A Guide to Buying the Best Adjustable Beds In South Africa – 2020

Adjustable Bed South Africa – If there are only a few things that we all have in common as homosapiens, one of the biggest ones is sleep; the fact that we all do it, and we all need it to survive, as much as we need air, water and food. In fact, Fatal Familial Insomnia – although rare – is the phenomenon of death due to lack of sleep. It comes as no surprise then that we actively pursue and fiercely protect our nocturnal slumber.

Of course, the bed we choose plays a massive, if not the biggest role, in how successful we are in this pursuit of nightly rest. You’re probably reading this because you want to master the art of sleep with the best bed possible, and you’re looking for the right adjustable bed in South Africa for you.

Besides Not Dying of Excessive Awake-ness, Adjustable Beds are Really Convenient

Over and above the impact that an electric bed has on your overall sleep, it offers other luxurious benefits, such as:

• With an adjustable bed, it’s far easier to sit up and read, without having to be awkwardly propped up with pillows all around.
• For those with a tendency to unwind in bed while binge-watching a favourite Netflix series, an adjustable bed allows maximum comfort, and the perfect angle to watch TV.
• An adjustable bed offers comfort and physical support for those who like to work or write on their laptops in bed.
• Many people enjoy completing a crossword puzzle or a sudoku game, or maybe a quiet hour of adult colouring-in – an adjustable bed provides a comfortable place to wind down.
• Many of us end our day with a quick skim over social media platforms or reading the news on our devices. Why not scroll away in comfort on a plush motorised bed?

Of course, adjustable beds have also been linked to alleviating aches and pains and health conditions. It may be well worth considering if you’re looking for solutions for sleep-related health challenges:

• Get relief from heartburn at night
• Reduce acid reflux when lying down
• Lessen the effect of sleep apnea and snoring
• Enhance blood circulation by elevating the heart
• Alleviate leg swelling by raising the legs
• Recover from surgery or injuries in the best comfort possible
• Improve night-time digestion
• Getting in and out of bed is far easier with the help of an adjustable bed and especially helpful for those who are aged, disabled or injured.

Start at the Top: Choosing the Right Mattress for Your Adjustable Bed

Pairing your adjustable base with a poor-quality mattress is going to be an expensive disappointment. If you’re going to invest in an adjustable bed, choose a high-quality mattress to help you enjoy the full benefits that your electric bed affords. The jury has been out for years that your best mattress options are natural latex, memory foam, and latex hybrids, and the majority of these are compatible with most adjustable bed frames.

Why You Should Consider Latex

1. Offering many nights of guilt-free slumber, natural latex mattresses are eco-friendly, 100% biodegradable, with no additional fillers.
2. Latex mattresses don’t require turning or flipping over – the easiest mattresses to maintain.
3. Similarly, to memory foam, latex mattresses are responsive to movement and noise-free, for a night of undisturbed and naturally rejuvenating sleep.
4. All pure latex mattresses provide instant pressure relief and circulation support for aching muscles, with the unrivalled elasticity of latex fibres.
5. Because of its antibacterial, anti-allergenic and anti-microbial properties, latex is the cleanest possible sleeping surface, and will never become home to dust mites.
6. Natural latex has an open cell structure made up of millions of interconnecting microscopic air bubbles. Not only does this contribute to the unparalleled support and resilience of the mattress, but it also keeps the mattress at a comfortable, cool temperature, contrary to the unmanageable overheating often experienced with memory foam.
7. Latex mattresses are designed for durability – the optimum density delivers long-lasting performance and ability to hold shape for years to come.
8. Because latex mattresses manage so much of the pressure, they are ideal to pair with adjustable bed bases. By absorbing the body’s weight in the right places, a latex mattress offers additional support to your motion bed and can extend its lifespan by years.

A great example of a pure latex mattress is the Jordan range of latex mattresses, such as their Dunlop Latex mattress, which offers firm comfort and spinal support in 5 comfort zones, and the Natural Latex mattress which is softer and offers 7 spinal support comfort zones. These have been developed in partnership with the Institute of Ergonomics in Munich.

The Best of Both Worlds: the Hybrid

1. A hybrid mattress will offer the firm support of both memory foam padding on one side and the luxurious comfort of latex on the other.
2. Most hybrid mattresses are easy to maintain and don’t need to be turned like traditional mattresses.
3. Much like the 100% pure latex mattress, the hybrid maintains a reasonably cool temperature – bearing in mind that the memory foam element may still absorb and hold some warmth.
4. The hybrid’s latex side enjoys the superior sterility of antibacterial, anti-allergenic and anti-microbial pure latex, which means this option is also easy to keep clean.
5. Latex and memory foam are both highly durable, making the hybrid a long-term investment to pair with a high-quality adjustable bed.

Memory Foam for Body Moulding

Memory foam mattresses are manufactured from a type of high-density polyurethane foam. While this synthetic foam has been hailed as one of the best in sleeping comfort, it’s important to understand certain dynamics of these complex, and sometimes controversial, mattresses:

1. What makes memory foam so popular is its ability to conform to the natural shape of your body.
2. One of memory foam’s oddities, that few people are aware of, is its reaction to different temperatures. When warm, the foam softens and becomes soft and less supportive. When cold, the foam is firm. This might make it difficult to select a bed for firmness from the store and makes memory foam less suitable for prolonged use of an electric blanket.
3. Because memory foam is designed to mould around the body, it holds its shape extremely well. Although intended to offer the ultimate in spinal and muscular support, memory foam does not bounce back when users move around. The foam can take several minutes for the foam to adjust to a new position, which can prove disruptive and uncomfortable for restless sleepers.
4. For people with naturally higher body temperatures, memory foam absorbs heat and does not ventilate as well as pure latex. This heat builds up during the night, often resulting in overheating and discomfort.
5. Many couples choose memory foam for its ability to absorb movement and because it’s noise-free – no squeaky springs or residual bounce when one partner is tossing and turning.
6. Most memory foam mattresses are incredibly durable – also a long-term investment for a high-quality motion bed.

Top Tips for Choosing a Mattress for Your Adjustable Bed

There’s more to the mattress than meets the eye. When you’re choosing a mattress to pair with a new adjustable bed, make a list of priorities to discuss with your local bed store:

1. Most ergonomically designed mattresses have multiple comfort zones – this means the mattress has varying levels of firmness according to which part of the body it is supposed to support. Ask your salesperson to explain each mattress’ comfort zones, and how they might add support to your adjustable bed.
2. If being “eco-friendly” matters to you, authentic latex mattresses are 100% natural and biodegradable, while memory foam is a synthetic fibre that offs gases in the first few weeks of use. This can irritate sensitive skin and allergies.
3. Always ask what the warranties and guarantees on different mattresses are and avoid buying from online suppliers that don’t have a physical shop space. Taking advantage of a return or exchange policy with an e-store often becomes a challenge, leaving unhappy customers even more unhappy
4. Finally, be sure that the mattress that you select reacts well to being folded and manipulated by the motion of your electric bed, as some mattresses – such as innerspring mattresses – cannot fold with the movements of the adjustable bed.

More About High-Quality Adjustable Beds in South Africa

Purchasing an adjustable bed – or power bed – is a life-altering lifestyle upgrade and one that you should never regret. There are a surprising number of options available on the electric bed market, so you’ll need to ask yourself some serious questions while you shop around:

Can engineering be trusted?

Not many pieces of furniture in your home will be required to perform the movements that an adjustable bed will need to perform, let alone do it with the precision and refinement expected from an adjustable bed. It’s a complex furniture item, so spend some time getting to know more about the motors and parts that make up the electric beds that you’re contemplating. Do some home research, read reviews, and shamelessly ask bed salespeople as many questions as you need to.

And, of course, it goes without saying, test a range of adjustable beds. Feel for jerky motions, slow responses, and noisy hinges. A bed’s performance on the shop floor should showcase flawless engineering, for you to know that it’s worth your hard-earned money.

Has it been ergonomically designed?

The most reputable motorised beds are the ones that have been designed with the input of a panel of scientists or medical professionals who understand the importance of lumbar and muscular support. Doctors and scientists are consulted to assist in developing features and bed positions that contribute to sleep hygiene and overall Musco-skeletal wellness. Some bed brands don’t invest in this, resulting in expensive, disappointing beds, and possibly a great deal of discomfort and pain too.

Can you find the right size?

Adjustable beds do come in the full range of bed sizes – which sounds simple enough. However, complications can arise when buying a Queen or Double power bed that is being shared between two people – unless an incredibly special split mattress can be sourced, the two sides cannot easily be operated independently. This is why a King electric bed makes far more sense for couples – because two single mattresses ensure that each sleep-er may operate their side with total freedom from the other, and minimal disruption to their partner.

Can your adjustable bed bear your weight?

Motorised beds have been manufactured to cope with certain maximum weight capacities. Because of the intricate mechanical design of these complex beds, make sure that you know the maximum weight capacity of your desired electric bed, before buying it, and check that neither you nor your partner exceeds that weight.

Can you fit the ideal mattress?

Mattresses and adjustable beds in South Africa are usually sold together as a package. In fact, many power beds brands have specially manufactured mattresses to pair with the power base and in South Africa, most electric beds are sold with memory foam mattresses. As the world of bedding moves towards natural solutions with eco-friendly footprints on the earth, more people are turning to pure latex as their choice of mattress. Deciding how important mattress quality is to you will also have an impact on the kind of adjustable bed that you choose in the end.

What about zero gravity?

The boat has probably sailed on your opportunity to become an astronaut, but in the bed industry, there’s a sweet spot of comfort that’s been dubbed ‘zero-gravity’. It is what all serious adjustable bed brands hope to attain when designing a bed that can raise both the upper body and the legs at the same time – to provide the perfect balance of relief for aching, swollen ankles and feet, and optimal circulation. The ultimate in rest and relaxation, ‘zero gravity’ offers a sense of floating and weightless comfort that’s hard to match.

Should your bed really massage you?

While not easily accessible locally, many adjustable beds offer a ‘massage function’ – most of which simply amounts to a glorified vibrate function. It sure does sound nice, but the jury’s not out yet on whether there’s really any benefit to it.

It’s worth noting that the vibrations that these ‘massage’ motors generate often result in rattles and loose components that can only be tightened and readjusted by the bed suppliers themselves, who originally assembled the bed in your home in the first place. You will need to ask yourself if the sensation is worth the schlep.

If you do decide to indulge in a massage bed, or vibrating bed, we urge you to make sure that the supplier you purchase from does not insert the vibrating pad into your mattress. Although the vibrations are absorbed and felt well throughout the mattress, the damage done to it is irreversible and badly deteriorates the quality of the mattress.

Does the adjustable bed come with enough remotes?

In the case of a single bed, one remote is obviously enough. However, when purchasing a queen or king power bed to share with a partner, be sure to check that each person has their own remote to control their side of the bed independently from the other. Most adjustable beds come with two remotes as a standard feature, but always check this, to avoid bedtime bickering over the remote.

Are you going to enjoy looking at it?

The modern adjustable bed has come a long way from the clinical hospital beds they were once associated with and are now available in attractive designs. Some motorised beds are even able to fit into existing bed frames, thereby having minimal impact on the interior design of your bedroom. While far more attractive than they once were, most brands have a limited range on their power bed aesthetics, and it can take a good chunk of time finding one that harmonizes well with your bedroom interior.

What are your sleep needs?

Possibly the most important question of all – what do you need from your adjustable bed? While fundamentally similar, most motorised beds each have their own speciality. One might be designed for optimal spinal support and circulation, while another might facilitate the perfect leg position to ease varicose vein pain or swollen feet.

Be sure to assess what your needs are upfront, to avoid being sucked into a fray of features that you don’t need.

Browsing some brands…

 As you search for a suitable adjustable bed in South Africa, you are likely to stumble across some leading brands that will show more promise than others. Most electric beds have been imported from all over the world, offering a variety of features and benefits for you to contemplate. Take a glance at three-bed brands that are recognized for their high-quality adjustable beds.

Swissway

Currently offering 6 adjustable beds in South Africa, Swissway allows you to customise your sleep experience with a combination of European quality and a host of unique benefits and safety features. Designed and manufactured in Germany, it is this notoriously precise German engineering that sets the bar for an exceptional product of the highest quality.

Personalised

Swissway’s power beds are adjustable and can be finely tuned to provide customised support for individual body types. Ease your aches and pains by personalizing how rigid or resilient you want each pressure zone to be.

Sizes that make sense

Swissway adjustable beds are available in Single and King sizes, and extra-length for total tall-people comfort. While other brands do import queen-size adjustable beds, this requires the customer to purchase specially designed mattresses to fit the base, as standard queen mattresses are not able to accommodate the individual movements on each side of the bed.

A king-size adjustable bed simply takes two single-bed mattresses, giving the customer the freedom to choose what kind of mattress they prefer.

Yes, YOU choose the mattress

Most other brands offer adjustable beds that come paired with the mattress that’s been manufactured specifically for the bed base – the majority of these are high-density memory foam mattresses. Currently, Fit for Bed is the only supplier who can pair a high-quality pure latex mattress with an adjustable bed, as our superior latex mattresses are a perfect fit for the Swissway motion beds. This means that you can choose a mattress that meets your needs, whether it be memory foam, natural latex or a hybrid. Your comfort comes first.

German-Engineered Foundation

This is where the magic really happens – the Swissway adjustable beds boast intricately engineered sprung-loaded slatted foundations, able to support 100 – 110kg body weights, depending on the bed model.

Currently the most popular on the market, the Swissway 300 uses German-engineered, high-strength and super flexible beech laminated slats, wrapped in quality metal foil – maximum support and durability at its best. These are connected in groups of three – we call this the triple slat design – fastened to the base by pressure-absorbing Flexi-pads on the bed base frame.

The Secrets of the Slats

The slatted foundation of the Swissway adjustable bed range has numerous benefits:

• Improved ventilation which allows the mattress to breathe.
• The sprung-loaded slats help to absorb pressure from the mattress, enhancing your mattress’ lifespan.
• The triple-slat foundation continuously re-adjusts according to the movement and position of your body. While relieving the aches and pains one might feel on pressure points like shoulders and hips, the slats support your mattress in contouring to the natural alignment of your spine.
• You can adjust how taught you want the slats to be, with 18 adjustable slats in the centre that help to personalise the different comfort zones that support the spine.
• Spreading the weight of the body between 42 slats on a single bed, and 84 slats on a king-size bed, Swissway adjustable beds are extremely durable and enjoy a long lifespan.

Comfort Zone?

Many adjustable beds are designed with what we call ‘comfort zones’ or ‘zones of support’. A great deal of research is done to identify the areas of the body that require rigid support and the areas that require some leeway. Swissway adjustable beds offer you between 5 and 7 comfort zones, with the Swissway 300’s triple-slate foundation offering a full 7 zones of support for the following areas: the head, shoulders, back, hips, knees, lower legs and ankles/feet. Softer slats in the shoulder and leg zones relieve pressure and enhance blood circulation, while firm support in the head and feet help to support the neck and pressure on the lower spine.

What Swissway has been really good at is designing a bed that provides effective support in these comfort zones, even when the base is raised to an upright position and the body’s weight is centred around the pelvic zone. In fact, the Swissway beds are able to swivel up to a full 90-degree angle, while still offering support and comfort to the key areas of the body.

High-Quality Mechanics

World-class engineering, silent movements, and TUV-approved – Swissway adjustable beds have been designed with the user experience and value for money in mind.

• Robust, high-quality motors lift both the upper body, and the legs – either independently or simultaneously. Zero gravity comfort is easily achieved.
• King beds are equipped with two remote controls, programmed to control each side of the bed. This allows couples to control their side of the bed independently, without disturbing their partner.
• Swissway beds are TUV approved – A TUV certification confirms that the bed has been tested for safety and meets the minimum requirements of the German Equipment and Product Safety Act. It doesn’t get safer than that.
• Swissway adjustable beds are one of the only brands that have incorporated a battery backup system on their motors. This makes them ideal for South African consumers, who would find themselves stuck in an upright position during load-shedding or power outages.
• Swissway is also the only adjustable bed in South Africa that offers electro-smog protection. Small circulating currents within the body have been linked to external electric and magnetic currents at low frequencies, released by appliances, even when they are switched off, but remain plugged in. This is called ‘electro-smog’, and many believe that it can be harmful to human health. Swissway’s electro-smog protection system cuts off all electricity when the bed motor is not being used – a simple and ingenious solution.

No one wants a hospital bed

The good news is that adjustable beds are no longer the clinical, stainless steel government-facility beds that they used to be the adjustable beds in South Africa. Decades of commercialization and refining have turned motion beds into luxurious, designer items that grace the bedroom with comfort and style. Even so, because of the mechanical structure and nature of electric beds, aesthetic elements can be limited, with many brands only offering a handful of design solutions.

Understanding that sleep and relaxation go hand-in-hand with tranquil and beautiful surroundings, the Swissway 300 comes in an upholstered frame, with a choice of 8 contemporary fabrics, in 30 different colours. The legs are available in 4 different colours too, helping you to furbish a bed that suits your home, to a ‘t’.

TEMPUR

Well-known for their quality, TEMPUR offers two adjustable bed options in South Africa, the TEMPUR Flex bed base, and the TEMPUR Supreme complete bed system.

The TEMPUR Flex Bed Base is a basic bed base that can be inserted into an existing bed frame or fitted with legs to be converted into a standing bed. An open honeycomb structure of flexible plates makes up the base, allowing for ventilation and response to movement.

There are four comfort zones on the Flex bed base:

1. Head zone – rigid plates provide secure support for the head
2. Shoulder zone – softer plates allow the shoulders deeper movement
3. Back zone – medium firmness provides sufficient support and freedom with the lumbar areas of the spine
4. Foot zone – rigid plates keep the feet from sinking

The TEMPUR Flex bed base makes use of two motors to adjust either the upper body and head or the legs and feet. As a freestanding base, this is a nifty adjustable bed that can be paired with any mattress of your choice, although a deep mattress is not recommended.

The TEMPUR Supreme Complete Bed System is a comprehensive motorised bed that comes with:

• A TEMPUR mattress and topper
• An adjustable bed base
• A tasteful frame in chenille fabric
• An optional matching headboard

Also fitted with two motors per single mattress, the TEMPUR Supreme raises the upper body and the legs with smooth, well-engineered movements. As the bed system is designed and sold as a whole, it comes with a memory foam mattress and memory foam topper, with latex not being an option.

While TEMPUR mattresses are well known for their quality, they are expensive, and it may well be worth shopping around.

ORTHOPEDIC Pillow & Mattress

Orthopedic Pillow & Mattress have a range of adjustable beds that use locally manufactured motors, multi-hinged frames and memory foam mattresses:

• 45 – 85 density memory foam mattresses
• Attractive frames and upholstery in imported chenille, euro leather, antique velvet or plush bamboo velour
• 10-year guarantee on the memory foam mattress
• 4-year guarantee on motors and remote controls

In keeping trends and standards the Orthopedic Pillow & Mattress range also offers the capacity to raise both upper body and legs and feet – independently or at the same time.

The Orthopedic Pillow & Mattress range are beautiful pieces of furniture, although some care should be taken on choosing locally-sourced mechanics, which might not be as resilient as imported products.

Join the Evolution of the Adjustable Bed

Motion beds have certainly evolved over the years, with technology and mechanics have come a long way from the rickety steel beds they used to be. Purchasing one is a significant investment into both sleep health and luxury, and so a great deal of care needs to go into selecting a brand that addresses your needs and concerns.

Take the time to research the many options available for adjustable beds in South Africa. At Fit for Bed, we welcome your call and would be happy to answer the questions you may have about the outstanding Swissway range and compare them to the other fine adjustable beds available in South Africa.