In the summertime of 2020, throughout the grueling first months of the pandemic, my household escaped our cramped Brooklyn condominium and journeyed to my mother’s place in Washington state. Whereas my husband and I took turns between an air mattress and a daily mattress, our children crashed on foam folding mattresses.
The folding mattresses (additionally referred to as tri-folds) had been surprisingly snug—particularly in contrast with the air mattress, which felt clammy and inevitably leaked and hammocked after just a few nights, leaving me with again ache. (Even the greatest air mattresses that Wirecutter has examined aren’t meant to be slept on long run.) I’ve since purchased two of the identical twin-size folding mattresses, the 4-inch Greatest Alternative Merchandise tri-folds, for friends at my dwelling.
This high-density foam folding mattress takes up more room than an air mattress however is considerably extra snug and purposeful. It is available in twin, full, and queen sizes, however we choose two twins for final versatility and storage choices.
Because the identify suggests, these mattresses fold into thirds (or fourths). Unfolded, every makes a 75-inch-long mattress. At 4 inches thick, the high-density foam beds supply the agency but barely sinking really feel of some reminiscence foams, hugging the physique’s curves and supporting bony hips and shoulders. However I’ve by no means felt caught within the foam, as I’ve with a number of the memory-foam mattresses I’ve examined for Wirecutter.
The tri-folds are additionally delightfully versatile. When one visitor visits, I stack the mattresses on a folding twin body to create one 8-inch-thick mattress. After I cowl them with a waterproof mattress protector and sheets, nobody can inform they’re tri-folds. They appear like a standard mattress, which makes our visitor area (my workplace) look way more polished than it could with a blow-up mattress. When two friends go to, I put the mattresses immediately on the ground. Butted collectively, they make a king.
After I need the mattresses out of the way in which, I slide them beneath my king-size mattress body and stow the folded twin body beneath the youngsters’ bunk mattress (ah, the Tetris of small-apartment dwelling!). Most of the time, the youngsters commandeer the mattresses for his or her room. We wedge the tri-folds facet by facet to type an extended sofa (I tightly safe a quilt round them, utilizing these bizarre however efficient sheet clips), or the women sleep on them. We additionally drag them into the lounge for epic film nights when pals come over.
Like my mother, I selected the Greatest Alternative Merchandise folding mattresses as a result of they’re effectively rated (4.4 out of 5 stars throughout greater than 4,900 opinions on Amazon), and you’ll take away the froth inserts to clean the covers. Not that I’ve ever achieved that! It looks as if a ache, so I simply spot-treat them—however when my cat inevitably pukes on one, not less than washing can be an choice. The mattresses got here with cloth carrying instances, too, however these equipment felt low cost and tore after just a few makes use of. Good in concept, dangerous in apply.
Though I like these beds, they’re not proper for everybody. They’re not a superb choice in case your area is tight on storage. Folded, every one nonetheless measures about 39 by 25 by 12 inches, taking on way more room than a rolled-up air mattress. That stated, they’ll by no means pop or leak, as practically all air mattresses do.
Ever since I’ve had these tri-folds, varied friends have visited my dwelling for stretches starting from just a few nights to a couple weeks. All of them have stated that they’ve gotten nice sleep on our mattresses. And my youngsters and I proceed to make use of my mother’s tri-folds throughout the summers, and I all the time comment on how cozy they’re. That’s one thing I’d by no means say of an air mattress.
This text was edited by Christine Ryan and Daniela Gorny.
