On Monday, I mentioned that Kris and I are ready to replace our 15-year-old mattress. I don’t sleep well on it, though I sleep fine on other mattresses. I only mentioned this to illustrate a point, but I was surprised at how many readers commented on my situation.
Jason’s comment was typical:
I’ve found that sleep is the absolute root of everything. With decent sleep, I’m a better man, father, athlete, spouse, employee and all around person. With poor sleep, I’m just getting by at best, an irritable mess at worst.
I’d replace that mattress yesterday, as others have already said. Think of the other things you “just do” when they wear out and become unsafe or function poorly — car tires, toothbrushes, sponges, knives, ladders, etc. The mattress very easily fits into the same category.
Unfortunately, “an irritable mess” pretty much describes me lately, and I’m sure that a lot of this stems from poor sleep. I don’t need more convincing. I’m ready to purchase a new mattress. But how do I go about it without getting ripped off? For some reason, I think of mattress shopping in the same way I think about shopping for a used car.
In the same discussion, EBYT wrote that she sold mattresses while attending university. She offered the following tips for mattress shopping:
- Mattresses are hugely marked up (at least here in Canada). I bought one for staff price (brand new, not a display model) that cost 50% less than what we were selling it for. They still made money off of me. Either wait till they go on sale, or make sure you ask for a good deal. Good mattress/box sets start around $1,500 “regular” price.
- Make sure you buy a mattress pad so you get full warranty. The salespeople will try to sell you on the manufacturer’s 10-year warranty, but they don’t always tell you the warranty is void if you stain it.
- To go along with the warranty thing, always buy the matching mattress/boxspring set. Mismatching usually voids the warranty. The boxspring is usually only about 10-15% of the mattress set’s price so don’t try to cut costs there, or by using your old “perfectly good” boxspring.
- Don’t be afraid to test the beds on the showroom floor — that’s what they’re there for.
Another reader suggested buying a mattress from a warehouse club. Kris and I made a trip to Costco the other day to look at their mattresses. As always, the prices are great but the selection is poor. Plus, there’s no way to “sleep-test” the mattresses (which are just in a big stack in the middle of the store). Would it be bad form to sleep test at a mattress store and then buy from Costco? Could I even find the same models?
Finally, here are some articles about mattress shopping from other sites:
- Birds and Bills: Braving mattress sales, which says: “After a few glances at the mattress sales tags, which featured minimal text and explanation, I ended up giving up entirely on trying to “shop” by feature — latex? foam? coils? I had no idea which I wanted — and just road-tested a few. And … they mostly felt alike.”
- MSNBC: Don’t lose sleep buying the perfect mattress, which says: “Offer the retailer a couple of hundred dollars less than the one on the price tag. Be prepared to negotiate from there. If the mattress feels good to you, then that is the right mattress for you.”
- Slate: Going to the mattresses, which says: “If you can’t tell the difference between a $200 and a $900 mattress (I couldn’t, but maybe you can), get the cheaper one. They’re nearly the same, anyway. Anything over $1,500 and you’re just paying for prestige.”
- USA Today: How not to lose sleep over buying a mattress, which says: “The ‘best’ mattress comes down to personal preference — consumers are urged to test mattresses before buying. It also pays to know what’s inside each type — and why.”
In any event, it seems that Kris and I will soon be sleeping on a new mattress. I have my fingers crossed that this will give me better rest and, in turn, make me a less irritable mess!
Photo by The Truth About.
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Any new mattress I have ever slept on had a strong chemical odor for a good week after taking the plastic wrap off. While I am not advocating that you don’t purchase a conventional mattress, I am advocating that you let it air out a bit before sleeping on it. Inhaling that stuff can’t possibly be good for you.
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@ Ken #13
Am understanding correctly? You slept on a mattress for 5 YEARS and then asked for a refund?
WOW that is unbelievable.
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J.D please post the e-mail from the mattress salesman! I’m going to be in the market for a new mattress really soon, and have NO idea what to look for. But it really must be done, DBF and I are a wreck all day and don’t sleep too well on his 15 year old, springs coming out, and bent boxspring bed!
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I went through this ordeal about a year ago when we moved house.
I’d definitely recommend avoiding spring matresses (they only wear out anyway) and get one of the memory foam based models with an emphasis on low partner disturbance. Not a cheaper one, trust me you’ll get a longer life out of it.
It takes a while to get used to no springs moving about, but trust me, after a week of the best night sleep you’ve ever had you’ll love it.
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I had to laugh when I read the part about trying out a bed, and Kris remembering the model number. Every store uses different model numbers AND names to confuse you. There is very little chance of finding it, and this is one of the ways mattress comparison shopping is made virtually impossible!
We had the unfortunate experience of leaving a cat at home on vacation with no access to her litter box. A friend came to check on her after a day, but by then she had already used our bed as her litter box. (ew!)
We needed a mattress that day, so we went to Ikea. We ended up buying a cheap king mattress ($300) with a more expensive cover ($350). We tried out all the combinations until we found the one we liked the best. I’ve never had a more comfy bed.
We also bought my son a new mattress from Ikea. He chose a latex mattress, and I have to say it’s just as comfortable if not moreso than ours!
The 2 great things about buying from Ikea:
1) take it home that day!
2) no salespeople trying to upsell us
Good luck shopping!
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I remember seeing signs at IKEA that they seem to have a decent exchange policy if you don’t like what you get too.
We will be in the market shortly so I too look forward to any tips.
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We (regretfully) bought a thick non-flippable pillowtop King about 2 years ago that (on the showroom floor) felt absolutely devine. At the time we were experiencing a lot of additional stress with our business, waaay overpaying at $1800.
Despite rotating it head to feet and back several times as recommended, within 12-18 months it had developed two deep and uncomfortable wallow-like indentations where we each slept (OK, we’re not exactly *tiny* people, but at 150lbs for me and 200lbs for hubby we’re not XXL, either).
Checked with store on warranty; turns out that since at delivery they had to slightly bend mattress in the center longways to fit it up our narrow staircase a notation had been made in the internal paperwork that nulled all warranties. Bummer.
Desperate for a solution, we flipped it over onto its lumpy, scooped out pillowtop, exposing the uber hard but perfectly flat bottomside, bought a memory foam topper from Costco for about $120 bucks, slapped it on, and it now feels and sleeps like a DREAM… I love it!
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I’m sure you’re getting no end of opinions on this…
The key to a restful sleep is having your spine straight and aligned when you’re sleeping. I sleep on my side. My partner sleeps on his stomach. For, us, memory foam and the right pillows do the trick.
We got a great deal on our first memory foam mattress from Costco, and our second from Overstock.com Compared to spring mattresses, futons, etc., I’ve never slept better. And the mattresses last longer.
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My story:
Looking for low-partner disturbance (I’ve got a few lbs on my wife) and really enjoying the comfort, we decided we wanted memory foam but that was out of our budget.
So instead of paying big bucks for a fancy name brand, I Googled: foam wholesale city, st, which returned a list of foam wholesalers in my area. I called around and told them what I wanted: to make my own memory foam mattress. They were on board with it and cut foam to my dimensions. They even suggest I could save money by not doing all memory foam and also recommended a place that would sew on a cover.
$500 later I had my custom memory foam bed, and this was back when they were going for thousands.
I love it and sleep especially well knowing what a good value I got.
Hat tip to Dwell who published a reader’s letter that gave me this idea.
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I work in Customer Care at a furniture store. The best advice I can give you is to go to a major retailer, not Costco. A lot of the larger furniture dealers offer 30 day guarantees. My company offers a 30 day comfort guarantee for a small fee you can reselect to something else (and they give you two weeks to do it after the 30 days; in fact today I took a call from a customer who bought the mattress in April and due to extenuating circumstances couldn’t get in contact with us in time. I spoke to my manager and we are going to let them come in to reselect.) Also, depending on the company, they offer extra protection if you buy their mattress pad. My company will match the manufacturer’s 10 year warranty if you buy their pad and will extend that warranty to cover stains and rips. (They will even cover bodily fluids! (Most places won’t.)) My company will clean the mattress, if they can’t clean it they will replace the mattress one time for free. I’m sure that other companies will offer this, and it costs about the same a mattress pad would.
Also, be sure to ask how the warranty works. If you make a claim do you need to contact the manufacturer yourself or will the store handle it? (At my company we send our technicians out to measure it, deal with the claim internally, and have you into the store the next day to reselect.) Despite what someone posted above you CANNOT use the mattress handles to move the bed. If they rip off your warranty is voided.
You do not need to necessarily use the matching boxsprings. If you have a platform bed you don’t need them, if you have existing boxsprings and you haven’t changed the type of mattress (i.e. latex to latex; or springs to spring) you may not need the boxsprings. It’s very important to also make sure you pick the right size, do you need 5″ boxes, or 9″? If it’s a King they don’t make regular boxsprings, they come split (doesn’t affect comfort/warranty). If it’s a Queen you have the option, but will a regular Queen box fit up the stairs?
Another good point someone made above is to treat it like any other large purchase. Don’t however go in thinking I will spend X amount. If you have the money go in thinking “I need to sleep better. I need this to destress my life.” And lay on all the mattresses. If the most comfortable one is $600 buy it; if it’s $6000, that sucks, but 80% of your life is spent through sleep (Hardly any mattresses cost $6000, and we only sell about 3 a year, you’ll probably spend around 1,000-2,000.) Definitely price shop. Definitely walk out after getting a quote, come back, and when they write the order up state “I will only pay [reasonable amount].” A customer did that at my store and we knocked about $500 off their order.
Other key things to bring up: Do they offer free delivery? (A lot of mattress companies [Sealy, Stearns and Foster] will pay the company to deliver the mattress. Don’t pay for delivery.) Will they remove the old bedding? (My company does for free.)
Lastly, treat this as an investment. Sealy, Stearns, and Tempurpedic all offer 20 year warranties on some of their beds. Look at what the return will be. Sure, you can buy a $300 mattress from Costco but in 19 years when your mattress is defective will they refund every penny to you for a new mattress?
Actually one last thing: do not remove the bedding law tag! You will void your warranty even if you purchase extra protection. The tags are the only way to track how old your bed it. Keep your original receipts, most companies only hang onto them for 10 years.
P.S. – If you tell larger companies the ‘name’ of the mattress you are looking at with another company they can usually find a match in their showroom (because they know what their store calls that mattress!) If you have a savvy enough salesperson you’ll walk away happy with a price you can live with. (If you lived in New York I’d tell you to stop by my store so I could get you the best deal!) Good Luck!
*Edit* If you find the manf and model # of the bed you slept on bring it into a larger retailer. They may be able to special order, or find something close. It’s worth a try.
To the person whose worried about hazordous chemicals: Larger retailers are now offering organic options that forgo those materials. I think Sealy (possibly Simmons) just came out with a line (unfortunately it’s specifically geared for my store but they may have similar lines at other retailers.)
JD, if you or your wife have any further ?s drop me a line. I don’t want to advertise for my store here (against company policy) but I will do what I can to help you out. I know a few bedding rep’s and can get your questions answered ASAP!
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If you can get away with it… I’ve been sleeping on the floor for the past year and a half. Never been better
Great support, and infinite arrangement options depending on what you have around (sometimes just toss my 3 different-thickness blankets in the middle of the room — random bedding!)
Of course, everybody that knows turns their nose, and I’ve been threatened with harm (and a forced cot purchase) by a friend if I don’t “get my act together” soon.
That leads me to the next adventure in non-mattress sleeping arrangements: Hammocks. Indoor hammock stand build underway.
All that to say, mattresses aren’t the only option =)
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I definitely recommend Mattress World. After doing a ton of research on mattresses, I realized (as others have mentioned) that it’s almost impossible to compare models from store to store. With all the slight variations, re-branding, and custom models for particular stores, they don’t exactly make it easy.
Mattress World was local, they had a large selection, and there was a “30% off everything in the store” sale. We arrived at the store 1/2hr before closing just intending to peruse and ended up purchasing a mattress an hour later. The salesman didn’t rush us at all and was more than happy to stay past closing.
As far as mattress types go, this was more or less our thinking… Typical innerspring mattresses can be quite comfortable but don’t have long warranties. Select Comfort (“Sleep Number”) beds are comfortable, adjustable, and have 20-year warranties. However, the warranty is prorated after the first 2 years and the two couples I know who have purchased them had to replace the pumps after a year or so. Memory foam has a long warranty, but it’s hard, slow to adjust to your body (making it uncomfortable if you roll around much), and tends to hold in the heat. Latex is comfortable, has a long warranty, and adjusts to your body much faster than memory foam. Needless to say, that’s what we ended up getting.
I love pillowtops but was a bit concerned about how long they would hold up. I didn’t want to have an otherwise nice bed ruined five years later by a squashed pillowtop. The mattress we got has a pillowtop made out of latex or something (I can’t remember right off) and springs right back. If it sags more than 2″ during the 20 year warranty, they will replace it for free.
Anyway, I’m not sure if it was just the salesman we had or what, but I didn’t have to haggle at all. At one point while my wife and I were looking around, he came up to us and said, “I was just on the phone with my supervisor and she said I can give you 40% off anything you buy tonight.” Obviously, that was a huge incentive to buy something that night. We finally settled on a queen size Englander latex mattress which ended up being about $1,700 after the discount and went to check out. We got a nice waterproof mattress pad for around $150 minus 40%, and the salesman threw in a sheet set for free. A quick note about the mattress pad: If you try out the mattress and decide you want to return it, there can be absolutely no stains on it, so the mattress pad is good insurance.
As if this comment isn’t already long enough, here’s a few more random thoughts:
- Latex is h-e-a-v-y. It takes some serious effort to rotate the mattress (it has a pillowtop so you can’t flip it, just rotate)
- We’ve had the mattress about a year and it’s showing no signs of wear. It’s just as amazingly comfortable as when we bought it.
- Box springs. I don’t get it. Mattress manufacturers would have you believe they’re an integral part of a bed. We have a platform bed from Ikea, and if we’re missing out on something, I sure can’t tell.
- Get ready for sticker shock. Mattress stores are famous for sales. When I walked into Mattress World, I just about wet myself from the prices. I knew everything was 30% off, but it’s still shocking to see all the “original” prices.
OK, I’ll shut it down now. Good luck on the shopping and feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.
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We have a memory foam mattress from Costco. It *does* absorb a lot of heat, but we also have jersey sheets, so I’m sure these combine to make it worse. I should get around to buying new sheets…
Heat issue aside, I LOVE it. I have a horrible back. Traditional mattresses exacerbate the pain. On the memory foam, I can sleep flat without a pillow, if my back so demands.
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usually there’s plenty of room at the warehouse clubs to lay the mattress out and get a quick feel for it. just go when it’s not too busy and no one should be too annoyed. i’ve bought/helped buy several mattresses over the years at Sam’s Club and everyone’s been happy with them. of course, if you just don’t like what they sell (very limited selection as you say) you’ll have to look elsewhere.
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Whatever you do JD, don’t skimp on a good mattress. Check out the medium firm pillow tops and happily spend $1,000 if you can. With the amount of time spent sleeping, it’s a no brainer!
Gluck!
Rgds,
RB
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Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but I am going to post the e-mail from the mattress salesman sometime soon. He gave me permission to do so. I’ll wait until Kris and I actually buy our mattress, but then I’ll do it.
About our mattress hunt (as mentioned in comment #20): My friend was able to track down the type of mattress I like. It’s from Costco, which is great. If things go well, we’ll be sleeping on it by the weekend. Maybe even tomorrow, if I can borrow the van from the box factory.
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@Gina
Hell yeah we did. Sorry if a company makes a product with a 10 year warranty and after a couple years it goes to crap why wouldn’t we. The bed had actually been bad for a while, but we just dealt with it.
And one of the selling points when we were buying the bed at Costco was that we could take it bake for a full refund if we ever had any issues with.
And so we did.
Ken
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I’ve got a latex mattress from IKEA. I went for latex because I’m allergic to mold and apparently mold doesn’t live on latex mattresses as well as on foam ones.
That’s one difference to consider that you can’t feel just by test-sleeping in the store.
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I’m really looking forward to reading that email. I always love reading tips from ‘the inside’, especially for something I’ll be shopping for in the coming months. Hope you post it soon!
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I bought a new mattress last summer after 10 years with the same one… it’s actually a futon because I can’t stand springs and I also dislike soft beds.
With a firm, good quality futon, my GF almost completely eliminated her back pains. We also sleep soooooo well at night.
A queen size firm futon cost me approx $600.
Although be warned, once you get used to a GOOD QUALITY futon you’ll never be able to sleep on a regular mattress again.
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Sherry & John over at Young House Love recently went through buying a new mattress, and had some great info to share! They ended up getting a nice natural latex one, and that really appeals to me!
I have a long-healing shoulder injury, and our mattress is barely cutting it anymore. The worst part is it’s only about 5 years old! However, it was a really cheap model that my husband and I could afford while in university. I’d like to replace it, but it’s not really high on our big-ticket item list yet.
The mattress I slept on at a child (still in the guest room at my parents’ place) is amazing and even after 20+ years is still the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. Too bad it’s a twin size! :p
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When my wife was pregnant, we needed to get rid of the old mattress, her back was killing her constantly.
We ended up with a Select Comfort sleep number bed and it has been the greatest matress we’ve ever had. We both have our sides set to our preferred settings and if our preferences ever change, it’s just a click away.
We’ve had it over 4 years and it is excellent.
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Let me answer some of the posts You should read Sara’s post it is full of good info except be careful of comfort exchanges some have hidden clauses and can cost more than original mattress.
Buying a cheap bed is just plain bad. A bed is a very important health aid and like many things you will pay for it later in life. If you read about REM sleep you will purchase a good mattress to start.
The latex recommendation is a very good one for support,lack of pressure on the body, dust mites and other allergens free, large initial cost but cheaper when averaged out over time.(go to any major spring manufacturer’s website and you will see they say a mattress should be changed every 5 to 7 years because of contamination.
Mattress pad is unnecessary but a good mattress cover is important. If you don’t know which are good see protect-a-bed but it isn’t the only one.
The suggestion to use mattress toppers is not good they should extend the mattress comfort not provide it. In general they use lower forms of foam than the mattress itself and wear out quickly need replaced making your mattress purchase more expensive than it should be.
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You’re hoping to still be a mess, just a less irritable one?
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From my Aug ’09 Sam’s Club receipt – queen size mattress = $498.76 and, right now, they are even cheaper – around $350. They are probably trying to make space for Xmas items….
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@Erica: I can’t speak for everyone or every mattress, but I worked there just over 2 years ago so it hasn’t been that long, and I had customers tell me that they were burning up on the memory foam mattresses, so just something to consider I guess. Maybe some of the more expensive ones do have cooling layers now.
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I’m sure this has all been said at some point in the previous 70+ comments, but when we were searching for a mattress a year ago, going to different stores, multiple times, and laying on many different beds was invaluable. And then trying out ones we liked again on a different day—we often found that we didn’t like them as much a second time, and our solid first choice early on ended up being much less desirable.
Our final choice came down to two models by the same company, the main difference between them is that one was $100 more (although it was on sale, the other wasn’t) and had a memory-foam pillow top. When it came down to it, we opted for the slightly higher-priced one, with the justification that it was likely we’d go out and purchase a topper for it at some point down the road and would probably spend at least $100 on one then.
But to reiterate some of the comments: you should definitely buy a mattress cover. Any type of stain on the mattress voids most warranties, so it is a solid $50 or so investment, so to speak.
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The best sleep I ever had was on my futon – no box spring, just a good mattress on a wood frame. It was about $700 new but was awesome. Unfortunately my wife doesn’t think it’s nice enough for the master bedroom.
Next time we go mattress shopping I’m going with something natural – like a featherbed – that doesn’t have the chemical smell like most products sold now. Last thing I want to do is be sleeping on something 8 hours a night that is emitting chemicals right up my nose.
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Definitely check out IKEA! They have recently put a lot of focus on expanding their range and quality of mattresses. You could save a lot of money!
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This is location-specific, but we just bought a Sleep Designs mattress from Bubba’s Beds (I know!) in Spring, TX, and had a GREAT experience. The salesman was friendly, knowledgeable, and not one bit pressuring.
We immediately liked a mid-range bed, and he didn’t ever try to steer us toward the more expensive models. Sleep Dynamics mattresses are all made in the US. We have a platform bed, and the price without the box spring was terrific (with the box spring was still pretty good).
They only have locations in Spring and Tomball, TX, but I recommend them. http://www.bubbasbeds.net/
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I second getting a platform bed. They are standard in Europe and eliminate any need for a box spring. We bought one for practical reasons – we couldn’t fit a queen box spring up the stairs of our old home – but we have grown to love it. We had to spend about $500 on the platform, but it has a great headboard and will save in the long run, since we never have to buy a box spring again. Check them out if you are in the market for a new bed.
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When I moved in with my boyfriend a month and a half ago, he got my good knives and pots, and I got his bed. I still think I won more
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I have a fairly good mattress, but was curious about the Tempurpedic mattresses with the “Memory Foam”. Some people I know hate them and others love them. They are a lot so it’s a big chunk to swallow if I’m in the first group.
I did a search and found a place called thefoamfactory.com (or something like that). They sell the memory foam mattress pads up to 4″ thick. I had read somewhere that 4″ is overkill so I got the 3″ thick mattress pad for something like $154. I LOVE IT! So does BF.
For the future, I will probably buy a bare basics mattresses and just supplement with a new pad as it wears out. I’ve had this pad for over a year and it’s still like new.
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I like memory foam and find that you can get great deals on thick memory foam mattresses at Overstock.com. See what you think. I currently have a set of the pillows and they discolored after two years of continuous use, but are still firm, cool, and comfortable, although yellow-ish rather than white as they originally arrived. I think I paid around $40 for two including shipping.
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The advice I will throw in. Look up and see if there is a local mattress factory in the area. Maybe I am just fortunate, but there is a direct to costumer mattress factory near my house that my family has been buying from my whole life. You will get a mattress at easily half the price. The place that I deal with is all family owned and the customer service is second to none.
And I agree with everyone that say a good nights sleep is a cure all.
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Like many previous posters, I agree that mattress selling/buying is akin to selling/buying cars. Mark-up is huge, hard to compare, big sales commissions etc. And, like many, I agree that you should buy a standard firm mattress and top with feather bed or memory foam. Easily replaceable in a few years if necessary.
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The last time I bought a mattress I used 1800mattress.com (10 yrs ago). Great company, great exchange policy, competitive pricing, got shipping free at the time.
One note, before that purchase I had got a pillowtop Sealy locally. I lived to regret that purchase. After about a year my shoulders started hurting. Since I travel a lot I noticed that didn’t occur in most hotel rooms. Turns out that since I’m a side sleeper with my arm typically up under my head the pillow top was throwing off the angle on my shoulder. Got the new mattress from 1800mattress without a pillow top and shoulder problems disappeared within a week. Yah!
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Looking forward to mattress hints. My husband and I dipped our toes in mattress shopping a couple months ago, and found it confusing, hard to compare similar mattresses, and potentially very expensive. We have a firm mattress with no additional padding. It isn’t that old but has become uncomfortable. We tried a 3″ memory foam pad but it didn’t provide enough back support for me, and my husband detested the feel of it. I thought we would have to buy an expensive 1K+ bed to find something we both liked. As a last ditch bought a 1.5″ latex topper and our bed feels 10x better.
Based on what I read here I think for next time I will either get a Ikea (maybe latex) bed, or a basic firm bed and get a latex topper for the top that can be periodically replaced. Call me old fashioned, but I also do not like the idea of a “no flip” mattress.
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I like the old full-motion waterbeds, but my wife nixed that years ago. We’ve gone through Spring Air, Denver Matress Company, other cheap mattresses, one very expensive mattress, a heated gel mattress with a memory foam top, and a 22″ high double pillow top mattress (that was a real joy to find sheets for)… and now are considering the sleep number air bed or perhaps just another mattress from Sears. I think the lesson I’ve learned over the years is just find something reasonably priced that you like, and plan on replacing it in 5 years. Buying a very expensive mattress doesn’t guarantee it’ll last longer, so just accept the planned obsolescence that the matress companies build in, and buy a new one when it sags.
Nobody can advise you on what mattress is right for you because there are so many different body types and sleeping patterns. If you REALLY have trouble sleeping, ask your primary care doctor to refer you to a sleep disorder clinic. You may need a CPAP!
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My wife and I definitely overspent on our new mattress. We got sucked into the Sealy mattress display room while we were buying new bedroom furniture, and upon testing about 10 or so of the 30 mattress to choose from, we picked a better than average Sealy. Even though there is a 20 year warranty if it loses more than 1″ of padding (by permanent compression or foam degradation) where its apparently replaced, and it was an excellent feeling matress, I know that we overpaid in retrospect.
A matress is probably one of those things where you should buy an average model which will be comfortable enough, and expect it to last only 5 years or so and then replace with another.
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I’ll be brief. Here goes:
1. Look at Latex mattresses…they are a little expensive but last,last, and last. They are incredibly supportive too. They don’t transfer motion like spring mattresses either. Natural is best but synthetic are very, very good too.
2. Don’t get Tempur Pedic….too hot in summer…rock hard in the winter…hard to move around on one…they are just odd.
3. Don’t pay full price…mattresses are like used cars…use the same tactics. It’s crazy but true.
4. Comparing styles is somewhat difficult because different stores rename the mattresses. However, my last purchase…Sterns and Foster Latex comes in something like 4 types, firm, plush, ultra plush….etc…just ask which one is the plush and it shouldn’t matter the name.
5. Buy a good pillow too…here, tempurpedic do ok…still can get hot though…but it’s not your whole body.
6. Get a King Size bed if your room allows…you wake up less with your spouse in the bed…I’m a light sleeper so this is a must. Spend the money now instead of later.
7. Don’t get a crazy pillowtop mattress…they crush down…form body molds…
8. Get a latex mattress…yea, it’s worth repeating.
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Much more interesting conversation than anticipated!
I hate memory foam. I slept on it once at my in-laws’ house; once it “memorizes” your shape you’d better not move! I am a wiggler so it’s no good for me.
Our current mattress came from a furniture liquidator. It was a hotel mattress for 1 yr and cost us $99, king size plus box spring. 4 yrs later it’s still great. However that liquidator is closed – plus I think that was a one-time deal – so we’ll have to come up with something else next time. I shopped around for a mattress when I moved out of my ex’s place, and I hated it; too many choices, prices through the roof, annoying salespeople. I love both Ikea and Costco so would probably go with one of them in the future. Limited selection is a good thing in my book!
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Two years ago, we bought a “Natura” (www.naturaworld.com) natural latex mattress. They also offer organic mattresses but we actually liked this one better. We got it from a local “natural” sleep store, we spent a lot of time lying around on the various ones, and since it was a quiet time in the store, no one bothered us. The owner was actually quite helpful and didn’t do the hard-sell with us. I have chemical sensitivities and did NOT want a mattress with fire retardants etc. on them. Natura actually required a letter from my doctor and then they made the mattress special for me without the chemicals etc. We are super happy with it. Yes, it cost a small fortune, but it’s definitely worth it. I have a bad back from a 1996 car accident and this is the only mattress I’ve truly been comfortable on since then. Also, latex is AWESOME for people with allergies since the evil little dust mites can’t live in them. After sleeping on a latex mattress, I’d never go back to the other kind. We also have 2 Ikea latex mattresses (one for our son and one for our extra bed) and we are extremely happy with those as well. They also don’t have the chemicals on them, because they have to adhere to better European standards. For anyone in Seattle, another great option is http://www.soaringheart.com, they make their own mattresses and the staff was very mellow and helpful. We almost bought one there but liked the Natura better.
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I bought a new mattress a few years ago. First I went to HOM furniture. I did try out their various designs (pillow-top, non-pillow top, firm vs not-so-firm) and found out what I liked. I was ready to buy but the salesman was absolutely horrible–condescending, insulting, etc when I asked questions. So I left.
I ended up buying a similar style mattress & box spring mail order from Pottery Barn. They delivered the new one, put it on the bed, and they took away the old mattress & box for the same price as what HOM wanted. It was sooo nice to avoid that horrible salesman!
I think the key is to visit mattress showrooms enough to discover what kind of firmness you want and whether you like the pillowtop style or not.
Then just buy one of reasonable quality and expect to spend around $1200 for mattress+box. Figure on buying another in 10 years because no mattress will still feel great after that.
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I’m utterly surprised at not seeing a long line of tempurpedic recommendations. Everyone I know that actually owns one cannot stop finding good things to say about them. My best friend sold me on them after watching my husband and I throw good money after bad probably 30 times in our 12 years of marriage, trying to find a bed that would allow both of us sleep well.
We’d tried to fix the problem with new mattresses. Over time we’ve had the no-name cheapy, the Sealy, the Simmons and the 100% Latex. None of them solved the problem. We were constantly exhausted, running on fumes, even with adequate quantity of sleep, we were not getting any good quality.
Throughout our quest for good sleep, we also tried just about every mattress “topper” product on the market. We had baffles, feathers, down-alternative, memory foam, high-loft, prima-loft, egg-crate, rejuvenators, multi-zone…you name it.
We have a set of high-quality fleece sheets which were damaged beyond repair with less than 6 months of use (pre-Tempurpedic), simply because I would toss and TURN (essentially rotating 360 degrees multiple times each night) and I stretched them out beyond what they could recover from. Every morning I’d wake up with a pile of fitted sheet scrunched up underneath me from the turning, whether the sheets were fleece, flannel, silk, satin, cotton or bamboo.
Essentially, we threw money down the drain on just about every product possible just to AVOID spending money on a Tempurpedic.
Tempurpedic has a “line” of different beds just like most other manufacturers, but it’s not so much about “the-pricier-the-better”, but rather different styles that fit you. We went to our local stores to try them out, and even tried the same model at multiple stores to see if it really was the one we wanted. In the end, it was the free-trial that convinced us to actually take the plunge. What other mattress company allows you to sleep on their product for 90 days, then will happily take it back if you don’t like it? It’s an amazing offer that says a lot about the faith the company has in their own product. I’ve purchased electronics equipment with shorter a WARRANTY than the bed trial.
This is definitely the ONLY bed I’ve ever slept in well, as an adult. (we went with the Rhapsody bed) No more never-ending spiral of money down the drain for every new promising product. We sleep well. And when we don’t (let’s face it, if someone tells you they sleep great all the time on anything, they’re lying), it generally is either because we didn’t go to bed early enough or because we’re having problems that we worry about instead of sleeping. But since we got our Tempurpedic 3 years ago, not once have I had a bad night’s sleep because of the BED!
Jennifer (looking forward to yet another restful night, sinking into my cuddly Tempurpedic Rhapsody)
PS – One more quick thing. I suffer from unbearably hot feet. I can sleep if any other part of me is hot, but when my feet get hot, I am MISERABLE! I have had this since I was a little kid, and the only way to get around it was to stick my feet out of the covers, where they’d eventually cool off and I’d go back to sleep…then they’d get COLD and wake me up and I’d have to start all over again. That is one more problem eliminated with the Tempurpedic. Not once have I suffered a “hot foot” episode, which used to occur several times a week at least.
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We’ve got a mid-range IKEA mattress and pillow top on our bed and are pretty happy with them. The guest bed has a lower-end IKEA mattress which we don’t like nearly as much, but it’s okay.
I really like that IKEA sells the mattresses and pillow tops separately – you can pick out which combination you like best, everything can be flipped and rotated, and if there’s an unfortunate messy accident, you can get away with keeping the mattress and replacing the pillow top.
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A few folks have already mentioned it, and I don’t know whether or not it’s an option for you but The Denver Mattress Company offers EXCELLENT value.
http://www.denvermattress.com/
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Go with the mattress that Costco sells (Sleep Innovation?Novafoam?), I’ve bought it. This is the similar technology to Tempurpedic. My wife & I are very satisfied with our sleep and recommend this highly to anyone shopping for a new mattress. This is excellent value for money and can be used without box springs.
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Definitely treat mattress shopping like you would for car shopping – it’s all negotiable, there are many shady tricks, and you might get ripped off even with a major “sale” price.
My first experience – I was railroaded into trying and ordering the top of the line special before I even knew what features I wanted or needed. Called to cancel my order because I realized my gullibility that same day, and, without any prompting from me, they literally dropped the price by $800 so I wouldn’t cancel. If it was that quick, they must still be making a handsome profit.
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Hi J.D.!
My husband and I bought our first mattress for our first home not long ago and found some fantastic ways of saving big bucks in the process.
First up, we opted for a platform bed. Actually, because my husband is rather clever with materials and had a good idea, he built the bed himself out of salvaged, beat-up plywood. A bit of time and some very inventive staining techniques resulted in a gorgeous (and extremely sturdy) bed that people thought we purchased in a modern artsy furniture store. More importantly, platform beds preclude the need for a boxspring. I dislike boxsprings, the very concept of them seems wasteful in terms of money and materials.
Next up, we hunted down our mattress. We visited a whole bunch of stores, and when we went into one of the mid-to-high end stores, we hit it big. The sales lady asked us where else we were looking and why, and we told her straight up that we were on a pretty strict budget. She then said to try out the mattresses in the store and find one we liked, and she would see if she could find that mattress in the warehouse listed as “unsellable.”
Why are they unsellable? Because if the mattress has a smudge or a mark on it – probably caused by a hole in the plastic packaging that let in a bit of dirt – it cannot be sold on the salesroom floor. They end up getting rid of them by offering them at steep discounts.
We found a mattress we loved, and to our luck there was one with a tiny smudge in the warehouse. Hey presto, we got our brand new mattress at a 55% discount! This is an excellent brand name mattress that is unbelievably comfortable, and would have been out of the price range we were looking at had it not been for it’s status as “unsellable.”
I had to look REALLY hard to find the smudge, and a damp cloth and careful dabbing removed it. Granted, the store didn’t make nearly as much profit off my sale, but I’ve since sent two other people there and they’ve each bought mattresses from that store.
So yes. Find a reputable mattress stores and ask them about damaged, smudged, imperfect, or otherwise “unsellable” mattresses. It’s remarkable how much can be saved.
Also, in terms of comfort, we found that pocket coils were heads and shoulders above anything else we tried. They really do have better support, and we can hardly feel one another moving and flailing during the night (we are both…uh…active sleepers).
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