6 Best Bed Frames of All Kinds, Tested By AD Editors (2026)

A bed frame is one of the few pieces of furniture you’ll see every single day, which is a good argument for choosing one with a distinct design. Sometimes that design helps the bedding, art, and the rest of the room’s style carry the look, like Thuma or Nectar’s low, minimalist platforms. Other times it’s the opposite, and a frame like Interior Define’s velvet wingback becomes what the whole bedroom is built around. Either way, the design has to sit on good bones, meaning a solid slat system, support legs, and a weight capacity that accounts for two people and a heavy mattress.

Every frame here has been assembled, slept on, and lived with by an AD editor or contributor, some for a few months and some for several years. Our top picks include a Japanese-joinery platform you can build single-handedly and an upholstered wingback with drawers hidden in its base. There are also a couple of budget picks for anyone pairing their frame with a similarly affordable mattress. (If floor space is the real constraint, a Murphy bed might serve you better than any frame on this list.) Read on for our editors’ picks, starting with an AD staffer favorite.

Curious about alternatives? Browse our DIY bed frame guide.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Thuma Classic Bed + Headboard
• Best Platform Bed Frame: Nectar Bamboo Platform Bed Frame
• Best Storage Bed Frame: Saatva Halle Storage Platform Bed Frame
• Best Mixed-Material Bed Frame: Castlery Joseph Bed with Bouclé Headboard
• Best Budget Wooden Bed Frame: George Oliver Hermes Contemporary Platform Bed
• Best Upholstered Bed Frame: Interior Define Graham Upholstered Bed with Storage

Please note that prices reflect queen-size beds. However, most of the featured frames are available in additional sizes and finishes.

Best Overall: Thuma Classic Bed + Headboard

The Thuma Classic Bed is the frame AD editors have tested the longest and recommended the most, which is why we’ve ranked it as the best overall. Contributor Zoë Sessums has slept on hers for five years, and I’ve had mine for two. Neither of us have reported a squeak, a loose joint, or any reason to replace it. The draw lies in its construction: the frame slots together with Japanese joinery, so you can build it in minutes, by yourself and without tools, and take it apart just as easily. It’s made from upcycled solid rubberwood, backed by a lifetime warranty, and the PillowBoard, a padded headboard that rests against the frame, is an add-on rather than a requirement, so the bed can be as spare or as soft as you’d like.

When looking for a new frame, I wanted one with a minimally-minded design that would let the rest of my bedroom do the talking. This one feels sturdy, it blends well into my space, and the drawers are roomy and slide out without any stickiness. It’s top-of-the-line to me, even though it hovers at a price point that’s reasonable for a lifetime investment.

“It’s a great option for a sustainably-made, modular bed frame that will hold up over time,” adds Sessums. It’s this type of confidence that makes us love more than just the brand’s bed. Thuma has built out the rest of the bedroom on the same joinery principle, and we’ve tested the dresser and the nightstand with similar results.

Best Platform Bed Frame: Nectar Bamboo Platform Bed Frame

Nectar’s Platform Bed Frame is designed with longevity and versatility in mind, two non-negotiables for digital features editor Kate McLaughlin, who was manifesting a frame that would be easy to assemble and transport for future New York City moves. Nectar’s bed fulfilled everything on McLaughlin’s wishlist with its Japanese joinery design, which eliminates the need for screws, nails, or tools in the setup. The low platform base sits close to the floor (but not so close you can’t store things!), and the frame works with memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses alike. Describing the look as style-agnostic, McLaughlin points out it’s a design that can assimilate into a number of different decor styles, from Japandi to post-modern. “My room leans more midcentury and even though this bed frame isn’t a traditional MCM design, it still fits in,” she says. “If I decide to go in a different direction one day, I think the bed frame will be able to transition with me since it’s easy to dress up or down with bedding.”

Best Storage Bed Frame: Saatva Halle Storage Platform Bed Frame

The hidden storage provided by Saatva’s lift-up Halle bed eliminated the need for contributor Kate McGregor to downsize her wardrobe. While McGregor tends to stockpile craft supplies, off-season sweaters, and special occasion formalwear beneath her bed, holiday decorations, excess bedding, and cleaning supplies can also find their way in the spacious cavity. The upholstered frame itself has a minimal silhouette that fits multiple design styles, and the ease of the lift-up gets a thumbs-up from our tester. “The lift mechanisms are easy to use and lock while lifted, allowing me to maneuver in the storage space without holding the bed up,” says McGregor. “The lift even handles my 150-pound mattress with ease, not even creasing a pillow.”

Best Mixed-Material Bed Frame: Castlery Joseph Bed with Bouclé Headboard

Castlery’s Joseph Bed pairs a two-tiered wooden base with a bouclé upholstered headboard. The combination proved to be the adult upgrade senior consumer revenue manager Holly Johnson needed after years with the “old-as-the-hills” four-poster that defined her childhood bedroom. The low-profile base creates the illusion of a floating frame, while the stain-resistant fabric layers in texture to the overall look. “I love how the upholstered design softens the room visually and acoustically,” says Johnson. “The upholstery is nice quality, too—no snags or sagging, at least at this point—and there’s some subtle variation in the coloring that adds a bit of depth.”

Best Budget Wooden Bed Frame: George Oliver Hermes Contemporary Platform Bed

Before upgrading to West Elm’s storage-packed midcentury design, contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert’s son slept on top of this affordable Wayfair find. It’s equipped with an adjustable headboard that “actually looks like real wood, because it is,” something mom wasn’t keen to compromise on. “It is what I would expect and more out of a $350 bed frame,” says Alpert. “It’s a solid choice for someone on a budget—it looks substantial enough and is not flimsy upon construction.” Screw holes lined with metal threads helped Alpert feel more confident about construction, though the simple look left her wanting more. “My least favorite thing is that I wish the frame looked a bit more detailed,” she says. “The wood headboard is a bit thin, and while I appreciate the clean lines, I wish it had more.”

Best Upholstered Bed Frame: Interior Define Graham Upholstered Bed with Storage

Of all the frames we’ve tested, this is the one that commits most fully to softness. It has a velvet wingback headboard and storage drawers upholstered to match. The headboard is tall enough to lean against for a long read, and the frame comes in stylish and durable performance fabrics like velvet and chenille. Senior visual editor Melissa Maria chose this bed for its impact. She’s a fan of eclectic, layered styles, and this bed’s warm tones make for a perfect jumping-off point to assemble a maximalist sleep setup. Even still, Maria points out its ability to transition between design styles. A minimalist bedspread works as well here as a busy quilt. “The wingback style creates cozy corners and the soft velvet headboard is perfect for lounging on to read a book,” says Maria. The upholstery disguises the storage drawers—also upholstered—for a seamless look.

Comparing Our Top Picks

What to Consider When Buying a Bed Frame

There is a world of bed frames out there and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options. So before you hit “buy,” here are a few questions you should ask yourself.

How We Tested

In an effort to ensure you’re only bringing beautiful, well-made furniture into your spaces, just know that we test and review every single product you see on this list in our very own homes. Whether those are sprawling suburban spaces or tiny New York City apartments, we made sure these beds are put to use in a real life setting—no labs or test tubes for us. We assemble the pieces ourselves as well as sleep, jump, cuddle and bedrot in them, all to make sure we can stand behind each option on this list. So how do we pick the products themselves and what did we ask our testers?:

What attracted you to this bed frame? Whether the bed frame was the finishing touch to our tester’s Japandi oasis or your mid-century dream come true, we wanted to know exactly why the piece sparked joy. For some, inspiration came straight from the pages of AD. Others were scouted out their frames on Instagram while some were in the market for something with very specific qualities (under-bed storage, an upholstered design, something headboard-less).

Delivery and assembly: Waiting months on end to snooze on the perfect bed frame is not it. We surveyed testers on whether or not their beds arrived within the guaranteed delivery window and how it was packaged. Flat packed in one box? A box per piece? We let you know exactly what to expect on your doorstep with each order. Some of our testers also put together their bed with their own two hands—and let you know if it’s worth it to spring for white-glove delivery.

First and second impressions: Sometimes what you see online isn’t always what you get in person. We asked our testers to detail any notable first impressions, design quirks, and if their mattresses sat well on the frames. We asked if they were ultimately pleased with their choices as well as whether they thought the item was worth its price tag.

Style: We consider it our jobs to make sure your home is filled with beautiful things. AD’s editors take great lengths to curate design-forward styles from today’s top home retailers and report exactly what prospective buyers can expect. We take into consideration different decor aesthetics (Scandi! Modern Farmhouse! Mid-Century!) and use our expertise to pinpoint exactly what kind of home a particular piece of furniture would (or wouldn’t) work in.

Price: We make sure we have a wide range of products that span the affordable to the most splurge worthy so you can find a bed that fits your budget.

Comfort: Our selections are impossibly stylish but also incredibly comfortable. Especially when it comes to anything sleep-related, we’re invested in ensuring the best rest you can possibly get.

Ease of use: We don’t think it should take a rocket scientist-level education to assemble any piece of furniture. We even called out if we think a particular style called for splurging on white-glove delivery.

Sturdiness: There’s nothing worse (or scarier) than a bed frame giving out on you. The frames on this list have been put through countless nights of rest without a wobble—meaning you can rest easy (literally!)

Overall value: We have lofty standards and wouldn’t recommend anything that we wouldn’t also recommend to a friend. We also wanted to know who the furniture may not be a great option for—so we grilled our testers to get the bottom line on whether their frame deserved a spot on our list.