Best Bunk Beds 2024 - Forbes Vetted

Few sleep situations get kids as excited as bunk beds. But the best bunk beds offer more than a novel way to snooze: They can save on space and even provide additional storage without sacrificing on safety. While once relegated to the younger crowd, today’s bunk beds can suit a range of ages, from preschoolers to teens. Our favorite bunk bed is the Mack & Milo Absecon Twin-Over-Twin for its stylish design and built-in storage. But those looking for a bunk bed that’s a great value and can last through the teen years should consider the DHP Twin-Over-Full.

The best bunk beds offer families playful, space-saving sleep options for their kids.

“Parents love bunk beds because they save space and remind them of their own childhood, and kids love bunk beds because they’re fun,” says Daniel Ganjian, M.D., a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “They can be safe, but there are certain guidelines I always tell parents,” he adds. (Keep reading for more on those safety precautions.)

Once you’ve decided on a bunk, it’s important to consider elements like bed size, weight capacity and overall style. If you plan to use your bunk beyond the kid years, you may also want to consider options that can be un-bunked in the future, too. To track down the best bunk beds, we researched the market, incorporated the expertise of Dr. Ganjian and relied on our own experience to find the bunks both kids and parents will love.

Wayfair

Dimensions: 65 x 42.5 x 81.5 inches | Materials: Pine | Weight limit: 400 pounds | Style: Twin over twin

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The Mack & Milo Absecon bunk bed is incredibly well-thought-out. It features two built-in, under-the-bed storage bins for clothes, books or toys, making it extra helpful in the space-saving category. A solid 14-inch guardrail keeps kids from rolling off, and the whole thing is crafted from sturdy pine wood. The ladder is built in, reversible and vertical. It isn’t the most substantial set of stairs, but there’s no need to factor in extra room for an angled ladder. Convert these bunks into two single twin beds whenever you or the kids prefer. Choose from natural, white, blue, espresso and gray finishes.

Pottery Barn Kids

Dimensions: 85.5 x 56.5 x 94 inches | Materials: Manufactured wood, pine | Weight limit: 250 pounds (top), 250 pounds (bottom) | Style: Twin over twin

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At their core, bunk beds are made to be whimsical—and this bestselling Pottery Barn bunk is all about it. A tree-house design has the top bunk inside a sweet house frame, complete with five windows and a front ladder. The whole thing is crafted from solid pine and engineered wood for a sturdy feel. The finishes—choose from navy, white or gray—are lacquered for durability, so you don’t have to stress about chips. Each bunk can support up to 250 pounds. It’s also made in a Fair Trade-certified factory and is Greenguard Gold-certified, reducing off-gassing concerns.

Amazon

Dimensions: 61.5 x 56.5 x 78 inches | Materials: Metal | Weight limit: 200 pounds (top), 350 pounds (bottom) | Style: Twin over full

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My sons have this bunk, and it’s remained intact, solid and chip-free, despite all that they’ve dished out over the past two years. Plus, it costs less than $150, making it more affordable than much of the competition. It’s also made of metal that’s sturdy enough to stand up to years of use. The bed has a twin bed on top over a full-size lower bunk, allowing for children (or guests) of different sizes to stretch out. Two integrated side ladders save on space while allowing easy access to the top. Choose from a range of frame colors, including pink, white, black and silver.

Wayfair

Dimensions: 47.5 x 43.5 x 79 inches | Materials: Manufactured wood, solid wood | Weight limit: 165 pounds (top) | Style: Twin over twin

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Harriet Bee’s Cvyatko bunk bed has everything you want in a bunk minus the extras you can live without. It features a manufactured-wood-and-solid-wood frame for a sturdy feel. The bunk is also designed to not take up too much floor space—meaning, there’s no angled ladder popping out or elaborate headboards. Parents of younger kids might prefer this bed’s lower height and solid guardrail. You can also split it into two separate beds if your kids eventually decide they’re over the bunk situation. Choose from four color options and two sizes—twin over twin or full over full.

Amazon

Dimensions: 50 x 42.5 x 99.5 inches | Materials: Pine | Weight limit: 400 pounds per bed | Style: Twin over twin

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One of the biggest concerns with using bunk beds for younger kids is the risk of falls. This Max & Lily bunk has several precautions in place to minimize that, including an actual staircase with a guardrail, a lower bunk that sits on the floor and 14-inch guardrails. The bunk bed is made from sturdy pine wood, and each bunk has a 400-pound weight capacity, so adults can lie down for story time. The bunk is just 50 inches high, making it great for rooms with low ceilings. There’s versatility with the staircase, too: You can install it on the left or right.

Wayfair

Dimensions: 78.8 x 74.4 x 120 inches | Materials: Manufactured wood, solid wood | Weight limit: 200 pounds (top) | Style: Twin over twin, loft

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Consumer reviews of this triple bunk praise its sturdiness (a worry with triple bunks) and rave about the modern design. By opting to make one of the bunks a loft, rather than stacking all three in a vertical line, the manufacturers gave parents the option of two top bunks (often a child’s preferred choice in terms of where to sleep) and opened up space beneath that third bunk for a desk or dresser or whatever the family needs. It’s made with both real and manufactured wood and comes in several neutral shades. It’s the ultimate space saver for families with multiples—and an affordable pick, too.

Pottery Barn Kids

Dimensions: 70.5 x 57 x 99 inches | Materials: Manufactured wood, pine, poplar | Weight limit: 250 pounds (top), 250 pounds (bottom) | Style: Twin over full

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When you have kids of varying ages sharing a room, the Belden twin-over-full bunk is a great option. It’s made of a mix of sturdy poplar and pine wood, keeping this bunk securely in place. The bed also features built-in drawers with dovetail corners for extra storage. An actual staircase (versus a ladder) makes it easier for smaller family members to get up and down from the top bunk safely, and the guardrail is an impressive 22 inches high. The bunk is Greenguard Gold-certified, contributing to cleaner air in your child’s room. Enjoy neutral shades of white, a weathered Seadrift wood, gray and navy.

Wayfair

Dimensions: 50 x 42.5 x 81.5 inches | Materials: Solid wood | Weight limit: 400 pounds (top) | Style: Twin over twin

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Bunk beds are inherently fun, but this Isabelle & Max option kicks things up a notch with plenty of features to keep kids occupied—and maybe looking forward to bedtime. A built-in slide allows for a fun way to get out of bed in the morning (or to just blow off some steam before sleep). A cotton play curtain creates a house facade that can be fastened with a hook and loop or removed. The angled ladder has rounded edges for comfort and is reversible. A nice perk: The bottom bed sits just 2 inches off the floor, making it an ideal space for younger sleepers. The top bunk is rated to hold 400 pounds safely, which is more than most.

Oeuf

Dimensions: 42.25 x 78 x 64 inches | Materials: Baltic birch plywood, eco-MDF | Weight limit: 250 pounds (top) | Style: Twin over twin, plus trundle option

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If you were a fan of the clean lines and quality craftsmanship of the Oeuf crib for your baby like we were, you might want to consider the Brooklyn-based brand’s Perch bunk bed for your big kids. Founded by a French mom, Oeuf (the French word for egg) focuses on sustainable and modern children’s furniture, as well as clothing. The stunning but practical set of twin bunks offers an angled ladder with treads for easier climbing and plenty of add-ons to customize the piece for your family. These include a trundle bed ideal for sleepovers; a storage console as well as a separate shelf that can be attached to the foot of the bed; and additional guardrails to attach. The low bottom bunk and the addition of a bottom guardrail make this bed toddler-friendly—and the pieces separate into two twin beds (one loft bed, one standard twin) once the kids are over bunk beds.

Pottery Barn Teen

Dimensions: 75 x 56 x 79.5 inches | Materials: Pine, spruce, plywood, poplar, manufactured wood | Weight limit: 500 pounds | Style: Full over full

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The Costa bunk has a lot of features that make it a good choice for teens. Both beds are fulls that offer more space for growing teens to stretch out in. The bunk has an impressive 500-pound weight capacity, meaning it might fit them when they’re visiting home from college, too. It’s made from several types of wood for maximum sturdiness. Two reversible drawers on the bottom provide a place to stash pajamas, books and extra bedding out of sight. The ladder is also on the far end to help keep the bottom bunk resident from being disturbed by the top user.

Pottery Barn Kids

Dimensions: 60 x 79.5 x 76 inches | Materials: Spruce, poplar, plywood, fiberboard | Weight limit: 500 pounds | Style: Loft

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Pottery Barn Kids’ Camp Loft Bed has a design that’s minimalist yet inviting, with plenty of storage space to boot. This bed, which comes in navy, white and two wood finishes, has an open shelving unit that’s accessible from both sides to maximize storage and function. The bed can support up to 500 pounds, making it work for just about any child or adult. There’s ample room below for a desk, dresser or chair. Or, if you’re so inclined, you can add a coordinating second bed below it.

Buy From West Elm

Dimensions: 78 x 44 x 54.5 inches | Materials: Poplar, spruce, ash, engineered wood | Weight limit: 300 pounds | Style: Twin over twin

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Little kids can struggle to get in and out of tall beds, which can also be intimidating for them. This West Elm bunk features a bottom that’s low to the ground, allowing younger siblings to feel at ease. It’s also petite overall and doesn’t require excessively high ceilings. The bed has a streamlined modern design that’s still inviting, too. The Milo bunk is Greenguard Gold-certified as being low VOC, so you and your children can breathe a little easier.

Crate & Barrel

Dimensions: 78 x 54.5 x 54.3 inches | Materials: Wood | Weight limit: Unspecified | Style: Twin over full

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This bunk bed from Crate & Barrel looks like a work of art, and it’s highly functional, too. The bed has a built-in ladder with a unique look—it’s simply carved out of the side of the bed. You can choose if you prefer your ladder on the right or left, as well as what type of bunk you’d prefer by purchasing this loft bed and then a bottom bed to create a set. The bed on the bottom, whether you select a full or twin, is also on rolling casters, so you can pull it in and out as desired and arrange the bottom bed however you like.

As experts on kids and baby gear, the Forbes Vetted’s parenting team knows the value of choosing quality bunk beds, especially since many of us rely on them for our own children. We’ve extensively researched and written about bedding for children, including the best tested crib mattresses, best kids’ mattresses and best twin mattresses.

To recommend only the best bunk beds, we focused on offerings from popular and trusted retailers like West Elm, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn Teen.

A bunk bed is an investment for your family, so consider these elements as you shop and choose wisely.

Bunk beds are not one style fits all. While traditional bunks are a twin-over-twin design, they also come in twin-over-full and even full-over-full sizes. There are even triple bunk beds (which typically consist of a bunk and a loft) to accommodate an additional sleeper.

It’s important to measure your room carefully and compare it to the dimensions of the bunk before investing in a new bed. Leave plenty of room for your child to climb up and down the ladder, if it’s on the side. Consider elements like stairs, slides and angled ladders that can jut out when making your decision. Height matters, too: Make sure your child has enough room to sit up in bed (with additional room to grow).

It’s best not to assume that your purchase of a bunk bed includes the necessary mattresses. Some might and many do not, so read the manufacturer’s information carefully. There might be details about the dimensions of mattresses the bed can accommodate, and depending on the style of the bunk bed, it may be made to hold mattresses of differing sizes. If you’re looking for guidance, check out our recommendations for the best bunk bed mattresses.

All bunk beds have a certain weight capacity, typically for the top bunk. Most manufacturers list this information in the product description. If you’re having trouble finding this, and weight is a concern, contact the company that makes the bed to find out.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you do not let children under the age of 6 sleep in the top bunk. While younger children can technically sleep in the bottom bunk, you’ll want to make sure they’re able to stay put and won’t wander up to the top (or onto the ladder) when you’re not there to supervise. So, it might be best to limit their use with kids under 6.

In general, bunk beds are considered safe for kids, pediatrician Ganjian says. However, it’s important to keep in mind that there is a risk of falling from the top bunk—especially with younger children.

Falls and injuries from bunk beds are not uncommon in kids. Forbes Vetted deputy editor Rose Gordon Sala’s own daughter took a tumble off her ladder in the middle of the night and fractured her arm in first grade—two month’s shy of her seventh birthday. One study found that 23,000 children ages 9 and under were injured on bunk beds from 2001 to 2004 (nearly 15,000 of those were under the age of 6).

There are a few different things you can do. “Make sure everything fits correctly,” Ganjian says. Meaning, the mattress should go all the way to the side of the bed frame and not leave any spaces or gaps where children can get caught or trapped.

You’ll also want to make sure your top mattress doesn’t raise the sleep surface so high that the guard rail won’t work. Bunk beds typically come with guidelines on how thick the top mattress should be in order to maintain the integrity of the guardrail.

The CPSC regulates bunk beds, requiring guardrails and specifying certain design standards to reduce entrapment and falls, as well as setting standards on sharp edges, surface coatings, phthalates and lead. It also states that “the tops of the guardrails must be no less than 5 inches above the top of the mattress,” to prevent kids from rolling off the top bunk.

“I recommend placing the bunk in the corner of the room,” Ganjian advises. “That way, at least two sides of the bunk are taken care of, safety-wise.” A bunk bed with an easy-to-climb ladder or even stairs might also help to reduce stumbles.

Having a night light in the room is also a good idea, according to Ganjian, to help guide children who get up in the night.

Not necessarily. Some bunks even sleep adults. Keep in mind that a 13-year-old is likely to keep growing, and a twin or full bed may not be big enough for them with time. Many bunk beds also have weight capacities, on the top bunk at least. You’ll want to ensure that your child doesn’t exceed that if they’ll be sleeping on top. However, if a bunk is all you have room for, and the weight capacity checks out, it should be just fine to put a 13-year-old in one.

It depends. Every bunk bed is different and manufacturers often state how much weight any particular bunk can hold. This can be in terms of the top bunk, overall bunk weight capacity or top and bottom bed separately. If you’re concerned about weight capacity, consider a sturdy bed like the Costa Storage Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed. It has a generous 500-pound weight capacity, along with full-size beds that make it a good fit for teenagers or larger children.