Your Guide to mattress buying image 38f48ea7f809dc00bab147ae58a6feda1131028076A good night sleep! How wonderful does one night with out waking, without tossing and turning, with out aches and pains sound? Pretty good huh, well then lets start the road to buying a new mattress!Read More about Your Guide to mattress buyingReady for some Q&A? We’re here to help dispel some myths about mattress shopping and make the process easier and more transparent for you. A: All of these are good questions, and the answer may vary. Most boxes these days are just fabric covered height. They have wooden slats across the top; oftentimes there will be cardboard over the slats. The few companies that still use coils or metal in their boxes use a rigid structure with little to no give. Therefore, a box is merely height to hold a mattress on a frame. This is one of the reasons platform beds have become more popular over the years. As boxes have become an unnecessary part of a bed’s support system, people have chosen to save money by selecting frames that no longer require a box.
You might not need a box under your mattressThe right bed frame eliminates the need for a box underneath your mattress. If you don’t require the height & your mattress is in good shape, a platform bed with slats is all you need! CHECK OUT STURDY PLATFORM BEDS It used to be that boxes were an integral part of a bed’s support system. If you go back far enough in the history of mattresses, you’ll find that batting materials like hay, wool, and cotton were the sleep surfaces of choice for most people (nowadays, we would liken these beds to futon mattresses). Back then, coil boxes would provide responsiveness to a sleep surface that was generally quite firm. As mattress companies evolved, coil systems were inserted into beds to increase their comfort life. These heat-tempered coils were able to maintain their shape for up to 2 million compressions, whereas batting materials compressed fairly quickly. With coils now being part of the mattress, the coil boxes became a liability for mattress companies.
The number of coils used in boxsprings were not numerous enough to handle the weight of a mattress plus people combined, and mattress companies were more likely to have warrant-able sags to mattress sets they sold. Often times, people needed to insert plywood between the mattress and box to firm up their sleep surface. When people didn’t firm up the bed themselves, sags in low coil count boxes led to problems for mattress manufacturers and consumers alike. So mattress companies changed. Boxes are now manufactured with little to no give so that sags are less likely to be a result of the box, and are sometimes an unnecessary purchase. A: Unfortunately, you may. Mattress warranties require that you put the mattress on a good support system. Platform beds are almost always okay, but old boxsprings generally aren’t. As I said before, these old support systems can develop sags, and that will telegraph through, and potentially even damage a new mattress. If your old box has a slatted wood top and no give, then you should never need to replace it.
These platform boxes are a permanent solution, and essentially all mattresses are okay on these. A: It may be that the salesperson doesn’t have enough education, or it could be that a rare mattress company has a unique policy. A platform box is equivalent to a platform bed. If there is center support under the middle of the box or mattress, you will meet the warranty requirements for nearly all mattress companies. If you are using a box, anything over a twin or full size mattress should have center support. If you’re using a platform bed, even a full needs that support. Ready to try a platform bed instead of a box spring?With solid construction & the appropriate number of wooden slats for support, a well-built platform bed eliminates the need for a box under your mattress. SHOP FOR HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PLATFORM BEDSBe the first to reviewHygea Natural Bed Bug Mattress Cover or Box Spring Cover : Non-woven : Water Resistant Encasement - King Set your store to see localavailability
For more, watch our interactive video. You can skip to chapters on the different types of mattresses, tips for test driving a mattress, and more. Common claims that haven’t held up in our tests: Foam Layers Make a Better Bed More innerspring mattresses now include foam on top. But the foam is often too thin to make a difference on some of the hybrid models. Hybrid innerspring models that scored well in our tests had a foam layer several inches thick, though performance still varied. More Coils, the Better The better innerspring models we tested had 600 to 1,000 coils. But even if one mattress has more coils than another, the coils could be made of thinner-gauge metal. You’ll also hear about coil variations such as Bonnell (hourglass type), continuous wire, and individually pocketed springs. None of those is inherently superior. Gel Provides a Cooler Sleep Some mattresses (noted in our Ratings) have a layer of gel-infused foam that’s supposed to provide a cooling effect.
But that layer is buried beneath other layers. While our tests have shown that innerspring mattresses containing gel did tend to sleep slightly cooler, the reverse was true with gel-infused foam beds. Extra Lumbar Support Helps Back Sleepers A special lumbar-support zone is one of many ways manufacturers try to differentiate their product lines. But there’s no guarantee that it makes any real difference, and it hasn’t shown significant benefits in our tests. Forget About Comparison Shopping If you like a mattress at one store and ask elsewhere for something similar, you're likely to be steered toward a same-brand mattress claimed to have the same construction, components, and firmness. But they’re probably not the same. Mattress makers offer some lines nationally, but when those brands are sold through major chains such as Macy's, Sears, and Sleepy’s, they're for lines exclusive to those chains. And manufacturers don't publish a directory of comparable mattresses.
When we went to three bedding chains and asked for mattresses similar to those we’d bought at three department stores, five of the six were way off the mark. So use our Ratings as a guide, and insist on the precise make and model that scored well in our tests. Also check our Ratings of mattress brands and stores, based on subscriber surveys. If possible, lie on any mattress that you’re considering. Wear loose clothes and shoes you can slip off. Make yourself comfortable, and shoo away the salesperson if you’re feeling pressured. Salespeople should expect you to take your time. Spend at least five or ten minutes on each side and on your back (your stomach, too, if that's a preferred sleeping position). Panelists who took beds home for a month-long trial rarely changed the opinion they formed after the first night. Shopping online or at a warehouse club? Tryouts aren’t usually an option, so checking return policies before you buy is extra important. Make sure the store offers a full refund or credit toward another mattress.
Return periods, often called “comfort guarantees,” range from a couple of weeks to 120 days. Some retailers, including Macy’s and Sears, charge a 15-percent restocking fee. Costco and some online sellers provide free pickup if you want a refund or exchange, but otherwise, you’ll have to pay for it—or cart the mattress to the store. And you’ll be responsible for any damage. Once you’ve settled on a model, try to bring the price down. Many businesses, such as warehouse clubs, have fixed prices and won’t budge. But for retailers that do negotiate—particularly specialty chains—huge markups allow them to lower prices by 50 percent or more during their frequent sales. Our recommendation: Any time of year, insist on a sale price you’ve seen for the mattress you know you want, and don’t be afraid to walk out if you feel you’re getting a raw deal. Don’t Be Bullied Into Buying a Box Spring You might not need it. For an innerspring mattress, the box spring (also called a “foundation”) is a wood frame enclosing stiff wire and covered with fabric to match the mattress.
For foam or adjustable-air mattresses, it’s a box several inches high. If you're switching to a foam or adjustable-air bed from an innerspring, you'll need a boxy foundation that lacks springs and wire. Otherwise, if your box spring isn't broken and is still structurally sound, consider keeping it and saving money (roughly $150 to $300 for a queen-size). One caveat: Some brands require you to buy their box spring to receive full warranty coverage. It can range from 10 to 25 years and covers only manufacturing defects such as sagging and loose or broken coil wires. Coverage is frequently prorated, meaning that it decreases over time. Never accept delivery without inspecting the mattress (and the box spring, if you buy one) for stains and other damage. Also be sure that the mattress has a label that states “all-new material” before you send the driver on his way. If it’s not there, refuse delivery. And keep it on afterward in case you do have to file a warranty claim in the future.