Best air beds: my 6 top recommendations after testing at home

Thanks to the best air beds on the market, as long as there’s enough floor space for guests to lie down, you can create an impromptu guest bedroom in any home. Perfect for when friends and family descend, or, as I know all too well, for when the kids’ friends turn up at short notice and I need to cater to an impromptu sleepover!

The best inflatable mattresses are also affordable and space-saving, folding away into a compact package when not in use, making them ideal for those of us who don’t have the budget or floor space to invest in one of the best sofa beds.

However, as someone who has slept on more than my fair share of air beds that have slowly deflated overnight, I wanted to make it my mission to find the options that won’t leave my guests waking up cold and uncomfortable on the floor come morning; cue a week of my kids and I camping in the living room to test out the best air beds.

I recommend all six options in my round-up, but my favourite overall has to be the double-height Silentnight Extra High Flocked Air Bed. Thanks to its deeper design, I could barely tell I was sleeping on an air bed, and its built-in electric pump made inflation and deflation a dream.

Quick list

Whether you’re looking for the best air bed overall, the most affordable inflatable bed, or a deluxe model that will impress your guests with a built-in headboard, these are the best blow-up mattresses I’ve tested.

Best air beds

Best air bed overall

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Throughout testing, I’ve been impressed with Silentnight’s air bed quality in general, and I think this Extra High model is one of the best you can buy. It’s so easy to use; simply pull the cable out of the box at the back, plug it into your electrical socket, and turn the dial on the air bed to inflate. Once the sleepover is over and your guests have gone home, you can plug it in again and switch the dial to deflate for super-fast pack-down time.

The air bed is double height, which creates a sleeping surface 37cm from the floor. That means it’s much easier to get in and out of than a single-layer air bed, and it offers better insulation if you’re sleeping on a cold floor, too. I also found it impressively supportive. There are supportive beams in the middle of the mattress to provide stability, and I almost couldn’t tell it was an air bed when sleeping on it. Overall, I think it’s ideal for hosting overnight guests at home if you don’t want a permanent guest bed taking up space.

The Silentnight Extra High could be a good option for camping too. It comes with a carry bag with a shoulder strap – none of the others on this list do, and it’s this quality and attention to detail that really made this air bed stand out. However, it is heavier than a standard air bed and requires mains electricity to inflate, so you’d need the right pitch to make best use of it outdoors.

Most versatile air bed

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Now this is the air bed you want if you’re going camping somewhere with no mains electricity. This is because the foot pump is integrated into the air bed, so you’ll never forget it and don’t need batteries or a plug to inflate it. However, as I found out during testing, you do need human power; this isn’t one for those who aren’t physically able to stamp their feet for extended periods of time.

To inflate, you have to cover the pump (a valve in the corner of the bed) with your foot having removed the white plug. Then keep stamping for around 15 minutes. My legs did get a bit tired at points, and I found myself doing CPR on the mattress to switch it up. I am sharing the knowledge here so you don’t have the same experience I did: check the release valve is properly inserted before you start, otherwise you’re pushing air in and it’s being expelled at the otherside of the mattress.

I admit I was dubious as to whether the mattress would be full enough from manual inflation, but after I’d finished inflating I was impressed with how firm the mattress is. There is an integrated pillow, but this wouldn’t provide adequate support really, so you’re best off adding your own pillows too. The mattress was single tier, but was a decent thickness at 28cm high. I was impressed with the quality of this mattress; it feels durable and premium.

Best budget buy

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I know you shouldn’t start a review with a negative, but with this air bed, it’s hard not to start with the obvious pain point: there’s no pump. Unless you have the lung capacity of a Blue Whale, you’re going to need to invest in a foot or electric pump to go with this purchase. If you have one already, great. If you don’t, then you can buy the Bestway Foot Air Pump for around £6, but it does make this budget-friendly purchase slightly less money-saving.

Right, now we’ve got that out of the way – what did I like? The valve is robust, and in fact quite an effort to get out. This gave me peace of mind that it wasn’t going to suddenly unplug, even with my children jumping up and down on it. It has a flocked top too, so the fitted sheets didn’t slip around on it. And it’s generally clearly decent quality. Should it befall any punctures, there is a mini puncture repair kit included in the box.

When lying on it, it’s pretty supportive. I felt the undulating surface mould to my lower back, and I didn’t really have any aches or pains, even when lying on my side. However, at 22cm thick, it’s not going to be suitable for any serious period of time as a sleep surface. Don’t plan a summer of sleeping on this in a Cornish campsite. As a place for guests to crash for the weekend, it’s perfect though.

Best budget air bed with mains pump

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I was thrilled to find a mains electric pump included with this air bed. It has a two-way valve, which means air doesn’t rush out as soon as you take the pump out – something that drives me to distraction on other air beds. Simply plug the pump into the mains, flick it on, and attach it to your air bed. I timed the inflation, and it took 1 minute and 20 seconds to inflate to a fully usable double air bed. I was impressed and relieved – pumping air beds is a tedious process, right?

Once inflated, this air bed is an OK thickness – I was impressed with the support it gave my lower back and how sturdy it felt. However, it’s still a single-height air bed and so I’d only really feel comfortable on it for a few nights before the aches set in. It’s also not the easiest to get out of – I found inelegantly rolling off it was my best bet.

You may also find it needs the air topping up after a night or so, especially if you’re using it outside as the air temperature cools at night. But I find this is often the case when using any air bed for camping. Speaking of camping, you’re going to want a mains hook-up if you plan to use the pump, as it doesn’t take batteries. This won’t work in the middle of a field at Glastonbury, let’s put it that way. However, if you’re using it at home to host extra guests, this won’t be a problem.

Best luxury air bed

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I was so impressed with the Yawn air bed during testing. It’s easy to inflate; just unravel the power cable from the little box at the back, plug it into an electrical socket, and inflate. My double version took less than five minutes to fully inflate. You can then unplug it and put it anywhere you want. And it works in reverse too, deflating it in no time at all, so it’s quick to pack away and doesn’t require me to do a roly-poly over it to get the air out.

Once up, it’s incredibly comfortable. It’s double height, so it offers enhanced support compared to a single-layer air bed, and would be perfect for a guest room where you don’t want to have a bed or even one of the best sofa beds taking up floor space permanently. It’s comfortable enough that you don’t have that horrible feeling that your guests might be lying to you when you ask in the morning if they slept OK. Plus, it’s comfortable enough for more than a few nights’ kip.

It looks a bit more appealing for guests, too. I loved the inflatable headboard – no more losing my pillows down the back of the mattress. However, I found this feature did result in the Yawn air bed’s one flaw. Because the headboard is attached to the mattress, you can’t get a fitted sheet on it properly, nor a flat sheet, really. You can buy a custom Yawn airbed fitted sheet (£12.99 for a double), but I find this a bit off-putting considering the air bed itself is the most expensive in my round-up. I’d love to see it come with the sheet included.

Best kids air bed

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Intex has come up with a brilliant solution for parents who frequently travel, camp, or for those hosting friends or relatives with young children. The Kidz Travel air bed comes in two parts. The outer, which is a bit like a paddling pool, has sides that inflate to make sure there’s less chance of little ones rolling out of bed and onto the floor. There is then a mattress that inflates separately that slots neatly inside with barely any gap between the sides of the outer. This should be high enough to keep all but the very wriggliest sleepers snug all night. However, it’s not going to stop kids getting out of bed if they want to.

My kids loved this bed, christened “the boat bed” by them, and I was impressed with the concept. I found myself wishing I’d found these sooner for my parents to have at their house when the grandkids visited.

However, using the hand pump (which isn’t the sturdiest to be totally honest), it took ages to pump both parts up – almost 30 minutes. Would I want to be doing this often (or inside a sweaty tent?!), absolutely not. I also thought the mattress itself was very thin – Intex recommends it for kids aged 3-6 years, and whilst it might be OK for lighter six-year-olds, some might find it’s not adequately supportive. However, as a temporary solution, it works well, and I liked that everything can be stowed away in the drawstring bag it comes with when it’s not in use.

How I tested

I’ve been researching and writing about sleep for the past four years, but I have to admit my expertise is usually reserved for finding the best mattresses, best duvets, and best pillows on the market.

However, my kids and I are frequent campers, and I’m certainly no stranger to an air bed. So, in order to find the best air beds for this guide, I camped out in our living room for a week to test out some of the bestselling inflatable beds on the market.

I assessed how easy each air bed was to inflate, how comfortable it was to sleep on, and how easy it was to pack up. And my kids assessed the robustness of each air bed (and the strength of its air valve) by jumping all over them. Repeatedly.

All in all, we’re all confident we’re recommending the best of the bunch in this guide.

Where to buy an air bed

Amazon: wide selection with Next-Day delivery for Prime members
Argos: good range of single, double and king-size inflatable beds
John Lewis: Vango and Outwell inflatable mattresses
Decathlon: aimed more at camping but work just as well indoors
Go Outdoors: aimed at the outdoors but also suitable indoors
Millets: budget to high-end air beds and blow up mattresses
Wayfair: a huge range of air beds for all budgets

How to choose the best air bed

What should you look for when choosing an air bed? I’ve rounded up my top tips for getting this purchase right.

Size: Air beds tend to come in single, double, and king-size options, and just like when you’re considering which size mattress to buy, it’s generally best to go as big as you can for increased comfort. However, check your floorspace first to make sure your air bed will fit once it’s inflated. Ideally, you want to leave enough space on either side of the bed for your guest(s) to be able to get out of bed and walk around the air bed easily. And, of course, if you’re buying an air bed for a camping trip, you should always measure your tent to make sure the inflatable mattress will fit.

Height: There are two main heights of air beds; single-height air beds that measure between 22-28cm and double-height air beds that are usually somwhere between 35-45cm in height. The more height your air bed has, the more support it can offer and the better the insulation from the cold ground. A double-height air bed tends to feel more like a ‘real’ bed and is easier to get up from, especially if you have any mobility issues. However, if you’re camping, just remember that most tents have sloping walls and you want to avoid the air bed touching them, or this can let damp and cold penetrate.

Inflation method: ALWAYS check how an air bed inflates before you buy. Some you’ll need to buy a separate hand or foot pump, some come with a built-in foot pump that you step on repeatedly to push air into the mattress, and others use a mains pump that connects to an electrical socket to take some of the legwork out of the process. A mains pump is generally the most expensive option, but it is generally the easiest to use. However, if you’re taking your air bed camping and won’t be close to an electricity point, a manual pump is a better option.

Comfort: Whilst most air beds are pretty basic, there are some little details that can make bedding down on an inflatable mattress a little more enjoyable.

I would recommend choosing an option that has a flocked surface. These generally feel a little nicer to sleep on than one that simply has a plastic top layer. The flocking gives things a bit more grip so you don’t slide around at night and usually makes the air bed quieter to turn over on in the night.

FAQs

How much do I need to spend on an air bed?

A basic air bed can cost as little as £10 for a single mattress size. However, that will tend to be without any form of pump. An inflatable mattress with a built-in pump usually starts from around £25 for a single mattress. The more comfort you want to add, the more the price will increase. For instance, most double-height air beds start from around £60 for a single. A double or king-size blow-up mattress requires more materials in its manufacture, so costs more.

Is there a better alternative to an air mattress?

If you don’t have a dedicated guest room but want an option that’s a little more stylish or permanent than a blow-up mattress, then a sofa bed is the next best thing to a real bed. And if you’re short on space, one of the best chair beds could be a more compact solution for a single overnight guest.

Not sure which to invest in? Our guide to air beds vs sofa beds can help you to decide which is right for you and your home.

How can I make my air bed more comfortable?

‘The main things that will impact how comfortable your air bed feels are the level of support it gives you, the heat transfer from the cold ground, and the feel of your airbed against your skin,’ explains Chris Stuckey, Senior Marketing Manager at air bed specialist Coleman UK.

The deeper the air bed, the more support it will offer and the better the insulation from the ground, so opting for a double-height air bed is usually a good choice. Opting for an air bed with a flocked top will also make rolling over quieter and offer more warmth.

‘You can also add a foam topper,’ says Chris Stuckey, ‘as this will allow the sleeping surface to form to the contours of your body and, if sleeping with someone else on a double airbed, this can help reduce the movement transfer from one person to the other.’ I recommend the memory foam Panda Topper, but Ideal Home’s guide to the best mattress toppers has plenty more options.

‘You can also add a blanket over the top of your airbed to increase the thermal resistance and give you a cosy sleeping surface which feels soft against your skin,’ says Chris. ‘A bed sheet will also work to improve the feeling of the airbed against your skin.’

So there we go, everything you need to know to work out whether a blow-up mattress is the right solution for your hosting needs.