Last updated: January 2024

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Best Queen air mattress – info & ratings

Dislosure – we did exclude one bed from this category because it was beyond the set price range of up to $150. It’s the currently top-rated model Overall, Cloud 9 – you can see its details and review here.

Top-rated Queen size air mattress overall – the Dream Series

Best Choice Queen air bed [discontinued]

Who it’s best for

This used to be a firm air mattress, so it will be the choice of people who prefer a sturdier sleeping surface.

The reinforced material and structure makes it the firmest and most supportive air bed we know. We believe that the company added the bamboo-based topper to balance out the firmness and keep your spine aligned.

In terms of the firmness, it’s probably the closest to the experience of sleeping on a  regular bed.

If all this sounds good, head over to our guide that’s packed with similar models – see the guide on most durable airbeds here.

Aerobed Queen

The Aerobed Queen section took some serious elbow grease because we truied to figure out what on earth is going on with Aerobe Queen models.

I mean, it’s old news that Coleman bought Aerobed (Aero Products International, Inc) over ten years ago.

We’re not interested in the acquisition…we’re interested in the actual beds.

Here’s the bottom line on that – we can’t find any available on Amazon or Bed, Bath and Beyond, which is where the links go from the Aerobed site. We’re sending a few emails and looking more into this.

Aerobed Queen – as we’re waiting for answers

As we’re waiting for answers about the Aerobed Queen models, the best thing we can do is offer alternatives that are just as good.

We have two favorites:

1. We liked the Aerobed Queen One-Touch Comfort in the…well, comfort category. If that matches your interest, you’ll find what you’re looking for on this list of most comfortable airbeds.
2. We liked the Aerobed Queen in the headboard category (left in image below), but we found the Intex Durabeam (right in image below) to be slightly better in terms of value for money and air retention – you can see that Intex on Amazon by following the button below.

Fox Plush Durabeam [discontinued]

Who will choose the Fox?

This Fox is the toughest bed on this list – so, it will be the choice for people on the heavier side.

It also might be worth mentioning that a version of this bed with a memory foam included is one of our top 3 picks for cat owners – the thick vinyl makes it more resistant to claws.

Best queen air mattress for camping – Coleman Cot

Serta Queen Never Flat air mattress

Best air mattress Queen size – reference info & FAQs

Dream Series Queen air bed

Basic info

This Queen size air mattress is 78 inches long, 58 inches wide and 19 inches high. It weighs just under 20 pounds.

Packing and storage

Size of an air bed when deflated and packed for storage is more than just about the materials. The more important part is how efficient the pump is at pulling out all the air.

With mattresses that you manually deflate, there will always be some air left inside which will significantly increase the packing size.

The pump of this Queen air bed automatically deflates it, which means that you don’t have to do anything, it does it all for you.

On arrival the package is about 17 x 13 x 7 inches big and the packing size is a bit smaller than that.

The carry bag is included and, more importantly, it’s made of high quality synthetic material which started solid stitching and doesn’t fall apart within a few months as he tends to happens with those that are no so well made.

Bottom line – it includes most of the crucial technology advancements that happened over the last five years, without any bells and whistles (like remote controls) that would increase its price.

Weight handling

All the talk about the reinforced materials and the high quality connections and staging is, we believe, only the secondary benefit.

In our opinion, the main advantage of this Queen air mattress is the inner structure and how good it is at distributing weight. In this aspect of mattress quality that has a profound impact not only and comfort, but durability and lifespan of the product to.

Here’s why…

A Queen size air mattress that’s better at weight dispensation will see less movement and will be more stable. The stability, in turn, lowers the forces that the pull on the connections between the chambers and separate the surfaces of the vinyl, which is the main cause for those frustrating leaks that you can’t seem to locate.

In the analysis of our data pool (that we used for the statistical model) we have only seen about 2% of pinholes and mysteriously developed leaks within the warranty period.

This means that only one in 50 people will be faced with the issue, which puts the Dream Series in the top 3% in that quality aspect.

Behind the scenes

It’s easy to just say that a inflatable is more stable without substantiating it with an explanation on why that is or specific stats.

Chambers vs. beams

It’s not easy to compare the two to in terms of performance so we did separate research and that by facing off products from the same brand that use the same material and are in the same price range, with one being “beamed” and the other featuring chambers.

According to our data, the chambered models outperformed the beams 75% of the time.

There are a few main reasons for that.

With the beams in a Queen size air bed, the air has much more “freedom” to move around. That exerts more force on the connections.

The more air movement, the wobblier it will be. It will also sway more, both horizontally and vertically.

Apart from the fact that this means less comfort and support, it results in more wear and tear over time and the incidence of air leaks will be significantly higher.

Let’s get back to what we were saying about the Dream Series.

I-coils

The airbeds that are superior pretty much every aspect usually feature some kind of support system designed to mimic the effects of a spring coil.

Each of the major brands has a special name for their support system and the use of air coils in not new.

We try to stay on top of any new arrivals to the market and when we saw this one, we deemed it to be a good product but little did we know the implications a higher number will have.

The company calls the system ComfortCoil and, at the time, it didn’t seem much different than similar systems used by other brands.

We can’t speak to whether the material of the coils is somehow better or sturdier, because we have no way to substantiate the claim and it’s our opinion that what made the difference here is simply the higher number of “air springs”.

It’s basic physics

If the coil mimics the spring of a regular mattress, it’s a short leap from there to the conclusion that a higher number of coils will be in superior weight distribution.

Up to that point, the models that were the most popular in the industry and held in highest regard included about 30 coils tops.

Then, there was this young company from New Jersey that brought a 42-coiled bed to the market. We didn’t think much of it

We have to be honest here and admit that, back in 2013, we didn’t expect for the extra number to make much of a difference. We were wrong.

It was less than a year later that we realized the full extent of the change.

The bottom line is that the percentile of leaks developed over time places the Dream Series Queen in the top 5 % among the airbeds we reviewed and tested.

Grip of the floor

By nature, vinyl is a slippery material. It’s not only very smooth but has a layer of oil on the surface which lowers its ability to grip and hold onto surface.

That’s one of one of the main reasons it’s hard to patch and you need dedicated glue that usually include chemicals that react with the vinyl oils to form a firm bond.

For usability, this means that when vinyl meets another slippery surface, like polished floors, it’s hard to keep it in place.

SoundAsleep addressed the issue by making the bottom surface rubberized, which changes the game completely.

Rubber forms a firm grip with the floor and for the user, this means minimal sideways movement.

If you use classic vinyl for the bottom not only will it move and slide, but it can be so unstable that the restless sleeper runs the risk of the whole bed tipping over.

15 gauge PVC

The standard for the thickness of vinyl seen in most inflatables is 18 gauge, which is about 0.04 inches (1.02 mm).

Material used for this Queen air mattress is 15 gauge, which is significantly thicker than that seen in most airbeds.

The combination of these factors – increased ability, minimal movement and lower gauge makes for a bed that’s more stable and has a lower incidence of punctures and air leaks.

Patented pump

You won’t see a company doesn’t make a claim about the pump being powerful and efficient but, in most cases, they don’t offer a precise explanation of why their pump is superior compared to other brands

This mattress uses a pump that’s patented and used only by the company. The inflation and deflation times are pretty much your industry standard of about 4 minutes for a Queen size air mattress.

What separates the EZ pump is that the motor is 20% less noisy.

Backed up by solid warranty

Over the years, we did a lot of “undercover” shopping with most major brands. The main reason for that is to establish how friendly their customer service is and if they stand behind the claims made in the advertising.

We use that information to assign what we call a trust factor (TF) to a brand. We use this factor in our statistical analysis to adjust the results and ratings

For example, if the companies has a trust factor of 0.95 and their product is rated at 9 / 10 initially, the final rating will be 8.5 / 10.

SoundAsleep has a maximum TF of 1 in our book, which means that we have never seen any significant issue or problem in dealing with the customer service.

Frequently asked questions about this Queen sized air mattress

In the section below, we’ll address some of the questions about this product that we saw in our inbox or the comments.

Do I have the option to use a battery-powered pump?

With the increasing popularity of this Queen size air bed this question became more common, probably because people were considering using it outdoor use and camping. The pump is AC and built-in and there is no extra valve that you could use with a standalone pump. Theoretically speaking, you can use it on the campsite but only if you have access to power.

Depth on the side “ribs” – how well they hold onto the sheets?

Since this is a one-piece inflatable, there’s no room for tucking in regular sheets. What this means for the owner is that your safest bet will be fitted sheets. The indentations on the side surfaces are deep enough for a good hold.

The power cord

If we could choose, the one thing we feel would improve the usability of this Queen air bed would be a longer cord. An extra 3 or 4 feet would add a lot to value in terms of usability.

Prongs of the cord

The power cord is a classic 2-prong.

Coleman Cot

The fact sheet

The Queen size of this Coleman air mattress is 78 inches long, 59 inches wide and 22 inches high. It weighs 40.2 lbs.

The listed maximum capacity for the Queen is 600 pounds.

It includes 2 pull-out side tables, which is convenient, especially when used for camping. They make a useful add-on for your phones and gadgets.

Other specs:

• Pump-4D, battery-operated
• Warranty-one year (limited)
• As per the company specifications, it’s best suited for
• people who are 6’2” high or shorter

Air retention

As with most Coleman products, the warranty covers 1 year of potential leak development.

User-friendly valve

The valve of this Coleman is double-lock, this means that it uses two seals. The main seal is simply there to keep the air in place and the secondary seal prevents the air from escaping once you detached the pump.

It might sound like it’s only natural to use a 2-seal valve but you would be surprised by the percentage of camping inflatables that the rely on your reaction to quickly close the valve.

Construction

We did mentioned that the stability of the structure is crucial – it’s what separates the blow-up mattresses that will be worth your money and those that will frustrate you by leaking or not being supportive enough.

The vast majority of Coleman models uses 2 time-tested systems to ensure vertical and horizontal stability.

The first one are the ComfortStrong coils that increase the vertical stability and the support of the top.

The second system is, to the best of our knowledge not included in this bed. It’s called SupportLock and it usually comes in high-rise models to decrease horizontal movement and swaying.

Since the inflatable that’s mounted on this cot is a low-rise, there was no need to include the support lock strips.

The wheeled carry case

At first glance, it might appear that this bed is cumbersome and hard to set up / down but we wouldn’t say that’s the case. In fact, the design of the frame is user-friendly and it’s fair to say that packs small for this type bed. Assembly

The steel frame doesn’t require any assembly and it just unfolds. To do it, you simply grab pull -the frame expands into place.

In our experience it takes less than two minutes to fully set it up.

Canvas top can be a separate sleeping surface

We did mention the versatility of this bed, but let’s explain it in more depth.

The complete package includes a steel frame, the inflatable bed, a sleeve the bed goes into (zippered) and a canvas top that’s attached to the frame.

There are no prominent horizontal bars that would make using the canvas top as a sleeping surface of its own. This practically means that the Queen air bed can sleep 4 adults – two on the canvas top and 2 on the airbed, if used separately.

However, there is a steel bar runs vertical and one sleeper couldn’t effectively use the whole surface of the canvas top.

Furthermore, the cotton sleeve is sewn onto the surface and practically acts as a sheet.

The sleeve

The sleeve is cotton-based fabric, feel tough and yet, soft to the touch. On the top side (where the side tables with the cup-holders are) it has two cutouts that are helpful when inserting the bed.

Batteries

The pump uses D-size batteries (D-cell) and you’ll need 4 of them.

We have seen a few questions about the batteries and the source of the confusion is the wording of the fact sheet – it mentions 4D batteries.

This can be confusing and people draw the conclusion that they need some kind of a special battery called 4D when in fact it’s just 4 batteries in D size, the kind you would use for a flashlight.

FAQs about Coleman Queen Cot

Is there a way to use a pad on top of the inflatable? The size of the airbed is a tight fit for the sleeve so there’s no room to fit anything between the two. If you want to use a topper or a pad it would have to go over the mattress. Having said, if you want to use the air bed separately and want to make it more comfortable you can fit a Queen-sized topper, either into the sleeve or on top of it. Shipment and arrival We’ve seen questions about how long it takes from the purchase to the moment you get your product and we have also seen some claims about it taking a month or two. As far as we know, the Cot qualifies as a Prime product withAmazon and it only takes a few days to get it. Are the legs of the frame sharp enough to puncture a tent floor? It is a possibility and it depends on your weight and the tent material. To eliminate the risk it might be smart to get some fabric sliders and place them between the frame and the tent floor. Using it with another pump Coleman makes a range of different pump types and most of them come with attachments and nozzles that fit a majority of their products (including this cot). So, yes, you can get a more powerful, rechargeable pump and it will work with the valve. Battery-powered vs. rechargeable pump When we measured the time it takes for the 4D pump to inflate the bed and compared that to the rechargeable Quick Pump (also made by Coleman), it turned out that the later is more efficient and inflates the bed faster. However, the difference between the times is not substantial and the reason you might consider getting a rechargeable pump could be that you don’t want to deal with batteries. Frequently asked questions about the Serta Queen raised Power specifics In case you’re considering using this Serta abroad or with the car outlet, let’s give you some specifics that you might find helpful when choose a converter or an adapter.

• current – 120V frequency of the main pump – 60 Hz
• power – 105 W
• according to our measurements the cord is about 16 inches long.

FAQs about the Serta

Sheets

The Serta Raised has more curvature on the sides, so when choosing your sheets we would recommend going with deep-pocketed and, more importantly, a strong elastic band that will be good enough to hold the sheets into place.

It does come as a pillow-top version. This add-on in is designed for this product and can be machine-washed.

So, if you don’t want to deal with sheets we would recommend going with the pillow-top. The few extra bucks are worth it.

Noise of the secondary pump

We have seen concerns from people about the secondary pump staying plugged in and working through the night.

Most of those were regarding the noise potentially waking them up as it turns on.

It’s our experience that the secondary pump is practically silent and we would say it won’t wake even the lightest of sleepers.

Can I use it on a frame?

This Queen size air mattress is robust and sturdy so using it on slatted frame or platform might prove to be difficult. Is there an option to turn off the smaller pump?

Using the Never Flat pump is optional and if you don’t want to use it, you simply don’t plug it in.

It’s the main pump that inflates and deflates the bed and the smaller one is there if you want to maintain the firmness.

Cleaning of the Queen air mattress

With prolonged use, the Queen size air bed tends to collect some grime because of the soft velveteen surface. The easiest way to clean it is by using a vacuum with a brush attached.

Taking it on trips

The mattress packs neatly and it’s compact, which makes it portable and convenient for trips.

If you don’t want to carry it in the included bag we would say that a suitcase of medium-size would be the right fit.

What if none of the firmness pre-sets are right for me?

The system of the smart pump is designed to complement the preset firmness levels by maintaining the one you chose.

If none of the presets is right for you and you want something in-between, you can do it by unplugging the secondary pump and adjusting the firmness by adding or letting some of the air out.

FAQs about the Best Choice Queen

Nylon encasing – what does it mean?

As we mentioned, this is the only Queen size air mattress made of a virgin vinyl. If there are others out there, we don’t know about them since none of the other companies are mentioning it.

Nylon encasing mentioned here means that the vinyl is reinforced by nylon laminate which makes it sturdier, more durable and less prone to punctures by sharp objects.

Accuracy of to dimensions

Over the years in the industry we know that not all air beds are true-to-size. We measured the Queen-size version of this air mattress and we can report back that listed sizing is accurate.

A different feel of the top

A vast majority of models have a soft top finish that feels like velvet or felt.

This bed is a bit different – the top is still soft but has more of a suede feel to it.

Specifics of the pump

• current – 120 V (AC)
• 60 Hz frequency
• 1.2 Amps

Appearance

Finally, the stylish topper and the skirt cover all the vinyl parts and if you’re not fan of the look of classic air mattress, this one looks like it belongs on the cover of Home & Garden.

FAQs about the index Comfort Plus

Capacity of the Queen size

In spite of being cheaper, this Intex has a higher maximum weight capacity than most Queen air beds – it’s 600 lbs.

Time it takes to inflate

We measured the time it takes the pump to fully inflate this Intex and it was just under 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Off-gassing

The off-gassing and odor was minimal to nonexistent and, when we did notice it, it aired out within a few hours. Dimensions it packs down to

The box it arrives in is approximately 22 x 18 x 10 inches and the actual Queen air bed is slightly smaller when packed.

Deflation

The mechanism you use to deflate this Intex is specific to the Durabeam series.

To deflate it, turn the same round “knob” that’s used to seal the air bed after inflation. Just turn it counter-clockwise.

Final thoughts about Queen air mattresses & updates to this guide

The competition in this size category is fierce, since most of the highest quality products do come in Queen-size. For us, it’s the most “exciting” guide to update.

We are aware that being excited about air mattresses sounds nerdy but it’s our work of many years and staying on top of what happens in the industry is our daily routine.

What that means for you is that you get a reliable source of information about product that the worth your money.

The margins in the ratings between the top picks here are the narrowest and it’s the one category where we see most frequent changes. The one exception to that is Sound Asleep that has been the “king of the hill” for 8 updates now (16 months).

We are certain that some questions popped into your mind as you were going through this guide, so please feel free to share them in the comment section below or by emailing us directly.

You’ll get a response within one day.

Stay smart,

The Sleep Studies team