This is a full review of the DHP Twin Over Full Metal Bunk Bed, previously known as Sturdy Kids Sturdy Twin Over Full Metal Bunk Bed with Stairs.
Well… be prepared for me being not happy at all. After reviewing so many bunk beds, I tend to get a bit allergic to bullcrap, and this particular bunk bed crossed lines that I do not want to see crossed.
Check out: Best Affordable bunk beds for under 300 dollars!
I have kids myself, and I truly understand the feeling when you are searching for a product and can’t decide which one is the best. That mission gets more complicated when sellers are giving out false information. Whether this is intentional or not, it doesn’t change the fact that this bunk bed just doesn’t deliver where there needs to be a delivery.
What am I talking about? You’ll hear in a moment, but first, let me start with details:
DHP Twin Over Full Metal Bunk Bed Details:
Dimensions: 78″L x 57″W x 61.5″H (twin over full)
Weight capacity: Bottom bunk 450lbs, top bunk 200lbs
How much weighs: 109lbs
Color: Black, Pink, Blue, Silver, White
Material: Metal
Advantages of This Bunk Bed
Customization options
I always like seeing customization options. Sometimes, people really like a certain bunk bed on the market, and when there are options to change some details, it is a welcome feature.
Bunk beds, after all, will stay with us for years, so getting it right the first time is crucial.
This DHP bunk bed has 5 different colors to choose from and can also be changed to twin-over-twin. The last option will, of course, change the structure of the bed, so this review will not be as valid.
If customization is important to you, check out this article as well: List of Most Customizable Bunk Beds for Your Needs!
Weight Capacity
Metal bunk beds are very famous for their sturdiness and for their capability of withstanding a lot of weight.
If your children are a bit on the heavy side, or if you want to lie next to your children sometimes, it would be a good fit for you.
However, this bunk bed just isn’t as sturdy as I would have liked. It actually moves a lot compared to other beds, and when it was assembled, it did feel like its design just isn’t good for long time usage. I will go deeper into this topic below.
Assembly
So, the only redeeming quality is its ability to withstand a respectable amount of weight (450lbs and 200lbs) and its assembly instructions. They were actually really easy to follow.
Although still not as good as some bunk beds are, it is made out of metal so they can’t really mess up the instructions even if they tried. See, most metal bunks are already a bit pre-assembled unlike wooden ones, so naturally, following instructions becomes a lot simpler.
Why You Should Not Get This Bed
Oftentimes when I read the title and they boast about something, like being very sturdy or having stairs, I think to myself ‘well at least they got that going on for themselves. Rarely do I have to question the legitimacy of their advertisement.
That’s not the case with this one.
Lack of Stairs
It’s not sturdy, and it has no stairs. Stairs are something that top-tier bunk beds usually have as they are hard to make, difficult to assemble, and expensive overall. I’ve seen bunk beds with stairs at a mid-tier price, but unsurprisingly they were not even in the original price, so you had to buy stairs separately. I was furious when I saw that, as were customers.
So seeing similar stuff here isn’t pleasant. These are not stairs, DHP, these are ‘ladders’ which most bunk beds have anyway, so there’s a big difference. I am not really sure that they did it accidentally also. Many are searching for bunk beds with stairs, and advertising them as such can give you a huge boost in search engines. Not… cool!
UPDATE: Well, well, seems they have had a change of heart and they changed the name to “DHP Twin-Over-Full Bunk Bed with Metal Frame and Ladder.” That’s much better.
‘Sturdy’ Bunk Bed Isn’t That Sturdy
Another displeasing fact with this ‘Sturdy Kids Sturdy’ bunk bed is that it’s not actually sturdy. At least not as sturdy as it should be considering it belongs to a metal category. Metal beds are known for being super strong and basically unmovable. Unfortunately, I didn’t see much of that here. Even some wooden bunks feel more reinforced than this one.
In the customer reviews, you might see that some are super happy with the product and it feels solid, but the fact is that most haven’t experienced products that are better. It’s not like you buy a bunk bed every Christmas for your children.
No, it’s a once or twice in a lifetime purchase, so don’t be fooled into praising stuff that doesn’t deserve to be praised. You and your kids deserve better.
See also: Most Sturdy Bunk Beds You Can Get THIS YEAR!
Noise
Noise is also something that can irritate you. Although they are using plastic brackets, it’s not enough to silence the sound this bunk bed makes at night.
If you, parents, are sleeping in the next room or somewhere close, be prepared to invest in some earmuffs. Not only you, but your youngsters may end up not sleeping at night (this issue may come after months of usage, not immediately).
This is an issue that follows a lot of bunk beds that are made out of metal – it’s just really hard to avoid.
The only counterattack for that is doing a maintenance run from time to time which involves finding out the squeaky points and then oiling it. Another method is taking a screwdriver and going through every single bolt and connection point so there wouldn’t be any loose parts.
So when you hear parents, or kids especially, say that they love this bunk bed, don’t forget that oftentimes it’s their first product. Of course, kids are going to love it. Even I loved my wiggle-happy bunk bed, no matter how bad it was.
Ladders Are Too Thin to Step on
For us, parents, it would be a nightmare. We step on it, try to climb up and you just feel the metal pushing inside the sole of your feet. For youngsters, it is not as terrible because they are lightweight, but if your pupils are older or get older, that becomes an issue.
I remember the times when I slept on bunk beds that had metal rails. At that period I was around 19 and muscular, so even having a high pain tolerance didn’t help me to look forward to sleeping on the top bunk. Not only that but the metal itself is often very cold. Just imagine waking up from your cozy and warm bed, taking off the blanket, and then having no choice but to step on a cold metallic rail on a beautiful sunny morning.
If you still wish to buy this bunk bed then I would gift you a tip on how to fix this problem.
- Buy a foam or something similar →
- Wrap it around the ladder rails
- Use duck tape to secure it tightly
Not only will it be a lot more comfortable for your kids’ feet, but it’s pretty warm so it’s pleasant to step on. I even recommend it to some wooden bunk beds when the need comes for it. Check out this awesome site for more detailed instructions!
The last thing I’d add is this: They should have taken advantage of the twin-over-full bunk bed by putting these hell-inducing thin ladders on the lengthy side. That way you will still feel pain climbing down, but at least it won’t be at an awkward angle.
Tsk tsk, I expected more from DHP.
Conclusion
All in all, I am pretty disappointed with DPH’s product this time. They do have some great products but it feels like they messed up by overlooking some issues that could have been prevented.
Seeing the bed name that includes the phrase “With Stairs” gave me quite a chuckle with a tiny bit of sadness and disappointment, so I do hope I won’t be encountering these kinds of products anytime soon.
In terms of quality itself… I am just not pleased with it at all. There are so many ways for them to make it right, and they just didn’t take that opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, you can still sleep on it, and there is a high chance it will serve you for years, but there truly are better products at the same price that don’t have these issues. That is the reason why I dislike metal bunk beds – just too much headache. If you are a parent and you are thinking of buying a proper affordable bunk bed, don’t shy away from doing your own research and investing time into it. After all, they will be sleeping on them for years to come. I’ve slept on mine for 15 years, and I’ve found mine to have different kinds of pros and cons. The problems that we are discussing right here and now will be felt by our children either immediately or when they grow up.
So my advice would be to stay away from DHP Twin Over Full Metal Bunk Bed for the time being.
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