting undue strain on the seams of the mattress.
No Jumping – As appealing and tempting as it may be, you should keep your children from jumping on the air mattresses. This can also cause air leakage from too much pressure on the seams as the child jumps on it. Keep pets off of it as much as possible as well. Although punctures are rare, sharp pet claws can cause damage sometimes.
Leave Inflated as Much as Possible – Inflating and deflating your air mattress too frequently can also cause strain and wear on the seams. If you have it in a guest room, make it up just like a regular bed with sheets and blanket and leave it up. If you know you’re not going to use it for months, it’s okay to deflate it and take it down, but if you use it weekly, you are better off leaving it inflated if space allows.
Air Mattress Safety Tips
There are some safety measures that you should be aware of when it comes to air mattresses. We have outlined them below for you.
- No matter how tight the mattress seems to be, never put a baby to sleep on an air mattress or leave them unattended on one. The risk of suffocation is greater with air mattresses than regular ones and especially young babies can find themselves face down and unable to get the leverage to lift their heads enough to breathe safely. Don’t ever take a chance in this regard. (They should not be left unattended on a regular mattress as well. The best place for an infant to sleep is in their crib or baby seat. )
- If you have a lot of allergies or asthma or someone does who will be using the air mattress on a regular basis, look for one that is VOC free and that has a hypoallergenic cover. Older models of air mattresses were made from plastics that emit VOCs which can be linked back to short and long term health issues. Those with asthma or other similar conditions could be at a greater risk of developing problems from prolonged exposure to the air mattresses if they are older ones and not VOC free.
- Where you store your air mattress is very important to make sure that mold does not grow on the fabric or surface of the mattress. Putting it in an air tight container will be the best course of action. Other things you need to do to prevent mold is to let it dry completely before putting sheets on it when you wash it and if it ever gets wet (like when camping) you put it somewhere, inflated, where it can dry thoroughly before deflating it and putting it away.
Repairing Your Air Mattress
If your air mattress gets a leak in it, you may be able to fix it yourself. Depending on the size of the hole, you can get a repair kit and take care of it with no problem. If you’re not sure where the hole is, spray an area with water and watch for the bubbles. That is where the hole is.
Once you have located the hole, dry the area and mark with a marker so you can find it again. Use the repair kit according to the instructions and let dry thoroughly before remaking or deflating and storing away. If the hole is large, you may have to use a larger repair kit (like they use for pools) and try that or you can see if it can be professionally repaired without too much expense.
Conclusion
Air mattresses are very handy items to have when you’re camping or if you have guests over that need extra bed space. They have come a long way than they were years ago and in many cases; people prefer them to their regular beds. The information in this air mattress buyer’s guide will help you sort through the different models of air mattresses and choose the one that will fit your needs perfectly. Choosing the right air mattress doesn’t have to be difficult and now that you know what to look for, it’ll be fun and easy to choose one.
Resources
- SoundAsleep – http://www.bestairmattressguide.com/
- Insta-Bed – http://www.instabed.com/
- Serta – http://www.serta.com/
