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