• A quality air mattress won’t deflate in the middle of the night or sag in uncomfortable places.
  • They’re also great for hosting guests or even taking on a camping trip.
  • The Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress is our top pick because it’s comfortable, easy to inflate, and big enough for two to sleep comfortably.

Air mattresses can come in handy if your family or friends drop by for an impromptu visit or if you’re a camper or hiker who needs a comfortable way to sleep outdoors.

There are a number of factors that go into finding the perfect air mattress: comfort, ease and time to inflate/deflate, height, firmness, air pressure and retention, manufacturing materials, and portability, to name a few. Air mattresses vary widely in price, as well, and you get what you pay for as with anything else in this world. There’s nothing more horrific than waking up impossibly worse for wear only to realize that it’s because your bed of air has failed you and you’re on the cold hard ground.

We’ve kept that in mind as we’ve researched expert consumer sites for the best air mattress for any purpose or budget.

Here are the best air mattresses:

Prices and links are current as of 8/10/2020. We swapped the Insta-Bed as our top pick instead of the SoundAsleep as it’s a lighter and more portable option, making it versatile for in-home or outdoor use. We are currently testing new models for an in-depth update. We will be fully updating this guide soon.

The best overall

The 19-inch Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress has a built-in pump to inflate the mattress to three firmness preferences. It weighs 13 pounds and comes with a carrying pouch for convenience.

The Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress is our top pick because it has a built-in pump that inflates the mattress to your firmness preference – Plush, Medium, or Fim, in around four minutes. It also has a carrying pouch for convenience and weighs 13 pounds so it can be used in your house or in the great outdoors.

Construction on Insta-Bed's Queen-sized bed includes 35 circular air coils for comfort, much like innersprings on a real mattress. At 19-inches high, it has the highest profile among our picks, making it easier for those with accessibility issues to get in and out of bed.

The main built-in pump is billed as 20% quieter than others, and it inflates and deflates quickly and easily in about four minutes. The second pump keeps the bed inflated throughout the night so you don't wake up on the floor.

The top layer is made of flocked PVC material, providing water resistance, damage resistance, long-term durability, and a soft, comfortable surface for a good night's sleep. Beneath the bed, the bottom layer is protected with Sure-Grip texturing so you can get in and out bed without sliding.

Insta-Bed's is considerably lighter than our top pick for in-home use, which is the 20-pound SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress. It's also slightly more affordable and protected by a one-year warranty.

Pros: Two built-in pumps for inflating mattress and maintaining firmness, high profile, lightweight, portable and convenient to carry

Cons: Only a one-year warranty

The best for in-home use

Foto: Source: SoundAsleep/Business Insider

The SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress has 40 internal coils for comfort and weighs 20 pounds so it's a durable option that you won't want to move around often.

The SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress has gotten rave reviews for comfort and performance. The mattress is packed with 40 internal air coils so it stays firm and supportive without drooping or sagging throughout the night. There's also a built-in pump to make it easy to inflate and deflate the Dream Series Air Mattress - it takes about four minutes to complete a cycle.

A Queen-sized mattress is big enough for two people to sleep comfortably, and the raised dual-chamber 19-inch height makes it easier to climb in and out of bed. There is a Sure-Grip textured layer lining the bottom of the mattress to prevent slipping and sliding on hardwood and glossy floors.

On the other side, the mattress's surface layer is extra thick and waterproof to avoid mildew and bacteria caused by night sweats and to prevent punctures, nicks, and tears.

Since the SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress is meant specifically for in-home use, it's not the most portable option on the market. It weighs about 20 pounds and comes with a convenient carrying case for toting the deflated mattress around your house or from room to room. Best of all, SoundAsleep's year-long satisfaction guarantee and a great reputation for customer service mean that your air mattress investment will be well-spent and protected.

Unlike the Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress, there is only one firmness level.

Pros: One-year-long satisfaction guarantee, great customer service, durable, has coils for comfort, built-in pump, durable top, grippy bottom

Cons: Not portable for camping trips, only one firmness level

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: Intex

The Intex Pillow Rest Raised Airbed doesn't sacrifice comfort or reliability for price, and even includes a built-in pillow.

The Intex Pillow Rest Raised Airbed is anything but an investment and you won't sacrifice comfort, but you will give up on a warranty or guarantees with this budget pick.

The Queen-sized mattress measures 60 x 80 inches, and it stays pretty low to the ground at 16.5 inches high. It offers the same style of flocked PVC surface as our other picks at much higher prices.

The integrated electric pump takes the standard four minutes or so to inflate and deflate, and users say that the Intex air mattress stays firm and well-inflated without losing air throughout the night.

A nice and unexpected addition to this affordable air mattress is the built-in pillow, which raises the surface of the mattress just slightly where your guests will rest their heads. Water- and puncture-resistant materials keep the mattress comfortable and clean, and the bed still comes with an easy carrying case despite its serious affordability.

There's no warranty and no customer satisfaction guarantee with the Intex air mattress, making it a bit of a gamble. But, at this price, you can hardly expect it to last a lifetime. Again, this is a purchase for when you're in a pinch.

Pros: Built-in pillows, integrated pump, affordable, flocked top and grippy bottom

Cons: Low height profile, no warranty or customer satisfaction promise

The best for kids

Foto: Source: AeroBed/Business Insider

The AeroBed Mattress for Kids is perfectly sized for kids who are 4+ years and comes with a washable fleece pad for any potential messes as well.

The AeroBed mattress measures 50 by 25 inches, making it a smaller mattress that's great for kids who are 4+ years. It's also designed to keep younger children from rolling out of the bed with a 4-inch safety cushion raised around the mattress' perimeter. The 8-inch profile is convenient for kids to get in and out easily.

The heavy-duty PVC material is designed to withstand the ups and downs of energetic youngsters, and the washable fleece mattress pad makes kid-sized messes easier to handle without ruining the mattress itself.

The included electric air pump inflates the bed in under a minute and deflates in around 15 seconds, although its smaller size means that timing shouldn't be compared with the longer inflation times on queen-sized adult beds. Aerobed includes a handy carrying case, and while we weren't able to locate the weight of a deflated bed, you can expect it to weigh less than the lightest 13-pound Insta-Bed.

Although the price tag may seem high for a kid-sized mattress, shoppers say that their small children and toddlers have slept on the AeroBed Mattress for years without any deflation, damage, or size concerns.

The biggest downside of this thing is the vague warranty, which is discouraging at best: "limited manufacturer's warranty" likely means you'll have an uphill battle no matter what happens. Don't expect the best warranty service with this bed.

Pros: Safety cushion around the perimeter, inflates and deflates quickly, carrying case, durable, includes a washable cover

Cons: Limited warranty

Check out our other mattress and bedding buying guides

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