Memory Foam Mattress with an Electric Blanket (or Electric Mattress Pad) There is no safety problem such as flammability with a decent memory foam mattress or topper (as contrasted with one of the cheap egg-crate type foams). Memory Foam Durability with Added Heat There seem to be two schools of thought on using heated mattress pads with memory foam. Some people say the memory foam mattress won’t support the bodyproperly if it is extra warm. Tempur-Pedic® states on their web site that they do not recommend using electric blankets or mattress pads because the “exposureto direct heat over extended periods of time can cause damage to the TEMPUR material”. Tempur-Pedic® further suggests that if at bedtime your mattress is too cold, try turning up the bedroom thermostat for twenty to thirty minutes before going to bed. Once you are in bed, the mattress will warm up quickly in response to your body heat. If you do choose to use an electric blanket to warm your mattress before bedtime, we recommend that you turn it off after 30 minutes to avoid overexposing the TEMPUR material to high heat.
My personal opinion - not supported by rigorous objective testing Several years ago, I myself spoke to the Technical Director at another one of the memory foam mattress manufacturers and he told me there would be no problems. I tend to believe this version because I personally have slept on a memory foam mattress with heated mattress pads for about six years now and I do not notice any problems. In fact, during cold weather, my personal opinion is that the support and comfort actually work better due to the extra warmth and I didn't like the "cold brick" feel. And I definitely do not want to increase my house temperature. One of the major benefits of heated bedding is to save money and energy by heating only the bed, not the whole house. Since some memory foam manufacturers say no and some say yes, you will have to make the final decision whether to go with the heated pad on the memory foam. Sorry we couldn’t be more scientific or definitive. Carries ALL MODELS of the Award WinningSAFEST Heated Blankets andMattress Pads fromSoftHeat Low VoltageUL Says: SoftHeat'sSafe & Warm TMtechnology uses"Non-Hazardous Class2 Low Voltage"
1. Before You Buy – A MUST Review: the Lead Page of the Buyer's Guide offering: Major considerations before your purchase; Links to all of our Reviews and Ratings sections 2. Ready to Buy? If you want to see a list of retailers carrying each of the major brands of Heated MATTRESS PADS this year, click Heated Mattress Pad Retailers OR for Heated BLANKETS, click Stores Selling Electric Blankets. The Electric Blanket Institute’s Consumer Guide and Blog text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 3.0 United States License. For any reuse or distribution you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. This information has been developed over many years of testing and is presented freely for educational use only and without any warranty of any kind. It is not a substitute for the safe usage practices of your individual product. See our Policies Page for other information including advertising and affiliate linkage.
Sorry, all information presented applies only to products sold in the United States. We cannot help with other products.The main reason to invest in a mattress topper is to upgrade the quality of your bed, and hopefully the quality of your sleep along with it. Replacing your mattress can be very expensive, so a mattress topper is a great way to revitalize or change the style of your bed instead. With some careful research, the right one will give you what you need at a fraction of the cost of a brand new mattress. In this article you’ll find both a list of the key factors which can help inform your decision making, and also a breakdown of the pros and cons of each type of material. By cross-referencing the two sections, you’ll hopefully have a clearer idea about which type will be the right kind for you. You can also find out about some of the more popular brands in these detailed mattress topper reviews. First of all, it’s important to understand that there can be some confusion between mattress pads and mattress toppers.
A mattress pad tends to be thinner, and usually serves either to protect the mattress or to provide only a little extra softness. A mattress pad can address specific needs, such as adding a water-proof layer or an anti-allergenic feature. You can also find heated mattress pads for use in the winter, and if you have issues with heat. A mattress topper on the other hand serves to add a much more significant layer of softness, cushioning or support for your body. And you can if you wish use both at the same time to further improve the quality of your bed. By placing a mattress pad over the topper, you can help protect both the topper and the mattress, as well as helping hold them all together as one unit. Having said that, some companies use the terms interchangeably. They may call their product a topper or pad, but actually it is much thicker or thinner than you would usually associate with that category. So it’s always worth checking how much padding it actually provides.
With so many types of mattress topper, it’s perhaps more helpful to first decide what you want or need from a topper. Then you can work out which material will best meet your needs. Personal preference and a gut feeling will probably play a role too. But if you do like to weigh up the pros and cons before making decisions, here are some of the key factors to take into account: The price can vary wildly, from 30 dollars to several thousand. But a higher price doesn’t necessarily guarantee it would be better for you. It’s about meeting your needs, not simply buying the most expensive you can afford. Plain egg crate foam, polyester and some cotton toppers tend to be the cheapest. With higher quality cotton, feather and down in the middle. Memory foam and wool can be quite expensive, with latex even more so. If it’s extra support for your back and limbs that you need, then memory foam and latex are generally more effective than the other materials. They are better at holding the shape of your body and supporting your natural posture.
With such a dizzying range of materials, brands, densities and thicknesses you should be able to find the perfect level of softness and comfort. But your definition of comfort may be different from the next person’s. Would you prefer a topper which molds to your body, such as with latex or memory foam? Or are you more suited to a naturally soft material such as down or cotton? Toppers tend to fall in the range of between 2 and 8 inches thick. If you need to revitalize an aging mattress, sleep on your side, or if you weigh more than average, you may need to look at thicker options. The materials with the best range of thickness are memory foam and latex. In addition the density of a topper is important in determining how much support it will provide you. Memory foam and latex toppers tend to have the most choice, allowing you to find just the right comfort level you need. Memory foam and latex are good at reducing the transmission of movement from your partner.
So if you sleep with someone whose tossing and turning keeps you awake, they are good choices. Memory foam and latex mattress toppers tend to retain body heat more. The thicker and denser they are, the hotter they feel. Wool, down and feather toppers are good all year round, as they provide extra warmth in winter yet reduce heat in summer. Don’t forget that the outside material can also contribute to the temperature by wicking away sweat for example. Some materials are better for certain allergies, so it’s worth checking the list below. Some are also more resistant to bed-bugs, mites, mildew and mold than others. Remember that you need to remove it from the packaging, get it onto the bed and potentially remove it for cleaning. So do be aware of the overall weight of the mattress topper. Egg crate is the easiest to transport, whilst feather, down and cotton are easier to move than memory foam or latex. Feather and down are the most difficult to clean. The standard warranty time seems to be around 2 years for many mattress toppers.
But this can be as short as one year and as long as 5 years. But remember that you won’t get a replacement just because it has compressed under your weight over time. Mattress toppers come in a range of very different styles and materials. So it’s important to know both what you hope to gain from using a topper, and what the pros and cons are of each material. Let’s take a look now at the different types in turn to give you a better idea of what your options are. Latex toppers can be quite expensive, but like the memory foam styles, can provide excellent support and comfort. Natural latex is made from the liquid in rubber trees. Not all latex toppers are natural though, so be sure to check before buying if it’s important to you to avoid synthetic materials. Memory foam is probably the most popular material people choose. A memory foam mattress can be incredibly expensive, so a topper can in part imitate a more costly mattress. At the opposite end of the material spectrum is the natural material of wool.
It can be fairly expensive, but there are some good reasons for this. Bedding made from goose or duck feathers, or softer and more luxurious down, is known for its softness and comforting feel. If you’re an allergy sufferer or need a firmer topper though, it may not be right for you. There is a vast range of mattress toppers and pads made from cotton, and often with a mixture of cotton and polyester and other materials. The price can also vary greatly with these. Egg crate mattress toppers refer to the shape, specifically the little bumps as you can see in the photo here. It’s important to note though that you can get an egg crate topper made either from good quality memory foam or from more basic foam. Because of that the price can vary wildly for products which may look and sound identical. Since we’ve already looked at memory foam above, let’s have a look at what you get from the more basic foam models. Made from foam it might not provide the same luxury as other types, but it’s a good choice if you have a lower budget or are using it for camping.