Emma Ottoman Bed Review
A storage bed where the whole base lifts on gas struts. The things that decide whether you regret it are the strut rating and the ceiling height.
I earn a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It never changes what I recommend, and I publish negative verdicts on brands I earn from. Editorial independence.
Verdict
A storage bed where the whole base lifts on gas struts, and the storage is genuinely transformative in a small bedroom. The things that decide whether you regret it are the strut rating and the ceiling height, and neither appears in most listings.
Buy it if
You need storage more than you need floor space, and you have checked the clearance above the bed.
Avoid it if
You have a low ceiling, a sloped ceiling, or you cannot lift comfortably. The mechanism needs room and some force.
See the current Emma offer
Emma discounts continuously. Judge the cash price, not the percentage.
No code needed. The discount is applied automatically at checkout. Opening the site in a new tab.
Emma on Amazon UK
Often cheaper here, and you lose the trial.
No code needed. Prices on Amazon change frequently, so check the seller and the returns terms before you buy. Opening in a new tab.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Ottoman storage bed, lifting base |
| Mechanism | Gas struts |
| Storage | Full footprint of the bed |
| Critical check | Ceiling clearance above the bed when raised |
| Second check | Whether the struts are rated for your mattress weight |
The scores
Excellent storage, with two checks that decide whether you will be happy.
Cheaper than a wardrobe and it uses space you already have.
Varies. A heavy mattress on an underspecified base is where problems start.
Measure the gaps before pairing it with a mattress.
The full footprint of the bed, which is more than any other furniture in a bedroom.
Gas struts work well and are the part that wears out.
Emma's standard terms.
The two checks nobody makes
Measure before you order
Ceiling clearance. An ottoman base lifts to roughly vertical. On a standard bed that means the raised end reaches well over two metres from the floor. In a loft room, a room with a sloped ceiling, or under a low light fitting, it will not open fully or will hit something on the way.
Strut rating. Gas struts are specified for a weight range. Modern hybrids run 28 to 34 centimetres deep and a king can weigh 40 to 50 kilograms. A base specified for a lighter mattress will feel heavy to lift, will not stay up reliably, and the struts will fail early.
Weigh or check your intended mattress before ordering the base. This is the single most common reason people dislike an ottoman bed and it is entirely avoidable.
Why the storage is worth more than it looks
An ottoman base gives you the entire footprint of the bed as storage, which in a UK double is roughly 135 by 190 centimetres of floor area you were already paying rent or mortgage on.
That is more usable volume than most wardrobes, and it is space that otherwise does nothing except collect dust. For a flat without a loft, a spare room, or a bedroom where a chest of drawers would block a walkway, it changes what the room can do.
The trade is access. Everything under an ottoman base requires lifting the bed to reach, so it suits things you need seasonally rather than daily. Bedding, luggage, winter coats, Christmas decorations. Not the things you want every morning.
Gas struts are the part that wears out
Every mechanical component in a bed will outlast the gas struts, so it is worth knowing how they behave.
Struts lose pressure gradually over years. The symptom is the bed becoming heavier to lift and eventually not staying up on its own, which is a safety issue rather than an inconvenience.
Replacement struts are cheap and widely available, and fitting them is straightforward. So when buying, check whether the struts are a standard size and replaceable rather than a proprietary part. A frame with replaceable struts lasts indefinitely. One without becomes scrap when they fail.
A correction worth making
Commonly repeated, and wrong
Ottoman beds are compared on storage volume and finish, and the specification that actually determines satisfaction is the gas strut rating against the mattress weight. Modern hybrids run 28 to 34 centimetres deep and a king can weigh 40 to 50 kilograms, well above what bases designed for older, shallower mattresses were specified for. An underspecified base is heavy to lift, unreliable at staying open, and fails early.
Should you buy it?
Yes if you need the storage and you have measured the ceiling clearance and checked the strut rating against your mattress weight. In a small bedroom it is the most efficient furniture decision available.
Check the struts are replaceable before ordering. That is the difference between a frame lasting twenty years and becoming scrap in six.
Questions people ask
What should I check before buying an ottoman bed?
Ceiling clearance and strut rating. An ottoman base lifts to roughly vertical, so in a loft or sloped room it may not open fully. And modern hybrids run 28 to 34cm deep with a king weighing 40 to 50kg, well above what older strut specifications assumed.
Do ottoman bed gas struts wear out?
Yes, they lose pressure gradually over years, so the bed becomes heavier to lift and eventually will not stay up, which is a safety issue. Replacement struts are cheap and easy to fit, so check they are a standard replaceable size rather than a proprietary part.