Mattress Forum

Thank, RH. I'm not asking "which one is right" for me. That general comment, while true, applies to every mattress out there. I've hung around this forum long enough to realize that! I'm not asking folks to tell me that.  As to repairs, some airbeds can be repaired, as opposed to mattresses that soften or sag. So to me, this is not a conclusive factor and may be a plus.  I would be interested in any statistics or experiences with failure rates - how soon and how often - however, particularly from folks with direct experience or knowledge of particular brands.

Thanks!

Willy

As with any mattress, you have to look at the upholstery being used.  Part of the reason I don't sell airbeds is that I have never seen one that doesn't use a significant amount of polyurethane in the construction. I sincerely doubt the durability long term because of this factor.

Thanks, Budgy. When you say upholstery, do you mean the toppers? I have seen some with the airbladders constructed of rubber (latex) and canvas, and they claim they work better and last longer. What I would like to see is somewhere I could just buy a quality air bladder, then put my own toppers on it. I'm not interested in PU foam layers on top or underneath. Some of them I guess use PU foam around the edges, too. I haven't seen any other options for siding, unless you have a hardside waterbed frame, which I don't.

Yeah the upholstery on top of the air bladders themselves. Its basically the same stuff we see on mass produced coil beds that most people seem to be unhappy with...because of this I gasp at the cost of the beds, the air bladders and pumps combined should not cost more than a quality spring system...they should cost less.

Thanks (again!), Budgy! Right, they should cost less. That makes sense. I have seen some air mattresses that are pretty cheap, but it seems most of them don't last worth a darn. I don't know how the pricey brand is able to apparently hold out for some time, but I'm thinking because it is covered by those layers of synthetic foam. I don't want synthetic foams, although I could live with an edge made of foam. Just don't want to sleep on it. I really wish the industry would move toward component sales. That way we all could mix and match, get exactly what we want for each layer, choose the quality we want, the materials we want, and not have to pay for things built in that we don't want and have to remove or replace. Wishful thinking probably won't get me anywhere.
 

Yeah, I have come to the sad realization that this isn't going to happen in North America for a long time if ever.  Mass retailers and manufacturers do not have an invested interest in being transparent with their products, that would lower profit margains too much.

Now, what you want with an Airbed is durability and comfort. Also, the ability to store easily is important. Putting air into it is another problem. Doing it manually really drains your muscles.

So for the third bed, I decided on getting the Intex Raised Downy Queen Airbed. And I like it. The fact that it has a dual chamber makes it much more comfortable. The built in pump is also amazing, with in five minutes( max 10) it gets filed. The sides do help with fitting a cover. This is important because you wash the cover, making it perfect for guests.

One thing I didn't like was the mattress not staying very firm after some usage, but that doesn't make the bed uncomfortable really.

I would not recommend an airbed based on the problems I've had with the bladders leaking air. My bladders (3 per side) on my King are extremely difficult to patch. They are made from some vulcanized rubber with fabric on the outside. The leaks are frequently on the corner seams and I can't seem to find anything that will hold.

The pillow top has really bad body impressions in it. Since the top cover zips off, I removed one layer of convoluted foam and that helped some. Then I added some foam to try to raise up the flattened out areas and it did help some too. Now it doesn't have the cushy feel that a pillow top has and we need to air one side up every day and the other side every couple of days.

If you must get an airbed, I would recommend getting one without a lot of padding on top and get yourself a cuddlebed or latex topper or something like that. This could be replaced when it breaks down.

Hope this helps.

Alex