Astrabeds Brand Latex Mattresses

Hello All,

I’m kind of new to the luxury mattress shopping scene. I typically buy whatever’s on sale at a local store, but got married since my last purchase and my wife is a “green freak” and says she only wants a natural latex bed. She’s been shopping online and tells me the best value that she’s seen is Astrabeds because of their really good reviews on independent mattress review sites and because they are one of the few that carry only 100% natural latex.

I don’t always count on big brands (are they a big brand?) and advertising dollars or even news coverage – I just want to know if what she’s convinced of is true, that Astrabeds is really the way to go when it comes to her environmental sensitivities and for the best value for the dollar. I really don’t know too much about latex, just that she needs 100% natural or botanical latex (is there a difference between natural and botanical?). Is Astrabeds as big as Tempurpedic? They seems to be rated higher and Tempurpedic doesn’t sell natural latex.

In doing my research, below are the sites I found that all concur with Astrabeds being the most-highly rated, any advice would be appreciated.

bestmattress-brand(org), whatsthebestbed(org), bestmattress-reviews(org), mattress-inquirer(com), mattressjournal(com).

So anyone here that has as much knowledge that I’ve seen here with other questions can give me the “green light” (sorry had to throw that in there) for Astrabeds, that’s what I’m going to be going with to please her.

Thanks a bunch,

L. Hunsaker

Hi LYunsaker,

I would hope that you have seen through these sites and recognized that they are only advertising sites for Astrabeds. :blink: .

All of these sites are a few of many owned and run by Astrabeds (or their sister companies Amerisleep or Simply Rest) and part of their massive marketing campaign to create an internet presence. It’s pretty clear that they are just “masquerading” as being “independent”.

Astrabeds is just part of a larger marketing company (and somewhat high pressure at that) that sells latex mattresses … they are certainly not manufacturers or even “mattress people” and I would take much of what they say with a grain of salt because much of it is certainly not factual and they don’t provide what I would consider to be accurate information. While latex is certainly a great material … these are also not the best value available to you. You can read a conversation I had with them here and you can read more about this group of companies in post #4 here and post #4 here. A forum search on Astrabeds or Simplyrest or Amerisleep (which along with others are owned by onemallgroup which specializes in viral marketing in partnership with Kim Tyrone Agapito) will bring up more information about them.

Botanical and natural are just two words for the same thing meaning natural rubber that comes from a tree. You can read more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here.

If you are looking for online latex mattress sources that provide better quality, value, knowledge, experience, and customer service … and are truly mattress people … then the list in post #21 here should be helpful.

Before proceeding further with Astrabeds (or any of their sister companies) I would be very cautious and do some “real” research on more reputable sites with more accurate and less biased information and talk with more knowledgeable manufacturers and retailers.

Phoenix

Hello Phoenix,

Wow! I can’t wait to tell my wife. What a scam! Is that even legal? Thanks for the link, I read your conversation and was amazed to learn Astrabeds doesn’t even sell natural latex! Every review site they have is against blended latex, and it’s exactly what they’re selling?! How is that even legal? I’m going to take your advice and look elsewhere. Thanks for saving us some serious ca$h.

L. Hunsaker

Hi LHunsaker,

There are many “so called” expert sites throughout the internet that lead to certain retailers that are really nothing more than advertising.

I’m glad you found us before you “pulled the trigger” :slight_smile:

Phoenix

the short version: astrabeds appealed to me because i was looking for a latex bed with clean, natural materials – no poly foam, no adhesives, no dacron, no chemical FR. because of this site i found a much lower price on a much better mattress from a local manufacturer.

the LONG version: i was ready to order from astrabeds, but after reading all of their “fine print” policies the “25 year” warranty was a little lame. i wanted to be sure i was making a good decision, so i searched and found this site. the more i read here the more i had concerns about the difference between what they sell and what they advertise, and the more convinced i was i should find a local source to try mattresses to see what i liked.

the best news is that i won’t be buying from astrabeds. the mattress i thought i would want would’ve been a big mistake. i found my preferences are for something much softer than i was looking at online. i almost fell prey to the save $200 offer, even though i know better. i let it lapse at the end of the weekend. a couple days later they were offering $150 savings, and this weekend they are using the same save200 coupon code as last week.

i found a locally owned mattress store run by “mattress people” where i tried out englander and natura mattresses. the natura mattress had all the things i was looking for (clean materials that are good for both my health and the environment) as well as quick, transparent CS (emails returned quickly with honest, complete answers and no obfuscation), but they are not local enough (canada is close, but it isn’t michigan), and the price was quite high. the one i tried was too firm for my preference, and i thought it might be due to the dunlop core. but if i couldn’t find a better option i was comfortable with ordering a natura from the local store.

to be safe i looked at a lot of options online, among them brooklyn bedding. i didn’t know which to choose for the core between dunlop and talalay. they were also a good option, and a few hundred dollars cheaper than natura. (brooklyn bedding is the same price as a comparable astrabed.)

i found buis mattress, a member of this site, and contacted them about the materials in their latex mattress. the response was prompt, detailed, and they were more than willing to make a mattress to my exact specifications, including 100% plant-based talalay latex and replacing the poly foam in the quilting with more wool. fortunately i was able to visit and actually try the mattress. after reading so much about latex (different suppliers, dunlop and talalay process, natural v. blend) it was very gratifying to speak with someone who was so knowledgeable and passionate about the mattresses he was selling. since the showroom and the production facility are in the same building we were given a tour of the production facility and got to touch all the materials they use. it was impressive, and i left knowing that i was buying the best mattress for my needs and budget. seriously, their latex mattress was the most comfortable mattress i tried. it was also the cheapest, some $400 less than astrabeds and $500 less than brooklyn bedding. i think it was $1,000 less than natura, but i don’t remember the exact price.

this last week of obsessive reading has been worth it.

Hi robb,

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great review and share your thoughts and experiences.

As you know I think very highly of Marc at Buis Mattress and I’m happy that the site could help you made such a great choice.

Most of all … congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Phoenix – the salesman i spoke with apart from Marc commented that this site has been very good to them, so it appears the feeling is mutual.

I purchased a very expensive mattress on Astrabeds web site. It cost $2,700. I received an automatic email confirmation, but after several days without hearing anything else from a human being, I began to get worried, because the company had taken my money but not communicated with me. I called twice during their stated business hours, and left messages. No response. I then called a third time, and the next day, received a call back. The first thing the customer service person I spoke to, Justin, said to me was that their web site stated that it would take 7-10 days to get the mattress. That didn’t explain why the company has no one answering their phones during their stated business hours, why I had to wait days for a call back, why a call back didn’t happen until after my third message, and why a human response, at least an email on their part, or some kind of reassurance that they were indeed aware of my order, couldn’t have come sooner. When a company takes $2,700 of my money with no more than an automated email response for nearly a week, I get nervous. I would also like to say that Justin was snide, rude, and sarcastic on the phone. I finally got a tracking number by email, and was expecting the delivery. I was also informed that I had to ASSEMBLE THE BED MYSELF–basically, they send a mattress cover with two layers of latex already in it, and you have to unroll and insert the other two layers. This also was not told me before purchasing. The company sent it by Fedex ground, and required a signature. Thus I had to be home, and with Fedex ground they can only offer a TWELVE HOUR WINDOW. I was not informed ahead of time this was the case. The first time delivery was tried, I was home, but Fedex claimed they tried to deliver it though I was sitting near the front door and heard no knock. So I had to arrange to be home all day and sign for the package. When these two huge packages arrived, I called the company for some guidance in assembling the layers. Justin then informed me that because of a mistake with the factory, I would have to take out the two layers already in the mattress cover and then re-insert all four layers myself. Then I was told I needed a second person to help me; this wasn’t on the web site nor was it told me when I finally made contact with the company initally. So I had to arrange for a friend to come by as I live alone. I was not given any practical guidance on HOW to get the layers into the mattress cover. My friend and I struggled for a long time with the very heavy, unwieldy layers. The mattress cover has two compartments and two zippers. One of the zippers split. In other words, as you are zipping, the already zipped end comes undone. The zipper was broken. When I informed the company of this, they demanded photos and stated I couldn’t get a refund without them. I told them I had no way of emailing pictures, not having the right kind of phone or camera. I did offer to text the pictures. When I talked to Roderigo, it took a long time to explain this very simple problem. At first he stated it was impossible to get another cover without photos. Roderigo offered me free pillows, but I told him that did not solve my problem. I received no apology at that time and nothing was resolved. Then, the next day, a strange man called me and identified himself as the designer of the mattress–note that I did not give Astrabeds permission to give out my phone number to anyone else–and asked me what the problem was. I explained to him, and at first he said it would take several days to ship it because they “didn’t have any covers in stock.” I begged this man to send it overnight because I had a friend coming on Sat. who could help me reassemble the mattress. He said he would “see what he could do” and later called and told me it could be there by Sat. One of my complaints is that I was repeatedly told things were “impossible” and then, when I pushed, they suddenly became possible–such as having to send photos. So that means they were lying, and you have to raise your voice and be aggressive to get satisfaction. The replacement cover came, and after more time and struggle to insert the layers, the zipper broke in the exact same way. My friend tried putting a new zipper on but couldn’t. I ended up having to TAPE the mattress cover shut. I received an email from my initial contact, Justin, asking how the replacement mattress cover “worked out.” I told him of my dissatisfaction with the company’s customer service, rude staff, not answering their phones, delays in returning my calls, shoddy products, being told “that’s impossible” and then things suddenly becoming possible AFTER they were pushed (which meant they’d been lying) and giving out my number without my permission. I told them if I could not afford the return shipment and did not want yet another replacement mattress cover because they are apparently all made in the same shoddy way, and I had no one to help me through another long, exhausting assembly process. Even if Astrabeds paid for the return shipment, I have nothing else to sleep on until they got around to sending another mattess. I asked for a partial discount of $400 for all the aggravation, rudeness, and shoddy service and products I’d put up with. Instead, they offered me a “free gift” from their web site. I had asked in another phone call to speak to Roderigo’s boss, but he said that’s the owner of the company and “he’s hardly ever around” and I couldn’t talk to him. I don’t need or want pillows or sheets–I have those.

Hi Marple,

I’m sorry to hear about your experiences with Astrabeds but I appreciate that you took the time to share your comments.

In all fairness though I think it’s fairly clear from their website that their mattresses are component latex mattresses that need to be assembled. They also have assembly instructions on their website.

I also don’t think that someone is necessarily “lying” when they tell you that they can’t do something and then find a way to do it anyway. It seems more likely that they found ways to make an exception to their normal procedures or policies to try and keep a customer happy. Their request for a picture also seems reasonable to me.

It also seems odd to me that the zippers on two covers broke (even having one break would be unusual) and I’m wondering if it was the result of something that you were doing when you were assembling the mattress.

While I can certainly understand your frustration with the whole sequence of events and some of your criticisms are certainly justified … some of your criticism’s also seem to be little bit harsh.

Phoenix

ADMIN: *** New topic split from this topic ***

FANTASTIC INFORMATION, Phoenix! Thank you. I am back in the market and probably going latex and ran into Astrabeds in one of their marketing sites listed in the OP. They certainly know how to mix fact with fiction in a convincing manner. After a lot of my own research, as well as the great info you provide here, I am leaning heavily towards Urban Green (FSF) at this point.

Hi Dave_C,

Welcome back :slight_smile:

As you know Urban Green (FSF) is one of the members here which means I think very highly of them and that I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. They would certainly make a good quality/value choice.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.

Phoenix

Thanks, Phoenix. I will certainly post back here to let you know! Once again, you offer a great service here. I am recovering from a minor back injury and, ironically, my son had back surgery this morning for a herniated disk. I have an MRI tomorrow morning to check mine out too. He bought a Sleep Number and absolutely loves it but I’m not so convinced.

Hi Dave_C,

You can see my thoughts about airbeds in general this article. While any mattress can be a good match for a specific person because each person’s needs and preferences or the criteria that are most important to them can be very different … in general terms I would tend to avoid them unless there is a very compelling reason that an airbed would be a better choice in “real life” (outside of the many “marketing stories” that you will hear about them) than the many other options or types of mattresses that are available to you.

For those that are committed to an airbed and are convinced that there are no other types of mattresses that will meet your criteria then there are some other airbed options that are listed in post #3 here that may be much better quality/value choices than Sleep Number/Select Comfort.

Phoenix

Great info, Phoenix. I’ve actually been sleeping on a very old Select Comfort recently because we went through TWO Habitat Furnishing latex Twins and two Tuft and Needle foam Twins which all sagged quite severely after about a year on each.

My lovely better half sleeps like a rock and can actually SLEEP on rocks without any issues whatsoever! LOL. But, I’m a lifelong insomniac and my lower back goes nuts if my mattress shows any sign of sagging or if it’s too firm or too soft.

So, we switched to twin beds years ago due to radically different sleep needs, patterns and work schedules. It works for us!

In any case, the Select Comfort definitely exihibits all of the disadvantages you mentioned in your link above. But, at least one advantage of air beds is that they don’t sag (if the comfort layer is minimal). So, that’s why I’ve been using it. But, regardless of how I adjust the thing, I still wake up with a stiff back…but it’s less severe than the stiffness caused by sagging foam or latex. Lesser of two evils.

But, if I don’t stretch my back out before even getting out of bed, any kind of bending or twisting upon rising can send my lower back into spasms, which can lead to a week or more of lost work with me flat on my back in pain. In fact, that happened last week, which is why I’m back in the market!

My back felt best with the brand new latex mattresses we’ve had and also, strangely enough, with a few inner springs I’ve run into in certain motels.

So, I’ve decided to gamble again on latex and I went with the FSF 3-layer, 10 incher. Placed my order today. I chose the medium, firm, extra firm Talalay layering scheme. I’m hoping the FSF is simply higher quality latex than the HF and won’t sag prematurely and that the 3-layer “medium firm” feel (overall) will do the trick for my back.

Only time will tell!

Hi Dave_C,

You certainly made a great quality choice … and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

The choice between different types and blends of latex is also more of a preference and budget choice rather than a “better/worse” choice and any type or blend of latex is a durable material relative to other types of foam materials such as polyfoam and memory foam regardless of the manufacturer that uses it in their mattress. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.

Outside of using latex layers that are too soft for someone’s body type, actual defects in the latex (which are uncommon and will generally show up fairly quickly in the first year or two), or using an unsuitable support system under the mattress … any type or blend of latex won’t generally develop premature visible impressions in the material.

Phoenix

Well, I mentioned that I’d report back here on the Urban Green (FSF) mattress mentioned above. I don’t want to derail the original thread any more than I already have but think this could help the folks here. It’s been a few weeks now, so I’ve had a pretty good sampling of nights to go by.

In short, the feel is perfect! The medium, firm, extra firm Talalay 10" was the perfect choice for me. Back and side sleeping are the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced. The pressure points sink in just the right amount and the rest of the mattress “rises up” to support the remaining body parts in way that has all but eliminated my lower back stiffness in the morning. And, keep in mind, I have been recovering from a pretty serious episode of back spasms, so this change is very significant.

It’s actually “softer” than you’d think would be good for your anatomy but, ironically, it’s that extra “give” that makes the mattress so supportive. My previous mattresses were obviously too firm. There was very little lumbar support when lying on my back. I needed the pressure points to sink in more with the other areas ringing up to fill in the “gaps”. Latex is the perfect material for this and I lucked out in picking what appears to be the perfect firmness levels.

I do have three disks which are “mildly” desiccated and bulging. So, having an extremely supportive mattress that doesn’t exacerbate the problem is critical! So far, this one is the best I’ve yet experienced.

There has been only one negative. The odor from the new materials was pretty intense for a few weeks. When lying on my stomach with my head directly on the sheet, my nose became irritated and my eyes watered.

Heidi from FSM (who has been GREAT) said it could be the wool flame retardant layer but, to my nose, it smells like rubber…ie, the latex itself. But, this odor has steadily been dissipating so this should not be a long term problem. I once had a couple latex pillows which had exactly the same smell and side effects. So, it could be that some latex processing techniques simply produce more of that intense rubber smell than others.

The other thing I recommend with latex mattresses is to SKIP the tightly fitted sheets and mattress protectors. They form such a taut tent over the surface of the mattress that they ruin the latex feel and support. So, I now use a couple straight sheets over the top with a third straight sheet to climb underneath. The straight sheets give in at the sides and allow your pressure pints to sink in just as they do when lying directly on the bare mattress. With the fitted sheet and protector, my back pain returned after the first night! It disappeared after the first night I returned to the straight sheets and hasn’t returned since.

Hi Dave_C,

I split your posts into a new topic of it’s own with a more descriptive title so that it would be easier for other forum members to find.

Thanks for taking the time to share all your comments and feedback … I appreciate it :slight_smile:

It’s great to see that your choice is working out well for you.

There is more about the smell of latex in post #2 here. Like any natural material … different types and batches of latex can vary in terms of the strength of the smell or how long the smell will last and different people can be more or less sensitive to the smell of latex as well but it should gradually dissipate and diminish to levels that most people don’t notice over the course of the first few weeks.

Phoenix

Thanks, Phoenix! Will check out the linked post!