The caveat is that the mattress needs to be plugged in all night because otherwise, it may deflate over time. Price will be the primary criteria for most people searching for the best air mattress. You can get a queen-size bed for as little as $30, while the most expensive air mattresses can cost hundreds of dollars. But a higher price doesn’t always mean a tall air bed, a better air mattress, better air pressure, a self-inflating mattress, a better sleeping surface, more comfort or a decent night’s sleep. The right air mattress is more important than you think, even if you’re only sleeping on it for a few days. It’s built with inflatable safety bumpers around the entire perimeter of the mattress, and even if your child were to accidentally roll off, the bed is just a few inches off the ground.
The manufacturers of the mattresses we tested all told us not to store air mattresses in areas with high temperature fluctuations or humidity, because such conditions can stress the materials. That means you should probably think twice about storing your air mattress in a basement or garage. Ideally, store it in a dry, cool location, either in a sturdy container or the provided storage bag. According to SoundAsleep, you can clean your air mattress with water and a mild soap solution and let it air-dry.
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.
Others will give you 90 days and throw in a few vinyl patches to cover up a puncture wound. The built-in AC air pump inflates the mattress in 5 minutes, so it is ready for bed when you are. Simply place your flattened and folded bed in the included carry bag for easy transport and storage.
The one catch is that you’ll need to purchase a pump separately (unless you buy from the brand’s site), but Coleman offers several options, from a battery-operated pump to a rechargeable pump. Coleman’s air beds have stood out in our tests for their easy-to-understand instructions and durable design. The convertible Twin to King EasyStay 4-N-1 Airbed earned top scores for its great puncture resistance. This model in particular stood out among competitors in our Lab tests with no overnight leakage after 170 pounds of weight were applied to the mattress for 24 hours.
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.
King Koil’s customer service representative told us that the mattress had been re-designed with a more powerful built-in pump and a thicker layer of PVC. We’ll be keeping a close eye on it during long-term testing to make sure it holds up as well as the SoundAsleep. The King Koil Luxury Air Mattress (20-inch) was comfortable to sleep on and, like our top pick, holds air overnight without needing to be re-inflated. The Beautyrest Hi Loft twin air mattress comes equipped with a plug-in electric pump that screws on to the mattress.
Item prices do not include fees for pickup, shipping or delivery (if applicable) unless noted in the item description. Item prices may vary between online (for pickup, shipping or delivery) and in club. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Air mattresses cannot usually be tossed in your recycling bin at bestway air mattress home (check with your local facility to make sure)—you’ll likely have to take it to a recycling center. The built-in pillow isn’t a replacement for using pillows, though it’s a nice addition if you like having your head elevated when you sleep. Bear in mind this mattress has a designated “top” of bed with a slightly elevated built-in pillow, which means you may not be able to get the power cord close to an outlet if you are using it in a tight space.
Start by deflating your air mattress and degreasing the area around the hole. These inflatable beds can stand up to everyday use, camping trips and more. The queen-size King Koil model is slightly larger than the Sound Asleep mattress, which made it difficult to fit a pad and sheets over it. (This will, however, vary depending on the sizes of your bedding, which varies from brand to brand.) Keep this in mind if you have smaller queen-size sheets.