Best Bunk Beds – Buyer’s Guide and Top Models

Bunk beds are an excellent and space-saving way for parents with more than one child. Not only you gain an extra bed’s worth of space in a given room, but you also get additional storage compartments and functionalities.

Written by:

Derek

Last Updated: Thu, July 18, 2019

Bunk beds are a huge way of saving space in your home if you have more than one child. Not only you gain an extra bed’s worth of space in a given room, but you also get additional storage compartments and functionalities that you usually only get with high-end work desks. However, most bunk beds cost a lot, and this is why making an informed, researched decision is extremely important. You want this bed to be a centerpiece of the room for years to come. This article is meant to serve as a purchasing guide for those of you that aren’t fully sure where to look for the best bunk beds. We’ll lay out our top picks, so you can at least narrow down your choices to only the finest-quality models.

Our Top Picks

Walker Edison Furniture Full Metal Loft Bed

This bed outperforms almost everything else available to students. Most dorm room furniture purchases end up in the garbage disposal within a month or two, but this model is made of powder-coated steel and sturdy enough to last for years. Its two ladders let you freely position the bed anywhere in the room without worrying about angle or contact with other furniture.

source: walkeredison.com

One of the most significant selling points when it comes to this bed is the sheer amount of space it gives you underneath the mattress and it is incredibly useful for storage and makes this bed an excellent choice for kids since it lets them play in that area. Kids like to make “houses” with this kind of setup, so the Walker Edison Furniture model lets them express their creativity. On the other hand, if you’re a student sharing your living space with roommates, this model gives you enough space for a small office under the mattress.

While the bed is pretty sturdy and backed with a 30-night warranty, complications may arise. Thankfully, you have the option of requesting replacement parts to fix any issue you run into, and the product ships with detailed assembly instructions. Couple that with this bed’s affordable, student-friendly price, and you have a really good value pick.

Selling Points:

Dorel Living Sierra Triple Bunk Bed

This solid wood bunk bed is highly adaptable to various room layouts and sleeping habits. The fact that you can separate all three beds lets people position anywhere in the room that makes sense for them, such as near windows, away from restless sleepers, etc. The Dorel Living Sierra model is sturdy enough to support three fully grown adults, although it’s most frequently used for children. Each bed is made to support a twin-size mattress, and in such a scenario, the warranty for this model lasts one full year.

source: dorelliving.com

Triple bunk beds can present parents with safety considerations. As a response to those worries, this bed has incredibly sturdy guardrails and ladders that enable easy access to the upper two bunks. If you separate the beds, you can also store various supplies under them, giving you even more space in the room.

This model is incredibly easy to set up, even with only one person doing the work. Couple that with the super-affordable price and you have a perfect choice for parents in a pinch, or anyone else needing to accommodate multiple people. Make sure to measure your room height before investing; it’s generally good practice for planning new furniture investments.

Selling Points:

Zinus Hani Steel Quick Lock Bunk Bed

The main selling point here is in the name – the Quick-Lock system makes it laughably easy to assemble this bed, even if you have zero previous technical experience. Not only that, but you can order expert assembly on the spot if you place an order on Amazon. Because Zinus Hani Bunk Bed is made entirely out of steel, it’s quite sturdy. A 5-year warranty backs the product, and the Quick-Lock system makes it easy to slot in any replacement parts you obtain.

source: amazon.com

Both bunks are created to support someone at or under 175 lbs. Although the guardrails are sturdy, it’s considered a safety risk to allow a child under six years onto the top bunk without supervision. The ladder is locked into place, so it’s hard to feel even remotely unstable while climbing. The instructions for assembly are intuitive and easy to understand if you would rather put the thing together yourself. If you can find your way through the instructions, it only really takes one person an hour to complete the full assembly. The price point is very generous for what you get, and the overall construction has an elegant shape that could bring a room to life.

Selling Points:

Max & Lily Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed With Trundle Bed

With a solid wood construction made from the finest knot-free New Zealand pine, this Max & Lily full-over-full bunk bed stands out immediately on touch. A lot of lower-quality beds use metal-on-wood connections, which essentially puts the wood part on a timer, and risks your bed’s structural safety and integrity. This bed uses metal-on-metal, however, so there’s no such risk. It is a very hardy model and supports people up to 400 lbs with full-sized mattresses. The Trundle bed can be easily repurposed for storage if necessary, and the bunks can be separated for extra flexibility.

source: maxandlily.com

The 14-inch guardrails do their job and keep the bunks safe even for small kids, as long as your mattress is of a conventional size. The ladder has rounded edges to minimize any risk of injury or discomfort, which makes it fun for children to navigate and helps parents convince their kid to go to sleep on their own finally.

The customer service is top-notch. This model isn’t the easiest bed to set up, but that’s made up for by how useful and understanding the customer support representatives are.

Selling Points:

DHP Twin-Over-Twin Bunk Bed

Another classic quality model, this DHP bunk bed is also pretty affordable. The full-metal construction offers improved durability over time, so the bed almost always vastly outlives its 1-year warranty. The top bunk supports 200 lbs of weight, while the bottom one can support 225 lbs. It is typically enough for most small-average sized adults, which means kids have no issues whatsoever. The ladder for the top bunk is slanted, which has been proven to be safer for people of all ages.

source: dhpfurniture.com

Both beds feature narrow slats that are capable of accommodating virtually any mattress you can find. In terms of assembly, this bed isn’t the easiest to set up. It is mostly because there are over a hundred individual components. Thankfully, every part is clearly labeled, and the instructions are quality, so it shouldn’t take a single person more than three hours. We suggest having someone help you assemble this bunk bed, as that cuts down the time significantly and you can help each other accurately and firmly fasten parts together. You also may want help to transport the single box package, as it’s rather heavy. Once you’re safely done with the assembly, you’ll why this product is one of the best.

Selling Points:

Stephan Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed

If you wanted nothing but durability and longevity, this model is your best friend. The heavy and robust thick steel frame prevents not only structural problems but also any kind of shaking or rattling. The sheer weight and stability of this frame can support a larger than average weight, with each bunk clocking in at 400 lbs. of support. The gunmetal finish is sure to make Stephan Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed a centerpiece of any room it’s in, and it feels nice to the touch, which can sometimes make the difference between quickly relaxing and struggling to fall asleep.

source: coasterfurniture.com

Both sides of this bunk bed setup feature ladders, allowing for easy access and ease of positioning in a room. There is an above average amount of space under the lower bunk, helping you squeeze more storage space out of your room. The guarantee lasts a staggering ten years, far above most bunk beds on the market right now. If that doesn’t scream high value, we don’t know what will. The customer support is also very satisfying, with options to receive detailed instructions the second you call them.

Note: Make sure you get some help to unload this thing, as all that durability comes at the cost of extreme weight. The assembly isn’t very difficult, but moving the package into the room may be.

Selling Points:

Buyer’s Guide FAQ

We’ve set aside this section for answering several commonly-asked questions for our reading audience. If you’re considering investing in a bunk bed, here are some things you may want to ask yourself.

Which materials are bunk beds made of?

The most common options you will see are plastic, hardwood, softwood, and metal. The main difference is durability and price.

Plastic bunk beds, for example, often cost very little. It is helpful for new parents as these beds are made almost entirely for very young children, and it lets those parents allocate their budget more freely. However, once the weight starts coming in, plastic bunk beds can become a real safety risk, as they’re the least durable overall.

Metal bunk beds tend to sport high durability and can usually support slightly above average weight. It is one of the most common materials you’ll run into, and they’re a fine purchase.

Softwood is less durable than hardwood or metal but is fairly affordable and more comfortable than most metal bunk beds.

Hardwood is the high-budget option, for sure. It’s the most sturdy and reliable, often the best looking and feels very good to the touch, but these beds often cost a lot. If you can afford them, they’re almost unquestionably the best bunk beds out there.

How do I know whether a bed will support someone’s weight?

Seemingly an obvious question, but there’s a caveat most people don’t acknowledge on time, and this creates massive complications, in the long run, even damaging otherwise great beds. Never forget that the mattress itself counts towards the supported weight limit. The weight support is an attribute of the slats, not the mattress or overall bed frame. If you go slightly overboard with huge mattresses, the bed becomes unusable for more people due to its weight limit. If you’re unsure, consult a sales representative and let him know what kind of mattress you plan on using – they should immediately be able to point you towards beds that can support it.

Are there any safety tips people should keep in mind?

Always. Here’s a list:

  1. Never let your kids wrestle or jump around on bunk beds.
  2. Do not let very young children sleep on anything except the bottom bunk. Most injuries in situations with bunk beds happen to young kids through falling.
  3. Always measure the room before purchasing any bunk bed. The ceiling can pose a problem for the top bunk sleeper.
  4. Don’t let anyone sleep on the top bunk if the guardrail is detached, damaged or otherwise compromised. Falling from that kind of height is no joke, even for fully grown adults.
  5. Don’t position the bed in a way that puts the top bunk near a ceiling fixture, especially if it includes a ceiling fan.
  6. Don’t buy used bunk beds. It may save money, but there are safety risks involved that may lead to not just financial expenses, but serious injuries.

 

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