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.Just like Goldilocks, you need to try a bed to know if it's the right one for you. Some might be too firm, others too soft – you need to get one that's just right.
And just like the three bears, everyone's different and needs a different type of mattress. There's no scientific consensus on what makes a good mattress, as we all have different shapes and sizes. We conduct our first mattress review in almost three decades. Find out how bed-in-a-box mattresses compare against a traditional innerspring Sealy. Want to know about other major brands? See our satisfaction survey for your feedback. Why is the right mattress so important? While most people need seven to nine hours of sleep a night to perform at their peak, many people are getting by on a lot less than this – but how well? Not getting enough sleep, or good quality sleep, can result in a number of health problems – mostly cognitive impairment such as memory loss, irritability, slower reflexes and an increase in illness and stress, and this can lead to developing related problems further down the track. A good mattress (along with a dark room, comfortable temperature and the right amount of quietness) can help ensure you're in peak condition by helping you get a good night's sleep.
So how do I choose? Though there's no one mattress that's sure to please everyone, there are some key considerations to keep in mind when out shopping for your dream bed that will increase the chances of you getting the best mattress for your buck with the least amount of legwork. Contrary to popular opinion, a mattress doesn't have to be firm to be good for your back – there's a difference between firm support and a firm feel. If you sleep on your stomach, a firm mattress will keep your spine aligned. Best if you sleep on your back, as it'll provide support for your spine, back and neck while keeping you comfortable. Great for sleeping on your side because it'll support and contour to your body's curves. When testing mattresses, make sure the base in the shop is similar to the one you have at home. If you have fixed slats or a hard surface, a soft mattress will feel very different on top of that than the ensemble base it's resting on in the shop. Try to roll over.
It will take more effort if the mattress is too soft, and will feel uncomfortable on your hips and shoulders if it's too firm. Which type of mattress? There are four main types of mattress: Continuous or open-coil mattress One of the cheaper types of mattress, continuous coil mattresses are made from a single piece of wire looped into springs, and open-coil mattresses are made of single springs fixed together by one wire. Usually more affordable than some of the other types, though premium models can cost several thousand dollars. They're much lighter too, so they're easier to turn. Because the springs move as one unit the mattress is less responsive to your body, and any tossing and turning is likely to disturb a partner. The coils also wear out more quickly than pocket springs, so it will need to be replaced sooner than some of the other types. Memory foam mattress These mattresses are topped with a layer of temperature-sensitive viscoelastic material, or memory foam.
The most well-known memory foam is Tempur, a material originally developed by NASA. As it's a type of foam, you should sink into it and feel your weight absorbed, taking pressure off your joints and increasing circulation. Because you sink in, the mattress padding can feel very close to your body all the time, meaning it can get warm easily. Latex foam mattress Latex foam moulds to body shape. Natural latex is white liquid produced by and tapped from the trunks of rubber trees. This is blended with synthetic latex and turned into latex foam. Tends to be durable and the materials breathe, so they are a good option for those prone to allergies and there's less chance of overheating. Latex also doesn't harbour dust mites. These mattresses have a solid feel, so they're not likely to please someone wanting a softer, more cushioned night's sleep. They can be cumbersome to move due to their weight and heft. Cheaper versions can get lumpy after a time. Pocket-sprung mattress One of the more popular types, a pocket-sprung mattress has up to 3000 springs sewn into individual fabric pockets.
They can be customised to have two sides, of different firmness. They offer good support by distributing your body weight evenly, and will support two people of two different body weights well because the springs are separate. You won't feel too warm because the open-spring construction allows air to circulate. The springs can be customised to different tensions – soft, medium or firm. They can be heavy to turn, as they're filled with natural materials, such as lambswool. Natural materials can exacerbate allergies. * Typical retail for a queen-sized mattress. What about mattress toppers? These add a layer of memory foam or extra padding to your existing bed mattress, but they can be a very expensive option considering they cost almost as much as a new mattress. A mattress topper won't provide any extra support if your existing mattress is failing or sagging, though. If you simply want an extra layer of cushioning, an inexpensive topper can add a layer of comfort.
What size mattress should I get? Retailers and manufacturers recommend buying the largest bed your room can accommodate, and the length of the mattress should be at least 10-15 centimetres longer than the tallest person sleeping on it. Measurements (width x length) How can I get the best deal on my new mattress? Most manufacturers don't offer a guarantee on comfort, so it's best to spend time lying on the showroom mattress to ensure confidence in your new purchase. There are a few brands that do offer a comfort guarantee, so it always pays to ask. All the mattresses will feel great when you're already sleepy! Don't get sucked in by sales jargon Words like "orthopaedic" don't mean very much, unless they come with accreditation from a proper medical association. If you have a bad back, it's believed that a medium-firm mattress is better than a firm mattress. If you're buying a new mattress but keeping your old base, measure them both to make sure they fit well together – some mattresses aren't consistent with the sizing above.