Murphy beds have a common problem -- they sometimes slump. Slumping is when the top part of the mattress bunches up, and it is a common problem for innerspring and coil systems in murphy beds. Because the mattress is vertical for long periods of time, bunching can occur on the top part of the mattress.
So, what does one do who wants to use their own mattress and not pay a premium for a custom built bed?
Luckily the best option for a murphy bed is to get a foam mattress. Because of the solid state material of foam, slumping is less common. This means that the mattress will be comfortable night after night.
There are a few myths about memory foam and foam mattresses that should be disspelled. For one, not all memory foam or foam mattresses will cause you to sink into them. Actually, most have minimal contouring and provide a good mix of pressure point relief and support. Secondly, memory foam and foam do not all have the same feel and ingredients. There are very high grade and very low grade foams.To find the right foam mattress for your murphy bed, make sure you get one that is certified CertiPUR-US, which means that it isn't treated with dangerous chemicals and does not offgas nasty toxins. Also, notice the softness vs. firm foams in the make of mattress.
Our favorite mattresses for murphy beds are good quality and budget conscious foam varieties. Nectar and Brooklyn Bedding Signature are some of the best all around budget friendly foam mattresses, while Bear is extremely comfortable and sleeps overwhelmingly cool, which is perfect for murphy beds that get warm at night.
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One of most popular mattress brands, both the Nectar and the newer Nectar Lush are all-foam mattresses that focus on universally comfortable medium and medium-firm profiles, and most customers find these mattresses to be both pressure relieving and supportive. This is a brand to consider with great differentiators: a full year trial and a 'forever' warranty, quality materials for the price, optional white glove delivery, a competitive pricepoint, and 'Buy Now, Pay Later' financing through Affirm. From the UK? See our review for the UK version.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.7/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
Price Value: 9.8/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $499-$1799
Bear mattress offers three amazing mattresses. Their original memory foam has won acclaim with athletes on a budget, the Bear Hybrid is great for those looking for a pressure-relieving higher end feel, and their Bear Pro is perfect for those looking for an ultra-cooling contouring feel. From Celliant® to copper cooling, these mattresses also are designed to be superior at cooling, alleviating muscle pain, and supporting the spine. Also, with their all-inclusive and low priced Bear Bundle, folks love these beds.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.6/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $590-$1690
Suffer from tossing and turning? It could be because your current mattress doesn't support and align the spine properly. That's where Level's TriSupport™ technology can help. Their technology is a marvel in zoned support with a high-end all-foam design made in the USA. While the shoulders and hips are relieved of pressure, the middle spine is supported properly. With a patented design that is supported by chiropractors, Level Sleep is worth consideration for back and side sleepers needing well-aligned support.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.6/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
Price Value: 9.6/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $799-$1399
Brooklyn Bedding is a quality-focused mattress maker with multiple mattress types and firmness options. They make all of their mattresses end to end in their own factory, passing on more price value to customers. Also, read about their specialty brands: ultra-firm Plank Mattress, plus-size friendly Titan Mattress, customizable Rubix Mattress, latex Bloom Mattress, eco-friendly Ecosleep, and cooling Propel Sleep.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.4/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $499-$2899
Puffy is an online mattress brand that makes three mattresses: The Puffy Mattress, The Puffy Lux Mattress, and The Puffy Royal Mattress (Limited Time: Get $300 Off Mattresses). Each of these offer a high rated memory foam feel that are making a splash in the mattress in the box industry. With the recent addition of coil hybrid versions in their Lux and Royal, folks find these mattresses softer than other all-foam mattresses in a box, which is great for those with a lighter body type. With an aim at providing a higher end all-foam mattress for less than in-store, Puffy is a brand to consider and ships worldwide!
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.1/10
Price: $795-$1995
Tuft and Needle made a big splash in the mattress industry when it offered one of the lowest cost all-foam mattresses in a box directly to customers. As one of the earliest players in the mattress-in-a-box space, they've elaborated on their initial concept with two more innovative designs: The Mint and The Hybrid, which provide high quality, superbly pressure-relieving offerings. On top of that, the Mint Mattress was recently upgraded to include antimicrobial protection embedded in its cover layer. With their three mattresses and 100,000s of positive reviews, customers have spoken in approval of T&N.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.5/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $350-$1570
Layla got its start in 2015 as the mattress in the box trying to fight homelessness with every mattress purchased. Since then, they have focused on building two mattress models with a focus on cool, copper-infused technology and a flippable design for softer or firmer feels. With versatile designs, with both a hybrid and all-foam version and a tradition of innovation, Layla is definitely a brand to consider.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.2/10
Price: $599-$1799
Amerisleep offers a line of high-end memory foam and hybrid mattresses that offer the benefits of plant-based materials. Each mattress has a blend of bio-foams for comfort layers that are more eco-friendly than the traditional synthetic-based memory foam material. Amerisleep offers 5 different mattress firmness options in all-foam options, and 3 popular firmness varieties also in a pocketed coil hybrid build. Customers like their offerings and have good things to say about the quality versus better known name-brands.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.3/10
Back Support: 9.3/10
Price: $899-$3798
Nolah came to market in 2016 with a new response to the memory foam mattress. Nolah crafted its very own foam, called Nolah AirFoam®. Its innovation is that it retains less heat than other memory foam or common 'visco elastic' foams. It also has less pressure than even high end memory foam, meaning that it is easier on the hips and shoulders. Nolah's testers say it is also more durable and great for side sleepers. With multiple mattress options, Nolah is a brand anyone can feel good about!
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $649-$2399
Zoma is a sports mattress, specially designed for performance recovery. Of late, there have been multiple competitive mattresses that claim to help with recovery and rest, but each offering has its own particular spin on the issue. For those that are looking for zoned comfort with more middle spine support and a comfortable price point, the Zoma Mattress has an innovative approach worth considering.
Overall Score for Murphy Bed: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.1/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.2/10
Price: $550-$1200