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We sleep on the job to review the best air beds – also known as inflatable mattresses – for spare rooms and camping trips
Emily specialises in home, garden, beauty and sleep reviews for Telegraph Recommended. During her 20 years as a journalist, she has written for titles including Ideal Home, the BBC, Wired, GQ, Grand Designs, TechRadar and The Guardian, testing and reviewing everything from mattresses to solar lights to hair dryers.
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A blow-up bed is no substitute for the best mattress, but it makes a comfortable short-term solution for festivals, camping holidays and overnight guests. The best air beds should be quick to inflate, puncture-resistant, and retain their firmness throughout the night. You shouldn’t wake up feeling like you’ve slept on a bouncy castle.
I’ve tested 12 air beds in our search to find the most comfortable and supportive inflatable mattress. I’ve sampled durable beds with built-in pumps from leading outdoor brands, including Bestway, Vango, Hi-Gear, and Intex, as well as raised models that look more like a sofa bed.
Below, you’ll find my full reviews, including a dedicated section for the best air beds for camping, tested by adventurer Phoebe Smith. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:
“For home guests, raised air beds are often more convenient,” says Michael Buckle, Head of Buying at Dreams. “They’re easier to get on and off, and many come with electric pumps for speedy set-up.”
Buckle continues: “If you’re heading to a festival or going camping, look for lightweight, portable air beds that are easy to pack and inflate manually.”
Wherever you intend to use your air bed, look for these key features:
To find the best air beds for guests, I tested a selection of double, king and queen options from brands including Argos, Decathlon, Dreams and Active Era. Each had a built-in pump and could also be inflated manually. I rated them on design, warmth, comfort, portability and ease of assembly. I also considered pillow and edge support, how easy it was to get on and off the bed, and whether they came with useful extras, such as a puncture kit or carry bag.
I asked friends of different heights and ages to try each bed, lying on their backs, sides, and stomachs, then sitting up. To check durability, I let my two young children jump on each for two minutes - great fun for them, though not exactly recommended by manufacturers.
If you’re looking to improve your sleep more generally, be sure to read our guides to the best pillows (including the best pillows for side sleepers) and the best duvets. As for the best air beds for camping, Phoebe took her picks on the road to test comfort, packability and value. You can visit our Who We Are page to learn more about our testing process.
Best Buy Air Bed
A smooth greige polyester fabric covers the PVC frame on this air bed, helping it blend into most modern and classic interiors. Like most air beds with built-in pumps, it’s noisy to inflate and deflate, but the process only takes five minutes each way, and the instructions are easy to follow. After five minutes, the bed felt too firm, so I adjusted the dial to let out some air and give the bed some bounce.
The Bestway can squeak when turning in bed. I placed a blanket underneath to reduce noise and add warmth. I tried sleeping on my side and back, and was happy with how comfortable the mattress felt throughout the night. The raised sides are thinner than on some of the other air beds I tried, but that leaves more surface area to sleep on. My 6ft partner Daniel, who also tested the bed, appreciated the extra space. My friend Tina tried it and liked the “wavy” structure on the top, saying it made her feel secure.
The box includes two repair patches and a grey drawstring storage bag. I struggled somewhat to fold the deflated bed as neatly as when it was new. There was little plastic smell when I inflated it, but when deflating it was noticeable, so I opened the window. Overall, the Bestway offers the best combination of comfort and usability at a fair price.
Best Value Air Bed
John Lewis £60.00
Buy nowRefreshingly basic, you’ll need a hand pump or electric pump to blow up this air bed. I did it in around five minutes by hand. Its flocked top adds softness to the surface, so it feels comfy to lie on. Coil beams within the mattress add support and comfort and while it felt cosy in the night, it was a little noisy when I moved around. The built-in pillow is a good size in relation to the length of the bed.
At 38cm high, it’s noticeably lower than the other air beds I tested, but it has above-average leg room and a good deal of bounce. With no built-in pump, it’s lighter to carry, and while the storage bag is basic, it does the trick. Overall, I think this is an excellent option for camping since it raises you off the ground and adds a little luxury to your tent. The bed is surprisingly robust too, retaining the air well when the kids bounced on it.
Best Air Bed For Back Support
The Hi-Gear combines premium looks with a supportive design, including a built-in pillow, and soft-to-touch fabric. Daniel appreciated the grooved beam construction as it helped align his spine while sleeping. The edges are slightly raised and the flocked fabric is designed to prevent users slipping and rolling off the bed. I also made the fitted sheet hug the air bed more securely.
The instructions in the box are rudimentary, but advise that you shouldn’t inflate or deflate for longer than five minutes. I inflated it for five minutes, which created a steely firm tension. A slight plastic smell in the room soon disappeared. The Hi-Gear comes with a very large storage bag that doesn’t have a drawstring. While it makes it easier to put the bed back in the bag, storing the bed didn’t feel as neat as others.
The bed was relaxing to sleep on, but it needed a bit of topping up in the morning to bring it back up to a comfortable pressure. It’s usual for a PVC air bed to stretch a little, and the air inside contracts at night as the temperature drops, but this normally settles after the first few uses. A five-minute bounce from the kids certainly didn’t help matters, but luckily there were no punctures to report.
Most Comfortable Air Bed
The first thing I wanted to do when inflating the Intex was to stroke its wonderfully soft top layer. Paired with the vertical lines running down its length, it looks and feels inviting to sleep on. It’s similar in size to the Bestway Fortech but sits a little lower, making it easier to climb onto. The bed is designed to be firm and durable, with a small built-in pillow for neck support. I found the pillow a bit shallow, but my fellow testers Tina and James were happy with it.
Inflation and deflation each took about three minutes, making the Intex one of the quicker beds to set up in this guide. There’s also a manual inflation port, tucked into the cord storage, which is handy if you’re camping and using your own pump. I slept comfortably on it overnight and didn’t need to inflate it in the morning. A two-minute bounce from Bethany and William soon changed this, but overall, it held its shape well. There was the occasional squeak when turning, but placing an extra blanket on top helped.
The box includes a single repair patch, a good instruction booklet and a drawstring storage bag that made it easy to stash. While I found it a challenge to fold the bed up after use, the bag was big enough to allow for my clumsy folding.
Best Double Air Bed
Amazon Prime £63.99
Buy now“Inside this box is the best night’s sleep you’ll ever have,” the Active Era confidently promises on its packaging box. I was keen to see whether it was indeed worth the above-average price tag. It is quick to inflate and it was up in under three minutes, a little too firm, but easily adjusted. Deflation was disappointing, however, taking me a lot longer to pack away than put up. It is reassuring to know that if the pump overheats, it will stop automatically.
Its firmness didn’t last through the first night. As expected, I needed to top it up in the morning. The instructions point out that like most PVC air beds, you will need to add air to the bed more frequently the first few times you use it as the fabric stretches to its natural shape.
The bed stood up to the kids jumping on it, however, and I found the large built-in pillow comfortable. Both Tina and James found the flocked top sumptuous to lie on. Comprehensive instructions are included, as are three repair patches. Fortunately, none were needed after Bethany and William’s performance.
Best Air Bed For Pillow Support
This self-inflating air bed with a built-in pump stands out for a reason: it has a headboard. The bed is a nice height, making easy to get in and out. It comes delivered in a compact box with a pull-string storage bag and two repair patches included. Inflation and deflation should take around five minutes. It took me just four to get it up to a pressure I was happy with. Deflating was just as simple.
I may be well practised at packing air beds, but this design folded away more easily than most. This may be thanks to its manageable size and soft material. The flocked top feels smooth and looks smart. Like many motorised air beds, it is noisy to inflate and deflate (I measured it at around 94.5dB), so it's best to set it up before bedtime. Though firmer than I prefer, and not bouncy enough for the kids, it is still comfortable. It’s great if you like a solid surface to sleep on, but for something softer, add a topper.
The sides held together well and the headboard made me feel more secure. I topped up the air just before sleeping to ensure it stayed firm overnight, which worked well. The headboard had a little give when I leaned back, so placing it near a wall helps. Still, it made reading in bed a more comfortable experience, and I appreciated the extra stability it offered throughout the night.
Best Blow-Up Bed
With two drawstring pulls on either side, the bag that this air bed comes with is possibly the most practical of all the storage bags in this test. It’s also one of the lightest to carry. The built-in pump can be used for up to five minutes at a time to inflate and deflate. I found that the bed was nicely blown up with a bit of squish at around the four and a half minute mark.
While this double is not as long as the king size air beds in my tests, the width gave me room to move about and get comfortable. While the edge support is not the most prominent I have discovered, my team of testers and I liked the size of the built-in pillow and feel of the flocked top. After a two-minute bounce from the kids, the air bed remained defiantly firm.
Best Dual-Use Air Bed
Decathalon £74.99
Buy nowIt took me a while to get used to sleeping on the Air Seconds, which at 18cm is noticeably different in height compared to the other air beds above, particularly Active Era’s lofty 56cm. While it was a little trickier to get into and out of, this bed makes for a surprisingly comfortable and warm sleep, and has a nice pressure-relieving squish to it.
I found that if you stand in the middle of the mattress, it will fold slightly if not pumped up enough. While the website states that the bed can be hand-inflated and deflated within a minute, it took me a little longer. I didn’t let the kids bounce on this one for too long as it’s so near the floor, but it comes with a puncture repair patch for peace of mind and is overall a perfectly practical and comfy camping mattress.
Self-inflating air beds with built-in electric pumps are convenient for home use, but heavy. Those without built-in pumps are lighter and better for camping. Some designs allow for both options, which works if you’re switching from home use to the campsite.
Inflatable air beds with built-in pumps need to be used with caution when camping, however. For a start, the built-in pumps and plugs aren’t waterproof, and unless it can be inflated with a standalone pump, you’ll also need access to a mains socket or compatible power pack to inflate and deflate the air bed.
Best Air Bed For Wild Camping
Ultra Light Outdoor Gear £229.99
Buy nowRecommended by Phoebe Smith
When it comes to air mattresses designed for camping, Therm-a-Rest is the go-to classic that many others have tried to replicate. When the first models hit the market in the 1970s, they were a far cry from the foam pads that had been the ubiquitous mainstay of the outdoor shops. Not only did Therm-a-Rest decide to make its model hybrid, utilising foam and air to insulate campers from the cold ground, but it also made them compact and self-inflating.
Since then, things have come full circle. It now offers advanced foam pads (preferred by trail runners), cosy plush air mats for glampers and, in recent years, the NeoAir range. With a tiny pack size taking up the same space as a water bottle and a weight that’s comparable to that of a can of baked beans, this XTherm NXT is as packable as you can get, whilst still managing a decent thickness.
While these don’t self-inflate, they do come with a “pump sack”: an attachable bag you blow into and then roll the air down into the mat. It allows for much quicker inflation. As someone who’d been using the non-pump sack version, this is a welcome upgrade. The real standout of this mattress is the warmth it offers. With a core filled with honeycomb-like reflective segments, I’ve used it year-round in the UK and even on an expedition in Greenland and still enjoyed a toasty night’s sleep. In short, a wild camper’s dream.
Best Camping Air Bed For Kids
Recommended by Phoebe Smith
There’s an awkward stage with little ones when it comes to nights away or sleeping in tents. It comes when they are too big for a travel cot but too small to stay on a normal air bed or camping mat. That’s where this inexpensive Intex model comes into its own.
The “frame” that surrounds it (which can also be used as a makeshift paddling pool) offers security and comfort to little ones thanks to its high sides, not to mention a play area for them to enjoy while you’re busy pumping up the actual mattress.
It’s covered with a soft grippy flocked fabric that also helps them stop sliding about. Though it doesn’t self-inflate, even my nonplussed friend was able to use the included hand pump and was surprised at how easy and quickly it was done.
My three-year-old son loved the stars on the side and it only takes up about the size of a pillow when folded down. I even tried lying on it to read him his bedtime story and was loath to get off. He’s since taken it to stay at his grandmother’s house and often asks if he can sleep on it at home too. I’ll be as sad as him when he can no longer fit in it.
Best For Couples Camping
Recommended by Phoebe Smith
Anyone who’s ever tried to share a bed with a loved one at a festival or on a camping trip will be familiar with the issue of migrating mats, whereby one person’s mattress moves away from the other while you’re sleeping, causing you to wake up on the freezing ground sheet in the early hours. The Eurohike Camper Double Self-Inflating Mat is a portable solution to this.
The two mats are permanently attached together, meaning no mat movement. Better yet, they self-inflate. You simply open the valve and let them take in the air (note: the first time will require some puffing from you – likewise if you like a firmer mat). The fabric is robust yet soft and though the thickness is not the best, it certainly does the job for casual campers, or at spring/summer festivals.
The only downside is its size. It’s a bit bulky when packed and only one of you can carry it, so you’d really have to love your other half to lug it about on a backpacking adventure. If only one of you wants to use it, you still have to take both mats – though you can fold it over to make it a thicker more luxe option for one person. Definitely one for couples who plan to regularly camp together.
Best Single Air Bed
Recommended by Phoebe Smith
If space is at a premium and you want a mattress you can also easily take car camping, then a single air mat like Outwell’s Dreamcatcher series is a safe bet. Available in four different thicknesses it uses a combination of foam and air to create one of the most luxurious offerings around.
To inflate is easy: open the valve and let it do its thing. That said, I found topping up was necessary, which can be done via an electric pump. Considering its thickness, it does roll down to a reasonable size (66cm x 17cm). That’s great if you’re using it as a spare bed, but unless car camping it’s bulky to be slinging in your backpack for a weekend in the wilds.
The fabric is soft and comfortable and rated down to -30C, so a good all-rounder for hardier car campers. There’s also a special “campervan” option, sized to fit well in VW conversions and those living the Van Life.
Reader input:
Telegraph reader Alex Moseley says he would have given this air bed nine out of 10. “It’s fantastically comfy with a high insulation R rating, giving me an excellent night’s sleep,” he says, adding that it’s one of his best camping investments. “The only negative is that it’s a bit heavy.”
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