My understanding is the same manufacturer makes both mattresses. Dream Bedding is sold on Amazon and Brooklyn Bedding direct consumer. It looks like both have the same construction with the difference being the base/support layer. It appears the Dream Bedding using a less dense foam than the Brooklyn Bedding.
My question: As most of your weight/feel is supported by the top two layers, is it really that big of a difference for the base foam to have a little less dense material. The cost difference is $500 beteween the Dream Bedding and Brooklyn Bedding brands, and I just don’t see the “value” of spendin that much more money. They also told me that Temperpedic Cloud Luxe (the one they compare this mattress against), uses the same materials at the Dream Bedding brand. If that is the case, then it seems a no-brainer to save the $500.
The mattresses on each site are a different design and use different materials so there aren’t a lot of the mattresses sold on each of their sites that are true apples to apples comparisons.
Density is the single biggest factor in the durability of a foam although there are other factors as well that can play a significant role (see post #4 here).
It’s also true that the comfort layers are generally the 'weak link" of a mattress and play a bigger role in the useful life of a mattress but your weight and how much the deeper layers are compressed will also make a difference in how much effect they have on durability. For lighter weights then the base layers will have less of an impact on durability and foam softening and for higher weights the density of the base layers will play a bigger role because they are compressed more when you “go through” the top layers.
In addition to the density of the foam … there are also other factors that play a role in the cost of a foam (and the cost of a mattress that uses them). Different foams have different properties such as more resilience,different temperature sensitivity, different degrees of ventilation, or different abilities to conform to a body shape and even though density is one of the factors in the cost of a material … the other properties of a material will also contribute to its price. Higher performance foams will cost more. The design of a mattress and how much of each material is used and the options that each design includes will also affect the price of a mattress. For example … a mattress that includes the option of a return or the ability to exchange a layer if you make a less than ideal choice will tend to be more costly than one that doesn’t … but also less risky.
In general you will find that the same manufacturer will have similar “value” across their entire product line based on the cost of their materials although mattresses in higher budget ranges typically have a little higher margin.
It’s usually best to look at much more than just the price of the mattress alone and to include all the other parts of a mattress purchase that may be important to you when you are deciding on which mattress is best for you in terms of your personal value equation. If you call and talk with them they will be able to help you make meaningful comparisons between all the mattresses they offer both in terms of materials and return or exchange options so that you are in a better position to make a more informed choice.
They are all in a good value range and one isn’t “better” than any of the others in terms of “value” except on an individual bases but the different parts of “good value” that are most important and are part of an informed choice can vary widely from person to person.