Mattresses in minutes for overnight guests.(Up front: news / trends / advice)

Holidays bring houseguests. If you don't have enough guest rooms to go around, an inflatable bed may be the next best thing. We tested four, all in a queen size: the Aero Aerobed, $180; the Aero Deluxe, $210; the Aero Pillowtop, $200; and the Simmons Beautyrest Extraordinaire, $100. Measured from the floor, these inflatable beds are higher than the typical camper's air mattress, puffing up to between 7 inches and a foot. The Aero Pillowtop and Simmons are the highest.

All four beds come with a plug-in electric pump that can inflate them fully in 1 to 2 minutes. The Simmons took a bit longer to fill completely. Its pump, which resembles a hair dryer, didn't fit the bed's valve well and had to be held in place. The three Aero beds have built-in pumps. That made it easier to inflate them and v easier to add or remove air to adjust the beds' firmness.

The Aero Aerobed is covered in vinyl. The others have a textured or fabric surface, which may help keep sheets in place.

Eighteen people, some in pairs, tried the beds in our labs and at home for comfort, firmness, and ease of use. The Simmons Beautyrest ...