Home Mattress Reviews Sleep Accessories 8 Best Air Mattresses to Blow Your Guests Away

8 Best Air Mattresses to Blow Your Guests Away

Impress your overnight guests with these air mattresses that are just as comfortable as a traditional mattress.

By Alesandra Woolley

Good hosts have adequate food and drink, but great hosts have comfortable places for their guests to sleep. Realizing that many of you, like us, find yourselves woefully unprepared for overnight guests, we put on our research caps and pulled together a list of some of the best air mattresses available. Whether you’re looking for high-end multi-pump air bed systems, or no-frills “sleep under the stars” mattresses, we have recommendations for the best air mattresses for any buyer.

The Best Air Mattresses (Our Top 8 Picks)

Intex Deluxe Pillow Rest Raised Airbed with Soft Flocked Top for Comfort

  • Price: $57.48 (for Queen)
  • Amazon Rating: 3.7/5
  • Size: Queen, Twin
  • Height (largest mattress size): 18 in.
  • Pump: Electric
  • Warranty: None

Bargain shoppers will love this queen-sized, velvety soft air mattress with a built-in pillow for when you need to pack light or forget to bring your own pillows. This inflatable air mattress comes with a built-in, high-powered electric pump to make inflating and deflating the mattress a breeze – it only takes about 4 minutes to become fully inflated! The Intex Deluxe also comes with a waterproof flocked top for an extremely sturdy construction, plus a carrying and storage bag for easy transportation.

King Koil Luxury Raised Air Mattress

  • Price: $94.95 – $149.95
  • Amazon Rating: 4.5/5
  • Size: Twin, Queen, California King
  • Height (largest mattress size): 20 in.
  • Pump: Electric
  • Warranty: 1 year

If you’ve got a bigger budget and a bigger body, this King Koil air mattress (available in California King) may be the right pick for you. Highly reviewed, endorsed by the “International Chiropractors Association to help promote proper spinal alignment and a healthier night’s sleep”, and with the word “luxury” right in the title, you know this is both an ergonomically sound and comfortable way to hit the hay. The King Koil provides the support and comfort of a traditional mattress at a huge fraction of the cost.

SoundAsleep air mattress

SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress with ComfortCoil Technology

  • Price: $119.95
  • Amazon Rating: 4.3/5
  • Size: Queen
  • Height: 19 in.
  • Pump: Electric
  • Warranty: 1 year

With nearly fifteen thousand user reviews on Amazon, the score for the SoundAsleep Dream Series is a shocking 4.3 stars out of 5. This premium double-height air mattress is built with dual chamber construction, ComfortCoil Technology, and a SureGrip bottom for firmness and stability. The SoundAsleep is a heavy duty air mattress that offers exceptional support. You can fully inflate the mattress under 4 minutes and it will stay inflated for days! Those weekend guests will be supported all weekend long!

air mattress

Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress with Never Flat Pump

  • Price: $102.69 – $114.41 (depending on color)
  • Amazon Rating: 3.8/5
  • Size: Queen
  • Height: 18 in.
  • Pump: Electric, Additional Secondary Pump to Maintain Pressure
  • Warranty: 1 year

A frequent problem with inflatable beds is their tendency to begin deflating in the middle of the night under the weight of your body. Thankfully, the folks at Insta-Bed have created a two-pump system where, should the mattress begin to deflate in the middle of the night, it will quietly and autonomously pump air back in. Comfort, reliability, and advanced features for just around a hundred bucks is tough to say no to.

air bed

Plush High Rise Air Mattress by Fox Airbeds

  • Price: $99.99 – $149.99
  • Amazon Rating: 3.8/5
  • Size: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King
  • Height: (largest mattress size): 19 in
  • Pump: Electric
  • Warranty: 90 days

Heavy sleepers may disregard air mattresses, but this air mattress by Fox Airbeds supports up to 750 lbs. Heavy sleepers, couples, and families who all pile in the bed together can all find support and comfort on this air mattress (as long as you go larger than the twin size). The built-in electric pump makes inflation hassle-free – just flip a switch and watch your Plush High Rise air mattress come to life. 

Coleman air mattress

Coleman SupportRest Double High Airbed

  • Price: $46.29 – $70.99
  • Amazon Rating: 4.0/5
  • Size: Twin, Queen
  • Height (largest mattress size): 18 in
  • Pump: No Internal Pump
  • Warranty: 1 year

Not all summer adventures come with access to electricity. When you’re by the lake, in a cabin, or out in the woods, you might need an air bed that doesn’t rely on an outlet. Coleman’s SupportRest Double High mattress is simple and easy – no internal pumps, no frills, just quality craftsmanship. Bring the mattress to your getaway with a battery powered air pump (like this), and you’re all set for a good night’s sleep. The Coleman SupportRest Double High air mattress also has a convenient wrap ‘n’ roll storage system for easy home storage or transportation during your camping trips.

serta air mattress

Serta Raised Air Mattress with Never Flat Pump

  • Price: $109.32 – $134.99
  • Amazon Rating: 3.6/5
  • Size: Twin, Queen
  • Height (largest mattress size): 18 in
  • Pump: Electric, Additional Secondary Pump to Maintain Pressure
  • Warranty: 2 years

See something familiar here? The additional Never Flat pump from the Insta-Bed mattress. Both Sealy and Insta-bed are owned by the same company, so there’s some crossover between the two brands. The big difference between the pair is the two-year warranty Serta offers – one of the longest in the air mattress game – and some slightly different materials. Both, however, are great picks. The Serta air mattress comes with two pumps so your bed silently inflates under your body while you sleep, along with 35 circular coils to make your sleeping surface stable and supportive. This air mattress also comes along with a carry bag for simplified storage and travel.

Intex airbed

Intex Pillow Rest Raised Airbed

  • Price: $26.03
  • Amazon Rating: 3.8/5
  • Size: Twin
  • Height: 16.5 in
  • Pump: Electric
  • Warranty: 30 days

It’s cheap. It’s easy. It’s good. It’s the cheeseburger of the air mattress market and it is for that reason, we love it so. No frills, but including standard features and an onboard pump, this Intex offering comes at a bargain-bin price but with top-shelf quality.

Cheaper than dinner for two, this air mattress is perfect for college students, young adults, or those who are in a bind and need to make a quick purchase. Even though it’s cheap, this Intex inflatable mattress is still sturdy. It’s constructed with a double-layered wave beam interior, waterproof flocked top with vinyl beams, and built-in pillows. Plus, it can hold up to 300 lbs. That’s pretty impressive for a bargain buy if you ask us. 

What to look for in an air mattress

Whether you’re in the market for a luxury air mattress that offers all the comforts of a traditional bed or you’re just looking for a quick budget buy, there are a few key considerations you should keep in mind when shopping for an air mattress. 

Purpose

An air mattress can be used in a variety of ways. You may be looking for a quick inflatable bed that you can blow up when you have guests and store away for the majority of the time, you may need an air mattress for your camping trips, or it could be for a short-term sleeping situation while you’re in between beds. The way you intend on using your air mattress makes a big difference in the type you should purchase. 

If you only need an air mattress for a small chunk of time when you have guests, its ease of storage will be more important. For a camping air mattress, you’ll want something durable, waterproof, and non-reliant on electricity. If you’ll be stuck in mattress limbo and need to sleep on an air mattress for a while, the quality of comfort and durability will be more important. Determine how an inflatable bed should fit your needs to start your shopping journey.

Price

After determining how much use you need to get out of your air mattress, you can reasonably determine a price point. An air mattress can cost anywhere from $20 to a couple hundred dollars. Budget shoppers who only need to inflate a bed for guests are more comfortable on teh bargain end of the spectrum, but those looking for resilient, durable, and reliable bed for outdoor adventures should be more willing to spend at least $100 on a quality air mattress.

Size

Air mattresses are sized in similar dimensions to traditional mattresses, ranging from twin to California king. In terms of height, there are low-profile and raised air beds. A low-profile air bed typically ranges from 4 to 9 inches in height when fully inflated. A raised air bed can range around 14 to 25 inches when fully inflated. Low-profile air mattresses work well for those only looking to use it a few times a year or for children, while a raised air bed is more appropriate for long-term solutions and typically offer more comfort.

Pump

Most air mattresses nowadays come with an electric air pump either internally built in to the bed or for attachment. An electric air pump is the most simple way to inflate an air mattress and is likely your preferred purchase option. There are also manual pumps, but those require much more effort and time.

Our time here has come to an end – we’re packing up and ship out. While the market for air beds is shockingly complex and well-populated, we hope we’ve been able to offer up some rock-solid recommendations and make your life a little bit easier.

For more mattress guides and tips to help you sleep better, stay on Mattress Advisor.

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