Brooklyn Bedding BME - smell and off gassing from other forum members??? Would love input!

Phoenix and Loodnar,

Thank you so much for the feedback - its hard to know what the off gassing or smells are without someone weighing in that owns the actual mattress!

Loodnar - if you see this, what firmness did you get? I am leaning towards firm and hoping its pretty firm as I like firm mattresses.

Hi Eeks,

While other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general 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. 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 larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).

Different people 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. 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) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.

Your own careful testing or personal experience is the most reliable way to know whether any mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) but when you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Phoenix

Hi eeks,

Yes, of course it has to be down to personal choice. We ordered medium firmness which at first seemed maybe too firm for us, but we only had an older spring coil mattress to compare to, so not sure what you and others might find comfortable. The other information I can share is that my wife and I are 5’ 9" and 6’ 0’ respectively and in the 160 pound area. Add this with a grain of salt with other factors you are considering!

Mine smelled a little bit, nothing too gross to me, just a kinda odd new product smell for a day or two.

I got the medium firmness, I’m 150-155 pounds, and I gotta say now that I am glad I didn’t get the firm… the medium is pretty damn firm, but with just the right amount of plushness and contour.

I am a back sleeper and even after sleeping on it only once so far, this is the first time I have woken up pain free in a while, time will tell though! I was pretty shocked when I woke up, like damn… this is weird… I don’t hurt!

Steve - thank you for your helpful feedback! Its nice to hear from people that own the mattress. Sounds like you are pleased with your decision!

Phoenix - I am leaning towards getting the BME instead of the Sleep Ez Select because of price, trial period and materials used - we feel like it is worth trying it out because if it works out it will save us half of what we will pay with Sleep EZ. And if it doesn’t work out then we will proceed with an all latex mattress.

While whittling down my selection, I see that BME uses synthetic Dunlop. Doesn’t bother me as long as it doesn’t off gas. Do you know what synthetic Dunlop is made from? Would there be significant off gassing or VOCs with that to worry about? Is synthetic less durable? Do you happen to know what polyfoam they use? They said it is made by Pacific Urethane and that it is certipur - but wondering if its soy or something else?

I know you think highly of BME - any other weak links in materials used or things to think about during my final selection here? Anything I’m missing? I feel like its a pretty good value option for a king mostly latex mattress.

Hi eeks,

As you know the BME is a “finished” mattress and has a great trial and return policy so you can test the mattress in your bedroom instead of a showroom to make sure it’s a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP without any risk.

The SleepEZ on the other hand is a component mattress which allows you to fine tune the comfort and/or support of the mattress by rearranging the layers or exchanging a layer after a purchase at a minimal $30 cost. They also have a good return policy that allows you to return the mattress for a refund for a $99 cost. You can also replace a single layer if one of the layers softens or breaks down sooner than the others (usually the top layer) or if your needs or preferences change over time without having to replace the entire mattress.

There is more about the pros and cons of a component mattress with a zip cover and loose layers vs a finished mattress with glued layers in post #15 here and post #2 here.

There is also more about the pros and cons of a latex/polyfoam hybrid vs an all latex mattress in post #2 here.

Both of them would certainly make great quality/value choices.

Synthetic rubber (latex) is made from a copolymer of styrene and butadiene. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.

Any type or blend of latex is a very durable material relative to other types of foam material such as memory foam or polyfoam.

All the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold (see post #2 here) or C2C (see post #13 here) and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very “safe” material in terms of harmful substances and VOC’s (offgassing).

Both the blended Talalay and the synthetic continuous pour Dunlop in the BME are certified for harmful substances and VOC’s by Oeko-Tex.

There is more about soy foams or other so called “plant based” foams in post #2 here. They are basically the same as any other polyurethane foam and I would make durability comparisons between any type of polyfoam based on their density. The polyfoam in their base layer is 2 lb density which is a durable material that would be suitable for any weight range. All of their polyfoam is also CertiPUR certified for harmful substances and VOC’s…

Neither one of the mattresses you are considering have any lower quality materials or weak links that would compromise the durability and useful life of either mattress relative to any weight range.

There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here 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 suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” (which they are) and you have confirmed that none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design relative to your weight range (which they don’t) and if at this point there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some good research) then you are in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a suitable choice and post #2 here can help you make a final choice based on your local testing or mattresses you have slept well on, your more detailed conversations with each of them, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, their prices, your preferences for different types of materials (or different types and blends of latex), the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress or individual layers, any additional extras that are part of each purchase, and on “informed best judgement” based on all the other objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Ok I was googling Brooklyn Bedding BME today and reading through pages and pages of links of reviews.

Most people that reviewed were pretty positive about it.

Then I came across a site saying R&S Mattress and Brooklyn Bedding uses materials bought from other companies going out of business - like closeouts and old materials. Is this true? Are they just using piece meal things and glueing it all together to make a mattress? Or do they have their own suppliers of latex and foam and are using good quality materials that are fresh and new just for them? I’m freaked a little!

And then I came across a site called Old Bed Guy and he was knocking Brooklyn Bedding saying they don’t use quality materials and their polyfoam can cause indentations and sinkage and doesn’t hold up.

What is right??? After 6 months maybe reading too much is making it worse! My head is going to explode with all these choices and info!!

Hi eeks,

[quote]Ok I was googling Brooklyn Bedding BME today and reading through pages and pages of links of reviews.

Most people that reviewed were pretty positive about it.[/quote]

From one of my previous replies …

In other words … reading reviews written by people who know little to nothing about mattresses and mattress materials is one of the worst ways to choose a mattress. You could have saved yourself a lot of time and frustration by not spending so much time reading them.

All of the materials in the Brooklyn Bedding BestMattressEver are new materials purchased from their foam and fabric suppliers (which also supply other mattress manufacturers as well) and made in their new state of the art factory in Phoenix which is one of the most modern factories in the industry.

You can see my comments about the Old Bed Guy and his website (and some of the very strange comments he makes) in this topic… There is “some” good information on his site and some information that is questionable at best and misleading, inaccurate, or deceptive at worst.

He “thinks” he knows a lot more than he really does and some of his comments about some very good manufacturers in the industry (and about this site as well) are nonsensical.

Phoenix

It’s been 48 hours and my bed no longer smells.

I’d try the BME over the sleepEZ based on the huge price difference… Looks like 800-900 less for the BME, if you hate it just return it and get the sleepEZ afterwards.

Also, I think anything you buy is going to have a “new item smell” it’s something you’ll have to deal with regardless for 24-48 hours I think. Unless you bought like an innerspring with white glove delivery or something that was left in an open air warehouse.

Phoenix - :slight_smile: - Thank you! Admittedly I have spent most of the week online trying to narrow down a mattress, reading everything I can and yesterday around 5pm on Friday my mind was ready to explode with all the things I was seeing that I needed a drink!

The old bed guy was the only one it seemed to contradict that there were quality materials in the BME so that should have told me something there. I might have to take some time off from mattress reading and just let it digest and go with my gut.

Steve - thanks for the feedback on the smell. I bought an IKEA mattress once and that thing smelled so bad it made me sick we had to take it back to the store after a week (and luckily they made an exception). I don’t mind a slight smell for a little I just didn’t want it to be harmful chemicals that can make you feel sick like the Ikea one did.

I’m leaning towards pulling the trigger on the BME in a firm as we like a firmer mattress - it really is hard to justify the fact that the SleepEZ is twice the price and since I don’t wool either I’d only be getting the cotton stretch cover and I am not sure how I would like sleeping right on latex since I never have before. We are learning towards just trying the BME and hopefully loving it but if not you are right, 120 trial and free return - hard to beat. If you have any other feedback as you sleep more on the BME let me know! BTW - did you notice a really bad sinking edge like some are talking about?

Foam beds in general have bad edges lol, the edges are honestly pretty bad when you’re on them. As long as you’re 4-6" from the edge it’s totally fine though.

The medium is pretty firm, call and talk to them. They told me they wouldn’t even start recommending a firm unless the sleeper was over 200 pounds.

Phoenix,

I think I am about ready to pull the trigger on a BME - would a wood slatted foundation like the one Sleep EZ sells work well for that? I am thinking of getting the wood foundation because in the event I don’t like the BME and end up going with a 100% latex mattress I know it would work for that.

What is the difference between a wood foundation and the steel fold up one Brooklyn Bedding sells?

Hi eeks,

A mattress with a polyfoam support core (regardless of the material in the comfort layers) will generally do best with a firm, flat, and evenly supportive support surface underneath it that has minimal to no flex under the mattress and for larger sizes with at least one center support beam that has good support to the floor to prevent any sagging in the middle of the mattress. The components (either a bedframe and foundation or a platform bed) need to be strong and durable enough to support the weight of the mattress and the people sleeping on it without some of the parts bending, sagging, shifting, or breaking with extended use. The support surface under the mattress (which may be slats or a solid surface or a steel or wire grid) should have enough surface area to prevent the mattress from sagging through any gaps or spaces in the support surface over time but still allow some airflow under the mattress. If a foundation or a platform bed has a slatted surface then I would suggest that the gaps between any slats are no more than about 5" (with 1 x 3 slats) although less than 4" would be better yet.

With an all latex mattress then I would suggest gaps that are no more than 3" and once again less would be better yet.

There is more information about support systems (bedframes and foundations or platform beds) that are generally suitable for different types of mattresses and some examples of each of them in post #1 here and some of the information and comments in this topic may be helpful as well.

The Brooklyn Bedding simple life foundation has a wire grid as a support surface (see post #10 here) and the SleepEZ foundation has wood slats that are less than 3" apart. While either one would be suitable for a mattress with a polyfoam support core … the SleepEZ foundation would be more suitable for an all latex mattress because there are less “gaps” in the support surface.

Phoenix

Phoenix - PS to my last post…are there benefits or negatives with going with a 2 piece King wood foundation (like the one SleepEZ sells with two twin xl foundations) or going with a full King wood foundation (like I believe Spindle sells)?

Does the two piece foundation affect support or feel at all? I know they say you have to have a large support beam down the middle.

Hi eeks,

Both would be fine but once they are put together the two twin XL foundations would be easier to move around tight corners, up stairs, and through doorways without taking it apart.again.

No … as long as there is a suitable bedframe underneath it.

Phoenix

In response to the foundation info you just sent - PERFECT. You have solidified my choice in sticking with the wood foundation. I feel that it will be good for the BME or an all latex mattress whatever I end up with. In my gut just don’t feel the wire grid is right for my long term options.

Now to decide on a split King foundation or one piece. I most likely will just stick with the Sleep EZ - two pieces should work under the BME correct?

Hi eeks,

Yes … as long as there is a suitable bedframe underneath them.

Phoenix

Ok great going to order the Sleep EZ one now - I am getting the Hollywood Bed Frame that Costco sells - pretty standard metal bed frame and I believe it has a support beam in the center.

Hi eeks,

The Hollywood bedframe does have center support to the floor and would be fine.

Phoenix

I’ve had my medium BME for two and a half months now. The BME had surprisingly very little smell to it. I’ve had two other foam mattresses and this was easily the least noticeable and I couldn’t smell anything at all after a day.

Concerning firmness, the medium started fairly firm for me (5’7" 160 lbs). Like Phoenix says, each person will have their own experience. Within a few weeks it softened up. Now It’s on the firmer side of medium for me.

If you’re looking for firm, than I’d say go with the firm version. It will probably feel much firmer than it ends up being after a month. Check with the sales staff though. They’re a better judge of what you need.

The good news is that Brooklyn Bedding has a very good return policy, so the only thing you stand to lose is a bit of time. All this said, I don’t have any experience with the other mattress you mentioned. So I can’t say how the BME compares to that.