One of the biggest complaints by owners of memory foam pillows and mattresses is the unpleasant, and potentially unhealthy chemical smell. Memory foam is manufactured using polyurethane and several other chemicals, so it isn’t surprising that it emits a chemical odor. This “off gassing” of volatile organic compounds is a common and well-documented property of memory foam pillows and mattresses. The fumes are often compared to those experienced in a freshly painted room. If you are experiencing this odor, the good news is you may not have to endure the smell for long. The bad news is that some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign.Many memory foam mattress owners report that the off gassing period ends after a number of days.(1) Of course there are many factors which influence this including the product, the type of foam, the sensitivity of the person, the room ventilation and more. Even if the initial odor goes away, it is natural to wonder if there are health issues related to off gassing.
Most people do not report any health issues resulting from their memory foam pillow or mattress. However, there are various reports of headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions resulting from the odor produced by memory foam. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ll want to avoid sleeping on the foam during the initial off gassing period. You can leave the pillow or mattress in a well-ventilated area for a week or two and see if that helps eliminate or reduce the odor and symptoms. If after several weeks, the issue persists, it is probably time to consider an alternative to memory foam.Many many people use memory foam products without reporting any side effects or related health issues. That said, there are various reports and studies which indicate that memory foam may be somewhat toxic. Reports include carcinogenic chemicals and formaldehyde gas. To manufacture memory foam, chemicals are added to polyurethane to make it more dense and viscous at the same time. Additional chemicals are required to make the polyurethane flame retardant.
One of these, Pentabde (of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) family), was used until 2004. Pentabde is now known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, and nervous system.(2) A study in 2000 specifically found mattress emissions to be toxic to the lungs of labratory mice.The long-term effects of memory foam and its toxicity is not fully understood, but there clearly is some reason for concern. Aproximately one-third of your life is spent in close contact to your sleeping surface, so it is important to consider you and your family’s health when selecting a pillow or mattress.Are you interested in the support and comfort provided by memory foam, but want to avoid that chemical smell? There are several natural pillow options for those looking for a new pillow. Of course, our favorite is our buckwheat hull pillow. Besides being natural and chemical-free, buckwheat pillows are a great alternative to memory foam for a couple of other reasons.Memory foam is not breathable and this can result in a hot and sweaty pillow.
The shape and particulate nature of buckwhat hulls leaves a lot of air space in your pillow between all of the hulls. This airspace allows warm moist air to escape, leaving your pillow cool and dry.While a memory foam pillow conforms to the shape of your head, the overall shape and thickness of the pillow is fixed, making the pillow less adaptable to your sleeping position. The fill in a stuffed pillow can be shifted and adjusted for a wider variety of shapes and sizes.If you’ve decided against a memory foam pillow and a buckwheat pillow isn’t right for you, other natural alternatives to memory foam include pillows filled with down, cotton, wool, latex, kapok or millet hulls.Next »Be prepared to sleep warm ProsComfortableSoft FeelConsToo HotBest UsesGuest BedMattress Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)Backaches...gone! Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)Wonderful bed that is very comfortable.
Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)Wonderful Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:Good quality for the price. Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)Best Mattress for the money Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:Fell In Love With This Bed Affiliation:I received a sampleComfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:Summarize this product in one sentence. Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)Middle of the road for cheap Comfort:Support:Firmness:Durability:Displaying reviews 1-10Back to topPrevious | ContentsOverall PicksAmerisleepAviyaGhostbedBest Mattress For Side SleepersBest Innerspring MattressBest Mattress By BudgetUnder $1000Under $2000How To Get The Best PriceWatch Out For SalesLook At How Long It Should LastConsider Purchasing OnlineDoes The Company Spend A Ton On Marketing?Watch Out For Shipping / Taxes Unfortunately it’s very difficult to know if you’re actually getting a good deal when shopping for a mattress.
The salesperson interaction always feels like an intricate dance that he’s much more prepared for than you are. However after reviewing over 70 mattresses personally, plus looking at their specs, and speaking with a lot of the companies that make them, I finally feel comfortable putting together a list of mattresses that (in my opinion) are the best mattresses you can buy for you money. Note that there is a lot of , and just because a mattress doesn’t end up on this list doesn’t mean it’s not a good deal. Use this list as a starting point, and feel free to ask any clarifications or request addendums in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Now, without further adieu… Read on for specific category selections based on a few different criteria. However I’m starting the list with my overall picks: Amerisleep is a line of memory foam mattresses ranging in price and quality. Looking at the specs (at each price point) and drawing from my own personal experience, this is definitely one of the best mattresses you can buy, dollar for dollar (checkout the Amerisleep promo code for more savings as well).
For more information on this line, check out my Amerisleep mattress reviews page. Aviya wasn’t my absolute favorite innerspring mattress, but I was truly shocked by the quality of this mattress for the price point. It’s definitely a good bed with incredible value, and one of the few innerspring mattresses on the market that competes at the ~$800 price point. Check out my Aviya mattress review for the full story. Ghostbed sports the now popular latex-over-memory-foam construction that many bed-in-a-box companies like, but it really delivers on specs. Great foam densities, so I have a lot of faith in the durability over time (relative to many of its competitors). Check out my Ghostbed review for details. There are a lot of side sleepers out there with shoulder and hip pain, so it is probably the #1 question on my site – which mattress can help? Of course value plays a role in any mattress selection, but I suggest you really focus in on my best mattress for side sleepers page if you put yourself in this category.
As a recap, my best mattress for the money for side sleepers would are: Note Amerisleep and Ghostbed are overlaps from the overall picks. Though foam mattresses are becoming more popular, innerspring mattresses still account for the majority of sales. Durability is a huge factor when determining the “best” of these types, because when an innerspring mattress goes bad, it can be really bad. The best innerspring mattress for the money goes hand in hand with our best innerspring mattress page, with a slight re-ordering prioritizing value over anything else: Other people like to start their mattress shopping primarily by budget. Check out the budget picks below, and let me know if more specific categories would be useful! My best mattress for under $1k (in addition to mattresses already mentioned) include: My best mattress for under $2k (in addition to the general picks) include: Mattress retailers are known for having sales at fairly predictable times of the year.
Around President’s Day, for example, is a pretty common time for there to be lots of sales going on in the mattress world. A good portion of the sales fall around holiday times. If you are looking to purchase a mattress in a store, I would recommend you take a look at when the standard mattress sales are and consider waiting until then to get that extra value from your purchase. The phrase “you get what you pay for” is especially true when it comes to mattresses. The range in durability from one mattress to the next can be pretty substantial. If you save $300 on a mattress, but it wears out in 5 years, are you really getting a better value than a mattress that costs $300 more but wears out after 10-12 years? You should really look into how long you want to have the mattress you are buying and then read the reviews to make sure you know how long you can expect the mattress to last. You can really get extra value if you buy one with great durability and longevity.
You can’t really talk about saving money on mattresses without discussing buying online. There is a very good reason why the new online startups are getting so much press and doing so well. It is true that you can really save a lot of money by buying a mattress online. The companies cut out the middle man in the process and pass most of the savings along to the customer. If you really want to get a great deal, you should definitely consider looking into buying online. There are a few hidden gem companies out there that spend very little on marketing, and they pass the savings onto the customer in the form of a lower price. This is a subtle nuance, but there are definitely extra savings to be had if you can find a company with a great product that doesn’t spend a lot on marketing. If you purchase online, you should see if you are going to have to pay for shipping or not. A lot of the new companies offer free shipping, but not everyone does. You may think you’re getting a great deal, but it never feels good to get hit with unexpected shipping costs during the checkout process.