AeroBed Makes Rest for the Weary

The worst part of being a guest in a friend’s apartment is the fear of sleeping on a cold, hard, floor with minimal blankets and thus sleeping poorly. I remember the many slumber parties I attended that seemed harmless enough; just enough sweets to put me in a sugar-induced coma. But after watching Sixteen Candles for the umpteenth time, trying to fall asleep in my Beauty & the Beast sleeping bag in someone’s damp basement doesn’t work so well. It’s even worse when you hit your mid-twenties- but with the holiday season approaching and considering the scores of likely visitors, it was time to find an answer. Inflatables solve some of these issues- better than a cot or sleeping bag- but they often require painful inflating and deflating, and usually don’t approximate a normal mattress.

That is why, after procuring an AeroBed to use for a week of sleep I was hesitant. Could I really trade my decent night’s rest on memory foam for an inflatable matress? Giving up beauty sleep can be tragic when you need it. Luckily, the queen size AeroBed Premier Cushioned Comfort Bed was about as good as inflatable beds are ever going to get.

Getting the AeroBed set up was a lot simpler than inflatable beds we’ve used in the past. It features Smart Pump Technology, which has an automatic shut off when the bed is fully inflated. You also have the option of choosing your firmness, a fun option- though we will point out that this bed does not choose sides, you have to decide for the entire bed. If your partner and you struggle with that, perhaps it is time to get rid of them and invest in a dog which will be happy sleeping on such a surface and less maintenance. On second thought, pets and inflatables generally don’t mix well, but this one was sturdy enough to last.

The design can fit extra deep sheets as well so that tells you how plush the mattress was. For those of you allergic to pretty much everything in the universe, the mattress is made of non-allergenic PVC vinyl. It takes around 60 seconds to inflate, and does make a fair bit of noise so it’s best to do it before everyone else is asleep. I watched in awe as the bed went from a pile of PVC vinyl to a full grown queen size bed- it was like watching the pumpkin grow in Cinderella.

Of course, any bed is only as good as the sleep you get, and can depend on plenty of other factors as well. The reinforced bed construction made sure the surface didn’t sag in the middle like so many inflatables tend to do after sleeping on them. And we did find it quite comfortable, especially after some tweaking of the adjustable firmness.

The quick air release made deflating the bed just as simple as setup, and we were provided with an oversized carry bag to store it in. We were able to simply roll it up and put the carry bag in a closet. Now for inviting those guests over…

We were able to purchase the AeroBed Premier Cushioned Comfort Bed from Amazon for around $255 or a twin mattress is also available for about $150. Three year limited warranty, available widely.

About the Author

Heather Heather Millward is a contributor to the website as well as a stay-at-home wife (not by choice). She has lived in Iowa, San Francisco, and most recently, Arizona. Her goal is to travel, write a book, and quit killing Zombies as she has become quite obsessed with "Call of Duty" and might need an intervention. She enjoys food, wine, reading, and the return of Arrested Development. Heather considers herself to be a fashionista and though she didn't end up at FIDM as originally planned, she considers Trina Turk, Tory Burch, Burberry, and Chanel to be among her favorites. After she wins the powerball jackpot, she has planned a lengthy shopping trip to Neiman Marcus. Though she graduated from a University with the mascot of a Peacock and has never worked in Public Administration, she has done her fair share of sales and advertising.