BEST INFLATABLE BEDS

1 When friends and family come to stay

Many people live in homes with no guest bedrooms. So when friends or family want to stay what is the best way to accommodate them? Inflatable beds are an ideal solution. They are comfortable, compact to store, sturdy, affordable, available in different sizes and are simple to assemble.

2 Kids and teenagers

Kids love to have their friends to stay and in particular want them to sleep in their own bedroom. An inflatable mattress is quick to assemble and the following day very easy to fold away. Great for teenagers to take to sleepovers.

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3 Camping and festival fun

A comfortable mattress makes all the differnece for the modern day camper.

4 The student room

Off to university or college? How practical to have an inflatable mattress for visiting friends and siblings.

5 Furnishing a new home

Just moved into a new home which needs some furniture?. Traditional beds can be expensive. Why not start off with an affordable airbed? Some can even be used as couches.

Airbeds come in a variety of sizes including queen, double, single and junior. The smaller cot size mattresses often have raised sides to stop a small child rolling off them. The deluxe top of the range models for adults can stand at least 20ins (50mms) off the ground and have a dual chamber construction for increased comfort. For entertaining older, less agile people buying a raised mattress will make it easier for them to get on and off the bed. Some of the more expensive beds have an outer air frame so bed sheets can be tucked in neatly.

Buying an airbed with a built in electric pump makes it quick and easy to inflate and deflate. Inflating times vary. For a larger bed it may take up to 3 minutes. The electric pumps are either mains or battery operated. Battery operated ones are very convenient for camping and travelling with. Some of the electric pumps have remote controls which enable the user whilst on the bed to release air if the bed is too hard. Manual pumps are generally cheaper than the electric pumps but are slower and harder to use.

Beware! Some of the cheaper mattresses do not come with a pump so you will need to purchase one separately!

The PVC vinyl mattresses are waterproof and non-allergenic. Some of the top of the range airbeds have memory foam designed to contour to your body shape and provide even more comfort. When deflated air beds are compact, easy to store and to travel around with. Most come with a storage bag with handles. Mattresses range in weight from around 2 kilos to 17 kilos. For campers and festival goers consider the light weight TPU laminated fabric beds which are tougher than traditional PVC but much lighter to carry.

Air mattresses are often recommended for people with back pain. This is mainly because the firmness of an airbed can be adjusted to suit each individual's comfort.

Airbeds are very affordable. Prices range from $15 (£10) to over $300 (£200) for the super deluxe ranges.