Mattress Ratings > Temporary-use Air Bed Reviews
Air Mattresses For Temporary Use → Reviews & Ratings Based on 3,092 Owner Experiences
Updated January 15, 2012
| This page reviews air beds for temporary use, not air beds for permanent use. |
Owner Satisfaction: Air mattresses for temporary use have 74% owner satisfaction overall.
Pros: Often well-suited for short-term, limited use; storable; lightweight; price; adjustable firmness.
Cons: Durability and longevity; potential to lose air; initial odor; low-to-ground models difficult to get up off; short warranties.
What Are They?: Air mattresses for temporary use are made of vinyl and often have a flocked top. A hand-powered or electric air pump is used to inflate the bed; a pump may or may not be included with the bed. The beds are designed mainly for guest use, sleepovers, travel and camping.
Main Competition / Alternatives: See the mattress price comparison for ratings on other low-priced mattresses often used on a temporary or occasional basis.
Air Mattress Ratings: Overall as a Group
The following chart rates temporary-use air beds overall as a group. Ratings are based on over 3,000 consumer reviews of air mattresses, including Aerobed, Coleman and Intex brands. The data was collected using an unbiased, accurate methodology.
| Owner satisfaction | B- | Temporary-use air mattresses overall have 74% owner satisfaction. The various brands tend to rate fairly similar. (See brand ratings section below.) Owners who use their air bed only occasionally or for a short time tend to be more satisfied with their bed than owners who use their bed regularly or for an extended period. |
| Comfort | B | At least 50% of air mattress owners describe the comfort as good or better. About 25% describe it as fair. The rest say their bed is uncomfortable mainly due to an inability to hold air. |
| Durability / longevity | d+ | 20-30% of temporary-use air mattress owners report durability / longevity problems, mainly air leaks that result from punctures, splitting seams, and or valve problems. Air leaks often make the beds unuseable. Based on owner experience data, air mattresses have a lifespan on average of no more than one year with regular use. With occasional use, 1-4 years. |
| Price | a | Prices tend to range from $20-$150 depending on size / model. Some beds come with an air pump, others do not. |
| Value | c+ | Despite the low price of temporary-use air mattresses, 26% of owners say the value of the beds is average or worse because of poor durability and longevity. |
| Ease of use | c+ | Inflating / deflating the air bed is often easy and fast. This is especially true when an electric pump is used. For non-raised air beds, getting on and up off of them can be difficult because they are close to the ground. (See standard elevation vs raised air beds below.) |
| Lightweight | a- | Temporary-use air mattresses tend to be easy to transport and carry, unlike conventional mattresses. |
| No initial odor / off gassing | c+ | A significant chemical or plastic-like odor is reported by 7% of owners. The odor can last for several days or even weeks in some cases and can make sleeping on the bed during this time unpleasant. |
| Adjustable firmness | B+ | The firmness level can be adjusted by adding or removing air. Filling the mattress to maximum firmness may increase risk of developing air leaks. |
| Couple friendly | c- | Temporary-use air mattresses are generally not well suited for couples. The movement of one person on the bed will often disturb another person on the bed. |
| Customer service | C- | Customer service is generally not a strength of temporary-use air bed manufacturers. Most consumer complaints have to do with long wait times and a lack of help regarding product defects and warranty coverage. |
| Warranties | d | Warranties tend to range from no warranty to 1 year. |
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings | A+ | All of the air mattress manufacturers currently have an "A+" rating with the BBB. |
Air Mattress Ratings: By Brand
Below are the leading air beds for temporary, occasional use. They are compared on criteria that may vary from brand to brand. Click on an air bed brand for more detailed ratings based on actual consumer experiences.
| Aerobed | Coleman | Intex | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample size | 367 (Adult beds) 625 (Child Bed) |
758 | 1,342 | |
| Owner satisfaction – adult beds | 71% | 80% | 74% | |
| Owner satisfaction – child beds (ages 2-6) | 93% | -- | -- | |
| Price | $60-$140 | $20-$100 | $20-$100 | |
| Pump included | Yes | Usually Not | Yes | |
| Comfort | Good-Fair (Adult beds) Good (Child Bed) |
Good | Good-Fair | |
| Lifespan | Fair-Poor (Adult beds) Good-Fair (Child Bed) |
Fair | Fair-Poor | |
| Off gassing odor | fair (Adult beds) fair (Child Bed) |
Good-Fair | Fair-Good | |
| No noise | Good-Fair (Adult beds) Poor-Fair (Child Bed) |
Good | Good-Fair | |
| Customer service | fair | Fair-Good | Fair-Poor | |
| Warranty | 1 yr | 1 yr | None | |
| Better Business Bureau Rating | Parent company Coleman: A+ Aerobed: F |
A+ | A+ |
Standard Elevation Vs Raised Air beds
Standard elevation air beds (those which have the sleeper lie low to the ground) rate similarly in owner satisfaction to raised air beds (those which have the sleeper lie higher off of the ground).
Raised air beds have the advantage of being more like a conventional bed in terms of height; this makes getting on and up off of the bed easier.
Raised air beds have the disadvantage of being significantly more in price, up to three times more than standard elevation air beds. Raised air beds can also lack stability due to their height.