Recently, I bought a bed at IKEA and it turned out to be a terrible investment. The frame broke after 4 months and I had to tear the thing apart, drive it back to the store, and then buy a different frame. Now, if I would have stuck with Ikea for the new frame I would have had to spend another four hours putting it together, and I would have had to deal with buying all kinds of extra (weird sounding) required pieces that weren’t included in the box.
That wasn’t an option. So, I decided to try and find the best online bed system under $1,000. And by bed system I mean mattress and frame. My thought process was that since I was already replacing the frame, I may as well replace the bed as well.
So what did I decided on? A Zinus frame and a Ghostbed mattress. There are a ton of choices in online mattresses and bed, but these were the best options for me. Here’s why…
The Frame
We went with the square stitched version of the Zinus Upholstered Platform bed frame. The frame has consistently positive reviews online so I decided to take a shot – and I’m glad I did. I was really impressed with how easy it was to put together, and the quality was top notch. It came in at $80 less than my Ikea frame, I didn’t have to buy any ridiculous extra pieces, and the bed is completely silent and feels very secure. Plus, we wanted to feature a product that fit well in many settings, and the neutral gray is a perfect color for this. Nothing in your room will feel out of place (or at least it didn't to me - but that may be because I think gray goes with everything).
Build Quality: The headboard is thick and they have some foam inclusions to strengthen it as well. The included slats are meant to hold up to 500 pounds, and speaking for someone who is 6'4" and 220 pounds they feel completely secure. Keep the load limit in mind though if you've done some time in the NFL.
Shipping: The bed comes in a single box with all the parts you need to get started. It's a little heavy, but since it comes in one box it's very convenient. If you're picking it up from a store you can fit the box in most cars, but keep in mind that places like Amazon will ship it to you for free.
What We Like
- All of the required parts and tools come packaged inside the headboard
- Amazing quality for the price - this bed frame is sturdy
- Looks great with the mattress
The Bed
And now for the bed. There are literally dozens of mattress companies online, and it was a little overwhelming at first. But when I started digging in, one company stuck out to me: Ghostbed. We wanted something that would have great reviews, wouldn’t break the bank, and had a good return policy in case the bed wasn’t the right comfort level. Ghostbed was battling it out with several other companies, but I really like that they were a family owned business and decided to give them a shot.
The mattress is 11 inches thick, has several layers of foam, and for me is very comfortable. Plus, it’s the right level of firmness – but that will vary based on your personal preferences. Luckily, they have a great return policy.
Build Quality: The bed is thick, comfortable, and was ready for use after around 60 minutes outside of the packaging. We've been using the bed for nearly a month and it's just as firm and comfortable as when we started.
Shipping: The mattress comes in a very small box considering how big it is once it's unpacked - check out the timelapse in the video below. It's easy to handle with one person, ang you can pick it up with free shipping at Amazon.
What We Like
- Great support and very comfortable
- It's a family run business
- Great return policy
Now, check out the video below to see my full thoughts on both the bed and frame – and our choice for the ultimate bed system under $1,000.
Our Video Review
