What's in a Namely? Bad Trip: My Journey to Discover Why Everyone is (Still) on a Journey When the "Something Old" at Your Wedding is... One of the most disturbing Sleeveless in Seattle (and New York, and Atlanta, and Detroit...) When the Question is the Answer: The Dumbing Down of TV Interviews The Good Ship Lollipop Has SailedWhy does, like, EVERYONE talk this way now??) I also write ads.Here is a link to my portfolio. « History, Interrupted |Bad Trip: My Journey to Discover Why Everyone is on a Journey » Your email address:Powered by FeedBlitz Subscribe to this blog's feedBest memory foam mattress Although memory foam mattresses have not been around nearly as long as innerspring mattresses, which we cover elsewhere in this report, they are rapidly gaining in popularity. The leading name in memory foam is Tempur-Pedic , which easily earns our Best Reviewed nod. Founded in 1992, Tempur-Pedic, which is now owned by Sealy, pioneered the production of luxury memory foam mattresses and is generally among the top-rated brands.
The line features a wide range of models. While all conform to the body, some offer surfaces that vary in firmness and cover materials, as the brand aims to address a wide range of consumer preferences -- most specifically body temperature since heat retention is the main complaint we see with memory foam. , based on more than 1,865 owner comments. Durability and resistance to sagging are among its chief strengths, according to site editors. Many users also find that it's great at isolating motion, so partners don't disturb one another when they change positions during the night, and some find it better than other memory-foam models at contouring to the body. On the downside, in addition to the heat retention issue we mention above, some find fault with the relatively high price of Tempur-Pedic mattresses. If cost is an issue, there are several lesser-known brands that offer memory foam mattresses that are significantly less expensive than Tempur-Pedic. The best rated of these is Bed in a Box (Est. $650 and up).
, based on its analysis of nearly 340 owner comments. While this is a higher rating that the Tempur-Pedic brand, it's also based on far fewer reviews, and we have found that ratings tend to go down as more reviews accumulate. Still, owners give Bed in a Box mattresses high marks for comfort, value and customer service, but the brand scores slightly below Tempur-Pedic for durability. Users also say it gives off a bad odor when new, though that is a common complaint with all memory foam mattresses. A big handicap for Bed in a Box is that, because the mattresses aren't sold in stores, you can't test one before making a commitment. However, the company offers a full money-back guarantee with return shipping costs covered -- provided that owners give the mattress a full 60 days to get used to it before deciding it's not right for them. Another terrific value in memory foam mattresses is the Tuft & Needle Mattress . It gets both a recommendation and a Best Buy nod in one professional test, earning high marks for both durability and stabilization.
Owners rate the Tuft & Needle mattress very highly as well, with most saying it has transformed their sleep. However most note that it's quite firm; while those who love firm mattresses are very pleased, those who do not complain of sore joints or waking up stiff in the morning. Side sleepers seem the least happy with this mattress. Still, we see raves for the Tuft & Needle mattress from back pain suffers. Many say they purchased this mattress after reading recommendations that back pain sufferers may be helped by a memory foam mattress, and were thrilled that it worked. Customer service, the shipping experience and ease of set up also get kudos from customers. At an even lower price point, but with equally stellar reviews, the Signature Sleep 8-Inch Memory Foam Mattress gets very high ratings from thousands of satisfied customers. They cite its comfort, value and durability. Some say that it seems overly firm at first, but softens up with use and as it warms to body temperature -- not an unusual occurrence with memory foam.
Some add a mattress topper, which we cover in a separate report, to adjust the firmness level or to add thickness to the mattress. If you'd really like to move into memory foam, but can't justify the high prices of the name brands, either of these two very affordable mattresses are a good place to start. Mattresses are expensive, there's no getting around that fact, and memory foam tends to be one of the more expensive options. However, it does not have to be that way. The 12-inch Memory Foam Mattress and Frame Set by Best Price Mattress gets stellar reviews from hundreds of owners for its incredible value. For your $600 you get a king-sized mattress, a bed frame, and a fitted bed skirt that allows you to hide the bed frame while creating hidden, underbed storage. While 12 inches is a fairly thin mattress, user reviews don't reflect issues with that at all; rather, they say this memory foam mattress is extremely comfortable and seems very sturdy and durable. We saw reports from owners who have had this mattress for two years or more and say it's still as good as new.
It also gets very good ratings from those who say it even provides great support to heavier people without that sinking feeling that some get from memory foam. After my post about mattress shopping the other day, Garrison contacted me. “My home just flooded and due to renters insurance I was thrown into the market for a new mattress,” he said. “I called up my long-time best friend whose entire family is in the mattress business. I used his advice in my purchase and I’ve been completely satisfied.” Here’s what Garrison’s friend, Justin, had to say. I’ve written a lot here to help you buy a mattress. Once I started thinking about this, all sorts of information came back to me. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Make sure there is at least a 30-day trial period. This is a deal-breaker and you should absolutely not purchase a bed without this guaranty, no matter what else they are offering.
Most beds take 4-6 weeks of sleep to really break in and feel how they are going to feel long-term. Don’t give up on a bed after a few bad nights right away. Your body will have to adjust to the new bed. You should only use a bed about 10 years. Don’t pay more for a bed just because it has a warranty longer than that. The one exception would be a Tempurpedic-brand bed. Those come with long warranties and should last longer than 10 years. Remember that if you need to get rid of your old bed, a lot of places will do that for you if you have your new bed delivered.For a decent king size, you’ll spend anywhere from $1,200 to $4,000, depending on what you are willing to pay for. Realistically, I’d recommend closer to $2,000 than $1,000, especially for a king size. King sizes typically run about $300 higher than queens. Keep in mind that over 10 years a $2,000 bed is only like $15 per month, and you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, so it is probably the best “value” of anything you purchase.
You get what you pay for when it comes to mattresses. Ask for a “low-profile” box spring. They will make the bed 6 inches lower to the ground than a regular box spring and should be the same price. You usually have to specifically request that sort of thing. You might have to wait a few extra days to get the bed then. Remember that you will need a new bed frame for a king size bed. A frame is going to run about $50 at the low end, to $100 at the high end. I’ve never heard of a frame breaking, so I don’t know why you would need a high-end frame. The salespeople get bonus commissions on those though, so they will try to sell you one if they have them. They’re also going to try selling you a “mattress protector” or “mattress pad.” If it is a cushioned pad, then don’t bother; you are getting a new bed so why in the world would you need a pad for it, right? But, if it is a waterproof style that comes with a stain warranty for the bed, then it is worth thinking about.
We used to sell mattress protectors that cost $80, and they had a 10-warranty that if the bed stained through the mattress protector, they would give you the purchase value of the bed so you could get a new one. The reason this is important is because if the bed gets stained or ripped, you will lose the 10-year warranty and will lose the 30/60/90 day trial period. They won’t take back a stained or ripped bed. Also, you can take the protectors off and wash them and they prevent mold from forming inside the bed and get keep the bed fresher overall. They really are a good buy. Here are the brands to focus on: If you venture outside these brands, you are taking a chance. In my opinion these are the best four, and are considerably better than the alternatives. Serta is popular at the lower price points, but I don’t think they’re really worth their price, from a value perspective, especially at higher price ranges. Simmons and Sealy are better options at the upper ranges.
The most important thing is that you lay on the bed for a couple minutes in the store the same way you would lay on it at home. If you don’t like it in the store, you won’t like it at home (you wouldn’t believe how many people think they will like a bed better at home even though they don’t like it in the store). If at least one of you spends a lot of time sleeping on your side, if you go with an innerspring mattress I recommend a Simmons Beautyrest. The coils are uniquely designed and are great for side-sleepers because they are “individual pocketed” rather than all connected together like on most beds. Also, if either of you move around a lot and disturb the other person, the Simmons Beautyrest will cut down on that disturbance some. Second choice would be a a Sealy Posturepedic, which is what I have. It is a brand more designed for back-sleepers, but they make great beds. On the other hand, if you are willing to try something new, Tempurpedic or Stearns & Foster are great brands.
They aren’t innerspring though. [Note: The author says that Stearns & Foster does offer innerspring mattresses now.] Tempurpedic is made from visco memory foam, and Stearns & Foster is made from latex foam; no springs in either one. People either love them or hate them. They are very unique. They are fairly firm, but I know plenty of people who prefer soft beds who absolutely love these even though they are firm. Plus, you won’t feel the other person moving around on the bed at all. The Tempurpedic is the bed that has the infomercials where a person jumps up and down on the bed and the glass of wine doesn’t spill that is sitting on the bed. If either of you get hot during the night, then you will want “natural fibers,” like wool, silk, etc. Polyester is bad if you get hot. But, if you spend over a $1000, then all the beds at that price range are probably natural fibers. Dealing with a salesperson If the salesperson is any good, he will actually be your best resource.
Mattress salespeople are pretty good at finding the best fit for customers — if you are willing to answer their questions. If you return the bed they lose the commission, so they do want to find the best fit for you. They might try getting you to spend some extra, but if you stay firm to your price max then they won’t push it because they are all so desperate right now that they won’t want to make you leave. The more information you give them, the more they’ll be able to help. The worst thing that can happen is that you spend a few extra bucks and get an even better bed. If the salesperson starts talking about “coil counts,” they either don’t know what they are doing or are just trying to sell you on the bed. Coil counts don’t matter unless that is the only difference between two beds. The coil type and steel gauge are much more important. If you are looking at an innerspring mattress, ask whether the bed has any kind of “edge support.” The edge where you get out of bed is the first place that will break down, so the mattress should either have some type of heavier steel gauge for the coils or some sort of heavier foam around the edge.
The salesperson might want to do a “comfort test” with you by laying you down on two or three beds as soon as you get in the door, and the price might be really high on those couple beds. Go ahead and do it. It is just going to help him and you narrow down the options by eliminating a bunch of beds based on their firmness/softness levels. Here’s some advice about specific stores: If a store is willing to negotiate mattress prices, then they are overpriced, so make sure you get them down a considerable amount. Mattress manufactures contractually set minimum prices that they allow retailers to sell their mattresses at, so they either have to price them at that minimum or overprice them and negotiate. Most of the larger chains just price them at the minimum right away. Update: The author of this e-mail/article provided some follow-up in the comments below. J.D.’s note: I know it’s strange to post on the same topic twice in three days. But after I mentioned this e-mail in the comments of our previous discussion, I received many requests to share the information.