Brooklyn Bedding Best Mattress Ever

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I’ve been sleeping on my BBBME for three days now so I thought I’d add my $0.2. The experience buying it was great. I chatted with two people, including Mario, and was blown away by how knowledgeable and helpful they were. Good people.

Unboxing the queen bed (100lb) by myself was fun. And by fun I mean kind of a pain. It’s wrapped up in a ton of plastic, but as soon as I made a small incision in the first layer it began to expand like a dry sponge in water. It wanted out! It started unfurling itself as I desperately tried to clear the plastic off the bottom of the mattress so it didn’t get trapped underneath. Once released from it’s prison it expanded rapidly and I was able to sleep in it comfortably after 1.5 hours.

I don’t remember much about my first night. It was 1am and I had just finished moving into my new house. I’m pretty sure my last thought was, “This is niiiiiiiii…zzzzzzz.”

The two nights after though, have been…mixed. What I love about this mattress (and latex in general) is that there are absolutely no pressure points. Laying on it feels weirdly neutral, almost like floating above the mattress. It’s like the latex conforms to my body just the right way so that every part of my body is experiencing exactly the same amount of pressure. It’s weird, but great. The comfort layer is deep and I never feel like I’m bottoming out, even when I sit up on my elbows. For reference, I weight 150lb.

The mattress is also very breathable. Literally. I can actually push my face into the mattress and breath without too much effort, that’s how much air flow it allows. I just moved to Pennsylvania where it’s pretty hot and humid for me but haven’t felt hot or woken sweaty once, which was a problem for me even with the “cooling” memory foam. Time will tell if this continues, but I’m not worried. For reference, I am not currently using a mattress pad or a top sheet. I do have a cheap ikea fitted sheet on.

That said, I’m not thrilled with how I feel laying on this mattress. I got a “medium” on the advice of a BB employee because I like to fall asleep on my side. Indeed, laying on my side is great. No pressure points on my hip or shoulder and everything is supported. The problem is that I never stay on my side. I roll to my back pretty quickly and in that position the mattress just feels too soft. I do tend to like things very firm; a futon is close to my ideal firmness, but then pressure points are a problem.

There are also a few odd things with this mattress. The first is that it’s not perfectly rectangular. The sides have a gentle arc from one corner of the bed to the other, instead of a straight line. Fortunately, it’s not noticable when the bed is all dressed up. The top and bottom of the bed are in straight lines.

The thing that I’m really not fond of is that the long edges of the bed offer no support where they bulge out. If I get too close it feels like I’m going to roll off… I don’t know if that’s just a function of latex/foam mattresses or if it’s because the edges are slightly bowed out instead of straight. The narrower part of the bed, near the head and feet, offer more support. It’s honestly not a huge deal, but it definitely seems odd to me.

I’m going to stick with this bed for a few weeks and see if things improve as the bed gets broken in and I get used to a latex mattress. BB has a great return policy, so if I’m still not happy in a few weeks I will either exchange this bed for a firm or try a Leesa, which was the other bed I was looking at.

I’ll try to post an update to let you know how things go. I hope this helps!

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Aonian,

I am glad to see in your review that the medium BME mattress addresses the shoulder-hip pressure points well when side-sleeping. But I am a little surprised you find it too soft for back sleeping. I am going to pay special attention to that when I get it. I am willing to look past the edge-support problem you mentioned as well as the sides not being perfectly straight. If I may ask, how much off-gassing did you notice with this mattress on the first night?

Funny you said that Leesa was your #2 choice in case the BB mattress doesn’t work out. Exactly what I have been thinking of doing as well. (Although hoping the BME works out for me and I don’t have to return it.)

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Lower_Back_Pain,

Off gassing was barely noticable. I couldn’t smell anything when I layed down on the mattress after 1.5 hours (that I remember). I only detected a distinct odor when I stuck my face into the mattress and breathed after 24 hours. I did it again today, after about three days, and there’s barely any odor. And I’m pretty sensitive to smells; my last memory foam topper was banned from my room for a week after I first opened it.

Also, I’m hoping that the odd shape of my mattress is just a fluke. From the forums it seems like they do occassionally produce “unique” mattresses from time to time.

I do hope the BME works out for you (and for me). There’s a lot to like about it and the guys at BB are great. If not, there’s always the Leesa. Derek’s review of it at Sleepopolis was what made me really interested in that mattress; did you read it too?

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Hi aonian,

Thanks for taking the time to share your comments and feedback about your mattress … I appreciate it.

[quote]
The two nights after though, have been…mixed. What I love about this mattress (and latex in general) is that there are absolutely no pressure points. Laying on it feels weirdly neutral, almost like floating above the mattress. It’s like the latex conforms to my body just the right way so that every part of my body is experiencing exactly the same amount of pressure. It’s weird, but great. The comfort layer is deep and I never feel like I’m bottoming out, even when I sit up on my elbows. For reference, I weight 150lb.

The mattress is also very breathable. Literally. I can actually push my face into the mattress and breath without too much effort, that’s how much air flow it allows. I just moved to Pennsylvania where it’s pretty hot and humid for me but haven’t felt hot or woken sweaty once, which was a problem for me even with the “cooling” memory foam. Time will tell if this continues, but I’m not worried. For reference, I am not currently using a mattress pad or a top sheet. I do have a cheap ikea fitted sheet on.

That said, I’m not thrilled with how I feel laying on this mattress. I got a “medium” on the advice of a BB employee because I like to fall asleep on my side. Indeed, laying on my side is great. No pressure points on my hip or shoulder and everything is supported. The problem is that I never stay on my side. I roll to my back pretty quickly and in that position the mattress just feels too soft. I do tend to like things very firm; a futon is close to my ideal firmness, but then pressure points are a problem.[/quote]

If you aren’t experiencing any actual symptoms on your mattress then it sounds like you made a good firmness choice in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and it’s likely that you just aren’t used to the “feel” or sensations of sleeping on latex. When you purchase a new mattress that is different from what you were used to sleeping on it will generally take a few weeks for the mattress to break in and for you to get used to sleeping on a mattress that is different from what you are used to. There is more about the break in and adjustment period for any new mattress in post #3 here.

Foam mattresses generally aren’t “perfectly rectangular” because foam materials are soft and a new cover can pull on the corners more than the middle over the longer span. Unless there is a larger difference this will probably rectify itself as the cover loses some of its initial stiffness over time and the foam expands slightly (although foam mattresses are never “perfectly square” to exact dimensions and the dimensions can vary by about +/- an inch) but if you are at all concerned about whether it’s “normal” then you can always send in a picture to Brooklyn Bedding and call them and they will be happy to help you and let you know whether the mattress is in any way “unusual” or out of spec.

This could also be related to your mattress being so new that it hasn’t had a chance to break in yet and/or that you haven’t had a chance to get used to the feel of a new mattress. Most foam mattresses (with a few exceptions) don’t have or really need edge support although there are a few people that may prefer it if they are in a minority that sleeps with more of their weight concentrated on the very outside few inches of their mattress (particularly with thicker/softer comfort layers or with a softer support core) or if they sit on the very edge of their mattress on a regular basis instead of sitting more towards the middle of the mattress (see post #3 here).

Your own experience though after the first few weeks will be the best “judge” of whether the mattress is a good match for you based on your posture and alignment on the mattress, your pressure relief (which are the two most important functions of a mattress), and on all your other preferences that are most important to you.

[quote]I’m going to stick with this bed for a few weeks and see if things improve as the bed gets broken in and I get used to a latex mattress. BB has a great return policy, so if I’m still not happy in a few weeks I will either exchange this bed for a firm or try a Leesa, which was the other bed I was looking at.

Funny you said that Leesa was your #2 choice in case the BB mattress doesn’t work out. Exactly what I have been thinking of doing as well. (Although hoping the BME works out for me and I don’t have to return it.)

I do hope the BME works out for you (and for me). There’s a lot to like about it and the guys at BB are great. If not, there’s always the Leesa. Derek’s review of it at Sleepopolis was what made me really interested in that mattress; did you read it too? [/quote]

You can see some of my comments about all the “simplified choice” mattresses in posts #1 and #2 here and you can see my comments about the so called “professional review sites” that are springing up at the same time as well. As a group they are certainly providing some very misleading and uninformed information to consumers IMO. I would be very cautious about the Leesa because they use 2" of 3 lb memory foam in their design which I would consider to be a weak link in their mattress in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress. There are certainly other options (including Brooklyn Bedding) that use higher quality and more durable materials that don’t have any lower quality materials or weak links in their design which would be more likely to soften or break down prematurely over time.

Phoenix

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[quote=“Phoenix” post=54133]
If you aren’t experiencing any actual symptoms on your mattress then it sounds like you made a good firmness choice in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and it’s likely that you just aren’t used to the “feel” or sensations of sleeping on latex. When you purchase a new mattress that is different from what you were used to sleeping on it will generally take a few weeks for the mattress to break in and for you to get used to sleeping on a mattress that is different from what you are used to. There is more about the break in and adjustment period for any new mattress in post #3 here.
Phoenix[/quote]

I have been waking up with a stiff, sore back every day after the first night, which is what happens when I sleep on a bed that’s too soft. But I’m also moving into a new house, so I’m not ready to blame the bed for that yet. We’ll see how the next few weeks go.

[quote=“Phoenix” post=54133]
You can see some of my comments about all the “simplified choice” mattresses in posts #1 and #2 here and you can see my comments about the so called “professional review sites” that are springing up at the same time as well. As a group they are certainly providing some very misleading and uninformed information to consumers IMO. I would be very cautious about the Leesa because they use 2" of 3 lb memory foam in their design which I would consider to be a weak link in their mattress in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress. There are certainly other options (including Brooklyn Bedding) that use higher quality and more durable materials that don’t have any lower quality materials or weak links in their design which would be more likely to soften or break down prematurely over time.

Phoenix[/quote]

I’ve read a lot of your posts, so I definitely know your feelings on BB. And they do seem like a great company. But durability isn’t a big factor for me; I don’t plan on keeping my bed for 10 years. Comfort, cost and mobility are my priorities.

That said, I did read your post on Leesa’s foam density while I was researching. I asked the Leesa people about it and they gave me a canned answer about how the foam outperformed most foams on the market in a compression durability test. When I asked for details about the test, the employee said she didn’t know. That conversation was why I went with Brooklyn Bedding – more because they know their product than because their product is more durable. That, and their lower cost.

But if the Leesa turns out to be more comfortable, even if it fails sooner, then it is the better bed for my needs.

P.S. The Preview button below isn’t working, so I’m going to have to hit submit blindly and hope that that this whole message isn’t gobbledygook.

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Hi aonian,

My comments weren’t connected to my “feelings” about BB as much as my thoughts about the misleading information they (many of the online review sites) are supplying to consumers who don’t know any better. Unfortunately the type of information they are providing isn’t much better than the type of information you would receive from most commissioned salespeople at mainstream chain stores. They are just a “story” with little substance.

Lower quality and less durable materials are less costly than higher quality materials so the “value” of a mattress purchase is very connected to the cost and quality of the materials inside the mattress. 3 lb memory foam can soften much more quickly than higher density materials and foam softening and the premature loss of comfort and support that goes with it isn’t covered by a warranty (see post #174 here). Most of the “simplified choice” mattresses also use higher quality and more durable materials that don’t have an obvious weak link … not just BB.

If you aren’t concerned about durability then there are many mattresses that use lower quality and less durable materials (such as 3 lb memory foam) that are in much lower budget ranges than Leesa and there are certainly mattresses that use higher quality and more costly materials that are in lower budget ranges as well.

I would also keep in mind that there are also no “standardized” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people (or reviewers) can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) 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 very subjective 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 as well (see post #15 here).

These are just some of the reasons I would be very cautious about about using other people’s experiences or reviews on a mattress (either positive or negative) as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you and in many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a group of people may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (see post #13 here). Using mattress reviews which are only based on subjective experiences and opinions and aren’t “fact based” as a legitimate source of research and guidance can be among worst ways to choose a mattress.

Phoenix

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Thank you all for the kind reviews! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you do have any questions or concerns about our mattress, I am happy to help.

Aonian, Thank you again for your order! it can take some time for the mattress to fully expand which will also continue as you sleep on the mattress making it fill the fabric more evenly. The latex and base foam also go all the way out to the edge of the mattress, and unless you are sleeping on the very edge of the mattress this should not be an issue when your weight is evenly distributed. We offer wonderful materials in our mattress that will last a very long time and will stay comfortable throughout that time. I appreciate any feedback you have in the future. As I said before if you do have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Lower_Back_Pain, Thank you as well for your order! Please let us know how our mattress is working for you as well once you receive it.

Best Regards,
Mario
Brooklyn Bedding
480.323.8831

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My husband and I just moved and we are about to order our first brand new mattress from Brooklyn Bedding! We can’t wait.

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Hi Katz08,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! … and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

You certainly made a great quality/value choice and 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.

Phoenix

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I thought I should add one point on the question of firmness (I have never seen this particular thought addressed):
NOTE: My impression of firm, medium and soft is what I alone feel.

My impression of comfortable is very firm with memory foam but medium with Talalay Latex. I add this thought because the two sleep so very different (IMO). In fact, my first BB mattress was firm Talalay latex which was great for my back but too firm for side sleeping (I side sleep more than I originally thought). I had to exchange it – for medium – but stayed with BB and I am happy I did as it has been 2 years and I sleep very well every single night.
Just my thoughts,
Jeff

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Hi jefmoody,

[quote]My impression of comfortable is very firm with memory foam but medium with Talalay Latex. I add this thought because the two sleep so very different (IMO). In fact, my first BB mattress was firm Talalay latex which was great for my back but too firm for side sleeping (I side sleep more than I originally thought). I had to exchange it – for medium – but stayed with BB and I am happy I did as it has been 2 years and I sleep very well every single night.
Just my thoughts,[/quote]

Your thoughts make a lot of sense to me. They both have a very different type of “softness” and response as you know and even the firmest memory foam is still in the softer range especially once it softens to some degree with continuous compression and body heat and unlike firmer latex none if it is firm enough to act as a support core.

Thanks for sharing your comments :slight_smile:

Phoenix

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Hello, here is a link to the video I posted on YouTube of the un-boxing of my Brooklyn Bedding mattress. We are loving the mattress by the way. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fXvCvnsltzg

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Hi vickie123,

Thanks for your update and for sharing your video :slight_smile:

Phoenix

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Just wanted to put in a few comments for those still shopping about the #bestmattressever that I received and setup yesterday. First thing I thought was “Oh my goodness they sent me a twin!” until the plastic was off and everything started expanding. It expanded pretty quick although I’m still noticing it’s about 3-4 inches off of the total width so I’m hoping that will still come in time as it’s only been about 14 hours (any personal experiences to share?). I did not notice any smell at all from the mattress until my son stuck his face in it and told me it smelled like pumpkin, so figured I’d mention it if anyone wondered what “off-gassing” on this bed smells like. So far, the first night sleeping on it was great, I ordered the king medium and it seems to be the perfect firmness for me, waiting to see how my husband feels after sleeping on it today since he likes a softer mattress and I actually like a soft/medium. Customer service was by far top notch and you can’t beat the return policy. All in all, pretty happy that I took the risk to order online, hopefully time will only make it better.

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Hi rieno323,

Thanks for taking the time to share your comments and feedback … I appreciate it.

Most importantly … congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

As you know I think you made a great quality/value choice and I’m looking forward to your comments once your husband gets to try it for a few nights as well.

Phoenix

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I got my BBBME in soft yesterday and it has been out of the box for over 24 hours. At first I was nervous I made a mistake and it was too soft but it actually is pretty perfect. I agree with others that there is virtually no edge support at all which I was expecting but the bigger problems is the mattress in nowhere close to being queen sized. It’s supposed to be 60x80 but mine measures out to 57x78. Hopefully it will get closer to queen size over the next couple days. Otherwise I am sadly going to have to initiate a return which would be a shame as so far it sleeps great but I paid for a queen sized mattress and thus far this isn’t one. I will report back in a few days to see how things go.

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Hi zexpress,

There are some comments about sizing variances in post #2 here that should be helpful.

It’s not unusual that a compressed mattress can take a few days to regain it’s full size especially if it uses higher density materials (see Brooklyn Bedding’s comments in post #72 here as well) so I would wait a little longer but if you have followed the suggestions in the post I linked and if for some reason your mattress is still out of spec then I would call Mario at Brooklyn Bedding (either at their main number 888.210.8751 or his number 480.323.8831) to let him know and he will be happy to help you.

Phoenix

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[quote=“Phoenix” post=54227]Hi zexpress,

There are some comments about sizing variances in post #2 here that should be helpful.

It’s not unusual that a compressed mattress can take a few days to regain it’s full size especially if it uses higher density materials (see Brooklyn Bedding’s comments in post #72 here as well) so I would wait a little longer but if you have followed the suggestions in the post I linked and if for some reason your mattress is still out of spec then I would call Mario at Brooklyn Bedding (either at their main number 888.210.8751 or his number 480.323.8831) to let him know and he will be happy to help you.

Phoenix[/quote]

Thanks, I am going to give it til Monday and will reach out to Mario if there are no changes. Honestly more concerning is that the 57x78 size is when I measure from the base foam, from the latex layers I am measuring an even smaller 55x77 but I will be patient as the bed sleeps well.

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Hello all.
I am a new member here, but certainly not new to the website or forum. I must congratulate you all for providing what I think is the absolute best depository of mattress information and general help on the internet…and this is coming from a very picky Senior Mechanical Engineer that spends an insane amount of time researching everything before making a purchase (much to the dismay of my wife…LOL). Thank you all for your data and/or insights!

Following all of the research that I have performed regarding mattresses, both from a subjective standpoint and from technical data and construction, I have decided that the best fit for a mattress for me and my wife is most likely going to be the BB-BME. However, it will now be time for me to contact them directly to work out some of the finer details of firmness and support.

One question that I have is whether or not any of you have experience with this mattress laying on a solid platform. Our queen bed quite literally has a solid wood platform (no slats). At first, this would seem to be a no-no regarding breathability and heat retention (particularly since LOW heat was a major criteria of ours). However, after looking at the structure of the BB-BME, it would seem that the most significant portion of air ingress and egress would come from the sides of the mattress. However, I am not adverse to “adjusting” my bed’s platform surface (drilling, adding riser slats, etc.) if it needs to be perforated in some fashion. In fact, I just purchased a new 9mm that may be a fun way to do this (outside of course)… :ohmy:

Thanks in advance for your continued assistance.

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Hi BoxerGuy,

As you know I think you are looking at a great quality/value choice.

A solid surface platform would be fine in terms of support but it also reduces airflow under the mattress which could add to the risk of moisture retention and possible mold or mildew issues under the mattress. In most cases it should be fine as long as there aren’t additional risk factors at play (such as using the mattress in a basement or in a more humid environment). Since airflow in the upper layers is the most important part of temperature regulation it will have little effect on the sleeping temperature of the mattress. There is more about solid surface support systems in post #10 here.

There is also more about the many variables that can affect temperature regulation in post #2 here.

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

Phoenix