Guests happen -- and sometimes guest rooms don’t. When hosting short-term visitors an air mattress can be an ideal solution: convenient, easy to inflate and deflate, and stowing in a closet when not in use. A real improvement in recent years is that many models now come in double-height options, making the agony of getting up off a too-low mattress a thing of the past. One thing to note: almost all the air mattresses reviewed recommend inflating the mattress a few days before its initial use to allow the material to stretch to its full capacity. If you neglect this step the mattress may appear to leak air when, in fact, it has expanded and just needs to be topped off to be perfectly firm. These top-rated mattresses will help ensure anyone from your old college buddies to your visiting in-laws gets a good night’s rest.
This double-height Sound Asleep air mattress is made with 40 internal air coils (what the company calls Comfort Coil Technology) to provide extra support. It also comes with a SureGrip bottom and waterproof flocked top, and is made with multilayer 15 gauge puncture-resistant material. The company recommends it for indoor use only, and it can only be inflated electrically, so you’ll want to look elsewhere if you’re looking for a camping solution. Online reviews rave about the Sound Asleep series’ durability; in fact, several reviewers have used this mattress as a semi-permanent bed without leaking issues.
A slightly more budget-friendly model, the Intex Comfort Plush can be inflated with either its internal electric pump or an optional manual pump. This can be a real plus if you’re looking for an air bed to use while camping or to have on hand in case of natural disaster. The mattress is made with patented Fiber-Tech construction, which employs thousands of polyester fibers in each support beam to increase strength and durability. With a soft top and sides, the mattress can support up to six hundred pounds, and inflates in just over 4 minutes. Reviewers rave that the Comfort Plush is just as good, if not better, than more expensive air mattresses.
The only air bed to be endorsed by the International Chiropractors Association, the King Koil Queen Air Mattress promises to promote proper spinal alignment. In fact, many purchasers note the King Koil may be the closest you can get to a “real mattress” feel in an air bed. The bed has soft, flocked top and sides to provide extra protection from punctures and help hold sheets in place. Another bonus, in case you’re really in a hurry, is the 2 minute inflation/deflation time – that’s twice as fast as other air beds on the market. The mattress comes with a 1 year guarantee of satisfaction.
