Materials

What the frames are made of

Material is what decides how a frame ages, so it is stated on every page where the brand states it. Here is what each one is good at and where it gives up.

Steel

The support system, the legs and the joints. Steel takes the load and keeps its shape, and a welded steel frame is the reason a bed stays quiet. It is heavier to move and it rusts where the coating is broken, so the coating matters as much as the metal.

Powder coating

Baked onto the steel rather than brushed on. It survives knocks, cleaning and being carried through a doorway. Paint on a bed frame is a false economy, and the difference shows up as chips along the bottom rail.

Engineered wood slats

Spaced to support a mattress without a box spring. Slats spread the load and let the mattress breathe. They are consumable: a broken slat is a five minute fix, and it is worth checking they can be replaced individually.

Fabric and leatherette

Over the headboard, where a hard surface would be uncomfortable to lean against and would knock against the wall. Fabric hides marks better than leatherette and holds dust more; leatherette wipes clean and creases with age.

ABS and PC in the charging module

The housing around the socket. It is chosen for heat rather than for looks, because the part that sits closest to a bed and works overnight is the part that has to stay cool.

How often each one appears

Counted across the range. A frame that states no material is left out of the count rather than guessed at.