I often have people coming to stay at our house for the weekend, especially since we moved away from our family to another state. I don’t have the space to have a guest bedroom, but I do have plenty of floor space, so I often look for comfortable air beds to host everyone.
The Serta Raised Air Mattress is an interesting choice: it actually inflates intermittently as it uses air, meaning you should wake up with the same amount of air you fell asleep with. So, I was super intrigued to try this one.
Are these automatic, self-inflating beds a novelty, or do they actually work to make your life easier? That’s what I wanted to know.
I tested this air mattress myself, along with my partner, so I can give you a complete idea of how well it works. I’ll also give you the pros and cons so you can figure out if it’s right for you!
Serta Raised Air Mattress: First Impressions
I was surprised when I unboxed the Serta Raised Air Mattress because I wasn’t expecting the color. It’s a light beige color and looks quite different from other air mattresses I’ve tried. It was super soft, too.
We got the Queen size, which was pretty standard in terms of space. Once inflated, I noticed it wasn’t as deep as some of the other air mattresses I’ve reviewed, but it did feel nice and comfortable to lie on during that first night. It was not perfect, but pretty good (but I’ll explain in more detail in the next section!), and I woke up feeling refreshed.
My partner, who has long-term back pain, found it easy to get in and out of bed using this mattress. I also found it pretty comfortable as a side sleeper, and it felt really firm.
I do think that the noise takes some getting used to: every now and then, I could hear a little ‘buzz’ sound as it pumped air into the bed. Not the end of the world, but it definitely wasn’t silent. You can switch the secondary pump off, but then it doesn’t prevent air from escaping, so I guess it’s a trade-off for the convenience!
My first impressions were pretty good, and I liked using it on the first night. I was definitely intrigued to keep trying it.
Comfort/Pressure
As a side sleeper, I do suffer from a bit of aching when I lay on a regular air bed: I usually find they’re not supportive enough, so my shoulder and hip tend to sink. This throws my spine out of whack slightly.
However, a big draw of the Serta air mattress is that it stays firm. This is because it pumps air into the mattress intermittently. As I said in the first impressions section, it does make a slight sound. It’s not super noisy, but it’s detectable. I’m a sensitive sleeper and tend to wake at the slightest sound, so I heard it, but it didn’t bother my partner.
But having said that, it’s a comfortable air bed! It’s firm enough for my partner’s back to feel supported, and it also didn’t cause me to sink on my side. So maybe the intermittent air top-ups were worth it to avoid deflation?
I don’t know – I did enjoy using it, but I’ve also slept on slightly more luxurious-feeling air mattresses. For the price, though, I think it’s pretty decent, and I’d be happy to offer this to my relatives when they come to stay with us.
The top layer is fuzzy and soft, and our sheets didn’t slip on it, so that’s another bonus. It doesn’t feel as squashy as the top layer in other mattresses I’ve tried, but it’s still pretty good.
Ease of Use
This is genuinely one of the easiest air mattresses you could wish for – it doesn’t even require you to top it up with air because the automatic inflation is so easy. It will pump up to the desired firmness by itself.
It took around three minutes to inflate using the built-in pump. This is pretty standard when it comes to air beds that use auto pumps. It’s quite loud – one of our kids hates that, but we were prepared for it. You can just throw it on the floor, plug it in, and let it inflate to its full height. Super easy.
It deflates in around three minutes, too, and for once, I didn’t struggle to get this one back in the bag! So that’s a definite bonus for me. I get really frustrated when it comes to properly folding and storing air beds, especially when they don’t fit in the bags they come with.
The light color does concern me a little: it’s way harder to hide stains on a tan mattress than on a dark blue or grey one! We use air mattresses when we’re camping with our kids and the dog, so staining is a real possibility.
I think it would be easy enough to clean, but the staining is definitely something I’d have to watch out for. We use our own sheets from home, though, so it’s not too much of an issue. I think overall, I’d prefer this in a different color.
| Product Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Serta |
| Color | Tan |
| Size | 78"L x 60"W x 18"Th |
| Weight Limit | 500 Pounds |
| Item Weight | 9.84 Kilograms |
| Suggested Users | Unisex-adult |
| Style | Queen |
| Included Components | Carry Bag, Serta Raised Air Mattress With Never Flat Pump, Instructions |
| Price | $151.46 |
Durability
I’d have to test it for longer to really judge this, but it does look like a pretty durable mattress. I always check the seams on an inflatable air mattress. They’re nice and strong here, so I can’t see air leaking from there any time soon.
I will say that the material is slightly thinner than other air mattresses I’ve used. As a pet owner, this does concern me a little – I can see a stray claw causing a problem here, potentially, and there may be the potential for an air leak. It’s nothing we can’t patch up, but still, it’s something to keep in mind.
I’ve been pondering whether we could take this camping trip. I am leaning towards no at the moment. That’s down to the color – it’s just begging for stains – but also because of the slightly thinner material. Plus, I wouldn’t want the automatic secondary fan to kick in and wake up the kids.
I think I’d be happy to offer this to overnight guests coming from out of state (and we do have a lot of those!), but I don’t think it would last long on our extended camping trips! Especially with the kids around.
Perhaps I’m being harsh – all air beds degrade eventually, after all – but those are my thoughts after using it for a few nights in a row and closely examining it. I think if you planned to use this long-term, you might find that it starts to degrade faster than the secondary pump can work.
Pros and Cons
Overall, I think the Serta Raised Air Mattress is pretty good. It’s not the best air mattress I’ve used, but it’s pretty good! It’s the first air mattress I’ve used with an auto-pump to keep it topped up with air, and I quite liked the novelty of that, even if I did find the tiny sound quite annoying. When we have people come to stay, I won’t have to worry about checking on the inflation levels of their air beds to make them comfortable.
I’ll give you a round-up of my pros and cons, but I think that this is one to go for if you have overnight guests or if you want something super easy to use. I may not think this is the most durable, but for the occasional guest, it could work really well for you.
Pros
- Easy inflation: Once it’s up, you don’t have to worry about topping it up with air because of the Neverflat pump
- Easy to pack away in the convenient carry bag: This is unusual for me and a definite bonus!
- Comfortable: I found it to be firm and supportive, and I liked the soft, cozy top layer; it was nice to sleep on.
- Strong seams: I can’t see air escaping from the seams.
Cons
- Could stain easily: I can see the tan color will attract stains from our kids/pets.
- The secondary fan makes a slight noise: You might not find it to be a problem, but it definitely annoyed me.
- The main auto fan is loud: This is typical for most air mattresses, however.
- It is not the thickest material: I can’t see this one lasting very long if you use it regularly, especially for camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few things you might want to know about the Serta Raised Air Mattress:
Does Serta Raised Air Mattress Come With a Patch Kit?
No, it doesn’t. You’ll have to buy a patch kit separately for the Serta mattress. We have a roll of air mattress patch kit tape, which is super easy: you just cut the tape and stick it on the puncture.
Or, if you don’t want to do that, you can check out our guide on how to repair an air mattress without a patch kit. There are a few ways you can do it using items you have at home.
What Sizes Does Serta Raised Air Mattress Are Available In?
We tested the Queen size, but you can get this air mattress in a Twin size, too.
The Queen size was pretty standard when it comes to leg room/the amount of wriggle room: just big enough for me and my partner, and we could just about squeeze a small child in there if we had to. I prefer a king-size mattress, but these are a little harder to come by when it comes to air beds.
Does The Secondary Pump of The Serta Raised Air Mattress Run All The Time?
Nope. We found that it went off a few times in the night: it only does it when the air decreases to a certain level, and then it quickly tops it back up again. It only kicks in again if there is more air loss.
The secondary fan isn’t as powerful as the primary pump but still makes noise.
Is Serta Raised Air Mattress Waterproof?
Yes! It’s made from vinyl, so it is waterproof. The top layer is soft and fuzzy but still waterproof, which is good when you have little ones.
Having said that, you will need to try to keep water away from the pump and the electronics. These types of air beds tend to be recommended for home use rather than camping.
We don’t always pay attention to that rule, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to use this bed in a tent during a downpour, just in case!
My Final Thoughts
I do think that the Serta Raised Air Mattress is worth a try, especially for the price. It’s comfortable and firm, and it’s probably the easiest air mattress I’ve used. And it actually folds up into the bag!
Having said that, I’ve used slightly more robust air mattresses before, and I worry a little about the long-term durability of this one. And the secondary fan is a little annoying when it kicks in if you’re sensitive to noise.
It’s cool that you don’t have to top it up with air, though – it goes beyond novelty and is actually useful, as it saves you from having to think about it each day.
I’d recommend this for overnight guests or occasional use. It’s not the best mattress for camping, but it’s great for guests.
