Waterbeds have been around for many years but have probably seen their heyday. That’s not to say they have outlived their usefulness. There is still demand for waterbeds as can be seen if you go through the Amazon listings. In truth there are some good reasons why water beds are still with us but at 
the same time the wrong choices can be inconvenient.
The major benefits of owning a water bed have not changed since this type of bed came into use. Originally conceived as hospital equipment, the bed was introduced to hospitals over eighty years ago primarily to reduce bed sore infection on patients confined to beds. The waterbed was ideal because it offered full body support reducing pressure points that led to problems in patients. The wider market soon realized that this level of comfort would be welcomed outside of hospitals and people began buying waterbeds for home use to get a better quality, more comfortable and settled nights sleep.
These days these benefits remain, and maybe surprisingly, the waterbeds on the market today are competitively priced compared to other quality beds. However, if you do not know what to look for buying a waterbed can be a minefield. On the one hand water beds have the disadvantages of being cumbersome and difficult to move around, carry the fear of bursting and seem to need specialized waterbed accessories to get the best use from the bed. These factors shouldn’t put you off if you want a good nights sleep and indeed making the right purchase choices can negate a lot of these drawbacks.
If you are concerned about moving the bed regularly you could choose to opt for a shallow fill mattress, a waterbed tube mattress or dual mattresses to reduce inconvenience. Shallow fills naturally contain less water and weight due to their thin depth , tubes are mattresses that are in-filled with six or seven individual tubes that can be easily removed as required to ease weight when relocating and dual waterbed mattresses are essential twin side by side bladders allowing removal of half the weight by removal of a bladder with the extra benefit that you and a partner can consider different mattress firmness and heater controls that a standard bed wouldn’t allow for.
As for bursting, this is a bit of an urban myth. Waterbed bladders are constructed from multi layer vinyl for robustness and rather than burst under pressure are more likely to crack and weep with age. Using a waterbed liner reduces the chances of this happening as the liner protects the mattress surface from scratches and body oils and by buying dual or tube mattresses odds of bursting are hugely reduced.
In terms of accessories, you will need specialized waterbed sheets, inexpensive waterbed conditioner and depending on the climate you live in a waterbed heater could be useful, but extras such as pumps, repair kits and the like are unlikely to be needed if you are buying a new waterbed. Pumps are often available for hire from local rental companies. If you are buying a waterbed consider buying the entire ensemble in one go from one supplier, this will help you get the best deal going as you can negotiate a special discount for buying the whole kit.