I’ve been reading your site all yesterday, last night and today and have decided on something from these two sister companies.
I’m trying to decide between the Brooklyn Bedding and three of the options of Dreamfoam (Eurotop, Aloe, and Total Latex). Can someone tell me the differences between the companies? I’m still so undecided i just don’t know what to chose. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Hi sethmp,
As you mentioned they are sister companies that share common ownership and they target different markets.
Both of them are members of this site which means that I think highly of them and that I believe they both compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency.
Brooklyn Bedding sells a single simplified choice mattress (see post #1 here) that comes in three different firmness levels. There is more information about the materials they use in post #2 here. They have a great trial period and return policy which means that you can try the mattress in your bedroom instead of a showroom with little risk outside of the time you spent sleeping on the mattress and in the worst case returning/donating it if it doesn’t work out as well as you hoped for. Simplified choice mattresses in general are designed to be attractive to those that don’t wish to spend a lot of time and effort comparing many different mattresses.
Dreamfoam on the other hand sells a much wider range of mattresses both in terms of their materials and design and in terms of their budget ranges. They would be attractive to those that are more interested in choosing between a wider range of mattresses, materials, and budgets.
All of these mattresses have a range of firmness options available. The main differences between the Eurotop and the Aloe Alexis is that the Eurotop contains a single 3" layer of latex while the Aloe Alexis contains two 3" layers of latex (the comfort layer and the transition layer). The Total latex mattress is an all latex mattress rather than a latex/polyfoam hybrid and contains a total of 9" of latex. There is more about an all latex mattress vs a latex/polyfoam hybrid in post #2 here and more about the benefits of the Alexis that has two layers of latex vs a mattress that only has a single layer of latex in post #2 here.
The Eurotop has the option to exchange the latex comfort layer with a firmer or softer version if your experience indicates that your original firmness choice is either too soft or too firm. The Aloe Alexis has two latex layers so they can also be reversed and either one can be exchanged for a different firmness level so it has more “fine tuning” options available. The Total latex mattress also has the option to exchange the top comfort layer as well. They charge $150 - $200 for the new layer (which includes shipping) and then refund half of this when you return the old layer.
In addition to the ability to fine tune these mattresses by exchanging a layer … they also have a 45 day trial period with a $99 cost (that also includes the cost of return shipping).
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase 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 all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
I would always keep in mind that the only reliable way to know for certain whether any mattress or combination of materials will be a good “match” for you in terms of “feel”, “comfort”, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own personal experience 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.
Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” (which they are) and none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design relative to your weight (which they don’t) and if at that point there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some very 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 about each of them, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, the quality and durability of the materials, their prices, your preferences for different types of materials, 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
kept reading and reading, decided on the Brooklyn bedding medium
Hi sethmp,
Hopefully you did more than just “reading and reading” and talked with them on the phone as well.
Either way though … congratulations on your new mattress 
You certainly made a great quality/value choice and I’m looking forward to finding out how you like it once you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
Phoenix