How to Choose an Adjustable Base

An adjustable base is a motorized frame that takes the place of a box spring. It lifts the head and the foot of the mattress separately, from a remote, so you can sit up to read or raise your legs without a stack of pillows. Your mattress sits on top and bends with it.

Everything beyond head and foot lift is what separates the models: a head tilt that angles the pillow forward, a lumbar lift under the small of the back, massage, underbed lighting, charging ports and saved positions on the remote.

Every DreamSense base we carry has independent head and foot lift, a wireless remote, a 750-pound lift capacity and legs that stack to seven heights, and fits inside most platform and pedestal frames.

A chair bed does more than lift. The Independence Adjustable Chair Bed raises you to a seated position, turns 90 degrees toward the side of the bed and lifts you up to standing, at the press of a button. Movable side arms give you something steady to hold, and a battery backup keeps it working through a power cut.

It comes with its own six-inch memory foam mattress, in Twin and Twin XL. It is heavy and tall: the Twin XL weighs 316 pounds assembled and puts the mattress surface 25 inches off the floor.

Sizes — On the bases we carry, a king is two twin XL bases side by side. That is what lets the split head models move each side alone. Measure the mattress you have, not the frame.

Height — The legs stack to seven heights, from 2 to 13 inches on the larger models. Choose the height for getting in and out, and for clearance under a platform frame.

The Mattress — The mattress must be listed as compatible with an adjustable base. Foam and hybrid mattresses usually are. The DreamSense CoolSense Refresh we carry is listed for adjustable bases, including these. Check the mattress warranty's support rule before you pair them.

Lift Capacity — The DreamSense figure is 750 pounds, with mattress and sleepers counted together. The Independence publishes 500 pounds for the Twin.

Read the Return Terms First — The bases and the chair bed we carry are final sale once delivered: their makers take no returns. If you refuse the delivery with the boxes unopened, the order is refunded less the maker's return freight fee, $125 to $250 depending on size on the DreamSense bases. Settle size, height and features before you order.

The Warranty is Split — The DreamSense bases carry 10 years on the frame, 2 years on components and 1 year on labor, with service from DreamSense's in-house team. The motors and the remote are components, so the shorter term is the one that matters most. On the chair bed, ask the maker's terms in writing before you order.