Hi choices!,
Just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place I would start is the tutorial post here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices … and know how to avoid the worst ones.
The tutorial post also includes links to the testing guidelines I would suggest that can help you make the best possible choice in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). This is one of the most important parts of a mattress purchase and research because nobody else can feel what you feel on a mattress and there is no “theory at a distance” that can be more accurate than your own personal testing and experience when it comes to choosing a mattress that is a good “match” for your body type and sleeping position (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Other than testing a mattress for PPP … the next most important part of the “value” of your purchase is making sure that you know the quality of all the layers in your mattress … especially the comfort layers above the innersprings. You can’t “feel” the quality of the materials so knowing the details of all the layers is the best way to make sure that a mattress doesn’t have any obvious weak links in terms of durability and so you can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses. Elkhart doesn’t list the density of their foam layers in their descriptions so you would need to ask them to make sure they are within the density guidelines in terms of quality and durability. I wouldn’t worry about the quality of the different innersprings because an innerspring isn’t usually the “weak link” of a mattress and you can use your testing to decide which of the Dreammaker series is the best “match” for you.
Once you have tested the suitability of the mattress and know the quality and durability of the materials … then the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you would also be part of choosing which mattress is the “best” choice for you.
If you list the specifics of all the layers in the forum (including the density of all the foam layers) I’d be happy to make some comments about them.
If two mattresses seem to be close to equal in terms of how well they work for you then I would choose the one that was slightly firmer because it’s easier to make a mattress that is too firm a little softer by adding a topper than it is to make a mattress that is too soft firmer because this would involve removing and replacing foam layers that are too thick or soft rather than adding another layer on top of them. They may also be able to make an option for you that is in between the two comfort levels using the same innerspring (many manufacturers are happy to do that).
They should also be able to give you some good guidance and help you choose the mattress that is the best “match” for you.
Some of the other options in your area I’m aware of that may also be worth considering are listed in post #4 here.
Phoenix