Hello all,
I’m new to mattress buying. I’ve been browsing over the boards for the past few days and learning as much as I can. My girlfriend and I are buying a home (we live in Atlanta), so it’s an ideal time to get a new bed setup. That said, I’ve had issues with mattresses in the past.
When I was a teenager, my mom bought me a Beautyrest mattress. It was OK for a couple of years, but was completely awful after that. My back and / or neck would feel strained almost every single morning, so I began sleeping on the floor. This was much better for my back, but I also found that I woke up more frequently and got a less restful sleep.
A few years ago, I bought an Ikea Beddinge sofabed. I bought it more as a sofa, but found that it was reasonably comfortable to sleep on. Still, I prefer an upgrade.
I’ve had some positive experiences, as well. My girlfriend’s bed is a Stearns & Foster. She bought it 10 years ago for $1500. I’ve found it comfortable and have slept well on it. I’ve also been a big fan of hotel beds. They tend to be firm and supportive, and this has been the best combo for me.
My Attributes
I’ve always been a light sleeper and I roll around a lot. I sleep on my side maybe 75% of the time, but I occasionally sleep on my back (~20% of the time) or even my stomach (~3% of the time?). I need a bed that will accommodate this.
I’m normally hot while sleeping. I turn on the AC, fans, and don’t wear more than boxers, but it’s still normally too warm for me. This seems to hold true regardless of bed, so it’s likely just a personal characteristic. That said, I want a bed that’s not going to exacerbate this. For this reason, I’ve focused my search more on latex beds, as opposed to memory foam.
Finally, I prefer a firm bed, as it tends to be better for my back. That said, I don’t want something so firm that I might as well be lying on the floor. My girlfriend’s Stearns & Foster is comfortable to me, in spite of the fact that it’s fairly soft, so quality here may be more important than anything.
As far as price goes, I’d love to stay under $1,000, but might be willing to push as high as $1,500 for the perfect fit. I will buy either a Queen or King sized mattress. I have the cash to buy what I want, but I’m also an entrepreneur / small business owner, and every dollar I spend is a dollar I take away from investing in my own business, so I prefer not to spend too much.
Some Options
I’ve done a bit of research so far and here are some of the options I’m considering.
Tuft & Needle Five
Tuft & Needle Ten
Casper, The Casper
Brooklyn Bedding, 9” Tri-Comfort Latex
Brooklyn Bedding, 10” Cotton Camilla
Brooklyn Bedding, 12” Bamboo Bliss
Brooklyn Bedding, 14” Aloe Alexis
Sleep Innovations, 12” Gel Memory Foam
Restava, The Ivory
Restava, The Victoria
Novosbed, the Aria (memory foam, but intriguing)
There are a few others, such as Nature’s Sleep, that seem intriguing to me, but that are a bit pricey.
I also drove out to Tucker Mattress Company and talked with the owner there. The reviews on this site are positive, but their prices are on the high-end of the range I’m looking at. Still, I haven’t ruled it out; I just need to learn a bit more to understand the differences between mattresses.
Questions
(1) Any feedback on any of the mattresses I listed out?
(2) I’ve been using the membership list here, as well as Certi-PUR list* to find quality companies. Are there any other lists I should be looking at that will help narrow down my search?
ADMIN NOTE: *Removed 404 link|Archived Footprint: certipur.us/pages/for-consumers/find-products/
(3) What sort of questions should I be asking companies about the mattresses? What should I ask about layers?
(4) What’s the difference between latex, memory foam, and gel memory foam? I understand a little bit here, but could use a more detailed explanation. I’m mostly thinking of this based on the attributes I listed above (I tend to be hot while sleeping and prefer firm beds).
(5) Any other recommendations to research given everything I’ve mentioned in this post? I’m certainly open to other suggestions, particularly for the latex beds.
Thanks and I look forward to learning more.