Box spring or wood slats? March 14, 2014 Subscribe We just got a nice new mattress. It came with a box spring. We were using our old mattress on an IKEA bed (the Redalen, which I guess they don't sell anymore) with their cheap wooden slats, the Sultan Lade, as support. All things being equal, we'd stick with the IKEA bed and slats. But are all things equal? Are there advantages to using the box spring instead of the slats? Pillow topsPlace a pad on your mattress for an even greater night’s sleep. You can choose between various fillings and materials – but all of our pillow tops are easily removed to air and clean. For better or for worse, some of our favorite products are discontinued. While there may not be a replacement for the Twinkie, often times when a product is discontinued, it is replaced with an upgraded product. IKEA is notorious for product upgrades, and IKEA mattresses never hang around for very long. Every time IKEA makes an improvement to one, it gets rid of the older mattress and replaces it.
The mattress gets a new name and product page, and IKEA gets rid of any trace of the previous mattress. Often the names of the discontinued and replacement mattresses are similar, but it can be hard to tell on your own if the Sultan Hagavik and the Sultan Hasselback are two versions of the same thing, or if they are, in fact, completely different mattresses. Treading the waters of discontinued and replacement products can be tricky. IKEA doesn’t necessarily make an announcement that it is replacing an old mattress with a new one, but rather that it is coming out with a new one. And even though the replacement is supposed to be an improvement, it doesn’t always work out that way. However, because IKEA mattresses are incredibly similar you can use reviews of older products to help you to decide if you should even be interested in the replacement one. One mattress line that IKEA has pulled the ‘disappear and replace’ act with is the Sultan innerspring mattress. The first generation of these mattresses is the Sultan Hasselback.
Earning a Viewpoints score of 76/100 in its day, the Hasselback was liked for its comfort and IKEA’s extended warranty. Reviews for IKEA Sultan Hasselback Spring Mattress “I bought this mattress on sale last year. I have to admit. I bought it on the price. After having it for a year or so.. it is the best mattress I have ever owned [and] It comes with a 20 year warranty.” – knightimer, Reviewer since 2010 However, the Hasselback was not always well liked. As is a trend in the reviews for the Sultan innerspring mattresses, sagging was a problem with this mattress, as was quality control. “I own three mattresses from IKEA. One is a total failure. I think the problem is IKEA’s quality control. Is it worth the risk that you’ll buy a dud? Mine is less than a year old and it’s sagging horribly – even though we’ve flipped it every 3 months.” –designhole, Reviewer since 2008 The direct descendant of the Sultan Hasselback is the Sultan Hagavik Spring Mattress.
With a Viewpoints score of 60/100, the Hagavik fell short of the bar its predecessor left, resulting in complaints of additional sagging and the mattress being too firm. Reviews for IKEA Sultan Hagavik Spring Mattress “It certainly was comfortable when we got it home. In fact half of it is still comfortable. The other half, not so much really, because it has a gigantic bowl shaped divot in it. Yes, we flipped the mattress regularly.” –girlndocs, Reviewer since 2009 “I have slept very badly since buying this mattress, I have since put a memory foam toper which has improved it but it’s still not great.” –Soreback1971, Reviewer since 2013 Not all of the response to this mattress has been negative, however. Some found it to be great for their back and helpful in regulating body temperature while sleeping. “I haven’t had back pain nor have we had a [sleepless] night due to stored body heat. The Ikea Sultan Hagavik Spring Mattress is firm enough, but not too firm nor is it too soft.
The mattress doesn’t create the body divots that the memory foam mattresses seem to do. The price was nice and we didn’t have to buy a box spring.” –JCStark, Reviewer since 2010 Though the Sultan Hogla has not yet been reviewed on Viewpoints, it is IKEA’s response to the negative reviews surrounding its predecessor. In this design it attempted to address the sagging problems, claiming to eliminate them as long as the mattress is flipped on a regular basis. It is ranked on IKEA’s scale as “most firm”, but there is a top layer of foam, which adds softness, addressing concerns about the mattress being too firm while at the same time still appealing to those who prefer a firm mattress. Places like IKEA do have motivations for discontinuing a mattress for reasons other than improvements. But, if a mattress is good quality and selling well, it isn’t going to stop production and start marketing a new one with a different name and no apparent connection. So, these mattresses were discontinued in order for improvements to be made.
Even though the Hagavik failed in improving the Hasselback, according to reviews, there is no reason to speculate the Hogla has as well. But, as always is the case with mattresses, it is best to go to the showroom and try it out for yourself. Reviews of previous generations of the same product can only go so far, helping to narrow down options and consider mattresses that are too new to have built up many reviews. And, if you find that you don’t agree that IKEA has fixed the problems with the Hogla’s parent and grandparent mattresses, you can always take advantage of its 90-day “love it or exchange it” policy, as well as the 20-year warranty if the IKEA mattress you purchase has a defect.Mattress shopping can be one of the most agonizing experiences, from pushy salespeople to an overwhelming number of options to not actually knowing what you need in the first place. It's so easy to end up with the wrong one, but it doesn't have to be that way. The Huffington Post spoke with Jay Orders, the co-owner of Christeli, to get a better understanding of what we really need to look for when we hit that showroom floor.
His family has been in the mattress-manufacturing business since 1931, and he's worked in almost every part of that process in a factory setting to be able to separate the hard product truths from the marketing myths. "People come in with a list of specifications, because there's so many things out there about mattresses that they read," Orders told The Huffington Post. "A good mattress is something most people don't know a lot about: How it feels, the quality of the construction, the quality of the materials used, the final product. There's a lot of information out there, and it's hard to trust some of it. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors." Ready to look past all the gimmicks? Here are seven myths you've probably heard at some point in your mattress shopping endeavors that couldn't be further from the truth. Myth #1: You must, must, MUST get a pillow-top mattress because they make the most comfy beds EVER. "I always get requests for things that don't make sense," said Orders.
"For instance, people always ask for a pillow-top mattress, and when I ask why, they say they heard it's supposed to be a softer, nicer mattress, but none of that's true. I have to explain to them it's just a marketing gimmick." This is a common misconception created by different companies looking to distinguish their products from their competitors. But Orders claims that the same plush feel can be achieved with a traditional mattress design, despite how boring that may sound. It's moreso about the structural integrity of the mattress. And if you want to create a fluffy princess bed, there's nothing wrong with topping off a solid, standard mattress with a cushioned pad of your choice. Myth #2: No biggie -- one size fits all.Why would one mattress feel the same, offer identical support and last the same amount of time for a 120-pound woman and a 250-pound man? Simple answer: It wouldn't. It seems to be a growing trend among new mattress companies to try and cut out the complicated distinctions that come along with a catalog of different models, and make the case that all mattresses are essentially the same.
But it's still important to factor in things such as a person's natural sleeping position, any sleeping difficulties or disorders, their age and weight, and general preferences from previous mattress experiences, according to Orders. Myth #3: You're most definitely going to get the total value (and then some) of that lifetime warranty. "When most companies say 'lifetime warranty,' they're referring to the materials inside the mattress, which really isn't a warranty at all," said Orders. "It's saying as soon as this mattress is worn out from normal wear and tear, it's no longer covered under warranty. It's very vague and can get very expensive." The National Sleep Foundation recommends changing your mattress every seven to 10 years, regardless of any outstanding warranty. That's the most important detail to keep in mind. How long your mattress will last depends on several factors like usage and its original quality, but generally speaking, it's gotta go after that 10 year mark.
It won't provide you much support and comfort after that. Myth #4: There's no such thing as a proper bed setup without a box spring... Unless your bed frame still uses slats for support, you do not need a box spring, according to Orders. Box springs were first invented to help absorb shock since mattresses themselves were so much thinner back then. Nowadays, all box springs really do is just raise the profile of your bed. So again, if you're going for the princess look, start stacking. Otherwise, it's just an additional, unnecessary cost. All you need is a solid platform underneath your mattress for support. Myth #5: Giving your mattress a test lie-down on the showroom floor is enough. Believe it or not, the only real way to test out a mattress and make sure it's the one for you is to actually sleep on it. This fact is key when it comes to shopping with a mattress company that offers both a reasonable trial period and return shipping rates in case the one you choose initially ends up not being the perfect fit.
Some companies don't offer trials at all, and others' return pricing can get pretty steep. Either way, don't just sneak in a catnap in the store and call it a day here. Myth #6: There's a reason these people are selling mattresses: They're SLEEP GENIUSES. Sorry folks, it doesn't take much sleep expertise to work as a mattress salesperson. And just like many others in the trade, they work on commission, says Orders, which is why in many retailers, they tend to push the higher priced options the hardest. When it comes to gaining the best mattress insight, Orders recommends finding someone you really trust and discussing your needs and concerns candidly with them. Product reviews online can also be a great source of information that are worth a read. Keep your eye out less for brand names and more for quality materials, because that's what's ultimately going to help you sleep well at night. Myth #7: If you have a bad back, you'll regret not buying a hard, firm mattress.