How to set up an adjustable base (unboxing & setup, step by step)

Hi, we’re John and Mimi. The question we hear right after “which base?” is “how hard is it to put together?” For most of our bases the honest answer is: not hard. Most of the listings say no tools are required, and the bases arrive ready to unfold, set on their legs (or right inside your frame) and plug in. Here’s the whole job in order, from the box to the first time you press the remote, with what each model’s listing says where they differ.

The short answer

• No tools on most models. The SBKDH, e3, e4 Premium, Sam, Alex and Taylor listings all say “no tools required” and “fast and easy setup.”
• How it arrives: the SBKDH, e3 and e4 Premium fold in half for small-parcel shipping; the Sam, Alex and Taylor headboard bases ship in 2 boxes. Shipping is free by FedEx.
• Pick legs or no legs. Zero-clearance bases (e3, e4 Premium, Glide, e7 Lumbar, SBKDT2) can sit on a flat surface, a platform or inside a compatible frame without legs, with hook and loop straps to hold them to slats.
• Split king? Set the two Twin XL bases side by side, join them with the connecting straps if there’s no bed frame, and add the sync cable if you want both sides to move together.
• Put the mattress on last, against the mattress retainer bar at the foot, and only then cut the plastic, with scissors, not a razor blade.
• Stuck? Text John a photo and he’ll walk you through it.

Before it arrives

• Decide where it will sit. Per the listings, our bases can go inside a bed frame (with or without slats), on top of a platform bed frame, or stand on their own as the whole bed. An adjustable base replaces the box spring, so there’s nothing else to buy for underneath. Our box spring guide walks through the three setups.
• Measure the inside of your frame if the base is going in one, and check the sizes: Twin XL is 80" × 38", Full 75" × 54", Queen 80" × 60" (the sizes on our base listings).
• Plan for power. The motors, control box, lights and USB ports are electric, so you’ll want an outlet within reach of the head of the bed. A split king is two bases, so plan for two plugs.
• Clear a path and grab a helper. A steel base with motors is heavy to carry upstairs and to set in place, even folded.

What’s in the box, model by model

Straight from each listing. A dash means the listing doesn’t say, so text John if that detail matters for your room.

Every one of them lists a mattress (or foot) retainer bar, and every model except the SBKDH lists an emergency backup battery strip or box. Most list delivery within 3 to 5 business days.

Step by step

1. Unbox it in the bedroom. Carry the box to where the bed will live and open it there. The SBKDH, e3 and e4 Premium arrive folded in half, so open the base out flat. For the Sam, Alex or Taylor, open both boxes before you start.
2. Legs on, or legs off.
   • Standing on its own legs: the e3 and e4 Premium use patented screw-in legs; choose 3", 6", 9" or 12" and use the same height on every leg. The SBKDH lists 12" legs, the headboard bases six legs with customizable heights, and the e8 3", 6" or 9" legs.
   • Inside a frame or on a platform (zero clearance): leave the legs off. The e3, e4 Premium, Glide, e7 Lumbar and SBKDT2 are designed to sit on a flat surface or compatible bed frame without legs. On a slat system, the hook and loop securing straps hold the base to the slats; the SBKDT2 also lists screws for added stability on slats or platform frames.
3. Set it in place. Center it in the frame or where the bed will stand. Leave some room between the head of the base and the wall so it can move freely (the Glide is built to glide toward the wall as it rises, keeping your nightstand in reach). For a headboard, the Sam, Alex and Taylor bring their own, and the e3 and e4 Premium list head and footboard brackets as an add-on; our adjustable base with a headboard guide covers every option.
4. Split king: join the two halves. A split king is two Twin XL bases side by side. The listings say the connecting straps keep two bases from drifting apart when they’re used without a bed frame, and the synchronization cable lets both bases move together. The e3 and e4 Premium describe it as the ability to control your side and your partner’s side separately, or synchronize the two. See the box below for which sizes include them.
5. Fit the mattress retainer bar. It goes at the foot and keeps the mattress from sliding down when the head goes up. The e3, e4 Premium and Glide listings say the new retainer installs with fewer parts. The e8 also lists a non-skid top fabric to keep the mattress in place.
6. Batteries and power. Plug the base in. The e3, e4 Premium and Glide listings say their emergency battery strip runs on 9-volt batteries (fewer than before); the other models list a backup battery strip or box too, except the SBKDH. Put batteries in now so it’s ready if the power goes out.
7. Test it before the mattress goes on. Run the head and foot all the way up and down, then press Flat. Check that nothing is under or beside the base as it moves: cords, bedding, pets, the nightstand. On the e8, run the lift and tilt too.
8. Mattress on, then unwrap. Our mattress listings say to place the mattress on its proper surface (an adjustable base is one) before opening it, use scissors, not a razor blade, to cut the plastic, and allow up to 72 hours for it to fully recover, though you can sleep on it right away. Our mattress in a box guide has the details.
9. Set your favorite positions. On the e3 and e4 Premium, hold a programmable button for 5 seconds to save the current position. On the Sam, Alex and Taylor, put the base in the position you want and hold a memory button for 3 seconds. The e8 has 2 memory buttons, and the e7 Lumbar and SBKDT2 list a memory button.

Split king and split sets: what comes with them

• e3, Glide and e7 Lumbar: the listings say connecting straps, a synchronization cable and hook & loop securing straps come with the Twin XL and Cal King Split sizes.
• SBKDT2: the same three items with Twin XL, Split King and Cal King Split sets.
• e4 Premium: lists a sync cable and zero-clearance hook and loop safety straps.
• SBKDH, the headboard bases and the e8: their listings don’t mention a sync cable or connecting straps. Text John before you plan a two-base setup with one of these.

Our split king guide explains when two bases beat one, and our best sheets for an adjustable bed guide covers the sheets a split king needs.

The remote

• Wireless or wired: every base here has a wireless remote except the SBKDH, which has a wired 2-button remote.
• Replacement remote for the e3: the listing says it will need to be paired with your control box once you receive it, and it’s compatible with the SBKD2 and SBKD3. The pairing steps are in your base’s instruction manual (the e3, e4 Premium and Glide listings say the manual has been revamped and streamlined).
• Voice control: the Glide’s built-in microphone needs an app download; on the e8 you say “Hello Base” and then your command.

Clearance and bed height

“Zero clearance” means the base can sit with no gap underneath: on the floor, on a platform, or down inside a frame, with no legs. If you’d rather have the bed higher, the legs set the height: 3" to 12" on the e3 and e4 Premium, 12" on the SBKDH, and 3" to 9" on the e8, whose listing gives about 12.4" to 18.4" for the base alone before it lifts. Add your mattress on top to get the sitting height. Our aging in place guide talks about picking a comfortable bed height, and the how to choose an adjustable base checklist covers legs, frames and delivery before you buy.

The e8 lists caster wheels as an included optional accessory (with a locking mechanism, per the casters listing) and handrails sold separately; both are optional and not needed for the base to work.

Prices today

Every base, read live from our catalog. Split king set prices are on each base’s page and on our adjustable base comparison chart.

Prices are today’s prices, read live from our catalog, with free FedEx shipping included.

e3 Adjustable Bed Base with Wireless Remote, Memory Positions & Zero Clearance

The easiest base to set up yourself: it folds in half to ship, needs no tools, and works on legs or with no legs at all.

• No tools required; fast and easy setup
• Folds in half for small parcel shipping
• Patented screw-in legs: 3", 6", 9" or 12", or zero clearance
• Hook and loop safety straps for slat systems
• Sync cable and connecting straps for split setups (Twin XL and Cal King Split)
• Wireless 9-button remote with 3 programmable positions

From $449 (Twin XL) · Queen $499 · See sizes & details

Sam Adjustable Base with Headboard - BNSBKD2HS

If you want the headboard to come with the base: it ships in 2 boxes and goes together with no tools.

• Ships in 2 boxes; small parcel
• No tools required; fast and easy setup
• Six mid-century style legs with customizable heights
• Wireless remote with three memory buttons
• Mattress foot retainer bar and emergency backup battery box
• 750 lbs weight capacity

From $1,009 (Twin) · Queen $1,099 · See sizes & details

Questions we hear a lot

Still stuck?

Send John a photo of the base, the parts and where you’re stuck, and he’ll walk you through it. Text or call 805-617-6878, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific, or email sales@mimijohn.com. Every order ships free by FedEx; see our Purchase Policy & Warranty for the details.

Written by John & Mimi Venti, MimiJohn. Setup details, sizes, legs, remotes and included parts from the product listings on this site; always follow the instruction manual that comes with your base. Prices update automatically.