I’m always looking for a comfortable air mattress. As someone who has frequent guests coming to stay from out of town, being able to offer something super luxurious for visitors is really nice! That’s why I was so keen to try out the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress.
I’ll admit I can be jaded when it comes to air mattresses. I’ve tried many of them and found that they wear down eventually, becoming less comfortable to sleep on.
So, what was my verdict on the King Koil? Was it comfortable, was it easy to use, and do I think it will last for a long time?
Keep reading for my full verdict!
King Koil Luxury Air Mattress – First Impressions/Unboxing
The first thing I thought when I unboxed the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress was that it was a deep air mattress. I could tell right away from the amount of material it’s a deeper air mattress, which I guess could be a problem if you need a small bed for storage reasons.
But I love how it looks. Seriously – this is one of the best-looking air mattresses I’ve seen. It just looks nicer than the other air mattresses we’ve owned. I love the feel of the materials, and it feels squishy, somehow. It turns out it has a soft flocked layer underneath the suede top, which explains it.
My first impressions were good overall. Once inflated (I’ll talk more about that in a minute), I found it to be super comfortable – probably more comfortable than regular mattresses I’ve slept on in the past!
There was one hitch, though, and that’s the smell. It has a strong smell when it comes out of the box. It did dissipate eventually, but I wasn’t expecting it! Open this in a room with the windows open and let it sit around for a while before you sleep on it. (Trust me!)
Comfort/Pressure
It’s really important to me that I find an air mattress that can be inflated to a firm level. This is because my partner suffers from back pain. He needs a mattress to be mega-firm to get comfortable and have the right support.
Luckily, this mattress held air really well for us. I imagine, like all air mattresses, it will need topping up with air more often as we use it on a regular basis. Still, at the beginning, it held air all night. Plus, he found it easy to climb in and out of bed because of the height, which is another thing we have to consider.
Getting into the technical aspects here for a minute, the King Koil has air-filled coils (hence the name) and layering to prevent sagging or pressure points from forming.
I’m a side sleeper, and I did notice the difference between this and the air mattresses I’ve used in the past. I often get sore hips and shoulders because I sink into the air mattress in those areas, but this seemed to hold my weight pretty well, and I woke up with none of the usual aches and pains that come from my sleeping position.
The top is nice to lay on, but I prefer using sheets on my air mattresses. The suede stops the sheets from slipping around, which is a nice bonus and helped me to sleep better. I didn’t notice that it was particularly noisy, either.
It also has a built-in pillow. I found this to be comfortable, although I like to bring my own pillow from home on camping trips for comfort. I think this pillow would work for me if I forgot my regular pillow.
I would feel more than happy to offer this air mattress to overnight guests coming to stay in our home, and I’m glad I have it now for future visits, especially for my older relatives who come from out of town.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is another key thing for me, especially on camping trips. Running around after our kids and trying to get the tent together is hard enough! Plus, my partner has to be careful with his back, which means a lot of it is on me.
I always look for air mattresses that are self-inflating. This is the case with the King Koil: I switched it on, and it inflated in around two minutes using the automatic pump, with a little more topping up to get the firmness level just right for my partner.
It also deflates pretty quickly, which is nice when you’re packing up in a rush. It took around two minutes to deflate using the internal pump.
I like that it comes with a bag, but I have to admit, I did find it kind of tricky to fold up all the material small enough to fit back in there. I find this is the case for a lot of camping gear! Not the end of the world, but still a bit of a downside.
| Product Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | King Koil |
| Color | Black |
| Size | Queen |
| Fabric Type | Fully Flocked |
| Item Weight | 16.98 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 80"L x 60"W x 20"Th |
| Special Feature | Adjustable,Built-in,Built-in Pump,Inflatable,Portable |
| Included Components | Built in Wired Pump |
| Price | $149.95 |
Durability
Obviously, the jury is out on this one in terms of long-term use; I need to test this mattress over a longer period of time to make sure, of course.
But my initial thought is that this is a durable mattress. I always inspect the materials and the seams, and I can’t see any ‘weak points’ in which I can see holes forming. The seams look super strong and tough.
The material is thick and waterproof. As a parent and a camping enthusiast, this is very good news to me! I can tell that it’s easy to clean, too. Luckily, we’ve had no incidents of staining yet, but you can just wipe it down with a cloth and warm, soapy water to clean it.
All air mattresses degrade over time, unfortunately. Some mattresses I have used, however, have degraded after barely any use at all, and I really think the King Koil is a good option if you want something that will last a little longer!
Pros and Cons
Overall, I loved my time using the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress, and I will happily use it for guests and camping trips. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty great, and I’d recommend checking it out for sure.
Here’s a quick list of my personal pros and cons:
Pros
- Very firm – great for us because of my partner’s back pain
- Durable and waterproof – good news as a camping parent!
- Easy to use – inflated in less than two minutes when I tested it
- Comfortable – I genuinely loved sleeping on this
Cons
- Smell – it had a pretty strong smell out of the box
- Storage – it’s a large mattress that I found hard to fold back into the bag, which means it takes longer to pack away
Technical Specs
Here are a few things you might wanna know before you decide to check this one out:
- Sizes – Twin, Full, Queen (tested), California King
- Depth – 20 inches
- Warranty – 1 year
- Includes – air mattress with a built-in pump, storage bag, and patch kit
- Weight Limit – 600 lb
I do think that the King Koil mattress represents good value for money. It’s more expensive than other air mattresses I’ve bought in the past, but I think it’s worth it. It’s way more comfortable than other air mattresses I’ve used, and I think it will be more durable in the long run.
We tested the Queen version, but I’d love to try out the California King – I love having a bit of extra sleeping room, so this would work really well for us. The Queen version is pretty roomy, though.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you leave, here are some frequently asked questions about the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress that you might want to know:
Can I put the air mattress back in the box rather than the bag?
Yep, you can. In fact, that’s what I ended up doing a couple of times after using it! Obviously, the box won’t last as long, but sometimes I was in too much of a rush to fold it down small enough to fit in the bag.
I’m actually considering buying a plastic container for it to live in, rather than having to use the bag. That way, we can fold and store it properly without worrying about it degrading.
Could you use a mattress topper on this?
Technically, you could use a memory foam mattress topper! But looking at the height when it’s inflated, I’d recommend getting a very deep bedsheet in order to tuck it all in properly.
I don’t think you necessarily need a mattress topper, as it is comfortable, but you could use one if you want to.
However! This is a deep air mattress. Adding a mattress topper will add more height, which is fine, but you’ll have to be careful not to accidentally roll out of bed in the night!
Is the pump loud when in use?
It’s fairly loud, yes. I found it to be about the same as other mattresses with built-in air pumps that I’ve tried. One of my kids is pretty sensitive to noise, so I had to send them out while I inflated it, but other than that, it didn’t really cause any issues.
The air pump is pretty powerful, so it works really quickly, at least!
Does it feel hot to sleep on?
I didn’t think so, but I’m not a hot sleeper, so that is a factor. My partner didn’t find it to be a problem either. It does have that soft flocking layer, which may cause your body to heat up if you tend to sleep hot.
But overall, I didn’t notice much difference between this and other air beds I’ve used when it comes to sleeping temperature.
It does elevate you quite high from the ground. Usually, I find the closer to the ground I am, the colder I feel, so that might be a factor, too. If you’re used to lower mattresses, you might find that you’re warmer than usual when sleeping on this one.
In Summary
Honestly, I’d recommend giving the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress a try. It’s a little more of an investment, but it’s one of the most comfortable air mattresses I’ve ever slept on. (And I’ve slept on a lot of them!) In fact, I think it might be the best air mattress I’ve used.
It’s comfortable for both back pain and side sleepers because it distributes air evenly. It’s quick and easy to use, which is a huge bonus for me!
It’s not perfect – it takes a lot of effort to fold it up to fit in the bag, and it also has a pretty strong smell right out of the box. I think those are minor downsides, though, compared to the benefits!
