We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

Who Invented the Waterbed?

Updated: May 30, 2018
Views: 2,106
Share

When inventor Charles Hall first tried to patent his design for a modern waterbed in 1968, he quickly learned that truth can be just as strange as (science) fiction. It turned out that sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein, author of novels such as Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers, had already described waterbeds in several of his works. Even though Heinlein's literary creations never actually existed, the U.S. Patent Office initially denied Hall a patent due to the existence of Heinlein's detailed descriptions. Heinlein, who had been hospitalized for months with pulmonary tuberculosis as a young man, wrote in great detail about a more comfortable bed filled with water. In 1971, Hall was finally awarded a patent for his invention, which he described as "liquid support for human bodies."

Making waves with waterbeds:

  • In 1833, long before Hall and the modern waterbed, Scottish physician and inventor Neil Arnott filled a rubber canvas with bathwater as a way to prevent bedsores in hospital patients.
  • At its peak in the 1980s, the waterbed industry was worth $2 billion USD; approximately one out of every four mattresses sold was a waterbed.
  • A king-size waterbed in the 1980s could weigh as much as 1,600 pounds (726 kg). Most landlords still don't allow waterbeds because of the potential for damage.
Share

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/who-invented-the-waterbed.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.