We Found Air Mattresses That You'll Actually Enjoy Sleeping On

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The right air mattress is more important than you think, even if you're only sleeping on it for a few days. A quality air bed can make or break a good night's sleep, whether for overnight guests, camping trips outdoors, short-term use while waiting for your new mattress to arrive or a temporary living situation, so you'll want to find one that feels comfortable without breaking the bank.

For both comfort and convenience, you'll an inflatable mattress that's easy to set up, compact to carry and store and won't leak air overnight while you're using it. But that's easier said than done; it can be difficult to tell exactly what's comfortable without trying it out for a few nights yourself. That's where we come in, having tested dozens to find the best air mattresses available.

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The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab evaluates all kinds of mattresses to narrow down the thousands of online options, including inflatable air mattresses, smart mattresses, cooling mattresses, soft mattresses, mattresses for side sleepers and more. 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.

Read on to learn how we test air mattresses and more about tips on how to shop for your best air bed. Looking for other travel-friendly essentials to match? Check out our guides to the best travel blankets and travel pillows.

With over 54,000 Amazon reviews and an average 4.4-star rating, this is one of the most popular air mattresses you'll find online. It has 40 air coils for support, a grippy bottom for slip resistance and a built-in pump that can inflate and deflate in under four minutes. It's also 19 inches tall, making it easier to get on and off the mattress, and it comes in a variety of sizes, from a Twin to a King.

We love that the mattress features thick, waterproof flocked material on the top, making it perfect for everyday use (i.e., more than just a night or two), and we were impressed by its performance in the Lab and with consumer testers. Several users were surprised that the bed conformed to their bodies for a more comfortable feel than most air mattresses they've tried. One online reviewer even said once he inflated it, he didn't need to add more air for a solid two weeks, even though he slept on this mattress every night.

Don’t be fooled by the low price: This mattress from Intex still has all the bells and whistles. It’s available in multiple heights, and it's quick to set up; the Queen size took around four and a half minutes to fully inflate in our tests, and, according to the brand, it can support up to 600 pounds — meaning two people can share the bed.

One of our experts routinely uses it in her home, both for overnight guests and movie nights with her kids, and she notes that the mattress feels substantial and doesn’t sag under your weight. Several of our testers have praised the generous 18-inch and 22-inch heights, highlighting how easy it is to get on and off the bed and how “you don’t feel like you’re sleeping right on the floor.” Just keep in mind that we recommend being patient when deflating the mattress, as we’ve found that applying unnecessary force to the inflating component can permanently damage it.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Why the Intex Air Mattress Is Our Best Value Air Mattress

Air mattresses have a bad reputation for sagging over time, but this two-pump system uses unique technology to prevent just that. The first pump is used to inflate and deflate the bed and has an automatic shut-off when the mattress is full. The second pump stays on all night and automatically adjusts the air pressure to keep it fully inflated. In addition, Serta's model allows you to select from three firmness levels prior to inflation for your personalized comfort. The circular coils and 18-inch height help make it feel more like a real mattress, and the flocked finish means you won't notice any plastic underneath your sheets.

Serta's air mattresses have performed well in our evaluations, standing out as one of the top performers in puncture resistance tests. This model also inflates and deflates relatively quickly, with the Queen-size style taking just shy of two and a half minutes to fully inflate. Consumer testers shared that they fell asleep easily on the bed, but some noted that those who toss and turn may find the bed noisy. The caveat is that the mattress needs to be plugged in all night because otherwise, it may deflate over time.

While most air mattresses need to be plugged into a power source to inflate or deflate, this one from Coleman uses a hand-held pump, making it perfect for on-the-go camping. When fully inflated (in less than 2 minutes in our tests!), it stands at a comfortable 18-inch height with a plush flocked surface. And once you're ready to head home, the unique “Wrap ‘N’ Roll” storage system lets you roll the mattress right into the attached bag as soon as it's deflated. The one catch is that you'll need to purchase a pump separately (unless you buy from the brand's site), but Coleman offers several options, from a battery-operated pump to a rechargeable pump.

Coleman's air beds have stood out in our tests for their easy-to-understand instructions and durable design. The convertible Twin to King EasyStay 4-N-1 Airbed earned top scores for its great puncture resistance. This model in particular stood out among competitors in our Lab tests with no overnight leakage after 170 pounds of weight were applied to the mattress for 24 hours. Plus, it impressed our testers, who called it "more comfortable to sleep on" than other air beds they've tried, but they noted that the brand's pump was a little too loud when inflating the mattress late at night.

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Sleeping on an air bed doesn't mean you have to settle for sub-par comfort: This one comes with an attached control switch that lets you pick from seven firmness levels ranging from "soft plush" to "extra firm." The attached remote can also be used for both inflation and deflation, thanks to the built-in pump. Plus, the pump automatically shuts down once the desired firmness is reached or once the mattress is fully deflated for added safety and convenience.

We were impressed by the brand’s thoughtful, comfort-first design, including its ComfortCoil technology with 40 air coils, and we appreciate the simple customizable options, from the adjustable firmness levels to the seamless inflation/deflation process. 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.

If you’re tall, sleeping on an air mattress means you’ll usually have your feet dangling over the edge — ugh! But this pick from King Koil is available in a California King size, providing that much-needed extra length so your entire body can feel evenly supported at night. While there aren’t many air beds available in California King, this mattress stands out for much more than being a game-changer for taller users: It’s got all the top-of-the-line features we look for in an inflatable mattress.

The bed not only has air coils for added support and a built-in pump with a speedy two-and-a-half-minute inflation time, but it also has flocked materials on the top — so you won’t feel like you’re sleeping on plastic — and the bottom to prevent any slippage at night. Plus, it has tens of thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon from users who rave about the comfort of the bed and the brand’s customer service.

Looking for a kid-friendly air mattress? This pick is the perfect solution. It's built with inflatable safety bumpers around the entire perimeter of the mattress, and even if your child were to accidentally roll off, the bed is just a few inches off the ground. On top of that, the mattress comes with a pump for easy inflation and has a sheet-tuck design that lets you use your own sheets, This way, your child can feel at home and you won’t worry about the sheets slipping off at night.

It’s a favorite of Good Housekeeping's senior parenting and relationships editor Marisa LaScala, who calls it a game-changer for any trip away from home. “My 3-year-old actually sleeps in it all night without falling onto the floor or waking up in anguish demanding to hop into bed with Mommy and Daddy,” she said. Additionally, it stays inflated nicely overnight without sagging and deflates into a small storage bag. Just remember that the bed doesn't conform to AAP safe sleep guidelines for infants, so don’t use it unless your kid is at least 2 years old.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: My Daughter Wouldn't Sleep Away From Home Until We Got This Toddler Travel Bed

How we test air mattresses

The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab evaluates all sorts of mattresses and begins the process by researching offerings from top brands, analyzing materials and specifications, evaluating specific features and taking note of any brand claims. This past year, we put seven new air mattress contenders through a series of rigorous Lab tests and consumer tests to find the best of the best, using standardized testing methods and other industry standards. In all, we've analyzed over 400 data points over the years from more than a dozen inflatable beds to determine the best air mattresses available.

Here are some of the factors we consider when testing air mattresses:

✔️ Inflation and deflation time: In the Lab, we time how long it takes each air mattress to fully inflate and deflate. We also ask our at-home testers how they felt about the process and whether the bed inflated and deflated in a reasonable amount of time.

✔️ Ease of use (set-up and packing): Our experts and consumer testers note how easy it is to unpack and set up the air mattress before inflation and how easy it is to pack after deflating.

✔️ Overnight Leakage: We first weigh the air mattress after initial inflation before placing 170 pounds of sand on the bed for 24 hours to mimic the weight of a person sleeping on it. The sand is then removed and the bed is re-weighed to assess overnight leakage.

✔️ Sagging and indentation: A 10-pound weight is placed on the mattress after inflation and the depth of the indentation is recorded. After the overnight leakage test, this test is repeated to note any signs of sagging.

✔️ Bursting strength and puncture resistance: Using specialized machinery (including our Instron Tensile Strength tester and Bursting Strength tester), we test the bursting strength and puncture resistance of the air mattress material.

✔️ Comfort: In addition to having consumer testers try out the air mattresses overnight at home, we have testers lie on the beds in our Lab to gauge initial comfort for a variety of sleepers, including those with different preferred sleep positions and body types.

✔️ Consumer Testing: After sleeping on the air mattresses for longer periods of time, our testers provide feedback through surveys, rating features from how easy the instructions were to follow and how noisy the pumps were to how supportive the beds felt, whether they woke up feeling sore and more. Testers also share their thoughts on any issues they had, how the air bed compares to other ones they've tried, as well as any likes and dislikes.

What to look for when shopping for the best air mattress

Finding the perfect air mattress can feel complicated — especially when many online options look the same. Here are a few key features to keep in mind as you shop for your next air bed to help simplify the process:

• Pump: Options include manual, battery-operated and plug-in. Most air mattresses come with a pump (either attached or separate), but sometimes you'll need to purchase one separately.
  

• Inflation time: The mattress should be able to inflate and deflate in just a few minutes. This is typically listed as a specification from the manufacturer.

• Height: A taller air mattress that's at least 18 inches high is typically more comfortable, but a lower profile one is easier to roll up and carry. It comes down to personal preference and whether you're using it at home or on the go.

• Air chambers: The most supportive air mattresses have vertical air chambers or coils that help distribute weight. Air beams that run side to side can still feel comfortable, but you may notice some sagging when you lie down. You can spot the difference by looking at the surface: Ones with the less supportive air beams look like rows, while coils look like columns.

• Flocked fabric: The material feels like suede and can be found on the top side of air mattresses (so it doesn't feel like you're sleeping on plastic) as well as the bottom (to prevent slipping on hardwood floors).

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

This article was written by GH Institute Textiles Lab Executive Director Lexie Sachs, who has a B.S. in fiber science from Cornell University and more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development for home products. Lexie joined GH in 2013 and has extensively tested all types of bedding — including mattresses, sheets, pillows, comforters and more — using specialized lab equipment and hundreds of consumer testers. Air mattresses are some of the first products Lexie tested at GH.

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. In addition to researching hundreds of mattresses and analyzing feedback from thousands of consumer testers and survey panelists, she's written several stories about different mattresses, from latex mattresses to mattresses for adjustable beds. Prior to joining GH, Grace earned a Master of Engineering in materials science and engineering and a B.S. in fiber science from Cornell University.