The last time I bought a mattress for myself was about 11 years ago. I bought a fairly new full-sized one off a coworker. Four moves and a decade later, we’ve decided it’s time to replace it with an adult (and sometimes an extra toddler)-sized bed. When we started looking, I was shocked at the prices. $3000 for a mattress? What the heck are these things made of? Knowing very little, we went shopping for a mattress and other things on a Saturday morning. The first place, we stopped, Sleepy’s, seemed nice enough. We laid on a few and honed in on the one that we both felt most comfortable in. Meanwhile, Audrey discovered the fun of letting herself fall backwards onto mattresses and did it all over the store. She was giggling and the whole store couldn’t help but look and smile at her. Unfortunately, we soon stopped smiling. When we found something we liked, the seemingly helpful salesman started to get more aggressive. He asked how much we were looking at paying and I made up a number on the spot, something way below the listed price on the bed.
The said he would “talk with his manager” and see if he could get us that price. Then he started asking us if we could commit and have it delivered tomorrow. Anne had walked outside to give Audrey a break by that point, so I said I had to go out and talk with her about it. We talked about it for a bit, then decided we didn’t like the high-pressure sales pitch, so we got ready to leave. I had the car started up when the salesman came out and approached the car window. He then said that he had “talked to his manager” and he could give us the price we wanted AND a free “platinum package”. I said we would talk about it and let him know. We again decided this was sketchy, but to make good on my promise, I went in and gave him my phone number and left. Later that day we went to Jordan’s Furniture, generally known to be a reputable place with reasonable places. The salespeople there were nice and NOT high-pressure. Prices were generally lower, but strangely, we couldn’t find the mattress we found at Sleepy’s.
They had Sertas, but not the one we liked. Being indecisive, we left with a couple new names of ones we liked. Later, we went to Mattress Discounters. The woman there was not pushy and told us about the BBB complaints that Sleepy’s (a 700-store chain) had gotten. We decided to think some more and head home. At home, I did some research online and I found something strange – I couldn’t find much of anything on the mattresses we saw that we liked. I found some mattresses, many of the same brand, but not the same models. I later came to find out that this was completely intentional. The mattress industry is one big scam. There is no way to make an objective decision on a mattress using actual facts. Here’s a few things that the mattress industry does to get you: 1. They mark up their prices 100% to 200%!! No wonder the first guy was able to get his “manager” to give me such a steep discount. They were probably still going to make hundreds of dollars of profits on it.
2. They give the same mattresses different names in different stores or they set up exclusivity agreements by mattress line in certain stores. This makes it impossible to comparison shop because… 3. They make it really had to get actual facts about the mattresses. Stuff like coil counts, materials, overall construction are shrouded in secrecy. But that doesn’t really matter because… 4. There’s no objective measure of mattress quality. Consumer Reports won’t rate them because they can’t get the data and there’s no testing that actually says higher coil counts are better or the number of wires in the coils makes a difference in any way. You’re left to deciding how much you believe the marketing. Is a pillow top made of alpaca hair any better than one made of cotton? Your guess is as good as mine. 5. There’s very little online reviews of mattresses, probably because the model names are so fractured. The ones I did find looked more like content-free sites designed to attract referral credits.
With some more research, I found out that it was somewhat possible to compare mattresses models from different places. It turns out that they really only make one hardness variation in each line. So you can assume that a Plush Firm mattress in the “Classic” line, is the same as another Plush Firm in the Classic line, even if they have different names. was very helpful in figuring this out. We were able to understand which mattresses we saw and how they related to each other. For example, the mattress we liked at Jordan’s was a product line better than the one we saw at Mattress Discounters, even though they came out to the same price! Clearly Jordan’s had the better deal, but US-Mattress had an even better deal. So I did something I never thought I could do, buy a mattress over the internet. I’m pretty sure it’s the same one we saw in the store and the free delivery and frame were a good deal. I’m sure that even if I’m getting it at half the price I saw it listed at elsewhere, they’re still making a decent profit on it.
Anne and I agree that buying a mattress is worse than buying a car. While both have sketchy salespeople, when you buy a car, you can compare them on MPG, size, features, etc. Multiple dealers have the same models so you can compare prices and make an informed decision based on their invoice prices. There’s none of that when buying a mattress. Our mattress should arrive in a few weeks. Hopefully we’ll just find it comfortable enough to have to avoid going through buying a mattress again for at least another 11 years. UPDATE: The mattress arrived quickly and in good condition. We’ve been sleeping on it for several nights and while it feels comfy, I’ve had some upper back soreness which seems to be related to the new mattress. Hopefully it will go away. Otherwise, we’ll have to find another one and do a $100 exchange I guess.Pillow tops are one of the most luxurious types of mattress. They have an extra upholstery layer that provides increased comfort and also looks fantastic.
In this post, we’re determined to help you find the best pillow top mattress available in 2017. The soft upholstery of pillow top mattresses means that they are always comfortable – at least for the first few months. People often rate the initial comfort highly compared to other mattresses. The soft support also spreads your body weight more evenly, which can reduce pressure points and prevent joint pain. The problem is that cheaper options often don’t maintain this level of comfort for long. This is partly because the mattresses can’t be turned when indented. It’s vital to choose a product that remains comfortable for many years – or you could be forced to replace it much sooner than you hoped. If you’ve decided to buy a pillow top mattress, we want to make choosing the best product as simple as possible. After reading through our pillow top mattress reviews and buyer’s guide, we’re confident you’ll find the right one! After reviewing all the top pillow top mattresses available, we’ve selected our top 7 picks in the comparison table below.
We’re confident you’ll find the perfect model for your needs. Mobile Users: For optimal viewing, tilt your phone to landscape (wide-view) to see the entire table. Product Wallet Our Score Zinus Memory Foam (our top pick) $$$ 98 Serta Roswell $$$$$ 95 Simmons Beautyrest $$$$ 91 Home Life Euro Top Harmony $ 88 Serta Perfect Sleeper $$$$ 84 Dreamfoam Bedding Ultimate Dreams $$ 80 Icon Sleep$$$ 78 If you’re used to sleeping on a hard spring mattress, switching to a pillow top can make a big difference to pain and stiffness. The increased cushioning of these products provides greater contouring around your back and shoulders. This reduces pressure on certain parts of the body and relieves pain. There is nothing quite like relaxing in a bed of pillows each night. In terms of luxury, pillow top mattresses are often the clear winner compared to other types. They are also often highly rated by people who sleep on their front or side – although they may not be as comfortable for back sleepers.
Foam-topped pillow mattresses don’t transmit the vibrations caused by movement as much as other types. This can increase sleep quality for both you and your partner. Make sure you know which material each layer is constructed from though – movement transmission depends on the materials used throughout the mattress, not just the pillow layer. Pillow top mattresses are made from a variety of materials. The support section can be built with foam or springs – or in some cases a mixture of both. The pillow layer is often made from memory foam or latex, but cheaper options may be built from polyester. The type and quality of the pillow layer can have a big effect on the overall comfort. Memory foam contours to your body shape and provides excellent support. Natural latex also provides a responsive sleeping surface that doesn’t cause excessive pressure on one area. Latex is also often cooler than other types of foam. While polyester is the lowest quality option, it can still provide a comfortable sleeping surface.
The material used for the support section affects the structural properties of the mattress. Spring mattresses often provide good support, but may transmit movement more than foam support layers. Support foam can often provide the perfect mix of support and comfort. The material also affects the longevity of the product. Latex models are usually the longest-lasting, although also the most expensive. Dense memory foam is less likely to permanently deform than cheaper materials. While they are known for their comfort, not all have the same level of firmness. The design of pillow tops mean they are typically softer than other materials, but there is still variation in comfort. The right firmness largely depends on your personal preference and sleeping position. Do you enjoy sleeping on your side? If so, a softer option is probably the best choice. This allows you to sink further down into the mattress. Or do you often sleep on your stomach? In this case, a firmer option is required so that your body remains in a neutral position.
Make sure you choose a product with a firmness that matches your sleeping style. The Dreamfoam Bedding Ultimate Dreams is an 11” mattress that’s designed to provide both support and comfort. Aside from the soft upholstered layer, it is built with a tri-zone foam core. This reduces motion transmission and also provides excellent support for the neck, lumbar spine and legs. Most of the reviewers say that it is amazingly soft, has just the right firmness for a restful sleep and that the product is so comfortable. Several reviewers mention that the mattress is slightly smaller than the advertised size. The difference is only one or two inches – and doesn’t affect the comfort of the product – but is something to be aware of before you buy. Other than this minor complaint, this is one of the best value pillow top mattresses on the market. The Signature Sleep 13” is built with 609 individually encased springs for increased comfort and reduced movement transmission.
The springs are 15 gauge, which provides firm support to reduce back pain. It also has a soft pillow top for added comfort. Reviewers love the Signature Sleep 13. Majority of them say that it’s the perfect mattress and that the pillow top is soft without sinking too much. Other positive comments include that it provides excellent lumbar spine support and is quick to inflate. One potential problem with the product is that it’s much heavier than other options. This is to be expected – especially as it’s a high-quality 13” mattress – but means you’ll probably need to enlist help to get it upstairs. Once it’s ready to sleep on, however, there are few mattresses in this price range that provide the same level of comfort. For the ultimate in luxury mattresses, the Simmons Beautyrest Recharge is definitely an option to consider. The support layer is made from individually encased coils for extra support, while the top pillow layer is made with 2” of luxury foam for added comfort.
Sandwiched between the coils and foam is a layer of latex that provides comfortable support for almost any sleeping position. Some of the reviewers have said that it is great for couples, as movement isn’t transmitted and it isn’t too soft (which prevents rolling together). Other reviewers praise the quality of the product and have noticed reduced joint pain since using it. The Simmons Beautyrest is more expensive than other options on this list. Considering the combination of supportive coils, latex interior and foam pillow top layer, we think the product justifies the higher price. If you have a larger budget and want to buy one of the most luxurious mattresses on the market, the Beautyrest is definitely an option. Pillow tops are probably the softest and most comfortable of all mattress types. While they sometimes have issues with durability, and also can’t be turned when they start to lose shape, they provide a level of comfort that is almost unmatched. They can also reduce joint pain and have low movement transmission – although this partly depends on the layer materials.