(photo: Vicious Bits)

I like to travel a lot (hence the name of this site), and it sometimes involves camping or staying over at someone’s house. I also love using CouchSurfing, and this means that I get to host travelers from all over the world in my home, as well as, spending some days with kind people who welcome me to theirs while I’m abroad.

What does this have to do with finding the best blow up mattress out there? Well, I want to make sure that my guests have a comfortable night’s sleep, and while traveling, I want to feel energetic as I wake up ready to hike into the mountains or walk around the city.

There’s an air mattress for each scenario, and it’s my purpose to show you what I have found, whether you need a great blow up mattress for camping or the best air mattress for guests, you’ll find some good information here. I will be updating this post frequently, and make it more and more complete over time. I hope it helps hunting down the best blow up mattress for you.

Twin Blow Up Mattress

The following twin air mattresses are bestsellers and come from the top manufacturers, but you should be aware that they are not the best for a prolonged use. They are best for camping or for guests who are spending a few days, but people with back problems  or who have trouble with sleep will benefit more from sturdier, bigger beds. That being said, you can find ways to enhance these air mattresses to make them more comfortable (read 3rd paragraph of Coleman 4-in-1).

Coleman 4 in 1 Quickbed ($40 – no pump included)

On the cheaper range of blow up mattresses, this is one of the best. I don’t get why it’s called the 4 in 1, because you can use it in one of three ways: you can have two twin mattresses, one king size or a raised twin air mattress. Having a raised mattress is especially helpful for people with knee problems, or who would otherwise have a hard time sleeping so close to the floor.

I particularly like that it holds the air incredibly well, but be aware that you need to fill it up when you get it, and over the next few days you need to refill the air in order to stretch the material. This way you won’t end up with a deflated mattress in the morning.

When it comes to how comfortable this mattress is, you need to consider a few things. If this is a bed you plan to use at home for guests or for yourself I would highly recommend to add a comforter, or some sort of padded surface on top (some foam top and a mattress pad would be excellent). It’s not that it’s uncomfortable on its own, it’s just that it really makes it that much better, and you have a great guest air mattress for cheap. Another important aspect is that if you join them together to form a king size air mattress you might find yourself falling into the gap that’s between them. This can easily be avoided by using a fitted sheet, and you can also try a comforter on top if you like.

An advantage I enjoy when you zip the mattresses together is that you can make each side as firm or soft as each person likes, and no matter how much you toss and turn you won’t disturb your neighbor. This is a good choice if you want an extra long twin air mattress. It’s 74″ long, but if you’re looking for even more length, the Intex Airbed below is 80″.

This is a good blow up mattress for camping, but you should know that it doesn’t come with a built-in pump nor is an electric pump included in the pack. You could buy a separate hand pump for $10 or so, or for around $20 you can get a Coleman electric pump that fills it up in a zinch. It’s also easy to store and it takes up very little space.

10%-15% of the people who reviewed this in Amazon complained that it came punctured out of the box or they got a leak shortly after buying it. This was not true in my case, so I wouldn’t worry about getting a defective product.

Intex Pillow Rest Twin Airbed ($40 – built-in electric pump)

A few advantages over the Coleman is that this air mattress is 80″ and it includes a pump for the same price, although you don’t get as much versatility as with the 4 in 1. The pump allows for quick inflation and deflation, and it’s a bit loud, so you might want to consider that if noise is an issue.

Just like the Coleman, it holds the air quite well, it’s a great quality air bed, and the fact that it has a low price makes it even better. Comfort is subjective, but I can tell you that if you can’t stand even the slightest degree of a water bed feel you might find it to be a bit mushy even if it’s filled to the max capacity. Even so, you can be sure that it won’t deflate during the night.

I would suggest using this air mattress for residential purposes, and go for the Coleman if you plan to use it for camping. This is because the built-in pump makes it more difficult to fold and store, so it ends up giving you a bit more bulk.

If you pull out the mattress for guests several times a month you’ll want to be extra careful when storing it. If you try to force it into the box or treat it roughly this might result in accidentally puncturing the fabric with the internal motor or external control panel. Considering that it has a 90-day warranty this is an important issue.

I’d say that this air bed is right for occasional guests or as a temporary solution for weeks at a time. If you think that you’re not very picky, this bed will provide a comfortable sleeping surface, and even if you are, you can always make it better by adding a comforter or some other padded material.

What to Look for in a Blow Up Mattress

Comfort

People have different levels of comfort they require. Some are more demanding or sensitive than others. If you want the closest thing to a real bed, then you’ll most likely want features like adjustable firmness, or a raised air bed. This way your back won’t hurt the next day. On the other hand if you can tolerate things like squeaking sounds or sleeping close to the ground, then you’ll do fine with an inexpensive option.

Durability

There’s to sides to durability. You want a blow up mattress that can last you years without giving you trouble. Also, you want one that doesn’t deflate in the middle of the night, or that you have to keep pumping air into constantly.

Ease of use

How long does it take to set up? This will depend on a number of things. Does it come with a pump? Is it a hand pump or electric? The last thing you want is to pass out by inflating the mattress yourself. If it doesn’t come with a pump you’ll have to purchase one separately or you can use your hair dryer.

Storage

A blow up mattress should be easy to put away, and it should take the least space possible.

Please let me know if you have had any experiences with those blow up mattresses mentioned here or other models in the comments section. It would provide a helpful discussion for future readers. Thanks!