Waterbed Sprang A Leak! What About an Air Mattress?

[Pipanella]

Woke up this morning, and thought DH had wet the bed (JUST KIDDING!!), but our water bed had sprung a leak. We've had it for 13 years, and I love it, and we could patch the hole, but DH kind of wants to get an air mattress.

Do any of you have one? How do you like it? Have you had both a water bed and an air bed? Which do you like better?

Now, is there a place online that is a good place to buy one? Are there any codes out there for savings on one? Where can I get a good deal on one?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice you can give!

[Pipanella]

In researching this online, I see you can get air mattresses that fit in your waterbed frame. Has anyone ever done this?

[Cavegirl]

My husband and I have a Select Comfort air bed and we really love it. It's nice because you can each choose how firm you want your own side of the bed to be. It tends to stay warmer than a waterbed does, and sometimes that's actually kind of annoying, but I've heard that the pillowtop ones don't stay quite as warm. They ARE a bit pricey though, but they often run deals where there is zero down and zero % financing for like a year or whatever, or dollars off... just like a car dealer. LOL

As far as regular air mattresses, I had one back when I first moved out of my parents' house after high school. The one I had was pretty expensive, but it didn't last long at all. Then again, I had 2 kittens at the time... Of course, I have 4 cats now, and the Select Comfort hasn't had a problem at all. Of course, the air chambers on that are made of vulcanized rubber and are covered by padding and a removable cover. It looks just like a regular mattress.

The other option for you might be another waterbed, but the softside kind, rather than the traditional kind. I personally wasn't crazy about them, but everyone has different opinions on mattresses!

Good Luck!

-Jen.

[Pipanella]

Thanks, Cavegirl! We do have the soft-side kind of waterbed now. It has two separate bladders, and it is my DH's side that has the leak. It looks like a regular mattress.

Yes, that's the only thing that will keep us from getting the air mattress, the cost. We have a Queen-size bed, and what I've been looking at costs right around $900. I did find one place online that was about $800 for one with dual chambers, which is what we would want (Airbed Discounters).

I'm going to call the store where we got our waterbed today, and see what they can do for us. I know they also sell the airbeds. We slept on the sofabed last night, and I don't want to do that for very long.

[Pipanella]

Okay, after waking up the second morning after sleeping on the sofabed.........I BOUGHT AN AIRBED TODAY!!!!!!!!!

I had looked around online at them and priced them, then I went to our local store. This is the same place we bought our softside waterbed 13 years ago. I got to try several beds out, including the ThermoPedic (HATED it, it was like lying on a lump of clay). My DH didn't want a waterbed again, only for the reason of it being so heavy and hard to move, as well as difficult to change sheets (hard to tuck them in because of the weight). I LOVED my waterbed, so I knew I didn't want to go back to a conventional mattress.

I tried out several airbed models of the Comfortaire brand, and decided on the Cerulean. It felt like heaven. They were able to deliver it right away, set it up, and I only paid $100 more than if I'd bought it online. I'm a penny pincher as much as the rest of 'em, but there was no way I was sleeping another night on that sofabed, and this way, if there's ever a problem, I've got the local store to go to.

I got a massage unit for it, too!!!!!!!!!! I've already taken a little nap in it, and though it's not my waterbed, it's pretty close. I think I'm going to like this bed!!!!!

[jimandaun]

My dh and I were just talking about getting a new bed. We have a king size waterbed now and I can't imagine not sleeping on it. Everytime we stay with one of our parents or in a hotel I wake up all night with my back hurting. Dh said today that he would like to get one of those new air beds. I'm not so sure. You'll have to let me know if it compares to a waterbed. I'm not sold yet. Also, if I am not being tooooo nosy. How much is an airbed?

Thanks!
Andrea

[Pipanella]

Andrea, I'll keep you informed as the 'adjustment' period progresses, but here's what I think after one night:

As I said before, it's not my waterbed, but it's close. The guy that sold us this airbed is the same person that sold us our waterbed and he said once you've slept on a waterbed, it's very difficult to go back to a conventional mattress, and I have to agree. Like you, every time we've slept on a conventional mattress, we wake up stiff and sore. I'm sure, in time, we would adjust to those, but I just soooooo loved the feel of my waterbed, I can't imagine even wanting to. Our salesman said that nine times out of ten, if a waterbed owner wants to get away from the water (for the same reasons we did), they will go with an airbed. He said it's very close to the feel of a waterbed.

The way I have described being in a waterbed is that it feels like my bed is 'hugging me.' You really can achieve that same feeling with this airbed! The major difference that I can see is that there isn't the movement that you have with a waterbed. It's like getting into a 'dead' waterbed. Does that make sense?

I also found that even though we had a pretty much waveless waterbed, you could still tell when another person got into the bed, and any major movements through the night were fairly well detectable. With this airbed, you don't have that AT ALL. It's just like a regular bed in that way. So that's a plus for the airbed.

Another thing I think I'll like, and use, with this bed, is it's adjustability. Sometimes, I just feel like I want something firm to lay on. I can do that. Most times, I want that soft feel to my bed. I can have that if I want it as well.

So..............my feelings right now are very positive.

No, I don't mind you asking what it cost. We got the Comfortaire Cerulean, and paid $1199 for the queen size. You can find it online for $1099. Waterbeds are in the same range. No, I don't like handing out that kind of money for a bed, but being the "Princess and the Pea" type of person that I am about beds, for this I'm willing to do it.

[jimandaun]

Kylee,
Thanks for all the info....I'll keep you posted if we decide to go for the air bed. We just sold our house this weekend and have 3 1/2 weeks to get out. Guess what?!?! I haven't found anywhere to go to. Dh is in Ohio still on business and will be for another month. Can you say stressed? LOL

Andrea

[Pipanella]

Are you relocating or just moving into a different house where you are? He's in Ohio? Where? (That's where I am!)

[jimandaun]

We were supposed to move to Atlanta. We were transferred. Well, while we were waiting for our house to sell the company downsized and he lost his job. We were without work for 4 months. He just took a new job and he is in Ohio doing the training. Then we will live here. We kept our house on the market because we wanted to change school systems. So we are only moving about 30 miles away. We are in a suburb of Birmingham, AL and are just moving farther out. Trying to escape the urban sprawl. So, I found out last night that we would be closing on May 30 and have to be out by June 5. Can you say....aaaagh! I haven't even looked for a house for us yet.

Oh, he is in Massillon, OH, most of the time. But he travels around. He has been in Defiance, Bedford, Stubenville, etc....
also Flint, Michigan.

Andrea

[Pipanella]

Oh, wow, small world! We live half an hour from Defiance, and we were just there yesterday. Our oldest daughter graduated from Defiance College yesterday! (see thread: http://www.dealofday.com/board/showt...threadid=86930)

I wish you the best in your move and with your DH's job!