Inflatable mattresses / guest beds

I’m sure there was a thread on this some time ago, but my search fu is failing me.

My brother will probably be coming to visit us from the east coast sometime in January or February, and I’d like to have him stay with us, but we’re currently renting a small house, and don’t really have a guest bedroom. We do have two rooms that we could put a temporary bed in, and I’m wondering if anyone can recommend a comfortable guest bed or inflatable mattress.

I don’t object to spending money on it, if it’s a quality product and will last us awhile. I’ve seen mixed reviews on the Aerobeds, so it would be nice to hear some first hand experience with them.

I’m also not adverse to buying a futon, as we have a den downstairs we could put it in, but I’d want it to be comfortable to sleep on, and I guess that’s really based on getting a quality, thick mattress for it.

Some details to consider - my brother is about 6’4 and could probably lose a few pounds (though he’s not obese by any stretch), so it needs to be sturdy. If we go the inflatable route, self inflating is a must. And basically, I’d like to be able to use it more than a few times.

I’d be happy with something in the $200 range, though cheaper is nice if it’s decent. So, any suggestions?

I used an aerobed and some other inflatables as an experiment one year before going back to a normal bed. The aerobed was probably the best of the group, especially if you get the raised one thats a lot easier to get in and out of. But they are not for long-term use because they inevitably develop leaks in my experience. So as a short-term guest solution they are fine and not all that expensive.

Aerobed’s are good - we have a couple of them for the precise same reason. They’re reasonably comfortable as well. Costco usually has them as well, if you’ve got a membership.

We got a Initex branded one on sale for our Xmas guests this year - it developed a hole in it after one night of use (was only $20, but still. One night!)

No fuck that get a French Press Bed!

. . . wait, wrong thread. Continue.

H.

Aerobeds with the built in pump are amazing for guests. Slept on one over Christmas staying with family. Worked great, stored quick for the day and pumped up quick when it was time to sleep!

Aerobeds aren’t really 100% awesome, but damned if I can find a better alternative.

As a dude with the same build as your brother, I have a few thoughts/questions.

Is he coming alone? If he’s traveling with a girlfriend or something, then an inflatable bed will suck. When you have two people, they need to be of similar size when sharing an inflatable bed or she’ll just roll into him all night.

I prefer an actually physical bed when possible. I’ve slept on a futon many times and they aren’t too bad… As long as my feet are able to hang off the end. Get one with very low arms. I’ve also just dragged the futon mattress on the floor, which isn’t too bad.

Don’t forget the good old stand-by: the couch.

Speaking of which, can you get a sleeper sofa?

Thanks for the feedback, all.

Mean Dr. Lily, my brother is coming alone. He’s heading out this way on business, so he’s coming sans family. We haven’t worked out details yet, and I’m not even sure when he’s coming or for how many days… he’s basically going to take a few days off to visit me since he’ll be in the area.

We don’t currently have a full size couch, just a loveseat, so sleeping on that is right out, though we’ve considered getting a sleeper couch at some point, so that may be an option as well, though a comfortable one is going to run us a fair penny I think. But that’s why we were also considering the futon route, which has the added benefit of being able to tuck it into another room where there can be some privacy as well.

Get a futon. And not an Americanized futon. The Japanese kind that you can fold up and throw into your closet.

http://www.sleepersinseattle.com/ is where we picked up ours - you can get a decent hide-a-bed couch for about $1k. Modify it with one of the memory foam bed toppers from CostCo and it’s very comfortable.

Yeah, I ditched the futon frame a while ago, but kept the futon mattress - much better to sleep on than an air mattress or couch.

If you have an elevated bed, I’d also recommend a mattress itself - I’ve got an old mattress under my daughter’s bed for when she has sleepovers. And I already have sheets that fit.

I’ve had a queen-sized self-inflating aerobed for exactly the purpose you describe for a couple years now. Always does the trick, and storage is very easy. It inflates in less than 5 minutes.

Got it at Costco for about a hundred bucks. I think it was well worth the price.