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- The Ease Power Base is an adjustable bed frame for customized sleep positions with the push of a button.
- Not everyone needs an adjustable frame, but I enjoyed the ease and comfort it offered.
- We also spoke to a sleep researcher about the potential pros and cons of adjustable bed frames.
I've been using the Sealy Ease Power Base for three months and love how easy it is to customize my bed experience, from personalized sleep positions to sitting it upright for reading before bed. As far as bed frames go, and especially adjustable bed frames, the Ease Power Base is pretty affordable: where options from Saatva, Leesa, Purple, and more will run you $1,300 and up for a Queen size, the Ease Power Base is just $849 for a Queen and as low as $749 for a Twin.
Still, not everyone really needs an adjustable frame. So why bother at all? "The bedroom is ideally a sanctuary for us. And the mattress and bed frame you use matter a lot when it comes to comfort and relaxation," said Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. She said that adjustable bed frames are growing in popularity and also pointed out that the more customizable your bed can be, the better. "Sleep is very personal and multiple settings give you more options," she said.
Adjustable bed frames may work better for some sleepers than others, and you want to be careful you're not actually causing any discomfort. "It would likely be best for someone who is a back sleeper or experiencing spinal discomfort," Dr. Robbins said. "If you're on your stomach with any adjustable feature, your spine is going to be hinged and not aligned. Same thing for a side sleeper. However, if you're a back sleeper or struggling with back pain, this could be a good choice for you."
That said, Dr. Robbins is also quick to point out that there isn't really much data on adjustable bed frames just yet. "Unfortunately, the literature is sparse on this topic. We haven't really studied these devices and their evidence-based ability to improve back pain," she said. "So while those with back pain may be a group who could benefit from the use of an adjustable bed frame, we can't say for sure yet."
Sealy Ease Adjustable Power Base Bed Frame Check price at Sealy Design and specs
Any mattress can work with the Sealy Ease Power Base and it's available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King. I tested the Queen along with Cocoon by Sealy's Chill Mattress.
Both the head and foot can be adjusted with the touch of a button on a simple wireless remote control. The head adjusts up to 57 degrees and the feet adjust up to 46 degrees. Both the head and foot of the bed frame can be moved by just a couple of degrees at a time for nearly endless combinations. There's also a button on the remote that will automatically set the bed frame to the Zero Gravity option, which elevates your head and feet to simulate weightlessness. There's also a handy Home button that will quickly return the bed back down to flat.
The suggested weight capacity for the bed frame is 650 pounds total. The bed frame comes with complimentary white glove delivery and setup, including removing all packaging materials for you, and shipping is free. Unfortunately, there are no returns on the Power Base. However, it does come with a 25-year limited warranty.
Setup process
Thanks to the free white glove delivery service, the setup process was a breeze. My delivery time was scheduled as a two-hour window roughly three weeks after ordering the frame.
Two men (who wore masks the entire time) efficiently brought in the frame, asked how high I would like it, and had it ready to go with my mattress on it in about 15 minutes. They allowed me to inspect everything and showed me how to work the remote control before departing. Be aware that the bed frame does need to plug in, so it will have to go against a wall with an outlet.
Sealy Ease Power Base review
I am mostly a side sleeper and don't experience back pain, so I slept with the frame entirely flat. However, I still liked sitting the frame up at night and in the morning to read, scroll on my phone, or just relax. I found the "Zero-G" option particularly comfy for relaxing at night before bed. And I certainly appreciated the ability to just lean over and groggily press one button to sit myself up and start working when my colleagues and I were signing on at 6 a.m. during Black Friday to scour for the best deals.
However, Dr. Robbins also told me that I shouldn't make a habit of working from bed and that this could actually be a con of the frame. "The adjustable bed frame gives you the temptation to spend more time in bed. But we really want to use the bed for sleep and sleep alone," she said. "If you're spending a little time before bed with the lights low reading in bed, that's terrific. But spending protracted periods of time in bed and sitting upright to work or watch television wouldn't be something I recommend."
Still, I appreciated that I had the option to more comfortably sit up in bed than just having a pillow behind my back against the wall. Additionally, the mattress never slipped or slid around during any adjustments.
However, the adjustable features are fairly loud. While it wasn't a serious issue, I could hear both the bed moving and the clicking of the remote even when I was in the room next door. Additionally, I ran into some issues due to the fact that my partner likes to go to bed much earlier than I do. Since the left and right sides aren't adjustable independently, if I wanted to stay up later and read and he wanted to hit the hay, one of us had to be in a less than comfortable position. There was also only one remote, so only one of us could control the functions. Admittedly, I did take some delight in finding a new way to bug my partner via jolting him upright or sending his feet up when he least expected it.
I've been using the Power Base for over three months and haven't run into any issues. The buttons and functions continue to work flawlessly and it moves smoothly and doesn't jerk around at all when going from flat to upright and vice versa.
The cons
The Sealy Ease Power Base is a lower-cost, adjustable bed frame option, but that does mean you lose some of the bells and whistles that come with pricier models. While it does the basics of lifting the head and feet, you won't get any massage settings, USB ports, or built-in nightlights. Additionally, both sides of the bed frame move together, so if you sleep with a partner and one of you wants to sit up and read and night while the other is ready to lay flat and go to bed, that won't be possible. The only way you can get around this is if you order two XL Twin mattresses and frames.
The other huge downside is the lack of a return option. That means you need to be fully committed before deciding to purchase the frame.
The bottom line
If you are a side or stomach sleeper with no back pain, there may not be a huge reason for you to need an adjustable bed frame beyond sitting up to read in bed or to relax in a different position. And even for those who do have back pain, there are not enough concrete studies yet to say for sure that an adjustable bed frame will help.
However, if you're looking for the basic functionality of being able to easily and more comfortably sit up in bed for reading and relaxation, the Sealy Ease Power Base is a solid and more affordable option.
Pros: Good price, easy to use with remote control, customizable positions, easy to sit up for relaxing
Cons: Non-returnable, not as many features as other models, both sides move together, may not be necessary for average sleepers
Check price at Sealy
Hannah Freedman Former Associate Travel Editor, Reviews Hannah is the former associate travel editor for Insider Reviews. She's been to over 50 countries on five continents and is always on the hunt for the best hotels, food spots, and off-the-beaten-path finds. Before joining the Insider team, Hannah oversaw all digital content and edited print features for Family Traveller magazine. Under her guidance, the Family Traveller website won multiple awards, including in the Best Online Travel Magazine category, from the North American Travel Journalists Association. She also previously worked at Oprah.com and has written for outlets including Vanity Fair, Travel + Leisure, Thrillist, Brides, Here Magazine, Greatist, and more. She holds a master's in Publishing and Digital Media from NYU. An avid traveler, you can follow along on Hannah's adventures on her Instagram @hfreed11. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnmKS6pnvSnpilsV2arrSxjKmmsJ2iYq%2Biv8RmmJ2ipajBoq7LnmSbnZRis7OtzJ5kq52mnrK4