Shopping For An Adjustable Bed? See How Top Brands Compare.

If you have been shopping for an adjustable bed, or considering it, chances are you’ve wondered how to determine which model was best and what you should even be comparing. Brand? Cost? Remotes? It can be hard to discern the aspects that really add value from those that may not. When shopping for major purchase like an adjustable bed, there are several key factors you will want to consider in addition to price and brand name.

Recently the blog BestMattress-Brand.org conducted a comparison of seven top adjustable bed brands, which we think serves as a good starting point. In this article we will review the information they collected and add expand on the results to offer prospective shoppers a basic guide to the marketplace. It is interesting to note the most advertised or most well-known brands may not offer the best overall value for the price.

Best Mattress Brand’s Adjustable Bed Comparison

The comparison criteria for the Best Mattress Brand study were based on  warranty, durability, health benefits, price and consumer ratings, all information that is crucial for consumers who are purchasing an adjustable bed. The determining factors for value and customer satisfaction break down as follows:

• Reviews from actual owners, including both pros and cons they reported. Some sites provided verified reviews while others listed only testimonials. They researched consumer blogs and other resources to find as much user generated information as possible.
• Health benefits as reported by owners. They found nearly all owners reported at least one aspect of improved health, like reduced pain and alleviated breathing problems. This signifies that other factors should receive more attention when comparison shopping
• Pricing can be difficult to untangle from some manufacturers. They used the regular, non-sale prices listed on brand websites, however the fact that Craftmatic and Sleep Comfort do not provide this information to customers is brought to readers’ attention.
• Durability and longevity are a contributing factor to value with any purchase and adjustable beds are not an exception. Part of their concern in this area included whether a product was UL Listed and/or ISO 9001. While the actual metal parts are probably going to last regardless, the motors and remote controls that control them need to as well.
• Warranty is the final factor researched, highlighting the importance of transparency. In reviews, some consumers felt they had been misled about warranty coverage, or were not aware that many brands exclude certain parts and pieces from warranties after a specific time frame.

Our Adjustable Bed Comparison

We decided to dig a little deeper into the comparative factors and features that differentiate the different brands. To do this, we used the most basic, entry level model for each brand and looked at how each compared across dimensions like: price, key features, warranty, and the reviews on retailer websites. Here’s what we came up with:

• Model: The most basic model available on the retailer website. Note Costco’s only base in a full size range without a mattress online was the S-Cape, though this is not considered an entry level model.
• Price: The price listed on the retailer’s website for the given model.
• Control Type: Whether the control is hardwired to the bed or wireless. Some people prefer wired (never gets lost, no batteries) and some prefer wireless (convenience, no cords).
• Battery Backup: Whether the system has a battery power source to enable temporary operation in case of power outtage.
• Wall Hugger: Whether the system uses a space-saving design to keep the head of the base near the nightstand. Bases without this may not be fully compatible with wood-type bed frames.
• Legs: Leg options available.
• Massage: Whether the base includes a massage function.
• Warranty: The length of warranty and full coverage.
• Average Review:  The average consumer rating based on reviews on the retailer’s website, out of 5. Craftmatic and Sleep Comfort only offer testimonials; consumers cannot leave reviews so they received standard scores of 3.

The Best Entry-Level Value : Amerisleep

The brand that ranked highest on the BestMattress-Brand.org study also ranked highest in our comparison. Here’s why:

• Price: They had the lowest starting price by $250.
• Features: The Pursuit was one of the only models to have battery backup, removable legs and wall-hugger design, aside from pricier S-Cape. A couple other models had wireless controls and massage, but higher prices and/or less overall features.
• Warranty: The Amerisleep Ergo warranty offers the longest full motor coverage and full parts coverage.
• Reviews:  The Pursuit had the second highest reviews (4.7), just behind the mid-level S-Cape model with 4.8.

About the brand: Amerisleep.com retails adjustable beds and memory foam mattresses nationwide via their website.  They carry four total models ranging from basic to luxury: the Ergo Pursuit, the Ergo Invincible, S-Cape, and the Prodigy. The website focuses on ease of use with transparent pricing, warranty information, verified reviews and a comparison chart for consumers to identify features at a glance.

Our comparison yielded similar results to the recent survey by Best Mattress Brand, highlighting the importance of research and the unreliability of relying on brand name alone. The most heavily advertised brands tended to have the highest prices, and some even hide pricing which is not optimal for consumers. The more transparent a company’s policies are, the more likely you are to be satisfied because you know what you are buying. We’ve also learned that shoppers should always glance through product reviews to see potential benefits and drawbacks before buying. When conducting your own comparisons, it can be helpful to make a chart like we demonstrated above to organize  factors most important to you and how the different models match up. Hopefully this comparison helps you in your search for the best adjustable bed!