You’re staring at that spare room. Or maybe it’s not even a room—it’s a corner of your living space that needs to double as a guest suite because your mother-in-law is visiting in three weeks. You've looked at air mattresses (too loud), futons (too painful), and Murphy beds (too expensive to install). Then you see it: the cabinet pull out bed. It looks like a nice chest of drawers, but it hides a queen-sized mattress.
It's basically a magic trick for your floor plan.
But here is the thing. Most people buy these based on how the wood looks, and they totally ignore the hardware. That is a massive mistake. If the telescoping rails are cheap, that "easy" setup becomes a workout. I’ve seen people wrestle with these things until they’re sweating, just trying to get the bottom drawer to track correctly. Honestly, if it doesn't glide, it’s just a very heavy box taking up space.
The Reality of the Cabinet Pull Out Bed vs. The Traditional Murphy
Let's clear something up. A Murphy bed is bolted to your wall. If you rent, your landlord will probably lose their mind if you try to install one. A cabinet pull out bed—often called a chest bed or a murphy cabinet—is freestanding. You can move it. You can take it with you when you move out.
It’s heavy, sure. We’re talking 200 to 300 pounds of solid wood or high-density MDF. But it isn't permanent.
The biggest difference is the footprint. A standard wall bed needs vertical clearance. You can't put a TV on top of it. You can't put a lamp on it. But with a cabinet model, the top remains stationary. You can actually use the top surface for decor or a 50-inch television while the bed is tucked away. When it’s time to sleep, the front panel flips down, the drawer slides out, and the mattress unfolds.
There's a trade-off, though. Because the mattress has to fold into thirds to fit inside a chest that’s only 38 to 42 inches high, it’s thinner than a standard mattress. You’re usually looking at 6 inches of memory foam. Is it a five-star hotel experience? Probably not. Is it better than a spring poking you in the ribs on a 1990s sofa sleeper? Absolutely.
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What Actually Matters: The Mattress and the Rail System
Don’t get distracted by "espresso" or "driftwood" finishes. Look at the mattress specs. Most high-quality units, like those from Arason Enterprises (the folks who basically pioneered this category), use an 11-inch thick cabinet to house a 6-inch mattress.
Wait.
How does a 6-inch mattress feel okay? It’s about density. You want a high-resiliency foam. If the manufacturer doesn't list the foam density, it’s probably cheap filler that will bottom out within three uses. Look for Gel-infused memory foam. It sleeps cooler. Nobody wants to wake up in a pool of sweat because the foam trapped all their body heat.
The "Sway" Factor
Cheap cabinet beds sway. You sit on the edge to put on your socks and the whole unit groans. This happens because the base isn't wide enough or the leveling feet are plastic garbage.
- Pro Tip: Check the weight capacity. A "queen" cabinet bed should support at least 500 lbs. If the listing says 300 lbs, that’s barely enough for two adults, let alone the furniture itself.
- The Hardware: Look for brushed metal handles and solid wood bracing. If the "wood" feels like it’s made of compressed paper, walk away.
Living with a Cabinet Bed: The Stuff Nobody Tells You
You're going to need a place for the pillows.
Seriously. Most of these cabinets have a small storage drawer at the bottom for sheets, but they won't fit two plush bed pillows. You’ll end up tossing them in a closet during the day. It’s a small detail, but it’s the kind of thing that gets annoying after a week of hosting guests.
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Also, consider the "crawl out." Unlike a standard bed where you have three open sides, a cabinet pull out bed is often tucked into a corner. Depending on the model, your guest might have to "shimmy" off the end of the bed rather than stepping off the side. If your guests are older or have mobility issues, this is a huge deal.
The height is another factor. These beds sit lower to the ground than a traditional bed frame. You’re looking at about 12 to 15 inches from the floor to the top of the mattress. For a 20-something, it’s fine. For a grandparent with bad knees? It might be a struggle to get back up.
Real Talk on Assembly
Unless you pay for "white glove" delivery, be prepared for a long afternoon. These units arrive in two or three massive boxes. You’ll need a second human. Do not try to lift the main cabinet alone. I’ve heard horror stories of people stripping the cam-lock screws because they tried to balance the heavy top piece while screwing in the side panels.
Use a real screwdriver. Put the tiny "included" tool in the junk drawer and never look back.
Is It Worth the $1,500 Price Tag?
You can find cheap versions on big-box retail sites for $800. They look okay in photos. In person, they feel like disposable furniture. A real, solid-wood cabinet pull out bed usually starts around $1,300 and goes up to $2,500 for fancy designs with built-in USB ports and power outlets.
Think about the cost per use. If you have guests four times a year, a $1,600 bed lasts a decade. That’s $40 per visit. Compare that to the "cost" of your guest being grumpy because they didn't sleep, or the cost of a hotel room.
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The value is in the square footage. In a city like New York or San Francisco, where every square foot costs a fortune, reclaiming 30 square feet of floor space during the day is worth every penny. It turns a "bedroom" into an office or a yoga studio instantly.
How to Spot a Quality Unit in the Wild
If you’re shopping in a furniture store rather than online, do the "shake test." Grip the top of the cabinet and give it a firm wiggle. If it rattles, the joinery is weak.
- Open the flip-top. It should stay open on its own using some kind of friction hinge or chain. If it slams shut, it's a safety hazard.
- Pull the drawer out. It should move on ball-bearing glides. If it’s just wood sliding on wood, it will squeak and eventually stick.
- Look at the back. Is it finished? Some brands leave the back as raw plywood. That’s fine if it’s against a wall, but if you want to use it as a room divider, you need a "finished back" model.
Actionable Steps for Your Space
Before you click "buy," grab a roll of blue painter's tape. Mark out the dimensions of the cabinet on your floor. Then, mark out the dimensions of the bed when it is fully extended. You’d be surprised how many people forget to account for the swing-out room of the front panel.
You need at least 2 feet of walking space at the foot of the bed. If you don't have that, your guest is trapped.
Next, check your power outlets. Many modern cabinet pull out beds have built-in charging stations. You’ll want to position the cabinet near a wall plug so you don't have an ugly orange extension cord snaking across your floor.
Finally, invest in a high-quality mattress protector. Since the mattress stays folded inside a dark box for months at a time, you want to make sure it’s protected from dust and moisture. A quick vacuum of the cabinet interior once a month also prevents that "musty" smell that can happen with stored furniture.
Get the right hardware, measure twice, and you’ll actually enjoy having people stay over. Or at least, they’ll enjoy staying with you.