Hi JAK,
You can see my thoughts about Select Foam and their BBB rating in post #4 here and the posts it links to (which is also linked in the online lists in the tutorial post). They certainly have some good quality/value mattresses and their service is generally good either before or during a sale but if you are one of the minority of their customers that has an issue that needs to be resolved after the sale or you are returning the mattress for a refund then they have certainly had some issues with timely communications and delays. NOTE ADDED: Because of ongoing customer service issues and delays Select Foam’s membership has been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.
You can see my comments about Bedinabox in post #2 here. I would be very cautious with any mattress that uses 3 lb memory foam and I would consider this to be a weak link in their mattresses.
[quote] I read Bed in a Box had an A+ rating with the BBB … Novosbed has an A plus rating, but I know they have not been in business long so may be an unfair comparison.
I am now looking at Novosbed Sonata www.novosbed.com/product/sonata-memory-foam-mattress/. Does this look acceptable? Is the Gelsphere Gel foam suppose to be at least 4 lbs? I know Novosbed is not a Undeground member. Do you have reservations about this company?[/quote]
The guideline I use for memory foam density is 4 lbs but like all guidelines it’s not an arbitrary number where there is an exact point where a foam changes from one “category” or level of durability to another. If a mattress manufacturer orders 4 lb foam from a foam manufacturer for example, then depending on the spec tolerance they are willing to pay for (lower tolerances cost more) they may receive a batch of foam that had say a range from 3.8 lbs to 4.2 lbs (5% variance) or 3.6 lb to 4.4 lb (10% variance). This wouldn’t mean that part of the batch would be “good” and part would be “bad” and the whole batch would be closely equivalent. The guidelines are meant to be used in conjunction with all the other factors that are part of durability and value and used as the basis for more meaningful comparisons.
In other words if any of their mattresses are suitable for you in terms of PPP and you are in a weight range where 4 lb memory foam would be a suitable choice (which you are) and they compare well to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are important to you then I certainly wouldn’t have any c0ncerns about them and they would make a good choice.
NOTE ADDED JAN, 2016: They have now introduced their new simplified choice mattress which has replaced their previous models and have also become a member of this site.
I don’t make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or materials because only you can feel what you feel on a mattress or decide on the types of mattresses and materials that you are most interested in and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to know which type of mattress design or materials would be best for you based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or theory at a distance (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). What is “best” for you either in terms of a mattress or a retailer/manufacturer can be very different from what would be “best” for someone else.
Having said that … there is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
I’m not sure which two mattresses you are referring to because your post only linked to the Novosbed Sonata and the Select Foam link didn’t go to a specific mattress but there are no lower quality materials or weak links in any of them.
Phoenix