PHOTO: Meenal trying out mattresses in Sikandarpur Market, Gurgaon, India Surprisingly, buying a mattress after returning to India was quite straight forward. All of the major brands- Kurl-On, Sleepwell, etc.- can easily be found in most major markets with same day pedal-rickshaw-delivery and cash-on-delivery payment terms. This was a pleasant surprise after our mattress shopping experience in Boston (the entire industry is shady and worse than used car dealers). The coconut coir (the hair) filling is the cheapest branded option at $150 (Rs.6,800) for a 4 inch thick mattress. They aren’t supposed to last more than a year before sagging and the coir irritated us. We also found these harder than we like but our experience was limited to lying on it for a couple of minutes. Next, you have a spring coil system mattress. These are buy far the most common and even through my skeptical eye, they are comfortable. We purchased a 6 inch thick spring coil mattress and cover or $300(Rs.12,300+Rs.1200).
The top of the line is the independent coil system. Our shopkeeper didn’t stock these as they cost $425 (Rs.20,000) and didn’t sell very often. He offered to order it for us but we didn’t want to wait a month and go through the inevitable hassle in India of daily follow up phone calls. Besides, the spring coil system seemed comfortable enough. The shop could also order mattresses with memory foam and independent coil system for $1050 (Rs.50,000), only memory foam for $1800 (Rs.80,000-90,000), etc. We didn’t even venture there since we don’t find memory foams as comfortable as the advertisements. On the cheapest end of the spectrum, you can find non-branded mattresses for $30-$50 (Rs.1500-Rs.2500). Oddly, the queen size mattresses that are readily stocked are 60 inches x 78 inches. That’s 2 inches shorter than the U.S. version. If you want to get the extra 2 inches, you need to custom-order it for $340 (Rs.16,000). To save on the daily phone calls and inevitable delays, we avoid custom-ordering even if the item in stock is less than perfect.
4 inches is considered standard thickness of a mattress in India. Everything in this post is for 6 inches unless otherwise noted. Apparently thickness affects the longevity of the mattress, not its comfort. The mattress is still very comfortable 6 weeks after use. No information on how long it’ll last but so far so good. We shipped 1 mattress from the U.S. because we thought we won’t find something we like in Delhi. In hindsight, our concerns were misplaced and we would rather have shipped more furniture. I’ll write a detailed post on furniture later. Suffice to say for now that furniture in India is generally twice as expensive for half the quality. That equals 4 times the price in my mind. Beds are usually made of particle board, MDF, Rubber wood, Sheesham or Teak board (different from Teak wood). The shacks off the road were selling queen beds without mattresses for $150 (Rs.7000). Cheap looking furniture stores next to dug up streets on the way from Delhi to Gurgaon and chains stores like Fab India were selling beds for $530 (Rs.25,000) and up.
The cheapest beds in fancy stores like Basix in Gurgaon were $3,200 (Rs.1,50,000). Basix offered to custom make their cheapest one for $2,100 (Rs.1,00,000)! Given these prices, we bought a boring looking bed along with 2 side tables made of particle board. It cost $330 (Rs.15,500) for all 3 things, and Lifestyle furniture in Gurgaon delivered it on time as promised. I don’t love it but couldn’t bring myself to pay such high prices. We also found someone in Amar colony’s Kabari Market who offered to make us a bed for $230 (Rs.11,000). His samples were impressive and we know someone who is happy with his work. We may end up trying him for our guest bed. It’s painful to pay such high prices, especially when I know that I would have gotten something cheaper and better if I shopped in Ikea or Jordans or Ethan Allen. PHOTO: One of the many overpriced beds in Lifestyle (as in every other store) Price: $800 (Rs.37,950) for the wooden bed only. Does NOT include side tables, mattress or anything else in the picture.
The furniture stores carry queen beds sized 60×78 inches, 60×79 inches, 60×80 inches or more. Surprisingly, the salesmen didn’t know that their beds were all different sizes. Take a tape measure with you to make sure that your mattress will be a good fit for the bed you purchase. Sita Fabrics in Lajpat Nagar not only had down pillows, but he also had choices in them with down mixes of 20% and up. They also had those space age curved memory foam pillows or Rs.2000. Given the choices I found, you should be able to find your Westin Hotel pillow at roughly the same prices as in the U.S. I feel colder in Delhi than I do in Boston since buildings never have central heat in India. They are made of brick and cement with floors of stone or marble – all very good during the hot summer months but COLD in December, January and early February. I needed a warm comforter since the puny room heater wasn’t going to do it. Sita Fabrics in Lajpat Nagar sells comforters for Rs.1850 and covers or Rs.1300.
Even though the covers are relatively expensive, they are a whole lot easier to wash than the comforter. The comforters have turned out to be exceptionally warm, very comfortable and even modern looking. The shopkeeper claimed that they were machine washable but I’m a bit scared to try. Will update after our first attempt. PHOTO: Comforter purchased in Delhi and Bed and side tables from Lifestyle in Gurgaon. Link House, M.G. Road, Sikanderpur, Gurgaon, Haryana. Lifestyle Furniture for Bed Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. Ask people in Lajpat for directions once you get there. My mother-in-law lives in Delhi and swears by this place.Selecting your Hästens is an experience in itself I received my courier exactly on the same day that was told to me. The service was quick and easy. The customised collar I bought was simply amazing- all the items were up to the quality they promised. Highly recommend all the dog owners to buy goodies from Heads Up For Tails I have tried their martingale collars and jackets, they stand true to their words of making great products with a lot of love.
Also, the person who manages whatsapp communication is extremely kind and helpful. Heads Up For Tails for sure! PREETI SHARMA SOOD - HUFT is a brand I trust for all my pooches! Not only do they have exclusive stuff they also take a lot of pains to maintain quality of the merchandise they bring for our little friends. Compliments and congratulations to Rashi and her team for such wonderful work! God Bless and special thanks from Bosco, Bruno and Beethoven for the umpteen goodies their parents get for them from HUFT! This was my first and only purchase from Heads Up For Tails and we are very happy. The delivery time was reasonable, size indicators very helpful and the product of good quality. The raincoats fits Zeus perfectly and he is very comfortable in the outfit. I have attached an image for your reference. Thank you HUFT for the wonderful service & wide range of products for our 4 legged friends! I am very pleased with your service as you ensured I received the product on time and I could gift Enzo on his birthday!