In this guide-

+ Background on air beds
+ Important features and functions of air beds
+ How to find the best air bed for you

This short guide was created to help you understand the basics of air beds and to help you choose the right air mattress for you. We do not sell any air beds ourselves, so you can be assured that all of the information in this guide is independent and unbiased.

Background on air beds and mattresses
Mattresses that use air chambers to adjust the firmness and softness of the sleep experience are becoming more and more popular. After all, why buy a mattress that has one 'firmness setting' that can't be changed and that degrades over time? Air beds are especially great for couples, because air beds have two separate sleep zones that allow each sleeper to adjust his or her side to whatever firmness level they'd like. In addition, as air beds become more and more popular, competition continues to drive prices lower.

Important features and functions of air beds
Air beds are generally fairly standard products without a wide range of differences among brands and models, but there are a few important features and functions to consider when finding the air bed that's right for you:

Size- size usually refers to the standard mattress sizes: twin, full, queen, and king. Air beds follow the same sizing dimensions as non-air beds. You also need to consider the height of the air bed- they range from 9 inches to 13 inches and beyond. The thicker the mattress, the more comfortable the air mattress will be- and the more expensive it will be.

Adjustability- as mentioned above, virtually all air beds allow you to adjust each side of the mattress separately. The thicker the mattress, the greater the range of settings you can have because the air chambers are larger.

Cover Material- the basic air mattress cover is usually a quilted polyester knit fabric, and the more expensive the air bed, the more luxurious the cover material will be. Many air mattresses come with pillow top covers that add a layer of padding on the top of the mattress.