Highest Air Mattress – Top 5 Tallest, Elevated and Double-high Airbeds [Biggest and Extra-Tall Airbed Picks – January 2024 Update]

Last updated: January 2024

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* The weight capacity I’m listing here is for the Queen raised versions or higher. If you’re looking for a Twin, the capacity is about half of the one listed. For King or California King, that number might be 20-35% greater.

When I say “the only guide,” I honestly mean it…

When preparing to write this guide, I read everything and anything that exists out there.

Gotta tell you…it’s slim pickings.

Everything I’ve seen is commonplace and doesn’t specifically focus on height.

This page does exactly that.

What I mean by “right airbed for you”

Being “right for you” means it won’t be a waste of money and have you (or your guests) waking up on the floor.

We’ll look each and every aspect of choosing a good tall air mattress based on data and experience.

 I know everything about these beds…

• If they’re made in the USA or Europe in a small family business, I know the families making them.
• If they’re made in China, I know the factories and the little towns where the factories are. There’s a good chance I know the line managers, too.

I know…I’m bragging…if you call air mattress knowledge bragging (nerd alert!).

But hear me out…

This is really what I’m saying –  I can tell you about the underbelly of the industry.

• I can tell you which of these will likely lose air and leave you sleeping on the floor.
• I know which of these are overpriced and which over-deliver for the money.

Simply put – I’ll help you choose a tall air mattress that ticks all the other boxes too.

Why is that important?

Because if you go by height alone, the chances of choosing right are low…I know a few tall airbeds that leak like a sieve and they come from reputable companies.

Luckily, I know the other side of that medal  – air mattresses that are just as tall, but good.

Some very good, some great. Some way cheaper, too.

Anyway, I’m getting carried away, let’s get to the beds that made the cut.

Tallest air mattress – our top overall pick for home and camping – Ivation EZ Deflate Defender

 Main benefits of Ivation EZ – quick intro

Height per air volume

The graph below tells a story – one of significantly less air per inch of height – 150-250% less.

That translates to less pressure exerted onto the walls and lower chances of leaks developing over time. That’s not the full story, but it makes all the difference.

 Low HAV also means less wobble

It also means less wobble than the classic models. This wobble is a result of the oversized chambers.

Now, all this wouldn’t mean much if Ivation didn’t get the basics right with this one – the vinyl, seams, and the pump.

I’m stressing that because this is not the only EZ bed out there – in my time in the industry, I’ve seen a dozen come and go.

In the last 5 years, this is the bed that consistently scored high in most categories we test and, and all of the crucial ones.

How it compares to similar EZ designs

It’s higher and rated better in most categories

By “similar bed” I mean the EZ designs with the frame. There are a few that come to mind and they’re inferior to Ivation in one of two ways – they’re either not as high or they’re rated lower in other categories, like air retention or comfort.

How it compares to the classic designs

Comparing Ivation EZ to other tall airbeds of classic designs is an apple-to-orange comparison in many ways.

For one, there’s the superior pump, which is also one of the two main reasons for the higher price tag (the other one being the frame).

Sure, you could go broader and compare it to some of the “never-flat” models that are built around a similar pump, but all of those are much lower – typically 18-20 inches high.

There’s one extra-tall air mattress that’s as high (which we’ll talk about in a hot minute), but it doesn’t really compare to Ivation in air retention and incidence of air leaks, especially in Queen size.

Height-centered rating: 91

Overall rating: 87.4

#2 – BeyondHOME Odorless – a tall air mattress with an extra-high weight limit

 Main benefits of BeyondHOME extra-tall airbed

Unique combo of height, materials and weight limit

This is the highest air mattress I know that also has a weight capacity of over 700 lbs.

And that goes for available heights – 15, 18, and 22 inches.

What to expect from the material

Firstly, TPU combined with polyester feels less “plasticky” and more like a textile than your average flocked vinyl.

Secondly, it’s not as hefty, which means that it packs deceptively small for the extra height.

To be specific – you’ll probably be taken aback when this thing arrives.

A double-high Queen air mattress might appear as a Twin when packed down, and a twin might look like a Twin.

Not as big of a deal as they make it out

Personally, I think they make way bigger of a deal from the size than it is.

It is a benefit of sorts, but only significant if you’re sleeping on it daily and packing it away in a small space.

In all other scenarios, it’s not a big deal.

What is a big deal

The bigger deal here is the TPU.

If you’re a health-conscious person, you’ll like the fact that TPU does not off-gas nearly as much as vinyl.

This means two things:

1. You can start using it right away, with little to no airing out
2. It will smell less – the smaller the room you’re putting it in, the bigger the deal this is

Now, is it really “odorless”?

Not really.

I noticed a bit of a smell out of the box, just not nearly as much as with 95% of inflatable beds that I tested over the years.

The remaining 5% are reserved for low-profile camping beds, which we are not interested in today.

Height-centered rating: 88.4

Overall rating: 86

Highest air mattress among the classics – Brookstone Innovations Twin-size

Quick video intro to the tallest classic airbed by Brookstone

I expected to see this bed at #1

When I was setting up to write this and gathering data, I absolutely expected to see this Brookstone topping the list of the highest air mattresses.

I like the pump, I like the contours of the top, I like the muted-down colors that stand out in a sea of blues and dull grays (yes, this one’s still gray but stylish).

I like everything about this bed.

That was all based on data I was aware of prior to 2022.

I have no explanation for this, but, in Queen size, this bed did not perform as expected in our tests and statistical analysis.

In full size, it did OK but, again, not as expected.

It did great in Twin-size, which is a bit counter-intuitive.

 Why counter-intuitive?

Because if we weren’t talking about the Brookstone, I’d say that 24 inches is too high for a Twin.

What might’ve happened with the Queen size

I’m looking at the dates now and I can only assume that it’s one bad batch that’s probably on its way out as I’m writing this (January 2024).

This means I expect the good ol’ bed I know to be back…and soon.

Height-centered rating: 88.3

Overall rating: 82.6

Tallest air mattress for those on a budget – Intex Comfort Elevated

Quick intro to Intex Elevated

Top value in the height category

If I was on a tight budget and looking for an airbed for occasional use, I’d get this Intex.

It’s not great, but it is very good for the money.

I’d even say it’s the top value among 22+ inches high air mattresses.

That’s what earned this bed a place on our list of best air mattresses with a built-in pump – yes, overall.

So, that tells a story.

A story of curbed expectations and an airbed that overlivers for 9 out of 10 people….that’s my guesstimate.

What do I mean by “curbed expectations?”

• Don’t expect a fast pump.
• Don’t expect quiet inflation.
• Don’t expect a seamless warranty claim if your bed develops a leak.

Height-centered rating: 87

Overall rating: 84.2

Active Era Elevated air mattress – solid pick in the medium price range

Overview of the Active Era

Value and height

Active Era is one of my favorites of the newer brands, and this is their staple model.

They targeted the medium price range and did a good job at hitting all the key milestones.

The pump is not as fast as that on Brookstone, but this bed is about half the price.

So, there’s that…

It received middle-to-high ratings across all categories – both related to height and the general categories.

Height-centered rating: 86.3

Overall rating: 83.4

Best raised air mattress – honorary mentions

Below is a list of high and tall air matresses that didn’t make it to my top 5…some of them by thin margins.

I’m including the names, heights, relevant indexes, sizes and categories in which these were contenders.

Below is an in-depth guide on choosing an extra-tall high-rise air mattress

It’s meant to do 4 things:

1. Explain how we made our picks – the process, first-hand testing and how that translated to ratings
2. Present the testing results
3. Help you choose if none of our picks fit the bill
4. I’ll try to be concise yet helpful

This is what we’ll cover:

1. Air retention of a high airbed (avoid waking up on the floor)
2. Comfort in the context of height (stuff to stay away from)
3. Height vs. size (what it means for stability and a extra few tips)
4. Home use vs. camping in different elevation categories
5. Pump of the high-rises
6. Materials
7. Price ranges
8. Warranty terms

What went into creating this guide

Top 5 out of 60…what does that mean?

It means I’ve spent the last few weeks comparing existing data and finding new information to choose the 5 beds presented here. These are all beds I’ve personally used and tested at some point over the years, so it’s first-insights.

It also means the airbeds in our top 5 are not only tall or large, they’re also good in other crucial aspects.

I mentioned them above…

Here’s what to expect exactly

I’ll cover a range of categories – tall (tallest, highest), double-high/raised in different sizes (Twin, Full, Queen).

The industry terminology varies so you might see these terms used to describe these beds, too: raised, elevated, large, high-rise, extra-high.

I know it’s all confusing…I’ll help with that.

But here’s the thing – 7-8 minutes here can save you massive time, money and headache down the road.

Since then, I’ve spent my days researching, testing and writing on all things air mattresses.

 Let’s into the nitty-gritty of two things:

1. What height to aim for if you’re looking for the tallest air mattress
2. What quality aspects are crucial beyond the height
3. What I looked at to find my 5 picks

This section is an immensely useful read if you want to understand what you’re spending your money on.

I’d say that any blow-up bed that’s 18 inches or is tall. I’m just looking at my database that contains over 400 airbeds we analyzed so far.

Any bed in that height bracket (18+ inches) belongs to the top 3% of tallest air mattresses.

Height of airbeds for home use

About 70% of the beds for home use are either 16 or 18 inches tall – that’s by far the most sought after height and it’s the category that manufacturers pay the most attention to.

Why is that important?

It’s crucial – the supply-demand defines how well the beds will be controlled before they leave the line.

Now, the tall air beds you see among my top picks are a bit different.

Let me use plain language here – some airbeds are just not big enough to be extra-tall and still maintain stability.

In the section below, I’ll get ultra specific on why that is.

Twin tall air mattress – a balance problem

If you have an extra all air mattress, the minimum size that’s still stable is full. Below that, the bed will wobble, no matter how good the chambers are.

A 30-inch high inflatable just won’t work unless it’s only an inflatable core wrapped it foam and textile.

Bottom line – if you’re getting a twin, go for a max of 16 inches for stability. You can get away a tall twin air mattress (18+ inches) if it’s going against a minimum of one wall or a corner.

Tall queen air mattress – the sweet spot

In queen size, you get more freedom to choose without compromising stability. theoretically, you could go up to 30-inches tall and an inflatable bed with standalone chambers will still go strong.

I could go into details and the physics of it, but that would bore you to death.

I’ll stay on the actionable side.

My advice when choosing a tall queen air mattress – shoot for the 18-24 inches range of height. It’s where the top value is.

Let me use plain language here – some airbeds are just not big enough to be extra-tall and still maintain stability.

In the section below, I’ll get ultra specific on why that is.

Twin tall air mattress – a balance problem

If you have an extra all air mattress, the minimum size that’s still stable is full. Below that, the bed will wobble, no matter how good the chambers are.

A 30-inch high inflatable just won’t work unless it’s only an inflatable core wrapped it foam and textile.

Bottom line – if you’re getting a twin, go for a max of 16 inches for stability. You can get away a tall twin air mattress (18+ inches) if it’s going against a minimum of one wall or a corner.

Tall queen air mattress – the sweet spot

In queen size, you get more freedom to choose without compromising stability. theoretically, you could go up to 30-inches tall and an inflatable bed with standalone chambers will still go strong.

I could go into details and the physics of it, but that would bore you to death.

I’ll stay on the actionable side.

My advice when choosing a tall queen air mattress – shoot for the 18-24 inches range of height. It’s where the top value is.

In the table and graph below, you can see our proprietary metric – the SH coefficient. It’s the ratio between the top surfaces and the highest version of the air mattress.

As it’s to be expected, the HS index is pretty close across the board.

For simplicity reasons, we did not include tables and graphs for the smaller versions because it’s almost a rule that a high HS in, say, Queen size, also means a high HS in other sizes.

How to interpret the surface-per-height index

The higher the SH index, get more usable surface per inch of height. If you get below 18 inches, the HS would grow but would be for little use.

We are interested in airbeds that are higher than 20 inches.

In that range, a high SH index is an indication of a comfy, stable bed that sleeps well.

This is the section that ties back with the stuff I promised to cover at the very beginning.

It’s about choosing good value for money even if you don’t go for any of the recommendations we listed.

If you take five minutes to read this, you will be in the top one percent in terms of understanding and choosing a good blowup bed in different sizes and height categories.

Air retention of a tall air mattress

(aka. how not be wake up on the floor)

There is a good reason that most inflatables are up to 18 inches tall, even the high-rises. The air circulation within the chambers is one of them.

The higher the air mattress the more room for air to circulate and more room for the creation of extra “dense” pockets of air.

Those pockets carry pressure and can even pop a seam.

What it means for choosing an extra-high air mattress

It means that if you go with a high-rise airbed that’s 20 inches or taller (maybe even 18), you’ll need to make sure you’re choosing one that meets the following criteria:

• It’s comprised of a high number of vertical chambers – the more of these the lesser the chance of high-pressure areas
• The seams are strong and heat-sealed
• The vinyl is at least 0.4 mm thick

Choosing a tall airbed that ticks these boxes will minimize the chance of air leaks, and that’s a number one problem people experience with new inflatables.

Important: All our picks meet and exceed the quality criteria above.

Intuitively, you’d say that the higher the air mattress, the more comfortable it will be. That’s not necessarily the case, and it’s usually because the model is too soft.

Some of the highest air mattresses did not make it to the list of our top picks because of problems with comfort.

And it’s all related to the previous point of air retention.

What it means for choosing a double-high air mattress

If you go with an extra-tall airbed, you’re better off with one that features a never-flat pump.

That’s because being too firm isn’t going to be a problem but becoming too soft as the night goes on can be a problem.

A never-flat pump that adds air when it “senses” a pressure drop solves that problem.

This one is important because there are precise limits I have set based one the testing results I’ve seen over the years.

This one is important because there are precise limits I have set based one the testing results I’ve seen over the years.

In our testing and data analysis, we’ve seen no direct correlation between height and price.

It is true that our top pick among the high-rise air mattresses is also the most expensive on the list, but that’s because of the frame, not the height on its own.

This one is important because there are precise limits I have set based one the testing results I’ve seen over the years.

This one is important because there are precise limits I have set based one the testing results I’ve seen over the years.

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