Murphy beds are a convenient space-saver for small apartments and large houses alike. Temporary guest rooms and multi-purpose rooms both benefit from the unique ability to stow away the bed when not in use. When stowed away, the best Murphy beds can appear as a cabinet, shelving, a mirror or a couch—remaining practical and stylish. Unlike a sleeper sofa or typical futon, Murphy beds are usually a higher quality and more dedicated solution. Our best overall choice is the Lori Bed because of its functional design, easy assembly and competitive price tag.
The best Murphy beds let you make the most of your space and come with functional, stylish designs.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES/PHOTO: RETAILERS
We also include nine other note-worthy options that boast stand-out features and catalogs of glowing customer reviews. While most Murphy beds need to be secured to the wall or floor, the beds on our list were chosen because of their relatively straight-forward set-up processes and functional designs. Although, it’s best to recruit a parter or professional help to ensure a proper and secure setup. Continue on below for our top recommendations.
You can choose from horizontal or vertical folding options
Keep in mind:
The mattress is sold separately
This frame has to be assembled and two people are recommended
The Lori Bed is a practical option with a high-quality cabinet-grade poplar plywood construction. This bed should support up to 1000 pounds but remains fairly lightweight compared to other Murphy bed models. Despite this, Lori recommends lifting the bed with two people to avoid injury.
The Lori Bed features easy assembly, an adjustable headboard and you can build it to fold either vertically or horizontally. Lori offers an assembly video for those who need extra help setting up. Additionally, when you stow the bed away, the surface becomes simple shelving, but you need to clear the shelves before pulling the bed out. Any twin or queen mattress under 12 inches tall should be compatible.
Best Budget Murphy Bed
A Metal Component And Instruction Kit For A DIY Murphy Bed
Amazon
Wilding Wallbeds S-200 Murphy Bed Mechanism Kit (Queen)
Type: Steel | Mattress: Twin, full, queen or king (max height not listed) | Delivery: Free | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
What we love:
It’s spring-loaded for easy lifting and lowering
It’s a budget-friendly pick
It’s compatible for horizontal and vertical folding
Keep in mind:
DIY, partial kit—you need to buy wood and tools to construct the ‘cabinet’ portion yourself
You can order up to ten of these kits before needing to call for a special order/pricing
We chose the Wilding Wallbeds S-200 Murphy bed mechanism as the best budget option, priced around $700 for a queen. This kit is minimal; it includes metal components, a cut list and plans, which means it requires extra materials and handy work. You need some wood and tools to build the remaining portion.
A bonus of the ‘cabinet’ portion being DIY is it’s highly customizable. You must fit the cabinet to the frame, but otherwise, you can design, decorate and paint it to your liking.
This kit is compatible with both vertical and horizontal folding options and should support up to 2000 pounds. The kit includes a spring-loaded mechanism for easier lifting and lowering. You can also adjust the tension on the spring mechanism to suit your needs.
Best Murphy Bed For Small Spaces
A Pleasing Design For A Temporary But Comfortable Guest Room
Managed through Amazon, no trial or included warranty
The Pemberly Row Puq Murphy bed is a stylish option for a multi-purpose room. The Pemberly Row Puq Murphy bed folds up into a cabinet, enabling you to transform a room into a home office or gym when the bed you don’t need it. This cabinet does not include any storage and solely serves as a housing for the bed, making it perfect for maximizing minimal space.
The construction of this bed should support up to 1000 pounds and include a slatted design for the base. Slatted bases provide even and comfortable support. The bed includes a dual-piston system to assist with raising and lowering. There’s no mattress, but any queen-sized mattress under 12 inches should be compatible.
We should note that Amazon sells this bed, so there is no included trial or warranty. This means that customer service, delivery and return options are also available through Amazon. There is a protection plan offered, however it is a monthly subscription and is optional.
Not recommended for use by children or pets under 50 lbs
The Bestar Couch and Shelving Bed features a strong steel construction and a coil supported two-person couch. Keep in mind that coil supports will make for a firmer couch, but the foam layers should neutralize the feel of those coils and provide ample cushion. Initial assembly requires drilling into baseboards and/or securing to the floor. We recommend having professionals handle this with a minimum of two people for assembly. Once assembled, the dual piston system should make this bed easy to raise and lower.
While Bestar typically offers many color and style options, you can only get a Murphy bed with a couch in a full-size white color.
Best Murphy Bed With A Desk
A Minimalist And Convenient Addition To The Home Office
Wayfair
Xtraroom Avalon Murphy Bed (Queen)
Type: Pine wood, metal | Mattress: Full or queen (max height 12 inches) | Delivery: Not listed | Trial: Not listed | Warranty: 1-year, optional 5-year protection plan offered
What we love:
Minimalist style desk and bed frame to fit any room
The desk maintains its orientation so you don’t have to move things off of its surface
Keep in mind:
Assembly required, needs a screwdriver and/or power drill
Upper “cabinets” are fake
The Xtraroom Avalon Murphy bed features a minimalist and convenient design. The simple design for the desk and bed frame should suit most room designs, and be a very functional space-saver for transforming or studies into guest rooms.
This set requires a screwdriver and/or power drill. The bed features a euro slat frame for improved comfort and even support, as well as hydraulic pistons for easier lifting and lowering.
The desk maintains its orientation when lowered, so you won't have to remove anything unless they’re too tall. The upper cabinets in this design are not functional as storage.
Best Luxury Murphy Bed
A Highly Customizable, Stylish And Comfortable Option
MOST POPULAR
Expand Furniture
Compatto Wall Bed (Queen)
Type: Wood, metal and memory foam | Mattress: Included, similar to a queen | Delivery: Not listed | Trial: Not listed | Warranty: 5 years
What we love:
There are 10 color options
It has practical storage with no need to clear shelves
Keep in mind:
Memory foam mattress included, not optional
Wall anchors not included
The Compatto has earned our choice for the best luxury Murphy bed by its unique revolving shelf design and quality construction. The stylish shelving offers excellent vertical storage with high-quality Italian design and finishes. You can store items on this shelf with no need to clear them to deploy the bed. The shelf rotates while maintaining upright orientation, with the bed mounted to the opposite side of the shelving's backboard.
You can choose from ten color options to suit the design of your room for this bed. The purchase includes a memory foam mattress. Unlike other models, the mattress is not optional. The mattress is hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, breathable and eco-friendly. It also has a removable lining.
This assembly should support up to 440 pounds. The DIY assembly includes all hardware, except for wall anchors. Compatto offers advising for wall anchors if you tell them your wall type, otherwise they recommend you contact your local hardware store for advice.
Best Library Murphy Bed
A Functional, Spacious Bookcase And Bed Duo
MurphyBedDepot
Majestic Library Bed (Queen)
Type: Particle board, metal | Mattress: Twin, full or queen (max height 10 inches) | Delivery: Free to the contiguous USA | Trial: Not listed | Warranty: Lifetime
What we love:
It offers many options: colors, doors and mounting points
The shelves slide open with no need to be cleared
All parts come included
Keep in mind:
Although it comes with parts, it still requires assembly
Mattress not included
The Majestic Library Bed, a bed frame that folds up and conceals itself with sliding door shelving, earns the title of the best library bed. It includes a list of color, door and mounting point options. Choose between five color options and you can opt to mount it to the wall or the floor. The lower shelves also have an option to be covered by doors. We appreciate how customizable this Murphy bed is.
The shelves slide to the side while maintaining orientation, so they do not need to be cleared to deploy the bed. The middle shelving remains accessible with the bed out, as well. According to the seller, the shelves are just over 7 inches deep—just the right depth for a stack of National Geographic magazines.
All parts are included, except the mattress. Any twin, full or queen mattress below 10 inches tall should fit.
White glove delivery and assembly is available in south Florida, the Tri-state Area and Bay Area
Extras are available for purchase
Keep in mind:
Mattresses are not included
Lights are not included
This simplistic bunk bed is the best Murphy bunk bed and should be a good fit for most kids rooms or dorms. Three color options are available to better match the bedroom’s aesthetic. Matching extras are also available, such as headboards, closets and desks. While intended for a dorm, they would also work well in a kids room.
Unless you live in a few select regions where white glove delivery is offered, you need to assemble it yourself. The design features upholstered guard rails, a removable ladder, and hydraulics for easier lifting and lowering. The bed should support up to 300 pounds for the bottom bunk bed and up to 200 for the top bunk bed.
The seller does not include mattresses and/or lights. You can purchase mattresses separately through the seller, or you can choose your own. Any twin mattress under 8 inches tall should work for the bottom bunk, and any twin mattress under 6 inches tall should work for the top bunk.
Best Cabinet Murphy Bed
A Versatile Style With A High-Quality Construction
The design features a built-in electrical plug and USB jack
Keep in mind:
The high-quality hardwood construction makes it quite heavy—about 200 pounds
The Amazon listing claims 'no assembly required', but it includes an assembly manual within the listing.
The Night & Day Bed is a versatile option with hardwood construction and a simple style that should blend in with almost any room. There are three colorways for this bed cabinet: white, chocolate and cherry. Its compact design is both stylish and functional, with a unique unfolding technique where the frame unfolds when pulled out. This bed also comes bundled with a gel memory foam mattress, so it’s not required to buy one separately.
While setting up this bed may take some time initially, pulling out the bed and stowing it away as needed should be easy. A built-in USB plug serves as way to hide cords and still charge your phone or plug in other devices as needed, and the bottom drawer offers storage for lighter items.
Best Horizontal Murphy Bed
A Sturdy Frame With Plenty Of Storage Space
Amazon
Bestar Murphy Bed (Queen)
Type: Laminated Wood, Steel | Mattress: Full or Queen (max height 10 or 12 inches) | Delivery: Free | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: 10 Year
What we love:
dual piston system
many drawers/door combination options, 7 color options
Keep in mind:
mattress not included
not recommended for use by children or pets under 50 lbs
The Bestar Shelving Bed is a sturdy, decorative option with a steel construction and attached shelving. Initial assembly requires drilling into baseboards and/or securing to the floor. It is advisable to hire professionals for assembly, with a minimum of two people. Once assembled, this bed should be easy to raise and lower, because of the dual piston system.
Bestar offers six style options with different drawer and door combinations. With this, you should be able to choose from a more open shelving or a closed storage, such as cabinets and drawers. There are also seven color options to customize your Murphy bed even further to match your bedroom and style. It is important to note that this bed will need a good amount of clearance for the bed to be usable and comfortable.
We spent hours researching the best Murphy beds to find the most top-rated options. Our research involved reading through customer reviews on Amazon and brand websites. We also interviewed three subject matter experts who helped us choose the best Murphy beds and detail the benefits of having one in your bedroom. Additionally, Forbes Vetted senior sleep editor Bridget Chapman and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon have collectively tested over 100 beds, and reviewed our picks for the best Murphy beds.
How We Chose The Best Murphy Beds
When selecting the best Murphy beds, we examined the functionality, the installation process, the materials and design, the customer satisfaction and any additional features related to the categories. For example, it was important that the best Murphy bed with a couch had a comfortable couch and that the best library Murphy bed could fit many books on the shelves. People favored Murphy beds with shelving or other functional purposes when stowed away, where the surfaces didn't need to be cleared to pull out the bed. It was further favored if those surfaces were still accessible.
The option for a mattress by the same company provides convenience and was a favorable inclusion. Customers also favored designs with many options for color, mount point, and other customizations. People rarely favored options that lacked support or required extra components.
What To Look For In The Best Murphy Beds
When choosing a Murphy bed, find one that fits your space, that you can assemble without difficulty, and that’s made of materials you enjoy. Additionally, you may want to look at features related to the room it’s going in, such as options with shelving, a couch or a desk.
Size
You must measure your space before choosing a Murphy bed. The point of a Murphy bed is to save space, so it would be unfortunate to purchase one that does not comfortably fit in your living space. Be sure to measure the length, width, height and any other necessary dimensions. Murphy beds also typically have sliding, rotating, folding or otherwise moving parts, so you need extra room for those functions.
Installation
Look at the mounting type prior to purchasing a Murphy bed. Wall-mounted beds require a wall stud in the location you would be installing it. If you do not mount the bed to a secure point in the wall, it could become dangerous and cause a lot of damage. A few beds also offer floor mounting installation.
Materials
When purchasing a Murphy bed, you need to decide on your preferred material quality. Some beds offer real wood assemblies, while others use a form of particle board. The frames themselves can consist of aluminum, steel or another metal. Of course, also make sure to avoid any materials to which you may be allergic.
Additional Features
Depending on the room you plan to keep your Murphy bed, it may serve an additional functional purpose. When you stow the bed away, some beds offer the option to use shelving, a couch or a desk.
Mattress Bundling
Some Murphy beds arrive with a mattress included, which adds to the price, but others may not. It is also important to ensure the frame you choose is compatible with other standard-sized mattresses, and Murphy beds will typically list the size and height range that best fits the frame. They are available in various sizes, and are typically compatible with standard sizes including twin, full, queen and king. Companies typically promote twin size Murphy beds for children and teens, while full, queen and king size Murphy beds are intended for a guest room or a dual-purpose room.
Is A Murphy Bed A Good Investment?
A Murphy bed is a good investment for those who have small living spaces or multi-purpose rooms. It allows you to fold away your mattress when it’s not in use, giving you significantly more floor space. For those considering purchasing a Murphy bed, it is important to find one that saves space and is easy to access and function.
What Is The Best Mattress For A Murphy Bed?
The best mattress depends on your needs and preferences, but it’s important to note the specifications given on the listing for the bed you choose. Most Murphy beds will specify a mattress height that best fits the frame. If you’re buying a Murphy bed for a guest room, the best mattress is one with a medium to medium-firm profile to accommodate a wide variety of sleepers and an accommodating construction.