Drowning in choices - hoping to find an innerspring similar to the Saatva?

So we’ve read through so many tutorials and articles that our heads are swimming with facts but somehow we are even more confused about what we need to purchase now! I was hoping if I gave a bullet list of our preferences, someone could direct me to a brand or mattress that will check the boxes for us! :slight_smile:

We currently own (and have loved for 14 years) a Sealy Palazzao (?) double-sided pillowtop. It was firm but had lots of cushion in the pillowtop. Now our backs hurt and we are sad! This is daunting trying to replace something that lasted so long and having everyone tell us to expect to be doing it again in 6-8 years.

  1. I don’t like the quicksand feeling of memory foam - so we are mostly looking at innerspring mattress options or possibly hybrids but only if they don’t feel like tempurpedic.

  2. I’m concerned about fire retardants. I don’t need “everything organic” but would prefer something with minimal off-gassing concerns and a more natural flame retardant option. OR a good waterproof cover that will minimalize the offgassing concerns but NOT make our bed crunchy like the ones I’ve researched made from food grade polyethelene. (sigh) Made in China is not what I’m really looking for either - would like to know the materials were sourced and sewn responsibly - preferably without harmful chemicals. (We initially evaluated Intellibed and also Essentia but ruled them out because of price/restocking/risk - also the whole I don’t like memory foam issue lol)

  3. Longevity - I really don’t want us to find something and have it breakdown after 3-5 years. I know shopping in this price-range (see below) might make that tricky but I have to believe someone makes a good quality mattress for a lower price.

  4. Price - we can’t spend the earth on a mattress no matter how awesome it is. We need to replace ours quite soon as we haven’t been experiencing good quality sleep for some time now. Our budget is between $800 - $1400 for a King. We feel our box springs are in good shape still so hopefully those won’t need replacing, however, I realize that depends on what kind of mattress we get.

  5. Online vs in-store. I’m not opposed to online (hence, looking at the Saatva) but my concern is for the restocking fees/delivery fees/warranty claims etc should we not like it. I know we can try to find things that are “similar” to try locally first, but it still seems risky. Also, the idea of the company going out of business (local or online dilemma, really) is a concern should we need a warranty claim. Is there such a thing as a reputable company with an excellent track record in these areas?

OK the decision has led us (thus far) to consider the Saatva (the middle one - not too hard or too soft) and in a local store we liked the feel of a Solstice (Jamison) Veridian Jade pillowtop. I know nothing about Solstice and have come up fairly empty when trying to search for information about their layers, fire retardants, or warranty process. They are a newer company (although they recently merged/acquired Jamison and they’ve been around forever) so we are trying to determine how to proceed. I’m planning to try to call them to get more detailed info on the specific mattress we are considering.

Help?? :smiley:

I thought I’d add a few comments regarding your post that I hope will be of assistance.

By far the best advice you can receive is from your own experience trying out any product you are considering, as well as learning about mattress componentry and assembly. In this respect, the mattress buying tutorial on this site is quite helpful. Expecting someone to recommend a brand (out of hundreds) and a specific model (out of tens of thousands) from a brief description posted here would be unrealistic, and personally I wouldn’t trust someone who stated they had the perfect mattress for you based upon this brief data. Quite often they could be recommending what is best for them to sell, not what is best for you to sleep upon. :slight_smile:

You kept your Sealy longer than it was designed to last. The 6-8 year comfort life is common these days, and I see many products holding shape for only 4-5 years. This is why it is important to understand componentry and ask for higher quality foams. A good quality mattress with better componentry should give you an expectation of a ten year comfort life - I think that’s fair. While many people keep their mattresses longer than this, a decade is a realistic timeframe if the product is using higher quality componentry.

The term hybrid has been so twisted these days as to not have a true meaning. Originally coined by Mark Quinn at Leggett and Platt, it was meant to represent a true memory foam mattress where the polyurethane foam core was replace by a marshall innerspring unit. These days, you’ll have manufacturers calling any product with .5" of memory foam a hybrid. Focus on the componentry and feel and not the label (hybrid, Eurotop, pillowtop, etc.). If you do not like the feel of visco-elsatic foam, then you would probably be best off avoiding true memory foam mattresses or innerspring product that utilize a high percentage of memory foam in their construction. Again, your opinion when trying them out would be the ultimate decider.

Your concerns about offgassing would be more appropriately addressed to the foams within the mattress as opposed to the fire resistant barriers most brands employ. I posted a bit about these FR barriers here, and that information may be helpful to you. Most brands these days use FR barriers that are rated as non-toxic, although some brands will advertise theirs as more “natural” than others, and it can be a bit misleading. You’ll find many brands using wool as the FR barrier when getting into some of the higher-end latex beds, but I don’t think these will tend to be in the price range you mentioned. A mattress will still offgas if it has a cover or not. You can look for terms like CertiPur-US, Oeko-Tex and GreenGuard (numerous links on this site explaining what these terms mean) as types of certifications that test a mattress for VOCs. Regarding most of the mattress protectors using polyurethane films, you’ll find the majority of these films being produced in China (some protectors assembled in the USA). There certainly are exceptions, but that’s where most of these films now originate. And regarding “organic,” many brands are deceptive in quilting in the words “organic” or “Bamboo” or the like into their ticking, knowing that consumers will tend to think that these products are more natural/better. Look for a GOTS certification on the cover for it to be organic certified.

These are 14 year old torsion modular foundations (if it is a Sealy Posturepedic product). They need to be replaced. Torsion systems fatigue over time and are inappropriate for most current one-sided mattress offerings and will void most warranties immediately.

Again, focus on quality materials and I strongly recommend trying out a product before making a decision. Consumers spend an inordinate amount of time focusing upon the warranty and “what ifs,” and the mattress industry knows this, often using the warranty as a marketing tool. If you have a product using high quality componentry and it’s assembled well, warranty won’t be an issue. I wouldn’t make the potential of a company going out of business as a primary concern when choosing a product. Simmons went bankrupt a few years ago, so did Spring Air - at the time two of the top four mattress companies. They’re both still around, but no one can predict the future. If you do have a true warranty issue, they usually happen early in the life of the product, and in that situation I’d be more concerned with the reputation of a retailer and their track record of assisting consumers and making things right.

That’s an excellent first step!

Good luck!

Hi Kellymama,

I think that Jeff has covered most of the points that I would also have suggested but I’ll add a few (which are probably redundant) just to reinforce some of his comments as well.

It’s not really possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I or some of the more knowledgeable members of the site can certainly help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you may be considering, act as a fact check, answer any specific questions you may have along the way, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress is the best match for you based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

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” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and 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 parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).

As Jeff mentioned … the major brands (Sealy, Simmons, Serta) tend to use lower quality materials in their mattresses (in the comfort layers especially) which will generally soften and break down much more quickly than mattresses that are made by many smaller manufacturers that use higher quality and more durable materials in their design. I would avoid the major brands along with any mattress that uses lower quality materials or that either can’t or won’t identify the type and quality of the materials they use (see the guidelines here).

There are many mattresses that use inherent fire barriers to pass the fire regulations that don’t have any added chemicals that would be completely safe as well. The post Jeff linked (and wrote) has much more about fire barriers and there is more information about fire barriers in post #2 here and post #4 here

I would keep in mind that in spite of the word “chemical” causing concern for some people … chemicals are not necessarily harmful or even synthetic. Anything that is not an element is a chemical and there are natural chemicals that are harmful and others that are safe and there are synthetic chemicals that are harmful and others that are safe. Even water and salt are chemical substances (see wikipedia here) and even if the individual elements of a chemical substance can be harmful (salt for example contains chloride which is a form of chlorine which can certainly be harmful in certain concentrations) the chemical itself where the individual elements are chemically bound together may not be. Even chemicals such as formaldehyde for example are natural chemicals that are abundant in the environment or in ambient air in relatively low concentrations and the formaldehyde concentrations in many homes (see here) are higher than the testing limits for formaldehyde that are used to certify different mattresses or mattress materials.

Since most people that are concerned with “chemicals” are really concerned with “safety” … there is more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” or “how organic is organic enough for me” so you can decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

A mattress protector is always a good idea with any mattress to protect your mattress from stains and the body fluids, skin cells, oils that we release each night, to protect against spills and accidents, and to keep your sleeping surface in a clean and hygienic condition. It will also protect your warranty because mattress warranties are usually voided with any type of stain on a mattress. I would keep in mind though that a mattress protector won’t eliminate any VOC’s that come from your mattress. There is more about the pros and cons of different types of mattress protectors in post #89 here that can help you decide which type would be best for you.

If the materials and components meet the guidelines in post #4 here then it would certainly be realistic to expect that your mattress will maintain its comfort and support for 7 - 10 years or even longer if the materials are more durable than the minimum guidelines that I would suggest you look for. There are many manufacturers and mattresses that meet or exceed these guidelines that are in your budget range.

There is more about the Saatva mattress in post #1 here and in post #2 in this topic (which also includes more information about the other “simplified choice” online mattresses as well). Since it’s unlikely that you will find another mattress that uses exactly the same materials and components with exactly the same design … the only way to know whether another mattress would be “similar” in terms of comfort, “feel”, and PPP would be based on your own personal testing and comparisons. Comparing how a mattress “feels” is also a very different issue from comparing the quality and durability of the materials in a mattress and assessing which one would likely be a more durable choice. There are many mattresses that used higher quality and more durable materials than the Saatva.

The tutorial includes several links to lists of some of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) and if you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know of any of the better local options or possibilities I’m aware of as well.

You can read a little more about Solstice Sleep Products in post #2 here along with the rest of the topic and the posts and information it links to. Outside of PPP though … a mattress is only as good as the quality and durability of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label so I would always focus more on the they type and quality of the materials and components in a mattress than on the brand label.

I would also keep in mind that a warranty only covers defects in a mattress and not the gradual (or more rapid in the case of lower quality materials) loss of comfort or support that is the most common reason you would need to buy a new mattress. The length of a warranty is never as important as knowing the type and quality of the materials in a mattress and it has little to do with the quality or useful life of a mattress or when you will need to replace it (see post #174 here).

The most effective way to choose a new mattress is to follow the 5 steps in the tutorial one at a time (and/or the optional online step) and if you get stuck then of course you can always let us know which step you are stuck on and of course ask any specific questions you may have that can help you get “unstuck” as well :).

Phoenix

Thank you both for your input. I appreciate your help - although I still find this whole experience to be much more overwhelming than I anticipated, I was able to get the layer specs for the mattress we were considering. Not in as much detail as I’d hoped but at least the basic layers. Since our current mattress is much older than apparently it should be, our goal is to complete this shopping process sooner rather than later. We are leaning towards the Solstice mattress because it fits our requirements and can be purchased at a locally owned shop that has been in business for over a decade and handles all of the warranty claims directly (ie we won’t be having to deal with the mattress manufacturer unless they go out of business). Thanks again for pointing me in the direction of the information required to make this decision. I’m sure I could spend more time on this if we had it, but hopefully this will be a good choice for us! :slight_smile:

Hi Kellymama,

IF …

  1. The mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort and PPP and you are confident that you will sleep well on it (or you have good options after a purchase if you’re not).

  2. You have confirmed the quality and durability of all the materials inside the mattress to make sure that there are no lower quality/density materials or weak links in the design.

  3. The mattress compares well to your other finalists based on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are important to you.

Then … it would certainly make a good quality/value choice.

While a warranty is of course important to guard against the occasional manufacturing defect … I would keep in mind that mattress warranties only cover manufacturing defects and they don’t cover the gradual (or more rapid in the case of lower quality comfort layers) loss of comfort and support that comes from foam softening that is the main reason that most people will need to replace their mattress. In other words warranties have little to nothing to do with the durability or useful life of a mattress or how long it will be until you need to buy a new mattress. If there is an actual defect in the materials it will usually show up early in the life of the mattress (usually in the first year or two) but knowing the quality and durability of the materials in your mattress is always a much more reliable way to assess the useful life of a mattress than the length of a warranty. There is more about mattress warranties in post #174 here.

Phoenix

Kelly, I’m throwing in my two cents because I’m sort of at the same place where you are but you’ll probably take the plunge before me. I’m wondering if you have looked at the helix mattress as a possible option? I only ask because it is one on my list and not only is it created specifically for you but it also contains microcoils. I’m just tossing this one out there as an option. For all I know you may have ordered something already. Anyway, if you’re still looking you may want to give them a look see.

Of course the helix isn’t an innerspring so if you’re looking for a conventional mattress I may be speaking out of term. I just wanted to toss this one in to your mix of possible choices. :slight_smile:

My wife and I bought an Intellibed about 7 years ago to help her recover from a back surgery. Last year we noticed it wasn’t as comfortable and was tactfully causing pain because of permanent depressions in the mattress. After following all of their instructions I mailed in photos proving the depressions were well within their numbers for warranty replacement. Today they very carefully weaseled around the warranty and denied it. I strongly advise not purchasing any Intellibed product and go for something that will not decay and also has decent customer service.

Hi rlbob,

I switched your post to a new topic of its own with a different title so that it would be easier for other members to find.

According to the Intellibed warranty here … any visible impression more than .75" that isn’t associated with a sag in the support system under the mattress would be covered in their warranty. How deep are the impressions in your mattress and what was the reason they gave for denying your warranty claim?

Phoenix