Best Cube Cabinet Style: Night & Day Furniture Murphy Cube Cabinet Bed

Let’s talk Murphy beds!

Invented around 1900 by William Lawrence Murphy, the Murphy bed was first called an “In-A-Door Bed.” Murphy was living in a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco at the time he invented it. 

Although fold-up beds predated the Murphy bed, Murphy’s innovation was to add counterbalance weights and a pivot joint the bed. He patented these improvements in 1912 and 1916.

Murphy beds are great as a space saver in small bedrooms, apartments and dorm rooms. More modern designs now have decorative shelving, USB charging plugs and more. 

A fixture in comedy movies, Murphy beds play the comic foil in movies like Abbott and Costello’s “Hit the Ice” (1943), Charlie Chaplin’s “One AM” (1916) and Laurel and Hardy’s “Be Big” (1930).

When it comes to Murphy beds for your home, you have two basic choices: a wall cabinet that must be secured to the wall or a cube cabinet style. The latter can sit on a floor and doesn’t require anchoring plus it looks even more stealthy.

We liked this cabinet-style model by Night & Dry; it’s the best of the half dozen units we researched for this article. It got good marks from our readers for overall quality. 

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Easy to assemble.

• Hardwood construction.

• Doesn’t require wall mounting.

• Includes tri-fold gel memory foam mattress.

• Assembly video helps speed installation.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• Firm mattress may require a topper if you prefer a softer sleep surface.

Best Budget Friendly: Signature Sleep Easy-Lift Queen Murphy Wall Bed in Ivory Oak

Yes, Murphy beds can get rather pricey. If the budget is tight, this traditional Murphy bed model by Signature Sleep is a reader favorite that offers good bang for the buck. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Good fit and finish.

• Bed frame eliminates need for box spring.

• Dual piston design makes it easy to open and close.

• Affordable.

• Can hold up to 600 lbs.

• Neutral color pallet.

What Needs Work

• Mattress not included.

• Extensive assembly can take some time.

• Some users report directions are missing.

Best Bed Plus Storage: Bestar, Universal Collection, Queen Murphy Bed with Two Storage Units

Storage, especially in a small secondary bedroom, can be important so we looked for a Murphy bed that comes with its own storage. Our top pick is the Bestar’s Universal Collection queen-size model. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Sturdy.

• Attractive cabinets provide additional storage,

• Perfect for use in smaller bedrooms.

• Box spring not required to use.

• Arrives in multiple boxes.

What Needs Work

• Assembly can be a challenge. It takes more than a couple people and half a day to assemble, based on our research.

• Mattress not included.

Best Hidden Bed: Atlantic Furniture Deerfield Murphy Bed Chest

We liked the clever design of this Murphy bed—it folds into what looks like a chest of drawers, complete with drawer pulls.

What We Liked

• Impressive looking when assembled.

• Great space saver.

• Neutral color palette.

• Looks like a dresser with satin-finish hardware.

• Easy to assemble.

• Includes USB ports.

• Weight capacity is more generous than other beds we researched at 1000 lbs.

What Needs Work

• Instructions could be more clear.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!