The internal structure of this bed is made with Tritech™ material offering durability and strength, while also allowing the mattress to keep the same shape no matter how many times it’s inflated and deflated. Specifically engineered for firmness, this material minimizes air loss throughout the night. The specialty Tritech material increases internal stretch-resistance and provides contoured support for all night comfort.
This article was updated by Grace Wu, a textiles product review analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute who oversaw recent air mattress testing both in Lab and with at-home sleep testers. Prior to joining GH, Grace earned a Master of Engineering in materials science and engineering and a B.S. While this option is on the pricier side compared to some on our list, users say it’s worth the splurge, thanks to its superior comfort and ease of use.
It’s also available in a California King size if you’re looking for more room to spread out. 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. This 19-inch-tall mattress comes in twin, twin XL, full, queen, and king sizes. And the SoundAsleep’s built-in pump was quieter than any other mattress motor we tried—this is a perk if you don’t want to wake sleeping children (or if you’re sensitive to noise).
Start by deflating your air mattress and degreasing the area around the hole. Nothing is worse than dragging out your air mattress for a guest and then the next morning they wake on the ground. We’ve slept on some of the best air mattresses from Intex, Somnio SoundAsleep, Lightspeed Outdoors and other brands. You’ll want to think carefully about the size of your mattress in terms of its dimensions and height. If you’re buying for kids, the Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed is a great choice. However, adults and couples will likely prefer a full or queen-size mattress.
Ideal as an extra bed for one overnight guest or a child, the Intex Dura-Beam twin air mattress uses a built-in electric pump for easy set-up. It took six minutes to assemble the bed, and we gave the process a perfect rating for its simplicity. We also found that the pump made it faster and easier to deflate the air mattress, too. If you are specifically looking for a queen-sized option, this is our top choice in that category. The Dream Series from SoundAsleep was one of several queen air mattresses we tested, and it stood out for its comfort, durability, and design.
While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway. She also evaluates luggage, rain gear, disposable paper goods and baby products. Lexie has more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Prior to joining GH in 2013, she worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries. 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.
The internal structure of this bed is made with Tritech material, offering durability and strength, while also allowing the mattress to keep the same shape no matter how many times it’s inflated and deflated. This 19-inch-tall queen air mattress has 40 internal air coils to evenly support the weight. A flocked top adds to the nice bestway air mattress appearance and comfortable feel of this mattress. It’s also equipped with a built-in pump that assists with inflation and deflation functions, but it should be noted that the pump could have worked more quickly. It took seven minutes to fully inflate this queen air mattress, which is longer than others with a built-in pump.
There are no extra features like a built-in pillow or adjustable firmness (you must manually turn the pump off when inflating the mattress). However, it’s a great, budget-friendly option that is comfortable and easy to get in and out of. It doesn’t have extra bells and whistles, but it is easy to inflate with the built-in pump and will keep you or your guests comfortable. Air mattresses have a bad reputation for sagging over time, but this two-pump system uses unique technology to prevent just that.
While deflating the mattress was also slow, the deflate function on the pump made it a simple process. Once packed into the included carry bag, we found it to be very convenient to carry and store. 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.
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. And yet many air mattresses, whether they’re stretched out or not, do leak over the course of a night. And there are some beds that are simply more durable and better constructed than others.