Aero Beds are convenient

There's no question that, in today's younger generation, it's not as easy to come by living space as it once was. Whether it's out in the suburbs of Southern California or in the great cities of the northeast, space is still at a premium. This is in spite of the fact that the housing market has bottomed out to the tune of 20% since early-2008 - since along with the housing market going belly-up, the job market has joined it.

So young people these days just don't have the room for the lifestyle their parents enjoyed. Which means it's more difficult to have friends or family over night, or coming to visit on vacation, or in general just finding room for the people you're closest to.

Believe me, I know. I moved to New York nearly ten years ago, and have never had a place bigger than 600 square feet. I love my apratment, but if my brother comes to visit with his wife and son... I don't have a lot of room for them.

That's why I have two aero beds. Yes, they can be a pain - the charger needs to be plugged into the wall for a while before it works, and aero beds can rip, plain and simple. But they're still a worthwhile investment if you're planning on having people come stay with you.

Aero beds claim to be the best product on the market, and I've seen no evidence otherwise. Of course I've seen no evidence that other products aren't just as good, either. I've had four aero beds (or other inflatable mattresses) since college, two of them by the "Aero" brand and two generic ones. One of each has ripped, and one of each is still going strong. Whether they last or not probably has more to do with how you take care of it than the brand it is.

Going online is probably the best way to compare prices and reviews. As always, Consumer Reports is a great place to start, as they'll have thorough tests and expert opinions lined up comparing everything from top-of-the-line brands to the meanest knock-offs. Once you get done online, I'd recommend heading to the local Costco or similar big-box retailer, since they often have better prices in the actual store than they advertise on their website. This is as true for aero beds as it is for mouth wash.

In the end, the choice of which brand and which size to go with is up to you. If you've got kids, you might want to go with the most durable ones, since kids can be careless. Otherwise, just shop smart and you'll do well.