Air mattresses are a very good choice if you are looking for the cheapest mattress option for guests or if you are tight on space and want to store your mattress during the day. One other advantage of an air mattress is that you can control the firmness of your mattress so you can tune to your desired firmness by simply adding more air into the mattress. The negatives for air mattresses are that they may not offer the full comfort of some of the other mattress types and they will probably not last nearly as long as a traditional coil spring or memory foam mattress because they have moving parts and the potential for leaks. An air mattress feels completely different than a coil spring mattress and you should definitely try one out before buying especially if this is going to be the main mattress you are going to sleep on. Here are the 8 factors you should consider when choosing an air mattress.
- Cost – This is the main reason to buy an air mattress - they are the cheapest option out there. In todays tough economic times the most important factor is making sure you are getting the absolute best deal on your air mattress. If you shop around you can find a good quality full or twin size air mattress for under $50.
- Use - How you are going to use your air mattress will impact which air mattress is best for you. If the air mattress is for guests you can opt for a low cost air mattress that probably doesn't need to be raised off the floor and can be easily stored once your guest has left. If, on the other hand, the air mattress is going to be your primary mattress for sleeping, you should consider buying a raised air mattress and you should probably get a higher quality brand name air mattress.
- Firmness – One big advantage for air mattresses is that you can control the firmness level by varying the amount of air you pump into the mattress. If you want it firm just pump it up further. You can also consider adding a mattress pad on top of an air mattress to create a softer feel.
- Size - This really depends on how you are going to be using your mattress. If the air mattress is for a single guest, you can buy either a twin or full size. If it is for your bedroom then you should consider buying a larger size. Buying an air mattress that is too small for your needs can really impact your ability to get a good nights sleep so bigger is better for mattresses. This is particularly true if you sleep with a partner that moves around or if you move in your sleep. We review the 5 factors to consider when choosing the right mattress size as well as provide a table of dimensions for most standard mattress sizes.
- Brand – The top brands for air mattresses are Aerobed, Select Comfort (Sleep Numbers) and Simmons. All three of these brands make very high quality air mattresses but they are on the expensive side. If you are looking to save money look at other brands like Frontgate EZ Bed, Intex, REI, and Home Trends.
- Pump - If you are going to be using your mattress often then you definitely want a built in electric pump. This allows you to just plug the mattress into the wall outlet and the built in pump will inflate the mattress. You can save money by buying a manual pump but mattressesrequire a lot of air and it can be very tiringto inflate the mattress manually.
- Warranty – Air mattresses are typically cheaper than traditional mattresses and they usually have an electric pump that can be defective. Getting an air mattress with a good warranty is important. The Aerobeds carry a 1-3 year warranty depending on the exact model you buy. Select Comfort (Sleep Numbers) offers a 20 year limited warranty but it really covers only the first 2 years and then the coverage drops off each year after that.
- Consumer and Expert Reviews – We always recommend that you read consumer reviews before you make your final buying decision once you know what brand and product you want to buy. If you can’t find a review of the exact model at least read some reviews of similar models made by the same brand.
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