TOPIC:

Do you have an opinion on the adjustable bed bases available for split king beds. We have been looking at different brands, but have no idea about the reliability of the motors. We have been looking at Essentia, Electropedic, and SouthBay International. We just are looking at wired remotes and were wondering if there are any features you think we should be considering.

Thanks so much

Hi bjlewis341,

Post #3 here has some comments about adjustable beds and links to the adjustable bed thread here which has some comparisons between various models and some features that you may want to consider and some sources that I use for pricing reference purposes. Whether to buy one would be a preference in most cases that each person would decide for themselves (unless it was connected to a specific health related need). I would choose the features that you believe you are most likely to use or give you the convenience you want because these are all personal preferences.

Essentia doesn't make it's own adjustable bed and I would read this thread along with this thread before I considered their mattress.

The people at Electropedic in my experience will give you good information about adjustable beds including their own version.

I don't know who makes the SouthBay adjustable beds or its specific features but it would likely be one of the three that are discussed in the adjustable foundation thread (L&P, Reverie, Ergomotion).

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix
Do you know what the different ratings or opinions are on the wired remote models for split king for Reverie Deluxe, Electropedic or ergomotion. We were not interested in the massage feature overall, but someone mentioned that even this model of the electropedic has a masssage in the leg area for health reasons. Someone also mentioned that the Electropdic has a better warrantee. Any thoughts on the motor, durability etc.

Thank so much

Hi blewis341,

I wouldn't have an issue with durability with any of the more common adjustable beds.

I'm not familiar with the various Electropedic adjustable bed options or details but I have talked with them on several occasions and I believe they would give you good information and have found them to be very knowledgeable and helpful on the phone.

They are "specialists" in adjustable beds although I'm not sure if they have the best value (the adjustable bed thread here has a few links to adjustable bed sources that I use for a value reference).

Phoenix

I had never really thought of an adjustable base, but I did recently get one (that is, I got two, since a king mattress requires getting two twin adjustable bases), and I absolutely love it. Prices seem to move up and down a bit; when I bought mine, I found a good price at Atlantic Beds and bought the L&P S-Cape, though I believe that others I read about here would work equally well. I am using it with a Talalay Latex mattress and the combination is outstanding. I can set any position I want for reading, watching TV or just lounging. I like it so much that I have even invited people visiting my home, who would not normally come into my bedroom, to lay on it for a while and enjoy the comfort with the head and feet raised. While the massage is more a vibration than a real message - it is reminiscent of the tacky vibrating beds they had in motels when I was a kid - I actually love this feature as well. The "wave" feature gives a nice flow to the vibrations, and I find that the low settings give plenty of effect. I did have to put rubber mats underneath the feet of the base because due to the placement of the bed and the hardwood floors, the vibrations could be felt in another bedroom upstairs. I have only been using it for a week, but aside from the fun and comfort, it has already brought a major benefit for me: I have long had trouble falling asleep, but with this bed I have been falling asleep fairly quickly whenever I turn on the massage.

Hi Da,

You sound a lot like us

We don't "need" the adjustable but we sure do enjoy it and use it a lot. We also had to put some rubber caster cups like these under the legs because we also have hardwood floors and we were a little concerned about the vibrations of the massage going through to the people below.

I have exactly the same thoughts about the massage feature as well although when I did my testing the massage feature on the Reverie was a little stronger than the others ... but it may have been my imagination because its hard to measure and how much you feel it would also depend on the mattress you are using on the adjustable bed.

Overall ... we wouldn't go back

Phoenix

Question on adjustable bases and king beds. Seems that the most optimal set of beds is split twins on the adjustable bases to form a king size. We have a king size bed now - going to split twins will be a slightly different sleeping experience with the crack in the middle.

At one store they seemed okay with using a king size mattress and moving each side of the adjustable independently. If one side was up and the other down, the mattress was torqued and the lower side was slightly down hill.

Do most people just go with the twins and let the adjustable beds work optimally, or are normal king beds used and one side may be up and the other slanted up?

Hi rkalish,

Question on adjustable bases and king beds. Seems that the most optimal set of beds is split twins on the adjustable bases to form a king size. We have a king size bed now - going to split twins will be a slightly different sleeping experience with the crack in the middle.

The adjustable beds can only be ordered in a split king version (there is no single king versions with the most common manufacturers) but the mattress on top of them can either be a single king size or a split king size. The two halves of the adjustable bed can be programmed to operate together with a single remote.

Of course a choice of a split king mattress is also an option if there is an advantage to you of being able to operate each side independently but then you would have to deal with the split in the middle as you mentioned and decide if feeling the split was worth the tradeoff of independent movement on each side. How much you would feel the split when the mattresses were flat would also depend on the specifics of the mattress and on how flush the top surfaces fit together. A mattress that has a more square shape with sharper (not rounded) upper edges with either latex or memory foam on top and that has no tape edge or seam on the upper edges would minimize or reduce the feel of any gap or split between them.

You can also get various types of "convertors" which fill in the crack in the middle and attach the two halves together such as here and here and here and here but you would lose the ability of operating each half independently so you may be better off with a single king unless you want to keep the option open.

You could also use a single topper over both sides (preferably with the gap filled in) if the gap in between was uncomfortable but this would also eliminate the advantage of being able to adjust each side separately because it could damage the topper so it would probably be better to use a single king mattress rather than go in this direction unless again you wanted to keep the option of going back to a split king mattress open.

At one store they seemed okay with using a king size mattress and moving each side of the adjustable independently. If one side was up and the other down, the mattress was torqued and the lower side was slightly down hill.

I don't think this is a direction I'd be comfortable with and I think it would have a significant risk of damaging the mattress ... especially over time.

Do most people just go with the twins and let the adjustable beds work optimally, or are normal king beds used and one side may be up and the other slanted up?

While I wouldn't use each side independently with a single king mattress ... I think that the choice between a single king mattress or two twin XL mattresses would really be a matter of preference. I would definitely connect each half of the adjustable together though if I had a single king mattress and not use each side independently. Each option has advantages and disadvantages depending on how you feel about having independent movement on each side (or your own separate mattress that can also be moved if necessary) but having to deal with a crack in the middle that most people would feel if you tend to share or use the sleeping area in the middle for sleeping, cuddling, or other activities vs having a single sleeping surface without any gaps in the middle is one of the tradeoffs that each person would need to make for themselves to decide if the crack or gap in between was worth the benefits of having two mattresses that are independent of each other. It would really be a preference and lifestyle choice.

I would also keep in mind that if you have a split king option and want a sheet set that allows for twin sheets on the bottom (for independent movement) but king bedding on top (so you are both under the same sheets and blankets) that you will need a split king sheet set (two twin XL on the bottom and a king on top) or will need to order your sheets individually rather than as a set.

Phoenix

Thanks for the info. Didn't realize that whether you used a king or two twins, the adjustable bed was the same split units.

This might be advantageous. I will probably order two twins, but stick to beds companies that have split layers - independent sides of foam on kings.

That way, if my wife decided she hated the split twins, I could purchase a king size bed from the same company without layers, and reuse my layers.

Does it work to transfer the foam from twins and put them in a king?

Thanks

Hi rkalish,

Yes ... all you would need to do is buy a suitable king size zip cover and transfer the layers from the twin XL covers into the king cover and you would transform your split king into a single king. You would need to make sure you used a thicker quilted cover so you don't feel the split in the top layer.

Make sure that everything is twin XL and not just a regular twin (two twin XL's are an Eastern King).

Phoenix