I’m from San Jose, CA. This is the first purchase of a new mattress that is not a spring mattress so I want to make sure I’m making the right choice. I’ve heard many good reviews for Ultimate Dream Gel. I’m just wondering if this is a good mattress especially for side sleepers or are there other options. If there is, are there any good retail locations in my area I should check out. My budget is around 800.
Hi GSW408,
The first place I would start when you are looking for a new mattress is post #1 here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make good choices in terms of quality, value, and suitability.
The “right” choice is very different for each person and depends on budget, body type, sleeping style, and preferences and many other variables. while Dreamfoam / Brooklyn Bedding is a manufacturing member of the site and among the best quality/value for its budget range … no matter what the quality or value of a mattress … it may be perfect for one person and completely unsuitable for the next. Post #2 here has more about what the “right” choice may be for each person.
If you are looking at an online option that you can’t test in person first … then I would make sure you talk with them and also test local mattresses that may have a similar “feel” so that you have an idea of whether the specific design would be suitable for you. In the case of the 13" gel memory foam … they have said that it is similar in “feel” to the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe but just a little firmer so it would make sense to do some good testing on the Cloud Luxe first to make sure that it is suitable for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). A forum search on Ultimate Dreams 13" (you can just click this) will also bring up more information and feedback from other forum members as well.
Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the San Jose area are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
Thanks for your output. I also checked that I would get a free pillow from BB if I call or email them that I am a member here. Is that still valid and also do I also get a 5% discount for being a member here.
Hi GSW408,
They provide the pillow bonus for the members here that order their Dreamfoam mattresses on Amazon (as long as they are fulfilled by Dreamfoam not Amazon) and the 5% discount is for their Brooklyn Bedding mattresses (just make sure you call or chat or email for info).
Phoenix
Is the Ultimate Dream Gel 13 inch the same as the BB Cool Luxe?
Hi Snowman,
No … they are quite different and the Cool Luxe uses higher quality and more costly foams and materials. Each of them has a description of the foam they use (The 13" gel memory foam uses a 1.5 lb polyfoam base which isn’t listed in the description) and if you call them they can also tell you how they compare to each other in terms of feel. The Cool Luxe is softer than the 13" gel memory foam model (they have told me that the 13" gel memory foam is slightly firmer than the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe while the Cool Luxe is similar to or perhaps slighty softer than the Cloud Luxe).
Both are great value for their budget range but they are certainly not the same.
Phoenix
Looks like the King size for the Cool Luxe vs Ultimate Dream is about $1000 more. My question is it worth an extra $1000? These 2 beds seem similiar or is the quality that much better in the cool luxe?.
Hi Smuscles,
From a “commodity” point of view it certainly would be. You will normally find that all the mattresses made by the same manufacturer have a similar “value” across their lineup (based on the cost of making the mattress) although in the higher budget ranges the margins tend to be a little higher.
You can read some comments about the 13" gel memory foam mattress and the materials it uses in post #2 here.
The Cool Luxe uses more advanced and higher performance memory foams, has a more sophisticated design, has a different “feel”, and a higher quality base foam as well as a higher quality cover.
In the end … the choice will depend on your own personal value equation and which of the many objective, subjective, and intangible factors that are part of any mattress purchase are most important to you.
Called Chuck and bought a BB queen cool-supreme and a BB king cool-supreme. He gave me a 5% discount and 2 free pillows. I am glad my hard earned money is going to a wonderful company. Chuck and company are wonderful people and Phoenix and the people on this board have help me to make a wise choice. You folks ROCK!
I know this is off topic, but I was wondering what pillows are comparable to the tempurpedic neck pillows contour. I slept on one of those and it was amazing, but I was hoping there are other alternatives since I think that pillow is overpriced.
Hi GSW408,
I switched your post to the pillow thread and hopefully there are some forum members who have compared the Tempur-Neck Pillow to others and can provide some feedback.
There are many similar contour style memory foam pillows but “feel” can be very subjective so what may feel the same or similar to one may be different to another.
We own the Trillow here which has a great feel, had no offgassing, and is cooler than most other memory foam pillows I’ve tried but it’s also very pricey. My DH loves it and it can also be customized for height which is a nice feature. She sleeps on the thinner version (with the outer wrap removed).
Phoenix
Hi Snowman,
You certainly made a great choice and I’m looking forward to your feedback when you receive it because the Cool-Supreme is one of their newest models.
Congratulations on your new mattress 
Phoenix
Thanks for your feedback. The reason why I’ve asked about the tempurpedic neck pillow contour is because I have neck problems and when I slept on that pillow my neck pain went away. However, the pillow is a bit too pricey and was wondering if there is another alternative. If anyone can give me any feedback, I would appreciated it.
Just received my Ultimate Dream Gel and slept it on it for couple of days. It’s a nice bed but a little too soft for me. Are there any other firmer memory foam?
Hi GSW408,
That’s a very broad question but yes there are many memory foam mattresses that are firmer than the Dreamfoam 13" gel memory foam mattress (or the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe which is similar and which most people use as a test for the Dreamfoam).
These are both in the softer range of memory foam mattresses.
Phoenix
I’ve seen great reviews of contoured wool and latex pillows which are similar in shape to the tempurpedic neck pillow (and no off-gassing, which is nice). But these are also pretty expensive, unfortunately. There are some companies such as Holy Lamb which also make wool neck rolls which are less expensive, and can be used together with a regular pillow to make a sort of do-it-yourself contoured pillow (holylamborganics.com/pillows.html#anchor2710)
Have any side sleepers ever tried using a boomerang pillow, such as the one here?: Side Dreamer Pillow - Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company
If so, did you find it actually reduced shoulder pain, since your upper shoulder is supported, rather than sagging forward? They look really interesting to me.
Have been looking at the 13" also, read so many reviews - some say it’s soft, some too firm. I’m 6’5 and 270. Had memory foam (knock off) of temper for last 13 yrs. Love the memory foam feel, but need the support, gave away my last since I moved and remodeling a home to move in to. Well aware of the “sleeping in your bed” as opposed to “sleeping on your bed”, and again, life the memory foam feel.
Have a call in for Chuck, and will see what he recommends. Any feedback would be appreciated!
Hi TLNTX,
I would be very cautious about using other people’s reviews or experiences on a mattress (either positive or negative) as a reliable source of information or guidance about how suitable a mattress may be for you or the durability of a mattress and in many cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on or vice versa (see post #13 here).
There is also no “standard” definition or consensus of opinion for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that is firm for one can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. This is all relative and is as much an art as a science. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress (see post #15 here). With your higher weight most mattresses will tend to feel softer and less “supportive” than they would to others that are in lower weight ranges because you will sink into the mattress more.
Since you are in a higher weight range there are some guidelines and suggestions in post #3 here that will be helpful as well.
Based on Dreamfoam’s description and forum feedback … the Ultimate Dreams 13" gel memory foam mattress is closely comparable to the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe in terms of firmness/softness so you could test The Cloud Luxe (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to see whether it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
While the Ultimate Dreams 13" gel memory foam mattress would certainly be a great quality/value choice for most people that are in average weight ranges (lower 200’s or less) … In your weight range I would be cautious with any mattress that approximates the Cloud Luxe (or the Cloud Luxe itself) for two reasons.
The first is that higher weights tend to do better with firmer mattresses than lighter weight ranges and buying a mattress that has comfort layers that are too thick and/or soft or a support core that is too soft has a much greater risk of sleeping out of alignment and causing back pain or discomfort. While this isn’t a certainty because it depends on your weight distribution and physiology as well … the risk would certainly be higher and I would make sure you have done some very careful testing (using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) on the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe so you are confident that it (or any other similar mattress) not only relieves pressure in all your sleeping positions (which is likely since it’s their softest mattress) but even more importantly keeps you in good alignment over the course of the night. I would keep in mind that you can always soften up a mattress that is too firm and needs some additional pressure relief but there is very little you can do to firm up a mattress that is too soft without removing and replacing the rs that are too thick and/or soft.
The second is about durability. Lower density foams will soften and break down faster than higher density foams and this could be an issue over time with heavier weight ranges as well. This more rapid foam softening can lead to the premature loss of comfort and support that is the reason you purchased the mattress in the first place and if a mattress is already “on the edge” of the comfort/support range that would be suitable for you then even a relatively small amount of foam softening can take you outside of comfort/support range that is suitable for you fairly quickly (see post #2 here). Memory foam won’t tend to develop impressions that will be covered by a warranty and foam softening and the gradual (or more rapid) loss of comfort or support isn’t covered by a warranty so you would have little recourse if this happens other than buying a new mattress. In general I would tend to reduce and minimize the use of 4 lb memory foam in your weight range. There is more about the variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the posts it links to.
Phoenix
The Dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams Gel 13 inch has been at the top of my list for a while after a ton of research, but one thing is scaring me off from making the purchase. I have read several reviews saying the mattress didn’t expand all the way to true King size dimensions. Some say it was 2"-4" short/narrow from what King dimensions should be. Dreamfoam’s website even says the dimensions may vary, which I find odd. I am upgrading to a King mattress from a Queen and I want a “true” King size mattress, not one that is a few inches too narrow.
Anybody who has purchased this mattress have any experiences with this?
Hi tbizzle,
Hopefully some of the members here will see your post and share their comments about the dimensions of their mattress.
Mattress sizes can vary because of the nature of soft materials and fabrics and the effect of the cover both in terms of its thickness (a mattress that uses a cover that is 1/2" thicker will be 1" wider than another mattress that uses a thinner cover with the same materials inside it) and how much the tightness of the cover compresses or or “pulls in” the layers inside it. Mattresses for example that have tighter covers can have smaller top surface dimensions than a mattress that has a looser cover. If you measure a mattress from seam to seam across the top the width or length may be different compared to measuring the same mattress at the widest point of the side panels. In other words a mattress doesn’t have a perfectly square shape.
Their standard size for a king is 80" x 75" x 13" and this can vary by 1" to 2" (1" would be a more normal variance for a mattress depending on where and how you measure it) so if it was more than this it would be out of spec and you could request a return.
You’ve probably read this but if you order the mattress on the Dreamfoam site then there is an additional 10% discount and you would also have a 45 day comfort guarantee.
Phoenix