Best Air Mattresses of 2023 – CNET
Best Air Mattresses of 2023 - CNET
Air mattresses tend to have a bad reputation for being uncomfortable, but it’s unrealistic to always have a spare bed for overnight guests. An air mattress makes a compact and convenient alternative. The very best air mattresses are surprisingly comfortable, so you may end up using yours a lot more than you think.
Finding the best air mattress for you means balancing adequate back support, overall comfort and feeling at least somewhat secure that the whole thing isn’t going to deflate overnight. Air mattresses are traditionally convenient for camping when you don’t want to put your sleeping bag on the cold, hard ground — you could even throw one in a truck bed for sleeping under the stars. Our team of sleep experts slept on all of the air mattresses on this list and tested them for comfort and durability. Here are our picks for the best air mattresses on the market.
What is the best overall air mattress?
We know that there are a lot of air mattresses to choose from right now. Our team of sleep experts slept on numerous air beds and determined that the best air mattress is the SoundAsleep Dream Series. It is 19 inches tall, spacious and has a built-in pump. This air mattress is also the most durable of all we tested thanks to its 40 internal air coils. While it is the most expensive on this list, we think it will last you for a long time (and if for some reason it doesn’t — there’s a one year warranty).
Best air mattresses for 2023
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
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This popular, highly rated SoundAsleep Dream Series inflatable air isn’t cheap — but it does what mattresses are supposed to do. Priced at $150, the SoundAsleep air mattress is more expensive than most of the other models we tested in its height range, but it’s durable and if you ask us, it’s the overall best air mattress on the market. This mattress has more than 11,000 five-star reviews testifying to its durability and comfort. (Fakespot, which grades the trustworthiness of Amazon testimonials, gives this bed’s reviews an “A.”)
SoundAsleep calls this a double high air bed, and it is on the taller side — you’re sleeping a good 19 inches off the ground. An air coil design helps the mattress to maintain its shape but like many inflatable bed models that come with a built-in pump, it’s plenty heavy, weighing about 19 pounds. This quality air mattress has 40 internal air coils for added durability and support. The built-in pump is loud but powerful. It took a reasonable 3.5 minutes to fully inflate the mattress — and I mean fully — and about the same to deflate it.
- Price: $$
- Pump type: Electric
- Height when inflated: 19 inches
- Warranty: 1 year
Pros:
- Sturdy with an air coil design
- 30-day, no-questions-asked return period
- Easy to fold up and store — comes with a nylon drawstring sack
Cons:
- Off-gassing when first opened
- Not cheap
SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress with ComfortCoil Technology & Internal High Capacity Pump – Queen Size
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Intex has struck a compelling balance between price and value with the Comfort Plush Elevated Dura-Beam air mattress. Though it’s on the cheaper side, the Intex Comfort Dura-Beam air mattress is sturdy and impressively firm, with horizontal air chambers. While it may not be the overall best air mattress, it’s comfortable enough to sleep on and a great pick for everyday use.
The integrated, plug-in pump isn’t as fast to inflate as others but it’s plenty powerful and the bed ranks among the firmest blow-up mattresses that we tested. The top and sides of the mattress are coated in a velvety treatment that Intex says makes it more puncture-resistant. That may be true, but it also means that if you do spring a leak, you’d better hope it’s on the bottom panel, which is the only place a patch will stick. However, the Intex Comfort Dura-Beam is also one of the tallest air mattresses we tested, measuring 22 inches high when fully inflated. The bed is quite stable, so movements of a person on one side shouldn’t bother a companion. The mattress comes with a duffel bag for storage. And, compared with the others, I didn’t find it particularly smelly.
- Price: $
- Pump type: Electric
- Height when inflated: 22 inches
- Warranty: 180 days
Pros:
- Sturdy and firm with horizontal air chambers
- Tallest air mattress on our list
- Little to no off-gassing
Cons:
- Pump isn’t as powerful as others on the market
- Patches might not stick on the velvet material
Intex Comfort Plush Elevated Dura-Beam Airbed with Built-In Electric Pump, Bed Height 22″, Queen
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As one of the leading air mattress brands, Intex offers many different models of air beds. The Dura-Beam Plus model — which is technically a step down from the Deluxe model, above — comes with a built-in pump, a raised pillow rest at the top and inflates to be 16.5 inches high. I found it to be just as great as the Deluxe and at an even better price.
I like that the top of the Dura-Beam Plus is a bit more plush than the Deluxe. Its vertical air chambers protrude a bit more on its velvety surface, making it a bit more bouncy. It is also sturdy and should fit two people comfortably. However, if you are looking for a flat surface, go with the Deluxe. The Plus also isn’t as tall as the Deluxe, and I had a hard time shoving the cord back into its plastic compartment. All in all, not a bad air mattress for the price.
- Price: $
- Pump type: Electric
- Height when inflated: 16.5 inches
- Warranty: 180 days
Pros:
- Raised pillow rest
- Velvety surface
- Top is more plush than the Comfort series
Cons:
- Not as tall as the other air beds on this list
- It’s hard to put the cable back into the compartment next to the plug
INTEX 64123ED Dura-Beam Plus Pillow Rest Air Mattress: Fiber-Tech – Queen Size – Built-in Electric Pump – 16.5in Bed Height – 600lb Weight Capacity, Navy
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Waking up to a flat air mattress is never a nice experience. This mattress stops that from happening with some clever tech.
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One of the most annoying things about air mattresses is that they sometimes deflate during the night. The Serta Raised Air Mattress addresses this problem with its two-pump design. The large pump is used to initially fill the mattress, and a second pump works (quietly) during the night to keep the air pressure constant. In theory, this would keep your air bed from ever sagging on you. Keep in mind that if you want the second pump to work, the mattress has to be plugged in all night — which is a drawback.
A great feature of this air mattress is its firmness levels. On the initial pump, there is a dial you can set to your desired firmness level (plush, medium or firm). This way you won’t have to guess how much air you need, and the bed will automatically fill it up for you. While the top of the air mattress is not as pillowy as the Dura-Beam Plus, it still feels supportive.
- Price: $$
- Pump type: Electric
- Height when inflated: 18 inches
- Warranty: Two years
Pros:
- Two pumps in one
- Three firmness levels
- Two year warranty; will replace at no cost
Cons:
- Only available in queen and twin sizes
- In order for the second pump to work, it has to be plugged in all night
Serta Raised Air Mattress with Never Flat Pump | Size: Queen 18″ | Luxury Inflatable Mattress – Built in Air Pump to Ensure a Good Night’s Rest | Heavy Duty Blow Up Mattress with Self Inflating Pump
Other air mattresses tested
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The Beautyrest Hi Loft twin air mattress comes equipped with a plug-in electric pump that screws on to the mattress. Once attached, it inflates the mattress in about 2 minutes — though not as fully as I would’ve liked. Once it’s inflated, you need to quickly unscrew the pump and replace the valve cap. It’s not the most elegant solution.
The Beautyrest air mattress has the same pack-of-hot-dogs design as the Bestway air bed and the precarious feel of a pool float. (Many companies that make air mattresses also make inflatable pools and pool accessories. Go figure.) It lacks the stability of other air mattresses and I nearly tipped it over by lying too far to one side.
Keep in mind it may not be the best air mattress for you if you’re tall. Simmons lists its dimensions at 80x60x17 inches, but my measurements put it closer to 76 inches long, which means that anyone taller than 6 feet will likely hang off the end.
The mattress is constructed from a softer type of vinyl than others, making it easier to roll up and fold into a compact shape for storage.
