Area Limitations for finding mattress values

[phoenix]

Hi NE Ohio,

I searched for the more “independent” mattress firms that are more transparent regarding the materials used and in what proportion. Searching the forum, I haven’t come across the information I am seeking in trying to determine the quality/value equation.

The first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists (based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).

[quote]For example, I came across a site which has a store not too far from where I live. It appears they may be a good place to start my search. Here is a link which gave me pause, not understanding if the components used in the mattress are in the correct proportions and constitutes a good overall value if my wife and I both like how the mattress feels upon personal testing.

https://www.originalmattress.com/serenity-foam-mattress/overview[/quote]

There is no such think as “correct proportions” … there are only proportions that are a good “match” for you in terms of PPP.

While I can’t speak to how any mattress will “feel” for someone else in terms of firmness, “comfort”, or PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances … outside of PPP (which is all about how well you will sleep on a mattress) the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is it’s durability and in terms of durability a mattress is only as good as its construction and the type, quality, and durability of the materials inside it (which is all about how long you will sleep well) regardless of the name of the manufacturer or the name of the mattress on the label. In other words I would always make sure that you are able to find out the information listed here so you can compare the materials and components in a mattress to the quality/durability guidelines here and confirm there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would compromise the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any mattress purchase. I would also only deal with retailers or manufacturers that are both willing and able to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed choice.

OMF makes some good quality/value mattresses and they are transparent about the materials in their mattresses. The Serenity latex mattress uses a 1" layer of 19 ILD blended Talalay latex on top of a 2" layer of 24 ILD blended Talalay latex for a total of 3" of latex on each side of a 4.5" 2.5 lb polyfoam support core (it’s a two sided mattress). These are all very high quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress in terms of durability so if your testing confirms that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP then it would certainly be well worth considering. There is also more about the pros and cons of a two sided mattress in post #3 here.

So, for a little over 10 inch thick mattress, how does a typical mattress idiot like myself figure out the material/proportions for a mattress of a certain thickness? I’m still very confused in finding the best mattress/box spring combination regarding quality, comfort and price.

Again the proportions of the materials aren’t important because your own careful testing will tell you whether the design of the mattress is “right” for you (regardless of whether it would be right for anyone else).

The thickness of a mattress or any individual layers inside it is really just a side effect of the design and the design goals of a mattress and is also only one of many variables that can affect the feel and performance of a mattress relative to any particular person and by itself isn’t particularly meaningful (see post #2 here). In some cases higher weight ranges will sometimes do better with a mattress that is thicker than lower weight ranges (see post #14 here for more about the effect of thickness) but even this depends more on the specific design and combination of materials in the mattress and on how well your testing or personal experience indicates the mattress “as a whole” matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP than anything else.

Unless you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with different types of mattress materials and specs and different layering combinations and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you (which would only be a very small percentage of people) … I would avoid using individual specs such as layer thicknesses or ILD numbers or other complex combinations of information or specifications to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you or how it will compare to another mattress and focus more on your own actual testing and/or personal experience. While knowing the specs that can affect the quality and durability of the layers and components in a mattress is always important … when you try and choose or compare a mattress based on complex combinations of “comfort” specs that you may not fully understand then the most common outcome can often be “information overload” and “paralysis by analysis”.

Any hope of finding good independent makers in the NE Ohio area that you might be aware of? Thanks.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Cleveland/Akron/Canton areas (subject to making sure than any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked earlier in this reply) are listed in post #2 here. There is also a list for the Youngstown area in post #2 here.

In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to first finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in (either locally or online) and that can provide you with all the information you need to know to make an informed choice and make meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …

1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

3. Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix