To learn more about buying a sleep air bed, keep reading for a review of the 4 largest manufacturers. Remember though, the beds covered are those designed for everyday use rather than inflatable beds intended as guest beds or pool toys.

Select Comfort Sleep Number Beds

Select Comfort is the country's biggest seller of adjustable air beds thanks to their popular Sleep Number bed ad campaigns and television advertisements. The major feature on their Sleep Number models is that each sleeper can designate his or her own personalized firmness setting without affecting the other person.

To function, the bed requires access to electricity, and has a small pump and remote that you control. The pump is whisper quiet, but still somewhat audible. It also won't function in the event of a power failure, but the bed won't deflate in the mean time.

Select Comfort has built their brand on a strong guarantee that allows customers to try their product at home for 30 days. Within that 30 day period, buyers may return the product with no hassle or questions asked. However, the buyer will own the responsibility of paying shipment costs to return the unit. Given the size and weight of the boxes, this would amount to a fairly hefty return charge.

ComfortAire Beds

ComfortAire was the country's first manufacturer of adjustable air beds. The company's sleep bed technology system was first released in 1981, and they're still a market leader today.

Like their Sleep Number counterparts, ComfortAire beds have a dual air chamber system that is controlled and operated using remotes adjusted by the bed's sleepers. The remote tells an air pump to either inflate or deflate the bed, therefore adjusting the firmness and comfort level.

Self Adjusting Technology SAT Bed

The SAT, or Self-Adjusting Technology, bed is significantly different from the Select Comfort and ComfortAire sleep air bed systems. Instead of using a dual or single air chamber system, the SAT bed utilizes hundreds if independent air chambers which inflate and deflate without the aid of a motorized pump or electricity.

The SAT bed has less electrical technology that can malfunction. However, given that the mattress contains hundreds of individual valves, each can potentially leak and cause problems. Because of this, consumers are advised to purchase a bed with a strong warranty or buy from a retailer that is able to offer ongoing inexpensive repair and customer support.

Habitat Custom Air Beds

Habitat Furnishings will actually build you a made-to-order sleep air bed. Either through their website or telephone order system, you can indicate the style of mattress you want, the materials used and the structural components. Then, they'll build your mattress and send it to you.

Because the Habitat sleep air bed is custom built, they cost a fraction of what the factory-built beds cost, and you get high-quality materials like Natural Latex, strength-tested stitching or vulcanized rubber.