The current best folding mattresses in comparison. You should definitely know these important tips & experiences from everyday life.
Folding mattresses are incredibly practical.
Regardless of whether guests come for the weekend, the budget for an expensive mattress is just not enough or you are looking for a comfortable pad for sports:
Foldable mattresses are just as practical as they are versatile.
For this reason I have collected a few tips on how to choose a suitable model and show you what you should look for when buying a folding mattress.
If you only have a little time, you can also jump directly to my purchase recommendations:
Finding a good folding mattress isn’t particularly difficult if you pay attention to the key points. Here is my current top recommendation for everyone in a hurry:
I present many more details and possible uses of folding mattresses in the article.
Index
What are folding mattresses?
As the name suggests, these are mattresses that can be folded.
- Most current folding mattresses consist of three parts that you can fold together at the seams.
- Depending on the size of the folding mattress, a base area of between 60 × 65 or 66 × 100 centimeters remains after folding.
They can therefore be stowed away very easily and are the ideal solution for guest beds .
In many cases, you can also use the folded mattress as a seat.
Other names for folding mattresses are also folding mattresses, guest mattresses or travel bed mattresses. There are also special armchairs that work like a folding mattress.
The advantages of folding mattresses
The main function of folding mattresses is that they take up less space after folding than a normal mattress
Since folding mattresses are usually made of simple materials, you can get them much cheaper than regular mattresses.
In your free time, you can also use your folding mattress for other versatile purposes: for example, as seating furniture or as a sports pad.
In the children’s room, folding mattresses can provide a warm play surface.
Disadvantages of foldable mattresses
Most folding mattresses are only intended for temporary use.
Accordingly, the materials used are simpler than those used for mattresses on which you sleep every day.
At the same price, the quality of a folding or folding mattress is always lower than that of the “real” versions.
Using a simple folding mattress to sleep every night can harm your back or neck. It is not uncommon for prolonged use to cause shoulder pain after sleeping .
The main differences explained
Before buying, pay attention to the quality you need.
The thicker the mattress and the higher the density of the foam used, the more comfortable and stable the folding mattress.
The degree of firmness also indicates the body weight for which the mattress is intended.
Here is an overview of the degrees of hardness of folding mattresses:
- H1: up to 60kg
- H2: 60 – 80kg
- H3: 80 – 120kg
- H4: 100 – 150kg
Material
Various foams are currently used in the production of folding mattresses. The most common materials are cold foam, memory foam and latex.
Most often you will find cold foam mattresses in various quality levels in stores.
This material is adaptable and comparatively cheap. If you pay attention to density and degree of hardness when buying, you should easily find a suitable model in the size you want.
- The higher quality folding mattresses offer a memory foam layer over the cold foam core.
- This memory foam in the gel mattresses adapts to your body structure and ensures more comfortable lying and a more supportive hold.
For allergy sufferers there are also foldable latex mattresses . These are also very comfortable and have antibacterial properties. In comparison, latex folding mattresses are significantly more expensive than foam mattresses.
use
Of course, there is a big difference between whether you are looking for a mattress that you only need once or twice a year for one night and one that you want to use regularly and over a longer period of time.
It also makes a big difference whether you use the folding mattress for 30 minutes for exercise or whether you want to sleep on it for eight hours.
Tip : The more often and longer you want to use a folding mattress, the higher the quality it should be.
maintenance
If you plan to use your folding mattress for a long time, you should pay attention to the care instructions.
- Removable and washable covers help to extend the service life.
- Compared to cold foam mattresses, latex mattresses require significantly more care and cleaning.
Make sure that the conditions are good when storing your folding mattress. Moisture or cold can damage the mattress.
Which size should you choose?
The right size of a folding mattress naturally depends heavily on how it is used. If you are looking for a folding mattress for sleeping, you can choose from narrow models for children and teenagers and “normal-width” mattresses for adults.
There are also folding mattresses that are suitable as a double bed and are 130 cm or even 160 cm wide.
If your goal is to save space with a folding mattress, pay attention to the size it is when folded. These dimensions are also important if you want to use the mattress primarily as a seat.
Where can I buy recommended models?
You can find folding mattresses both in specialist shops and on the Internet. Well-known dealers are, for example, the Danish bed warehouse or Ikea.
In addition, it is also worthwhile to take a look at children’s departments in furniture stores, camping supplies stores or shops for sporting goods.
Sometimes there are cheap folding mattresses in supermarket chains such as real, Lidl or Aldi.
It is easiest to find out about available models and current prices on the Internet. In my product recommendations for folding mattresses further down in the text you will find direct links for additional information and online ordering.
What does a good foldable mattress cost?
The price of a folding mattress naturally depends heavily on its quality.
You can find simple folding mattresses for around 20 euros, while the most expensive models can cost several hundred euros.
- It is best to think in advance how often and for how long you are likely to use your folding mattress.
- It pays not to spend too much money if the folding mattress is then only used one night a year.
If, on the other hand, you know that many people will sleep on the folding mattress, you should invest in quality.
Personally, I have had the best experiences with those models that cost a little over € 100 – they are comfortable and better processed than some supposed bargains.
Where can I find cheap folding mattresses?
You can often find folding mattresses on the Internet for as little as 20 euros.
I find it particularly practical that I can sort the products in ascending order by price in most Internet portals. So I see the cheapest folding mattresses first.
Folding mattresses from Aldi, real or Lidl are also often cheap. However, pay attention to both the quality features and the guarantee conditions.
My folding mattress recommendations at a glance
In the last few years I have had the opportunity to try out various folding mattresses myself several times.
Of course, I don’t know all of the models presented here, but my knowledge helps me recommend the best current models to you.
Price-performance tip: Dream night guest mattress
If you want to treat your guests to something good, this folding mattress is the right choice. The visco-elastic foam ensures a good hold and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 guarantees pollutant-free materials.
The cover is removable and washable. There is also a second cover to use the folding mattress as seating furniture.
This folding mattress is available in the sizes 75 × 195 and 120 × 195 cm.
Many excellent customer ratings support my recommendation.
Inexpensive: Badenia guest mattress
Easy and good. This folding mattress model from Badenia offers an appealing quality in the lowest price segment.
- The three-part folding mattress measures 190 × 60 cm and can be ordered in both black and red.
- Seven centimeters of cold foam provide a soft surface, the cover is made of microfiber and is washable.
The Badenia guest mattress is ideal if you are looking for an inexpensive folding mattress that still offers a certain level of comfort.
My price tip among the folding mattresses.
Luxus: Gigapur Klappmatratze
You lie better on this Gigapur folding mattress than on many simple regular mattresses.
The lying area of 75 × 195 cm offers enough space to spend several nights on it. The visco-elastic pad ensures the best hold and comfort.
To use the folding mattress as a pouf, you can order an additional protective cover separately. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and easy maintenance make this mattress an all-round good recommendation.
Practical: Natalia Spzoo armchair bed
This sofa bed is ideal as a combination of a folding mattress and armchair in a children’s room.
The design is suitable for children and the mattress, 200 × 70 cm in size and 10 cm thick, is ideal as a guest bed for friends.
These alternatives exist
In addition to folding mattresses, there are also other alternatives for guest beds that save space.
The most popular option is air beds , which you inflate when needed and which take up very little space.
- The disadvantage is the tedious pumping and the plastic-rubber material, which many people find uncomfortable when sleeping.
- In addition, sleep on air beds is much more restless. Movements are not absorbed as with cold foam.
Air beds are therefore not recommended, especially for those who move a lot while sleeping. However, there are also higher quality models, but they are then no longer quite as cheap.
If you are interested in air beds , I would like to recommend the article The best inflatable guest beds: Insider tips & test winners.
There you will find both detailed information and very practical recommendations. Further alternatives can be roll mattresses , permanent sofa beds , wall- mounted folding beds , folding sofas or wall beds – I recommend the linked articles for more information.
Conclusion – good as guest beds, for the children’s room or when traveling
In the product recommendations you can see that there are actually folding beds for all budgets and uses.
- Many of the models presented are also relatively cheap to buy.
- A separate mattress would be significantly more expensive and take up a lot more space.
I find folding mattresses ideal for children’s rooms in particular. My daughter often used her folding mattress and armchair combination when her friends stayed with us.
At the same time, it sometimes had to serve as a guest mattress for adults and also survived these uses without much criticism. For this case I bought a mattress topper to make it comfortable for tall people.
If you are interested in other tips for space-saving sleeping, I can also recommend these additional articles: The best wall-folding beds for little space , the best wall beds in comparison and the best inflatable guest beds: insider tips & test winners .
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.