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Insta-Bed – info & ratings of Top 5

Insta-Bed air mattress – Raised, NeverFlat

Head-to-head comparison with the Dream Series by SoundAsleep

Insta Bed EZ

Insta-Bed Raised with Insta III pump

Insta Bed with sure grip bottom

Insta bed Raised with headboard

Top camping model from Insta Bed – Stow and Go

Fact sheet of the Insta Stow and Go

Size – twin, inflated size (measured from the further most edges) – 74 x 39 x 8 inches
Type of pump – battery-operated, two-way (reversible), pump model name Insta I

Head-to-head with the top model of its type

Based on the profile type, the structure number of coils the best fit for comparison here is the Camping Series from SoundAsleep.

Insta-Bed – a closer look at the top picks

Top-rated Insta-Bed – Raised NeverFlat

If we had to choose one inflatable bed to call a classic, it would be this Insta-Bed.

Back when we first started reviewing airbeds, it was stable among the top 5 for home use. But a lot happened on the market since and some new products introduced improved technologies pushed this Insta-Bed out all the top 5.

When we say that we’re primarily referring to the products by SoundAsleep, a company that introduced their first product in 2013 and caused a significant shift in the industry.

It might seem odd that the head to head comparisons of Insta-Bed’s we did above were mostly which products coming from SoundAsleep. We’d like to stress here that we have no special relationship with the company that would make us favor it over Insta nor did we receive any free testing samples.

We feel like Insta should be more proactive in the market to be able to keep up with the onslaught of new technologies and brands that arrived into the categories where the brand had dominating models.

It’s just the current state of the market, innovation is a must.

Now that we got that out of the way let’s dig a bit deeper and look into what makes this bed the superior evergreen classic that it is.

The pump used for this Insta-Bed

We did go over some of the inner workings of the pump, but let us get into the nitty-gritty of it all.

What’s better about it?

From a user standpoint, this pump type simply means that have a more reliable bed that won’t wake you up in the middle of the night because it lost air.

If we reminisce about the evolution of the technology in the airbed arena, it’s fair to say that the smart pump (call the Never Flat by Insta & Serta) is the biggest milestone of the past decade.

It’s changed the way people perceive inflatable beds – from flimsy pieces of plastic into a solid choice for frequent use.

It’s practically eliminated the main complaint owners had – deflation.

Let’s make one thing clear here – the pump is not designed to deal with significant rips or seam separation but small leaks and pinholes.

That’s still a big deal, especially if you have in mind the fact that most cases of air loss come from these small mysterious leaks.

How it works

The system consists of two pumps, and it’s the second one that makes the difference. It’s equipped with sensors to detect air loss and silently turn the unit on to keep the bed at your desired firmness.

Safety from over inflation

One more feature that you don’t typically see in this price range is the auto shut-off safety that’s built into the pump.
For the owner, this means that you don’t have to be on standby as the mattress inflates. All you need to do is choose the firmness presets from three options available (plush, medium or firm and then just turn on the unit).

Once your chosen firmness presets is reached, the safety will turn off the pump.

Materials

For the top, Insta bed uses a finish that resembles suede. It’s there for two reasons.
The first one is to make you comfortable if you’re using the bed without sheets. The second one, and more important, is to increase the friction between the sheets and the bed and lower the chances of slipping, piling or moving.

For this type of airbed our deep-pocketed fitted sheets.

The one thing that we would like to stress here is that Insta bed models are true to size, which means that if you get a Queen, standard sheets in the size will be a good fit.

New colors

We remember the time when this Insta Bed was only available in beige (tan) but, in the past few years, the company added two more color choices. Today, it comes in white and gray as well.

We’re not sure about the reasons, but there is actually a difference in price between the 3 color options.

Air coils of the Insta Bed

One of the main reasons behind Insta standing tall in an ever-changing market is the stability of their beds, both in terms of flatness of the top surface and sideways movement.

To achieve that, the company relies on their system of air coils. These not only play the role of stabilizers but also lower the strain “suffered” by the seams.

Using the NeverFlat pump with a car inverter

The ratings of inverters (DC to AC) are based on how much power they can put out (measured in watts).

To use a car inverter without damaging the circuitry of the pump you have to make sure that the power rating of the inverter meets or exceeds the requirements listed on the pump label.

If you can’t find the specifications on the body of the pump look for a sticker attached to the power cable.

Let’s explained that on an example

The pump that comes with the classic Raised and EZ bed model from Insta-bed has a power specification of 130 Watts. The power inverter would have to exceed that number to be safely used.

A closer look at the Insta Bed EZ

This is the 14th quarterly rating update of the Insta bed EZ.

It’s currently rated at 88 out of 100. The category that is bringing the rating down a peg is “value for money” – this is only natural because the Insta EZ is not your run-of-the-mill air bed.

Stability, Support and Ease of Use

One of the biggest advantages of Insta EZ lies in the extraordinary support provided by its robust bed frame and the aforementioned proprietary NeverFlat technology.

The frame unfolds automatically, so all you have to do is plug the bed in and flip the switch to inflate it. Many customers have wondered about the possibility of deploying separate parts of the frame but the current design doesn’t offer this possibility.

We also don’t see it happening anytime soon.

The weight of the mattress is 48.9 lbs, which translates to around 22 kg. This makes it a cumbersome option for camping and outdoor activities, but provides a stable surface and mitigates the usual problem of the bed moving through the night.

The frame construction is sturdy and can withstand up to 500 lbs of pressure, which means the mattress can accommodate 2 adults without any threat to its structural integrity.

Frame dimensions and height

The dimensions of the frame are 64″ x 54″ x 9.5″.

Total height is 22″. You won’t have any difficulties with getting in and out of bed, which is especially convenient for senior citizens.

All of these features guarantee a stable sleeping surface and the level of support uncharacteristic for an inflatable bed. The EZ is made to mimic the “regular bed,” and the design does its job very well, especially after you add some bedding on top of it.

Durability

Insta EZ is intended for indoor use so, it’s not recommended for camping (although, you CAN technically use it if you don’t mind the weight and have access to power).

The frame features a solid steel construction, which doesn’t wobble or make squeaking sounds, which tends to be an issue with similar beds of sub-par quality.

The mattress itself is made of heavy-duty PVC, and it’s very resistant to medium-level stressors like pet claws and similar outside influences. It comes with a dedicated repair kit and the rolling case for easy and secure storage.

To maximize the longevity of your air bed, you should heed the following recommendations:

• The company doesn’t recommend this product for everyday use. Based on the experiences we’ve seen, it’s sturdy enough to replace your regular bed, but its lifespan will be considerably shorter if you opt for this route.
• You should choose a storage location devoid of temperature fluctuations and extreme temperatures. These factors can stress the material and lead to potential failure. You should also avoid humid environments and inflating the mattress in freezing temperatures.
• In order to prolong the lifespan of your pump, you should only use high-quality alkaline batteries. Also, avoid leaving batteries in the pump for too long since it can result in corrosion and potential damage
• Insta-bed doesn’t recommend the use of heated blankets with its airbeds.

The company offers a full 1-year warranty for all product defects in workmanship and materials. The warranty, however, doesn’t cover holes and other damage caused by misuse, normal wear and tear, neglect, unauthorized disassembly, natural disaster, and similar occurrences.

Comfort and Pump

The bed features an integrated NeverFlat pump system.

In case you didn’t read the analysis that we went over when talking about the Insta-bed Raised (the classic model), let’s reiterate.

This, basically, translates to 2 separate pumps working to provide the optimal comfort. The main pump allows you to select your desired comfort level, which will adjust the overall firmness of the sleeping surface.

Forget about sore muscles, back and neck pain, and stiff joints. With Insta EZ, you’ll be able to customize the overall comfort of your bed according to your particular needs and have a refreshing sleep every single night.

The primary pump inflates the EZ bed in less than 2 minutes, depending on your preferred firmness setting. It usually deflates it in around 20 seconds.

The pump also features an auto shut-off safety, do you won’t have to worry about over inflation as long as you have your comfort level set.

The secondary pump comes with dedicated sensors, which monitor the overall quantity of air within the mattress at all times. Every comfort setting comes with a predetermined air level, and the secondary pump is “in charge” of maintaining it throughout the night.

It engages automatically, refills your bed with air, and shuts off without you even noticing. The noise level is surprisingly low and will never wake you up in the middle of the night.

Apart from customizable firmness, Insta EZ also provides sleepers with minimal motion transfer. This is great news for restless sleepers who tend to toss and turn a lot throughout the night, waking their partners up in the process.

Updates to the review

As we mentioned at the beginning, we typically update the reviews on quarterly basis. What might be important to mention here is that the ratings of this Insta have not significantly fluctuated since we first reviewed it.

As we are currently considering going back to the all concept of separating the home use and outdoor models, it’s very likely that this bed will find its place back in the top 10 where it lived for a long time.

FAQs about the Insta-bed with headboard

Storage

The headboard of the bed also deflates, and the total deflated weight is approximately 14.8 pounds.

In terms of size, the headboard model is not significantly bigger than the classic, which means that it’s just as easily stored.

Sturdiness of the headboard

Bear in mind that the headboard is no different in terms of rigidity compared to the rest of the bed. We are mentioning this because we received a couple of questions about it.

People ask whether they can lean against the inflated headboard like they would with their regular mattress. You might be able to do that if the bed is placed against a wall, but it’s not advisable to exert that kind of pressure on the chambers.

The headboard is there to stop the pillows from slipping over the edge of the bed.

Using fitted sheets

The body of the mattress and the headboard are attached to it each other to about two about half of the mattress height.

This means that you can’t tuck in fitted sheets the same that’s in the headboard area as the rest of the mattress.

That’s why flat sheets are probably the better choice for this mattress. The good news here is that the flocking creates enough friction for the sheets not to slip or more.

Fixing and repairing an Insta-bed

Should you find a leak, patching and Insta bed is pretty much the same as any other air mattress. It arrives with an included patch kit and instructions.

The difference between Insta and Serta

This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions we received over the past few years.

It doesn’t come as a surprise since the products from the two brands are similar. So similar in fact, that if somebody said that they are the same, we would have a hard time arguing the point.

So let’s clarify this mystery of the airbed industry once and for all.

Instant and Serta are owned by the same company, which is Serta Simmons Bedding LLC.

So what separates the two?

If you compare the counterpart models from the two brands, you’ll notice that Serta is almost always the slightly more expensive product.

We don’t have the information nor do we want to go into the intricacies of the inner workings of the company, but we can look at the facts.

One of those facts is that Serta has an unparalleled warranty, not only compared to Insta-bed, but to any brand out there. Some of the new arrivals do come with solid warranties. We still feel that the full 1-year manufacturer’s warranty of Serta airbeds is second to none.

On the other hand, Insta bed is the brand with more products in their portfolio for outdoor use (such as Insta-bed Stow-n-Go we mentioned and analyzed above).

These similarities also have an obvious impact on our ratings, since the counterpart products of the two brands usually have very “close ratings.”

This is an advantage for Insta-bed

If you’re not familiar with the industry, you’ll find that Serta is the more recognizable name and one of the most well-trusted brands in the mattress arena.

That means that being associated with Serta can only be a good thing for Insta-bed as a brand.

As far as we’re concerned, we like both brands and consider them top-tier of the industry, especially when it comes to trustworthiness of the customer support.

Updates and summary

We typically update our guides on quarterly basis, which is also the case with this one.

That doesn’t mean that we update the ratings of each airbed – our statistical model is based on gathering data and if we don’t have enough of new information for a specific bed, this update might happen once every 6 months or yearly.

What this means for this guide is the ratings of the more popular beds, like the Classic raised or EZ, are updated every six months, while the less popular models “wait” until we share enough new info for an update to make sense.

If you have any dilemmas, questions or any thoughts at all about the information we presented, please do share them in the comment section at the end of this page.

Let Andy explain how to choose right

Intex twin air mattress – TOP 3

Note: the images might show other sizes but, again, these are all Intex Twin picks. In other words – they are available in Twin size.

Intex Twin air mattress – our top pick, Durabeam Comfort Plush

What we’ve seen in our tests

The introduction of the FiberTech technology eliminated what used to be the no. 1 cause of air leaks and subsequent sub-par ratings in “air retention” – seam leaks.

The thickness of the vinyl is the standard 0.4 mm – so, the increased durability is obviously the result of the fiber-tech fibers.

These fibers connect the top and bottom surface and make the bed more stable.

Besides the lowered stress on the seams, it also means better weight distribution and minimal sinking to the middle of the bed.

All quality ratings:

Intex Twin Pillow Rest Deluxe Airbed

All quality ratings:

Intex Twin – Pillow Rest Classic Black

Quality ratings comparison:

Intex full air mattress –
honorary mention

Other products, reference info, spare parts

Skip back to top picks

Intex air mattress pumps

FAQs about the Intex pumps:

FAQs about the Intex airbeds:

That’s the reason behind the fact that more than half of the products in our main guide about best air mattresses come from these fresh new arrivals. You can see the full guide below:

https://thesleepstudies.com/best-air-mattress-reviews/

SoundAsleep is what one might call a “small” brand with a relatively small operation run from New Jersey. Nobody was paying much attention to a one-product brand back in 2013 when they launched the Dream Series.

We have to put the part about them being small and by mentioning that they are a brand that’s under the wing of Somnio LLC.

Yet, that does not stop this fresh young brand to make the most out the fact that they started small and grew fast. It allowed them to adapt. Where it shows most is their customer service that is second to none.

SoundAsleep Dream Series

SoundAsleep introduced their first product and hit the nail on the head.

The introduced the SoundAsleep Dream Series back in 2013 and it has been the most popular air mattress ever since. It quickly surpassed some of the much “older” products both in the number of user reviews and ratings.

The SoundAsleep Dream Series packs a never before seen number of 43 air coils and thicker, more durable vinyl. It has been in our TOP 10 picks for over two years now – it comes in Twin and Queen size.

You can see the full review of the SoundAsleep Dream Series air mattress with ComfortCoil Technology below.

https://thesleepstudies.com/soundasleep-dream-series-air-mattress-review/

SoundAsleep Camping Series

Following in the steps of the success that was the Dream Series, they added a camping model to their line within a year and the result was the same.

The SoundAsleep Camping Series (shown in the image below) quickly climbed the latter of top camping air beds. On our site, it’s been the top rated model for outdoor use for over a year now.

Admittedly, the reviews of the SoundAsleep camping series were not as overwhelmingly positive as the Dream Series and it is a peg lower in ratings, but still, it’s one of our top 2 camping picks.

You can read the full review of the SoundAsleep Camping Series below.

https://thesleepstudies.com/soundasleep-camping-series-air-mattress-review/

SoundAsleep Cloud 9

One they pretty much conquered the mid-price range with the Dream Series, the company decided to bite a chunk off of the higher-end of the market. And bite off they did.

The Cloud 9 air bed is younger, more elegant addition to the portfolio of the company.

It’s a response to models from Serta that feature a Never Flat pump – Serta Raised Never Flat and the Serta EZ.

The Cloud Nine comes with a smart pump that doesn’t allow deflation. The “smart” part refers to the fact that a secondary pump inflates the bed ever so slightly it the sensors it’s equipped with register a drop in the pressure.

You can read the full review of the SoundAsleep Cloud 9 below:

https://thesleepstudies.com/soundasleep-cloud-nine-air-mattress-review/

There’s little doubt that the company has become a major player. Whatever they have in store next, there’s little doubt that it will follow in the footsteps of the acclaimed models above.

Most importantly – they did a great service to the consumer re-starting the race in quality and innovation.

Thanks for that, SoundAsleep.