Are Murphy Beds Comfortable? Cabinet and Wall Bed Comfort Explained (2026)
Short answer: Yes, a Murphy bed can be comfortable. How it sleeps depends mostly on the mattress and the platform under it, not on the fact that the bed folds away. It suits guests well. For sleeping on it every night, pay attention to the mattress type, because some options are made for occasional use and others for daily use.
"Murphy bed" covers two designs: a wall bed that swings up against the wall, and a freestanding cabinet bed that opens from a chest or cabinet. Archic sells cabinet Murphy beds, so the model details below come from those product pages. The comfort basics apply to both.
What makes a Murphy bed comfortable?
Three things decide it.
- The mattress. Type, thickness and firmness matter more than anything else. A peer-reviewed literature review on mattresses and back pain (Caggiari et al., 2021) concluded that a medium-firm mattress promotes comfort, sleep quality and spinal alignment.
- The sleeping platform. The Arason Kingston page lists a solid sleeping platform that removes springs and bars. Night and Day beds list a slatted platform, for example seven slats with 4.25 inches between them on the Poppy.
- The frame. Night and Day queen cabinet beds such as the Murphy Cube and the Poppy are listed as solid rubberwood with a 500 lb weight capacity.
Do Murphy beds use regular mattresses?
It depends on the bed. A wall bed maker says a regular mattress can be used but is not the best fit, because it is not designed to be stored upright, and that some wall beds take mattresses up to 12 inches thick while others have tighter limits (as of 2026). Cabinet beds work differently: the mattress folds in three sections and stores inside the cabinet, so Archic cabinet beds are sold with a tri-fold mattress designed for that. The Artisan desk bed is the exception on our site. It takes a standard twin mattress 6 inches thick or less, sold separately.
So "do Murphy beds need a special mattress" has a practical answer: check the thickness limit and whether the mattress folds before you buy one.
Mattress options on Archic cabinet Murphy beds
| Bed | Mattress | Notes from the product page |
|---|---|---|
| Night and Day Murphy Cube (Queen) | Complete Set: gel memory foam. Upgrade: hybrid pocket coil. Cabinet Only: none | Both mattress options fold inside the cabinet; 500 lb capacity |
| Arason Creden-ZzZ Kingston (Queen) | Tri-fold 6-inch foam (2 inches of soft high-resilient foam over 4 inches of dense foam, per Arason), included | Solid sleeping platform; supports up to 500 lb |
| Arason Creden-ZzZ Madrid (Full or Queen) | Tri-fold 6-inch high-resilient foam, included | 4 inches base foam and 2 inches softer foam |
| Night and Day Orion (Twin or Full) | Complete Set: 4-inch tri-fold gel memory foam. Cabinet Only: none | Page says the Full takes a standard Full mattress and the Twin a standard Twin |
On Night and Day beds, "Complete Set" includes the mattress and "Cabinet Only" does not. Only the Vintage White Murphy Cube (6-inch tri-fold) and Orion (4-inch tri-fold) pages state the included mattress thickness; the Murphy Cube page does not.
Are Murphy beds comfortable for everyday use?
A Murphy bed can be the main bed in a studio or small apartment, and the mattress choice is what matters. On the Murphy Cube page, the gel memory foam mattress is described as ideal for guest rooms and occasional use, and the hybrid pocket coil upgrade is described as built for every-night use, with individually wrapped coils and less motion transfer. If the bed will be your main bed, choose the upgrade where it is offered.
The Arason beds include a 6-inch tri-fold foam mattress (2 inches of soft high-resilient foam over 4 inches of dense foam, per Arason). The thickness has a limit: the mattress has to fold to fit inside the cabinet, so it will be thinner than a full-size traditional mattress. If you want to add a topper, keep in mind that the mattress must still fold and close. The product pages do not say how much extra thickness fits, so ask us before adding one.
What is the most comfortable Murphy bed?
The product pages do not publish firmness ratings, so we cannot rank models by feel. What we can compare is what is listed. For nightly sleeping on a Night and Day bed, the hybrid pocket coil option is the one described for every-night use. Among Arason beds, the Kingston and Madrid both include a 6-inch tri-fold mattress, the Kingston page lists a solid platform, and the Madrid page describes its layers (4 inches of base foam, 2 inches of softer foam). Compare the queen models side by side in our cabinet Murphy bed comparison chart.
Are wall beds and cabinet beds equally comfortable?
The same rules apply: a good mattress on a stable platform. The differences are practical. A wall bed mounts to the wall and stores its mattress upright, which is where the thickness limits above come from. A cabinet bed such as the Murphy Cube stands freely with no wall mounting, and its product page describes it as suited to renters and flexible spaces. For how the sizes compare, see our Murphy cabinet bed sizes guide.
Are Murphy beds worth it?
The trade is a folding mattress in exchange for floor space. The Murphy Cube's product page lists a footprint of about 11.75 sq ft (64.1 x 26.4 in) when closed, and Night and Day lists a 10-year warranty on the cabinet and 3 years on the mattress. It suits guest rooms, home offices and studios where the floor is needed during the day. If you want a full-thickness mattress in a permanent bed frame, a standard bed is a better fit. Browse the full cabinet Murphy bed collection.
Which Murphy bed should you choose?
- Guest room, occasional use: a Complete Set with the standard gel memory foam mattress.
- Sleeping on it every night: a Night and Day bed with the hybrid pocket coil upgrade, or an Arason bed with the 6-inch tri-fold foam mattress.
- You already own a mattress: a Cabinet Only listing, but check that your mattress folds and fits the cabinet first.
- Twin or Full space: the Orion.
Frequently asked questions
Are Murphy beds comfortable to sleep on?
Yes, when the mattress and platform are good. Medium-firm mattresses are the ones associated with better comfort and alignment in the research above, and the product pages list the mattress type so you can check before buying.
How comfortable are Murphy beds compared with a regular bed?
The main difference is mattress thickness. Cabinet beds use a tri-fold mattress that folds into the cabinet, so it is thinner than a regular full-thickness mattress.
Are cabinet beds comfortable?
Yes. Our cabinet Murphy beds are listed with gel memory foam, tri-fold foam or hybrid pocket coil mattresses, depending on the model and package.
Can two people sleep comfortably on a queen Murphy bed?
The Murphy Cube is listed with a 500 lb capacity, and the Arason Kingston page says its bed supports up to 500 pounds and comfortably fits two adults.
Can you use a Murphy bed every day?
Yes. For daily use choose the mattress made for it: the hybrid pocket coil upgrade on the Night and Day beds.
Questions? Call or text (916) 262-7257 or email support@archicfurniture.com.
