A bed without a bed frame is like an ice cream cone without the cone – it just doesn’t make sense. Not only does a nice bed frame tie a bed’s look together, some of the best bed frames can tie whole bedrooms together since the bed is often the focal point of a bedroom.
Choosing the right bed frame depends on what kind of mattress set you have and whether or not you want to tie your bed frame’s design into your bedroom’s overall design. Accomplishing these tasks can be tricky, so we’ve put together a review of the best bed frames out there to help you in your search.
Top Picks For Best Bed Frames
|
Ranking |
Name |
Price Range |
Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SmartBase Mattress Foundation by Zinus |
$90 - $100 |
Amazon Price
|
|
Deluxe Wood Platform Bed with Headboard by Zinus |
$160 - $170 |
Amazon Price
|
|
The Doral Complete Bed |
$200 - $210 |
Amazon Price
|
|
Baxton Studio Hirst Platform Bed |
$500 - $510 |
Amazon Price
|
SmartBase Mattress Foundation by Zinus
BEST BED FRAMES
SmartBase Mattress Foundation by Zinus
Price range: $90 - $100
*at the time of publishing
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
Are you looking for a bed frame that can completely replace your box spring? If so, this bed frame could be the one for you. The Zinus SmartBase Mattress Foundation is a simple, black steel bed frame that is 14 inches off the ground. Once your mattress is set up on top of the frame, you will hardly notice the frame at all.
Serving as more of a foundation rather than a frame, this model incorporates the purpose of a bed frame into a compact, easy-to-setup foundation for your mattress. It’s available in a variety of sizes ranging from narrow twin to California king.
In addition to this standard style, this frame is also available in a Deluxe style. The Deluxe version is specially designed to support more weight than the Standard version.
The Zinus SmartBase Mattress Foundation comes in super compact packaging so you don’t have to worry about breaking your back getting it up the stairs. No tools are required to set it up, so you’re golden if you don’t want to spend the extra money having it installed for you.
There is about a 13-inch clearance underneath the frame once it’s set up. That means there is plenty of room for your storage needs. This bed frame is also virtually noise-free. This is a good feature to have so you don’t keep yourself up at night with the creaks and stress of wondering if the frame is about to break.
WHAT WE LIKED
- The neat folding design makes it a breeze to transport and store.
- Not even a screwdriver is necessary to set it up. Set up can take as little as five minutes.
- It’s high enough off the ground that a box spring isn’t necessary. Just put your mattress right on the frame and you’re good to go!
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Support bars that run from side to side are a bit thin and can bend under excessive weight.
- May cause your mattress to sag in the places where there are no support bars.
- Does not come with a headboard
Deluxe Wood Platform Bed with Headboard by Zinus
BEST BED FRAMES
Deluxe Wood Platform Bed with Headboard by Zinus
Price range: $160 - $170
*at the time of publishing
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
The Deluxe Wood Platform Bed with Headboard offers a wood frame and headboard. It comes in an antique espresso finish, giving it a warm and classic look. It’s available in twin, full, queen, and king sizes. Like our other Zinus frame, this one also does not require a box spring although you can still use one if you want to.
Unlike our other Zinus model, this one comes with a wood-paneled headboard that matches the frame. The headboard’s height does not fluctuate according to the differently sized frames. For example, the headboard on the twin frame is 37 inches high, and it’s also 37 inches high on the full, queen, and king frames. The headboard only fluctuates in width according to the size frame you choose.
In addition to the visible wood of the frame and headboard, this bed frame also has strong wood slats for mattress support. Not only do these slats help increase the life of your mattress, they can also hold a good amount of weight and don’t easily creak like a metal frame would.
This frame gives 12 inches of clearance underneath it, providing you with a decent amount of potential storage space. Made of solid pine wood, this frame can give you the sturdy, classic look you’re going for.
WHAT WE LIKED
- The wood design gives it a simplistic feel. It also makes it easy to incorporate into any room’s look.
- The comfortable amount of space underneath still allows you to vacuum underneath the edges of your bed.
- Easy to put together. Can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.
- Sturdy wood design minimizes potential for squeaks and bends.
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Strips of tape that are designed to hold your mattress in place can be easily overlooked or misused.
- Does not come with plugs of any kind to cover the fastener holes in the headboard.
- Might be too low to the ground for all your storage needs.
The Doral Complete Bed
BEST BED FRAMES
The Doral Complete Bed
Price range: $200 - $210
*at the time of publishing
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
This bed frame offers more of an intricate and elegant design compared with our other choices. The Doral Complete Bed is a matte black steel frame with wood posts. The matte carbon steel is an attractive feature that minimizes the appearance of fingerprints. The twists and turns in both the headboard and footboard help create a unique design.
This frame provides a snug 7 inches of clearance underneath once it’s set up. Because the clearance underneath this frame is so small, you’ll need a box spring to support your mattress and give you some added height so you’re not quite literally falling into bed every night.
Available in full, queen, king, and California king, this frame comes with both a headboard and a footboard. The headboard measures 51 inches in height, and the footboard measures 31 inches in height. The width, of course, changes according to the size frame you need. Both the headboard and footboard have walnut-finish wood posts on either end.
The support frame underneath the box spring consists of iron rails, cross arms, and feet to provide sturdy, uniform support for your bed. The bed frame will come with all the parts you need to assemble it including the instructions.
WHAT WE LIKED
- The contrast between the matte black steel and the wood is a charming combination, and it goes well with black or dark furniture in your room.
- The open-design headboard allows you to both reach and see through it in case your bed is in front of a window.
- Does not squeal or make any noises once assembled and used.
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- The metal’s finish may be a bit rough to the touch.
- Some of the holes for screws may not align properly.
- The smell of the wood stain may be a little too strong.
Baxton Studio Hirst Platform Bed
BEST BED FRAMES
Baxton Studio Hirst Platform Bed
Price range: $500 - $510
*at the time of publishing
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
The Baxton Studio Hirst Platform Bed has an upholstered, grey linen design. The headboard is foam-padded and has a button-tufted look with a silver nail head outline. If you want your bed to make a statement, this bed frame can help you accomplish that. It measures about 58 inches high when fully assembled.
If you want a king size bed frame that makes as much of a statement as a king size mattress, this bed frame will do that at 58 inches high and 87 inches long. A box spring is not required with this bed frame, so your mattress will end up being flush with the frame.
Along with the padded headboard, there are edges along the entire frame surrounding your mattress that are also padded. This feature ensures you are as comfortable as possible while using your bed. Available as both a king bed frame and a queen bed frame, this model comes in grey and light beige.
Although it’s stylish and modern, this bed frame offers little to no room underneath for storage. If you need space to store your keepsakes, hide gifts, or conceal the other half of your shoe collection, this bed frame might not fit your needs.
WHAT WE LIKED
- There are no large gaps between the edge of the mattress and the bed frame. The headboard and the rest of the frame are flush with each other as well.
- The padded headboard provides comfort if you want to sit up in bed and read.
- The padded frame edges ensure that little ones will be safe when they’re running around the frame’s corners or jumping on the mattress.
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Limited availability of sizes.
- The silver nail heads in the outline of the headboard along with the buttons in the middle may become loose or be missing upon arrival.
- The cloth of the frame can become unstitched or ripped.
- Practically no space underneath for storage.
How to Choose a Bed Frame
A bed frame not only gives your bed added height and flair, it impacts the life of your mattress. The right bed frame can give you uniform support for your entire mattress, while others have gaps in their support and cause your mattress to sag and wear down.
Here are a couple of different things to keep in mind when buying a bed frame:
- Decide on metal or wood. Metal can offer easier installation, but solid wood slats aren’t as prone to bending or squeaking.
- Determine what kinds of tools you’ll need for installation. The fewer tools required, the faster you can get it installed. Keep in mind, though, that a longer installation can equal a sturdier piece of furniture.
- Think about how often you’re going to be rearranging the bed frame either around your room, between rooms or even between living locations. If you move a lot, a bed frame that is easily packaged is a good bet.
- Determine whether you’ll be using a box spring or not. A lot of modern bed frames don’t require a box spring while other styles do. A box spring can add height to your bed, but you won’t need it if you like your bed to be low or your bed frame is already high off the ground.
- Decide if you want a headboard, footboard, or both. Keep in mind the amount of space you have in your room so you don’t end up with a headboard that goes through the ceiling.
- Look at the other furniture in your room. Do you want to match your bed frame to the rest of the pieces in your room’s décor? If so, try and match all your wood finishes and consider offsetting some room imbalances with a good comforter set.
Conclusion
After reviewing these four excellent bed frames, our winner is the SmartBase Mattress Foundation from Zinus. This bed frame offers the easiest installation, most portability, and most efficient packaging. It fulfills the most basic need of a bed frame while staying almost completely hidden underneath your mattress.
Chances are that once you purchase a bed frame and set it up, at some point you’re going to need to take it apart and move it. That’s one of the areas where our top choice has an edge over the others in our list. This frame is easy to fold, unfold, and carry by yourself in case you don’t have someone to help.
All the bed frames in our list offer a different take on both style and usability. Use our suggestions for the best bed frames out there to aid you in your search for a new home for your mattress.