What's a Wall-Hugging Adjustable Bed, and Are They Worth It?

Last Updated on March 21, 2024

by Marc Werner, Founder - GhostBed

Imagine curating your sleep position by simply pressing a button—perfection! With an adjustable bed, it’s possible.

If you’ve been shopping around for an adjustable base, you’ve probably noticed wall-hugging and non-wall-hugging models to choose from. If you’re wondering if a wall-hugging model is really worth the extra money, read on.

GhostBed Split King Adjustable Bed Base.

What is a Wall-Hugger Adjustable Bed?

A wall-hugger bed is an adjustable bed designed to minimize the amount of space it takes up when upright. As you elevate your head, your mattress will slide back toward the wall.

A non-wall-hugging base, on the other hand, will extend out away from the wall when raised to the upright position.

Some people worry that with a non-wall-hugging base, they’ll end up too far from their nightstand, making it hard to reach things. But is that really an issue? We’ll dive a bit deeper in the next section.

Do You Really Need a Wall-Hugger Adjustable Bed?

In our experience, no. In all reality, you’re paying extra money for a few inches of clearance.

Even with wall-hugger bases, you will naturally lose some or all of your side table when your head is elevated—that’s just what happens! To combat the distance, some customers will slide their nightstand out just slightly, to make sure it’s still comfortable to reach.

The GhostBed Difference

We spent a lot of time designing our Adjustable Base, and we’ve taken customer feedback seriously from the start. Our first model came out in 2017, and it’s always had all the features that actually make a difference in your sleep & quality of life, including:

  • Head and foot massage
  • Convenient under-bed USB ports on each side
  • A wireless remote control that doubles as a flashlight
  • Under-bed LED lights
  • An industry-leading limited lifetime warranty

We decided against the wall-hugger technology because, in our experience, it doesn’t affect sleep quality at all. By skipping this, we’re able to keep our adjustable base at an excellent price point—thousands less than some of the competitors, in fact!

Keep in mind that the thickness of your mattress will make a difference, too. You’ll be sitting further out on a 13” mattress than an 11” mattress. Since our most popular models are closer to 13”, our base provides a thinner (yet still solid) surface for your mattress to rest on. It’s thin enough to make up for the extra loft, without sacrificing on strength and durability.

Ultimately, our thought process is this: we’ll never just throw features into a product we make to charge more. We want scary good sleep to be accessible to everyone! And we promise to always prioritize quality sleep over add-ons like a wall-hugging feature.

Customer shares experience with Adjustable base.

Marc Werner - Founder, GhostBed

Marc Werner

Founder - GhostBed

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Marc has spent the last two decades designing & manufacturing mattresses and other sleep products, drawing on a lifetime of experience working with the material sciences. With several patents to his name, he works closely with the GhostBed team to create products with the perfect balance of comfort & support. Learn More

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