Murphy Beds are nifty contraptions that make it possible to have a “hidden” bed inside a room. Perfect for limited space, these full-sized beds can tuck away into a wall, closet, or cabinet when not in use. The best Murphy bed is easy to tuck away and similarly easy to set up.
Best Murphy Beds In 2021
- Bestar Nebula Collection Queen Murphy Bed
- Bestar Pur Queen Wall Bed
- Night & Day Furniture Murphy Cube Cabinet Bed
- EMurphybed Daily Delight Murphy Cabinet Chest Bed with Charging Station
- Pemberly Row Puq Easy-Lift Dual Piston Queen Size Murphy Wall Bed
- Bestar Universel Collection Full Murphy Bed
- Atlantic Furniture Hamilton Murphy Bed Chest
- BOWERY HILL Vera Easy-Lift Queen Murphy Wall Bed with Double Bookcase Storage
- Bestar Full Murphy Bed with Floating Shelves
- Atlin Designs Queen Murphy Bed
1. Bestar Nebula Collection Queen Murphy Bed
Bestar Nebula Collection Queen Murphy Bed is a straightforward option. There aren’t many bells and whistles here, so this is a cheap Murphy bed.
To be fair, “cheap” is a relative term when applied to Murphy beds. These beds need to be well-built and strong to be capable of handling the pressures and weight of moving a full-size bed. And this one is a queen Murphy bed.
All those qualities don’t come cheap. So yeah, even if it costs more than a grand, it’s still a budget pick.
Bestar Nebula Queen Murphy Bed uses quality laminated particle board for much of its construction. While folded, it takes on the appearance of a simple cabinet. It has an excellent finish and sports two chrome handles on each panel to complete the look.
As a cabinet, it measures 64.6”w X 89.1”h X 20”d. Unfold it and the depth changes to 92.1”, making it a spacious queen size bed. The setup is comfortable enough to hold most standard queen size mattresses.
It can accommodate a mattress thickness ranging from 8 to 12 inches, dimensions 80” x 60”. However, the weight of the mattress shouldn’t exceed 90 lb. Similarly, the maximum supported weight for the bed is 1000 lb.
Bestar Nebula Murphy beds use a dual piston system to make folding and unfolding the bed easier. When you fold or unfold the bed, the pistons take on much of the weight, making the motions more comfortable for users.
Pros
- Good price point.
- Clean finish makes it look elegant.
- Dual pistons make folding and unfolding the bed easier.
Cons
- The instruction booklet on setup is sub-par.
- Many customer complaints of missing parts like screws for assembly.
2. Bestar Pur Queen Wall Bed
Bestar Pur Queen Wall Bed is another excellent, though somewhat expensive offering from the company. The wall bed in this kit is accompanied by a storage space, which is organized as shelves placed along the frame. It gives a nice cupboard-style touch to the whole setup.
The total available width for the unit is 90-inches. This includes 65” for the bed and 25” for the storage area. Available height for the unit is 87.9-inches. When folded, the depth measures 20.3”, which goes on to 92.2” when extended.
Pur series beds are made from laminated particle board compliant with TSCA Title VI. It is compatible with standard queen size mattresses with thickness up to 12-inches. You can fold the bed along with the mattress without any problem. Though remember to remove pillows and any mattress toppers or sheets.
The bed supports mattresses up to 90 lbs in weight. The total supported weight for the bed is 1000 lbs. Now that’s good for most uses, allowing Bestar Pur to indeed function as a full bed.
A dual piston system finds use in supporting the wall bed. This makes it relatively easy to fold the bed up and down.
When folded away, it looks like a regular cupboard with shelves attached. Two metal handles are available to complete the look and to push the bed for unfolding. The attached storage unit has five shelves, including two fixed and three adjustable shelves.
Pros
- Good quality build and clean finish.
- Easy to fold up and down.
- The dual piston system makes it convenient to manage this Murphy bed.
- Full queen size bed compatible with standard mattresses up to 12-inch thick.
- Additional storage space with shelves.
Cons
- The instruction booklet for assembly is hard to follow.
- The use of particle board over hardwood is questionable at this price point.
3. Night & Day Furniture Murphy Cube Cabinet Bed
Wall beds are all nice and good, but in some instances, users may not be comfortable with the setup. For those occasions, Murphy cabinet beds can come to the rescue.
The cabinet bed looks like, well, a cabinet. To use the bed, you’ll have to do a bit of assembly by removing parts from the cabinet. The top of the cabinet forms one part of the bed. Lower the hinged panel at the front for the second part. Finally, the remaining cabinet becomes the third part.
Rather than using a full mattress, this setup employs individual mattresses for all three parts. A 6-inch Tri-Fold Premium Gel Memory Foam Queen Mattress is included with the Night & Day Furniture Murphy Cube Cabinet Bed.
Three locking hinges facilitate the opening and closing of this Murphy cabinet bed. As a cabinet, it also includes room for the bedsheets and pillows.
The bed has a solid hardwood construction. When closed, it measures 36.6″H x 64.1″W x 26.4″L. Pulled out, the bed has dimensions of 25.7″H x 64.1″W x 80.3″L.
It’s a nice, comfortable, and space-saving setup. But with a cabinet bed, you’ll have to square it against pull-out sofa beds and futons. That really changes the price and value-for-money equation.
Pros
- Convenient setup.
- No requirement for specific installation.
- Good quality construction.
- Comfortable bed.
Cons
- The bed needs manual setup by moving parts every time it’s used.
- Uses three parts for a mattress, rather than a full mattress.
- Expensive
4. EMurphybed Daily Delight Murphy Cabinet Chest Bed with Charging Station
EMurphybed Daily Delight Murphy Cabinet Chest Bed with Charging Station takes a slightly more nuanced approach to cabinet beds. I call it “nuanced” because it really tries to be a comfortable and convenient bed.
As with most cabinets, this one too needs manual work every time you want to set it up. Part of the panels forms one part of the bed, the middle part pulls out from the cabinet, and the cabinet itself plays the role of top and headrest.
The bed frame thus prepared has well-placed slats and is predisposed to be comfortable. It also includes a queen size, 6-inch memory foam mattress. To fit into the cabinet, the mattress has three divisions. So, it’s not a full mattress, but rather three pieces of a queen size mattress.
Made from solid wood, the cabinet features high-quality construction. The dimensions of the cabinet are 65 1/2″ x 30 3/8″ x 40 6/8″. Once unfolded to be a bed, the dimensions measure 65 1/2″ x 80 1/8″ x 40 6/8.
If the queen seems too big, this Murphy cabinet bed is also available in Twin XL size.
Pros
- Quality construction, the cabinet is made from hardwood.
- No specific installation required.
- Comfortable bed.
- Compact and easy to set up.
- Bed slats for a more comfortable frame.
Cons
- Requires manual set up for each use.
- Expensive.
- Uses three parts for a mattress, not a full mattress.
5. Pemberly Row Puq Easy-Lift Dual Piston Queen Size Murphy Wall Bed
Pemberly Row Puq Easy-Lift Dual Piston Queen Size Murphy Wall Bed is a comfortable bed with an excellent design. When folded, it looks like a regular cupboard with a clean finish.
Tug at the metallic handles on the cupboard, and the bed comes gliding down. The speed of the bed is managed and checked by two pistons. So rather than thumping to the ground, it comes down slowly.
Similarly, when it’s time to fold the bed, the pistons present their power and moving the bed becomes easy.
Though a full-size Murphy queen bed with all features, it is slightly lower in weight as compared to similar competitors. The product weighs 358 lbs.
The dimensions of the bed are 89.10″ H x 64.60″ W x 20.30″ D. It can accommodate a queen size mattress up to 12-inch thick, though the mattress should be at least 70 lbs.
Permberley’s bed frame for this bed has a Euroslat support system. This gives the mattress enough room to be somewhat airy, while also providing excellent support.
Pros
- Well-designed Murphy bed.
- Easy to fold and set up.
- Clean and neat finish when folded.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Uses particle board rather than hardwood.
6. Bestar Universel Collection
Priced to be affordable, Bestar Universel Collection is one of the best Murphy beds available. Like most wall beds on this list, this one too makes use of a dual-piston system. As we know already, the pistons make it easier to set up or fold away the bed.
When it’s time to fold away, you will have to remove the pillows and related mattress toppers. Although the mattress can stay in its place and get stashed with the bed.
The oddly spelled “Universel” Collection can handle a mattress up to 10-inch thick. The acceptable mattress weight for this bed is 45 to 95 lbs. Although the maximum supported weight is 1000 lbs. The bed has a Euro Slat base for increased comfort and better handling of the mattress.
The bed is heavy and will take some time for proper installation. As a closet, the bed measures 58.6” W X 83.6” H X 20” D. When unfolded, the depth changes to 87.3 inches from the wall.
Pros
- Relatively good pricing.
- Easy to fold and set up thanks to the dual piston system.
- Comfortable to sleep.
- Euro Slat system on bed for better comfort.
Cons
- The finish seems cheap when observed closely.
- Made from particle board, rather than hardwood.
7. Atlantic Furniture Hamilton Murphy Bed Chest
Another nice Murphy cabinet bed with a clean finish, Atlantic Furniture Hamilton Murphy Bed Chest has a lovely design to go with its space-saving credentials. Just unlatch and fold down the front cabinets and the chest expands into a full-size queen bed.
They’ve included a mattress to go along with the bed. It’s a six-inch mattress that has five inches of support foam topped by an inch of CoolSoft memory foam. The mattress folds into three parts for easy storage. Possibly not the best solution, but it works well enough.
When folded away, the mattress, sheets, and pillows all find room inside the Atlantic Furniture Hamilton Murphy Bed Chest.
The side of the chest has a built-in charging station. This includes two USB charging ports and two 110V power outlets. The charging station connects to a power source using a 9 feet long cord.
As cabinet beds go, this is quite similar to other, similar offerings. It does distinguish itself a bit by being available in several color and style options, which make it easier for a user to pick a design they prefer the most.
Pros
- Clean design with excellent finish.
- Available in several style and color options.
- Made from solid wood.
- Comfortable mattress.
- Includes a built-in power station.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Uses a three-part mattress rather than a full mattress.
8. BOWERY HILL Vera Easy-Lift Queen Murphy Wall Bed with Double Bookcase Storage
This Murphy bed features two shelf storage areas placed on either side of the queen-size wall bed. The storage areas are 25-inches in length (each) and include a wire grommet to enable more practical use. Each storage area has two fixed and four adjustable shelves to allow for more flexibility.
BOWERY HILL Vera Easy-Lift Queen Murphy Wall Bed with Double Bookcase Storage holds a full-size queen bed in the middle panel. When folded, it takes the look of a regular closet. It shows three doors and a top with an elegant crown finish.
Of course, none of these doors open. Although if you pull on the handle of the top panel, it pulls out the bed. The attached dual pistons make sure that folding and unfolding the bed is easy. Indeed, small tugs and gentle push can operate this bed without a problem.
You can place a standard queen size mattress up to 12-inches thick on this bed. However, other elements like pillows and bed covers need to be removed when the bed folds. A Euro Slat mattress foundation is available on the bed. This makes the mattress more comfortable for use.
The overall product dimensions are 114.8″ W x 22.6″ D x 89.9″ H. Meanwhile, the wall bed measures 69.4″ W x 22.6″ D x 89.9″ H.
The whole setup has a melamine finish, which looks elegant. It’s also scratch, stain, and burn-resistant.
Pros
- Good looks and clean finish.
- The melamine finish is burn, scratch, and stain-resistant.
- Can handle standard size queen mattress.
- Convenient to fold and unfold.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Uses particle board or engineered wood.
9. Bestar Full Murphy Bed with Floating Shelves
Here’s another Bestar pick for the best Murphy Bed. This one’s a full bed and has floating storage on the side. This storage option includes two floating shelves and two drawers, each measuring a width of 19.5 inch.
Two LED lights placed at the top of the board give it a rather elegant look. While this bed looks like a closet when folded, it doesn’t work much on trying to mimic the appearance. There are no fake doors or similar designs.
Instead, we get a prominent brushed nickel handle. Pulling at this handle sets the stage for unfolding the bed. Two pistons make sure that the heavy bed doesn’t come crashing down.
Rather, it moves down at a manageable pace, allowing a convenient setup for the user. Similarly, when pushed upwards, the pistons carry the bulk of the weight, making it easy to settle the bed in place.
The bed itself measures 59-inches in width and has a Euroslat foundation to keep the mattress well-placed and to add comfort.
Pros
- Simple and elegant design.
- Dual pistons make folding and unfolding the bed easy.
- The bed can accommodate a conventional 12-inch mattress even when folding.
Cons
- Though pricey, it uses engineered wood rather than hardwood.
10. Atlin Designs Queen Murphy Bed
Atlin Designs Queen Murphy Bed could very well be a twin of the Bestar Full Murphy Bed with Floating Shelves. The appearance and features are largely similar and the biggest difference is in the arrangement of the storage shelves.
The setup has two LEDs placed at the top of the board. This gives it an elegant and clean look. Folded, the bed shows a clean back with a prominent handle that’s useful for unfolding the bed.
The bed sizing is large enough to hold a standard queen size mattress. It can manage a mattress thickness of 8 to 12 inches, allowing the mattress to stay on even when the bed folds. The suggested mattress weight is 60-90 lbs. Although the bed itself can take on a maximum weight of 1000 lbs.
A dual piston system is included to make folding and unfolding the bed easier.
Pros
- Simple design with good look.
- Dual pistons make folding and unfolding the bed easier.
- Can handle a standard queen size mattress up to 12-inch thick.
Cons
- Uses engineered wood.
The Wholesome Love Story Of How Murphy Beds Came To Be
There’s an interesting history trivia behind the invention of Murphy beds.
During the late 1800s, William Lawrence Murphy, the inventor of this bed, lived in a one-room apartment in San Francisco. That wasn’t an unusual living situation for a young man at that time, but William Murphy had a problem.
Murphy was wooing a young opera singer. However, the customs and moral code of that time forbade a lady to enter a gentleman’s bedroom. With a single room at his disposal, Murphy couldn’t wish the bed away.
He could, however, hide the bed.
In another setting, someone perhaps would have used a Japanese Futon Mattress and done away with the problem. My man Murphy, however, wanted a proper full-sized bed and a way to stow it away when not necessary.
Eventually, he designed what would become famous as the Murphy Bed. William Murphy could put the bed into a closet and his bedroom turned into a parlor to receive the lady. Voila!
The couple married in 1900.
And How The Beds Continued To Become A Modern Fixture
William Lawrence Murphy was smart enough to understand the market demand for his invention. A quality product, hard work, and inventive marketing would soon make the Murphy Bed a successful product.
Apartment advertisements in the 1920s often advertised their inclusion of Murphy beds. They even featured in a Charlie Chaplin movie where the legend tackles a finicky Murphy bed! With its inclusion in movies, advertisements, construction, and general life, Murphy’s invention became a definite success.
While modern life doesn’t have the same moral restrictions as William Murphy once faced, we still have the problem of small-sized dwellings. In small apartments and rooms with limited space, a retractable bed makes life so much easier.
Getting the best Murphy bed makes it possible to have a good room in rooms with limited space. Also, you get to sleep on a proper bed with a quality mattress. That’s exactly what we want for a good night’s sleep.
Things To Know For Buying The Best Murphy Bed
Can I Buy A Cheap Murphy Bed?
Sure there are some cheap Murphy beds available. Rather, I should say, Murphy beds with an attractive price point. These beds can’t really be cheap, even a (relatively) inexpensive bed will cost several hundred dollars.
That’s because a lot goes into building a reliable wall bed or even a cabinet bed. They need high-quality moving parts that should (ideally) last for several years. For wall beds, there is an added element of having a sturdy build that can handle the regular folding and unfolding of the bed.
There also has to be a way of folding and unfolding the bed with ease. Pulling down and lifting an entire bed every day isn’t quite an attractive proposition. And having an entire bed plonk down without some way to manage it can lead to an accident that causes damage, or worse, an injury.
Considering all these, there is a threshold on how low the price of the bed can go.
Be Prepared To Pay For Assembly And Setup
Murphy beds usually have to be assembled where they’re intended for setup. For wall beds, this usually takes multiple people with the skill to know what they’re doing.
It’s best not to treat it as putting together some furniture you bought off IKEA.
Putting together a Murphy bed takes more than just putting screws in place. Often, hiring experts is the only way to go.
Hiring experts doesn’t come cheap. It will often end up increasing the overall costs involved, so it’s something to keep in mind.
Many Wall Beds Want A Mattress On Them
Most quality Murphy Wall Beds use piston systems to reduce the force you users have to apply in folding or unfolding the bed. The pistons exert a force on the bed, which might pull up empty wall beds when they’re unfolded.
A mattress adds some weight to the bed, which helps keep it grounded. Incidentally, this setup also allows the wall beds to use standard mattress sizes and thickness, rather than jonesing for specific solutions.
Pull Down vs Folding – Which Is The Best Murphy Bed?
Pull down beds are usually made for use in closets or walls. They hide the bed frame and usually need to be “pulled down” for the bed to set up. These can often present a neater solution with the bed conveniently moved out of view.
However, the installation and setup of wall Murphy beds is complex and often requires skilled workers to put the bed in place. A big advantage of these beds is that users have a wide range of mattress choices. Quality wall beds accept standard mattress sizes and can work with most mattress thicknesses
Folding Murphy Beds, on the other hand, come in a compact, freestanding cabinet. Often, this looks like a conventional storage chest. The cabinet doesn’t attach to a wall and doesn’t need expert mechanical setup. Therefore, the assembly is much simpler.
The bed frame for these mattresses is usually folded or placed inside the cabinet. When needed, users have to pull out the frame or set it up to sleep. Cabinet Murphy Beds often include a custom fit, multi-purpose mattress inside the chest.
Due to this setup, users don’t get much of a choice in picking the mattress they want. Additionally, it can be difficult to find the right mattress size should you need a replacement.
A Stylish And Comfortable Murphy Bed
Murphy Beds are excellent for limited spaces, though many also choose them for aesthetics or similar purposes. Whatever the reason be, getting the best Murphy bed is the way to go.
Proper installation and assembly are necessary for any Murphy bed. Wall beds may need greater effort and careful installation. These beds are often heavy, so it’s best to use an expert for assembly and setup.