Comparisons > Mattress Price Comparison Prices By Mattress Type Low- Vs Mid- Vs High-Priced Mattresses Low-Priced Mattresses (up to $700 queen) Mid-Priced Mattresses ($700-$1800 queen) High-Priced Mattresses ($1800+ queen) The following table compares low-, mid-, and high-priced mattresses on key criteria. The following is true for the price categories overall; a particular brand or * The first rating is for everyday adult use, and the second rating is for limited adult use or everyday child use. – In about 30% of cases on average, low-priced mattresses are used only on a limited basis (temporarily, occasionally, lightly). – Low-priced mattresses tend to have less durable construction and materials as well as fewer features than more expensive mattresses. Also, most have relatively short warranties (10 years or less). – Many low-priced mattresses are available mostly or only online. (See buying a mattress online: what you should know.)
is not a complete list of mattresses in the up-to-$700 (queen) price range; it includes only those for which we have collected 65+ owner experiences from diverse, credible sources. Select a brand for a detailed description and ratings. – Mid-priced mattresses are usually purchased for regular daily use, as opposed to limited use. – They tend to have at least somewhat better construction, materials and features than low-priced mattresses. Warranties tend to have a length of at least 10 years. – Mid-priced mattresses in several cases are available in stores, not only online. – The list below (sorted by price) is not a complete list of mattresses in the $700-$1800 (queen) price range; it includes only those for which we have collected at least 65 consumer experiences from diverse sources. – The mattresses in this price range tend to use superior construction and materials and offer more features than low- and mid-priced beds. Warranty lengths tend to be 10+ years.
– Owner satisfaction overall tends to not be higher for mattresses in this price range compared to beds in the other ranges. – These mattresses are often available in mattress stores, not only online. The list below (sorted by price) is not a complete list of mattresses in the $1800+ (queen) price range; it includes only those for which we have collected at least 45 owner experiences from diverse sources. Select a brand for a detailed description and ratings.$Top brandsTop rated Spa Sensations MattressesSee allMattresses and AccessoriesThere are many types of mattresses on the market today, which can feel very different. Choosing a good mattress means figuring out what you personally find most comfortable.Innerspring mattresses have metal coils inside for a springy, bouncy feel. The coils can be thick and firm, for more support, or thin and compressible.Memory foam mattresses conform to your body and have much less bounce. Higher density memory foam mattresses provide more support and are more durable.
A layer of gel may be added to memory foam to make it cooler. If you like the feel of memory foam but don't want to replace your mattress, you can get a memory foam mattress topper. Latex mattresses and toppers offer the firmness of memory foam with a little more bounce.Futon mattresses are traditionally made from packed cotton, although today many are filled with wool, foam and other materials, and some even have coils. A futon mattress on a firm base will usually offer good support.air mattresses, or airbeds, are great portable options that can be used for travel, camping or guests. A dual-chamber airbed allows each sleeper to choose their own firmness.At Walmart, you'll find a wide selection of mattresses at Every Day Low Prices, so you can get the good night's sleep you crave.Last week I gave Sara and myself a little on-the-spot quiz. It went like this: Quick! How much do you expect to pay for a "good" mattress and box spring (or the equivalent)? I found that the answer is very revealing and one of the central issues in the bedding industry.
My own price was stuck around $450, with an upper end of $1,000 for a splurge. Both of these prices were the last and second to last price I'd paid in my life for a mattress. (I have never bought a box spring.) Image from How To Make a Platform Bed on the Cheap Were you at the low end of the spectrum? What does that say about you? In thinking about all this, I'm developing some "Bed Buying Theories" that I hope to test this year. To begin, my guess is that the bulk of us fall in the middle to low end of the spectrum, and that all of our choices are somewhat predictable. Here's why (or rather, here are my only lightly tested hypotheses so far). First of all, a "good" bed is an extremely relative term, and you can get one for almost any price. I remember the first time I graduated beyond a futon and paid over $300 and it felt like I was buying the Taj Mahal. It was soooooo comfortable (relative to my futon on the floor!). So "good" probably changes depending on who we are — particularly as we grow older.
Theory 1 — Older People Spend More On Beds As we get older we not only tend to earn more, but we also get more sensitive about what we sleep on and the how well we're sleeping. This means that we'll tend to shop harder and most of us will spend more on "sleep technology" later in our life. If this is true, then you may have partially answered the quiz above based on your age. To me, this means that the high end of the bedding industry and all their ads for plushness and comfort are aimed at older folks, baby boomers, etc, who have become sensitive sleepers AND have the money to pay for it. So, unless you're a rock star, you probably won't see lots of young people trawling around fancy bed stores. And while high end mattress companies advertise scantily clad young things on their beds, their clientele is most likely NOT them, and probably not most of the readers of Apartment Therapy (which tends to skew younger). BUT you are in the mattress companies' future, and they know it.
Theory 2 — Women Spend More On Beds To make a gross generalization, I would also bet that women — in general — are a. better at pricing what they'd actually spend on a bed than men and b. that they'd be more interested in spending a little more. While I'm coming to appreciate the differences between beds, I'm less conscious of it than Sara and VERY resistant to spending a lot on a bed. I just don't think it's necessary. As an interior designer, I've also noticed that, in my experience, while couples split their input into what they want in their home, women usually control the bedroom. And the only big public bed buying moment I can imagine for younger people is as a wedding purchase, and most of this also seems aimed at women (see Vera Wang). If this is true, then you may have answered the quiz above based on your gender. Theory 3 — Most Beds Are Simply Not "Good" This is the most controversial theory and one that will require a lot more research, but I'm going to put it out there anyway.
Despite everything I've already said, I think many people would rather spend their good money on a more noticeable purchase than what lies under the sheets, and that many more people don't have much choice. Everyone needs a bed to sleep on, but even at a few hundred dollars, a bed is a big ticket item and a lot of money for most people. Therefore, to make another gross generalization, I would also bet that most people will seek to underspend and buy a cheaper mattress/boxspring, so they can spend or save more elsewhere. Which could be the reason that, while there may exist a thriving high-end mattress business, it is SMALL. Meanwhile, there's a HUGE low end mattress business, AND there's a perverse incentive for most bed makers to give you the illusion of quality while keeping things as cheap as possible. Which means that most beds are made out of inexpensive, non-natural foams and fabrics (poly, poly, poly), coated in flame retardant and sold with lovely names. These beds are totally non-recyclable and non-renewable and going straight to landfill.