we are FINALLY dumping our 19.5 year old now-torturous stearns and foster queen mattress and box spring. my lower back and hips are killing me!
we have it narrowed down to a Dixiefoam Dreambed deluxe - we live in NYC and visited the showroom - or tuft and needle.
the dreambed: we got to lay down on the medium firm - and liked it but worried it was a drop too soft but might be able to do it. they didnāt have a āsuper firmā model to try - only the super firm base without the softer top to it - the gentleman at the store - very nice - said something about the fact that the medium firm and super firm werenāt really too far apart - something about the medium firm being a ā35ā and the super firm being a 40. i have NO idea what those numbers mean.
is this a good foam bed? iām nervous about a foam bed - iām a cancer survivor - but he claims itās american made and of good āhypoallergenicā materials.
is there anyone out there who might speak to the dif. between the dreamed medium firm and the tuft and needle medium firm? t&n describes their bed as a 7 out of 10 on the firmness - so not helping with the other described as a 35! different scales i think.
our box spring was on the floor for all this time so time to get a platform bed. i want a really solid light-colored (like maple) frame with really good slats (canāt go ikea) and no headboard. simple but one that will surround the mattress (not just an open platform.) PLEASEā¦would love suggestions. simplicity and craftsmanship are key - good wood, good slats.
this is my first post here but iāve been reading a LOT and thatās got me to this point so thanks thanks thanks!!!
I would pay much more attention to careful and objective testing using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post than I would to ILD numbers or other ācomfort specsā. Having said that ā¦ ILD is just a measure for the firmness/softness of a foam. Their Dreambed Deluxe has two layers of foam. One is the top 2.25 inches of supersoft foam which I believe is the same in both models and the other is the support core. In the superfirm the support core would be firmer and more āsupportiveā and with a 2.25" top layer you would be able to feel the additional firmness āthroughā the comfort layer so the mattress would āfeelā a little firmer as well. I would ask them when they will have the firmer version available to try so you can feel the difference for yourself rather than going by numbers that may have little meaning to you.
You can see the criteria that I would use for the quality of the materials in a mattress in post #4 here. If the foam is made in the US (or is CertiPur certified if itās not) then by most peopleās standards it would be āsafe enoughā in terms of harmful substances and VOCās unless you wished to avoid polyfoam completely in all your furniture. I would also make sure you find out the density of all the layers in any mattress you are considering so you can confirm that there are no weak links in the mattress and make more meaningful comparisons to other mattresses. I donāt know for certain but I believe that the Dreambed Deluxe uses 2.8 lb HR polyfoam (at least in the base layer) which is a very high quality and durable material. Again though I would always make sure you have confirmed the quality/density of all the materials in any mattress you are considering though so you can make meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
There are no standard firmness ratings between manufacturers so a mattress that is rated as āmedium firmā with one manufacturer may be āmediumā or āfirmā with the next. Firmness is also very subjective so what feels too soft for one person can feel firm for someone else depending on their body type, sleeping positions, and preferences and sensitivity. The only way to know how firm or soft a mattress feels for you would be based on your own personal testing or sleeping experience. If you can test a mattress in person then of course you will know how firm it feels for you but if you canāt test a mattress in person then a more detailed conversation with the retailer or manufacturer can give you some guidance about how firm their mattress may feel for different people (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). In the end though ā¦ when when you canāt test a mattress in person then the exchange or return policy may become a more important part of the value of a purchase just in case your sleeping experience indicates that the mattress isnāt as ideal a āmatchā as you hoped for. I doubt that you would come across anyone that has tried both of them in a side by side test in real time which would really be the only way to compare them and even then someone elseās perceptions of how they compare may be different from your own.
The Tuft & Needle uses 1.8 - 2.0 lb polyfoam (NOTE ADDED: you can see the updated specs for their new version in posts #2 and #6 here) which is also a good quality material but assuming that you confirm the density of the materials in the Dreambed Deluxe is 2.8 lb then it wouldnāt be in the same quality/durability range as the Dreambed ā¦ but of course itās also less costly. The Tuft & Needle is basically an āall or nothingā choice and it will either work well for you in real life or it wonāt in which case they have a very good refund and return policy so there would be little risk (outside of starting all over again).
A forum search on Dreambed (you can just click the link) will bring up more information and feedback about it and a forum search on Tuft Needle (you can just click this as well) will also bring up more information and feedback about them as well.
Both of these mattresses are polyfoam mattresses so a firm non flexing slatted surface that has gaps between the slats in the range of about 3" would be a good idea (a little wider would also be "OK). While the forum here is focused on mattresses rather than beds or other furniture choices ā¦ there are a few suggestions for platform beds in the foundation post here that may be helpful.
There is also more about the most important parts of the āvalueā of a mattress purchase that may be helpful in post #13 here and when you are down to finalists that are choices between āgood and goodā (which you are) then post #2 here may also be helpful with making your final choice.
Both of the mattresses you are considering would be good quality/value choices.
I have one other question hoping someone can answer: I tend to sleep toward the edge of my mattress - sometimes i let my leg dangle - helps with back pain - (tho iām hoping my new mattress helps overall with that - my antique mattress is just about killing my back and hip). do the foam beds have good edge support? or will it buckle under me?
Iām not sure which mattress you are referring to but it would probably be best to call and ask the manufacturer directly because they would know more about their mattresses than anyone else. I donāt think that either of the mattresses you are considering though have additional edge support other than the firmness of the polyfoam support core itself. Most mattresses with a firm polyfoam support core donāt have specific edge support but they also donāt really need it in most cases. If you sleep with more concentrated weight on the very outside edge of a mattress (the outside couple of inches) then it may feel a little softer but if the core is a suitable firmness for your weight and body type it wonāt ābuckleā but just compress a little more. If you mean the Dreambed Deluxe then the best way to know whether the edge support is suitable for you would be based on your testing. If you mean the Tuft & Needle then I would call and ask them or perhaps some of the members here that have one and also sleep on the very outside of their mattress will also see your post and share their experience. (NOTE ADDED: They are now a member of this site as well)