Whether you’re looking to buy a new bed for yourself, for a loved one, or you’re just generally curious about bed sizes, it can get a little confusing when you’re coming across names and terms you’ve never heard of during your search. We’re here to make the mattress industry language easier to understand, so we should start with a simple definition; a double bed size is what you’d call any mattress that’s small, but can still fit two people.
Now that you have a better understanding, let’s give you a little perspective on its size and who we think double beds are best for.
Double Bed vs Full Bed
People like to use interchangeable names for bed sizes, similar to the way Starbucks likes to use a different name for their medium size drink. You’re supposed to refer to the size as “grande” when you order your coffee, but you’ll essentially get the same amount of liquid inside your cup. You can think of a double bed and a full mattress in the same way. A full mattress and a double bed have the same dimensions, 54 inches by 75 inches.
Full Mattress Dimensions- 54 x 75”
Double Bed Dimensions – 54 x 75”
So to conclude, full size and double size beds have the same dimensions despite the various terms used to describe them.
Double Bed vs Queen Bed
As you might guess, a queen size bed does not count as a double bed. Yes, a queen size mattress fits two people, but a double bed refers to a mattress that just barely fits two people. For most cases, we think two people fit on a queen size mattress pretty well. To put the size in perspective, a queen bed is 6” wider than a double bed, which is a noticeable amount of space when you’re laying down with someone else.
Queen Mattress – 60 x 80”
Double Bed – 54 x 75”
On occasion, you may see a hotel or resort claim to have a “large double bed,” but it’s pretty rare. In that case, they’re talking about a queen size bed.
Double Bed vs Trundle Bed
For the sake of this post, we aren’t going to give you a huge description of a trundle bed, but it’s basically a single mattress with another single pull-out mattress underneath it. So technically, two people can fit on a trundle bed if you pull out the other mattress.
Still, it’s not considered a double bed. If you tried to fit two people on one of the single mattresses, it’d be a lot like trying to share a dorm room bed. A trundle bed is a bed subcategory on its own, and there are different types of trundle beds one can purchase. If you’re wondering what a trundle bed is, we have an entire blog post dedicated to it and we encourage you to check it out.
Who Is A Double Bed Best For?
We would recommend a double bed to someone like a pre-teen who wants something a little bigger than the single or trundle bed they grew up with, or an adult who doesn’t need anything larger because they live on their own in a smaller space.
A double bed would also work for a couple trying to save money or space, but in most cases, we suggest folks who share a bed look into a queen or king size mattress. Especially if you or your significant other like to spread out or move around during the night, it might be a tight squeeze on a double bed. But again, it’s doable if need be.
Average Price For A Double Bed
The cost of a full size (or double) bed ranges anywhere from $200 all the way up to $2,000, depending on the type of mattress you’re looking for and its construction therein.
If you’re looking for a budget double bed, we’d recommend checking out the Allswell Hybrid, Nest Flip and Brooklyn Bowery. The price range for these beds range from $250 to $400 for a full size.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, a few options to check out would be Purple, Casper, Leesa and Layla. These beds would be considered more in the average price range for the bed-in-a-box industry. You’re looking at about $700-$850 for a double size.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a more premium or luxurious full size bed, a few that come to mind include Helix Luxe, GhostBed Luxe and WinkBed. Prices for these beds range from around $1,200 to $1,500.