Our top pick since 2016, it has the best combination of comfort, customer service, availability, and owner satisfaction of any mattress we tested—and it has the quietest motor. There’s nothing worse than an air mattress that deflates while you’re sleeping on it. A few things to keep in mind is that you don’t want to over-inflate your air mattress, which will put excess strain on the seams. You should also make sure to pay close attention to the weight limit of the air mattress. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission strongly advises against using air mattresses with children under the age of 15 months—whether alone or accompanied by a grownup. According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health (paywall), air mattresses were reported in more than 100 sleep-related infant deaths.
Though most queen-size air mattress options measure approximately 60 inches wide and 80 inches long, height is both a variable and a selling point. In fact, it may be a primary consideration for older or disabled people who would have trouble getting on or off a bed that’s too low to the ground. The best air mattresses have a built-in electric pump that plugs into a wall socket. Some have a battery-powered external rechargeable pump, which usually runs on four D-cells. Battery-operated pumps are lighter and don’t require a wall socket but are typically less effective and less capable of fully inflating a mattress.
The easy inflate/deflate quick-release valve allows for easy deflation after use. The valve also ensures a tight seal to keep the bed inflated and comfortable all through the night. Explore the outdoors with the comfort and convenience of the Bestway Twin Air Mattress. To find the best, we tested several air mattresses for everything from indentation over time and overnight leakage to puncture resistance and bursting strength in our Lab. We then had real consumer testers set up the mattresses and sleep on them at home to rate their ease of use and comfort. The picks ahead are the top-performers in our tests, along with newer models that have unique features and rave reviews from users.
This article was written by GH Institute Textiles Lab Executive Director Lexie Sachs, who has a B.S. In fiber science from Cornell University and more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development for home products. Lexie joined GH in 2013 and has extensively tested all types of bedding — including mattresses, sheets, pillows, comforters and more — using specialized lab equipment and hundreds of consumer testers.
This past year, we put seven new air mattress contenders through a series of rigorous Lab tests and consumer tests to find the best of the best, using standardized testing methods and other industry standards. In all, we’ve analyzed over 400 data points over the years from more than a dozen inflatable beds to determine the best air mattresses available. For both comfort and convenience, you’ll an inflatable mattress that’s easy to set up, compact to carry and store and won’t leak air overnight while you’re using it. But that’s easier said than done; it can be difficult to tell exactly what’s comfortable without trying it out for a few nights yourself. That’s where we come in, having tested dozens to find the best air mattresses available. The true killers of air mattresses are “slow leaks,” which usually crop up along the glued seams and are often especially difficult to find.
I also noted how easy or difficult it was to repack them back into the original storage bag. Once I had a pretty good idea which ones were the finalists, I left those inflated for an additional 24 to 48 hours to see how long they held air. Besides all the official overnight tests, I also spent many hours lounging and napping on them with my 6-year-old child and husband when we got bestway air mattress hit hard with COVID-19. No, you shouldn’t sleep on even the best air mattress as your main bed. Air mattresses are a good short-term solution when you need a comfortable place to sleep that’s not the ground or a couch, but they aren’t meant to be slept on every night. Air mattresses can lack proper support to keep your spinal alignment over the long term and promote back pain.
When you do find the leak, note the area with a marker and then deflate the mattress. Clean the area with a simple all-purpose cleaner and a lint-free rag before applying sealant and a patch over the affected area. Several of the mattresses we tested came with patch kits; if you need one, you can usually find patch kits at your bestway twin air mattress local outdoor store or get kits like these online. For leaks that are too large to be fixed with a patch kit, the mattress’s warranty may entitle you to a new air mattress, depending the circumstances of the leak. During the testing, I thought the King Koil model came closest to mimicking the feel of a real coil mattress.
While most air mattresses need to be plugged into a power source to inflate or deflate, this one from Coleman uses a hand-held pump, making it perfect for on-the-go camping. When fully inflated (in less than 2 minutes in our tests!), it stands at a comfortable 18-inch height with a plush flocked surface. And once you’re ready to head home, the unique “Wrap ‘N’ Roll” storage system lets you roll the mattress right into the attached bag as soon as it’s deflated.
Whether you need a single or double air mattress, we’ve got you covered! Look through our range of queen, king and twin mattresses that will make sure you feel right at home. Adding that extra layer of comfort to your outdoor adventures has never been this easy. Our collection of airbeds also makes a great choice for on-the-go needs at home.