Smart beds, adjustable mattresses, and adjustable frames are often treated as the same, but they're not. Here’s what you should be looking for if you’re in the market.

One of my pet peeves as a professional mattress tester of more than six years is seeing the names “adjustable mattress,” “adjustable frame,” and “smart bed” used interchangeably. While they are related products that can rely on each other to maximize performance and your overall sleep experience, each offers distinct qualities. It doesn't help that these products consistently appear in the same search results for one another, often labeled interchangeably by the manufacturers. When that happens, of course, they will get mixed up. To make matters worse, you may think you have everything you need at checkout, only to find you're adding an extra product you didn't plan for.

It’s time to set the record straight and adjust your understanding of all things adjustable mattresses. Under my wing you go to begin this journey.

Updated March 2026: I've reworked this ...