Finding a great mattress outlet

Finding a great mattress outlet

Choosing a Retailer Willing to Disclose Necessary Information that Allow for Meaningful Mattress Comparisons

A mattress is arguably the most important piece of furniture that we own and the time we spend sleeping on it can have a bigger effect on our overall health and well being than almost any other major furniture or household purchase. In spite of this though … buying a new mattress can also be one of the most confusing, time-consuming, and frustrating experiences because there is so little factual information about what really makes one mattress better than another and there are so few people with the knowledge, experience, and integrity to provide meaningful information to consumers.

The only way to truly know the quality of any mattress is to know the construction, materials and components, that are inside it … and shopping or testing mattresses at outlets that either can’t or won’t provide this information or shopping by brand, advertising claims, subjective ideas of comfort, reviews of a mattress, or the length of a warranty can lead to purchasing a poor quality, less suitable, or poor value mattress or lead to some very expensive mistakes in terms of cost, sleep quality, and durability. It can also lead to many hours of lost time and effort and a great deal of frustration when you spend time trying various mattresses and find one that you like only to discover that there is no way to find out its real quality, how long it may last, or be able to make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

Because of this … one of the most important things a consumer can do when they are mattress shopping is to first do some preliminary research into any manufacturer or retailer you are considering visiting before you take the time to visit them. What you are looking to find out is their ability and willingness to disclose the materials in their mattresses and their knowledge, experience, and ability to give you the guidance that is necessary to help you make meaningful comparisons and your best possible choices.

Knowledge you need to make meaningful mattress comparisons.

The better retailers and factory direct manufacturers will have 3 main qualities that sets them apart from the majority of retailers or manufacturers

They will understand the importance of a consumer knowing the quality specs of every layer or component in a mattress they are considering, will have the knowledge to help them “translate” the mattress specs so their customers know what they mean, and they will encourage meaningful comparisons between mattresses based on the materials inside it. There is more about the types of information that all good retailers or manufacturers should be able to provide you about any mattress they sell in this article.

They will have the knowledge and experience to help their customers “match” a mattress to their specific needs and preferences so they are less likely to buy a mattress (even if it is great quality and value) that may not work for them.

They put the legitimate best interests of their customers above their own profit.

The two main parts to solving the mattress shopping puzzle

The first of these is to find a mattress that is suitable for your height, weight, body shape, sleeping positions, and preferences. This is what we call PPP which means Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences. No matter what your own unique body shape, sleeping positions, and circumstances may be, the two basic functions of every mattress are to keep your spine and joints in their natural alignment and relieve pressure on the pressure points of the body in all your sleeping positions. After this … everything boils down to preferences which covers things like sleeping temperature and microclimate, safe materials, motion isolation, motion restriction, and the overall subjective feel and response of a mattress.

Durability which is part of the next part of the puzzle will tell you how long the materials in your mattress will continue to provide you with the PPP that is the reason why you bought it in the first place. This means you will need factual information about what is inside your mattress so you can identify any lower quality materials in the mattress that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress. Without knowing the quality and specifications that affect the durability of the materials and components in your mattress … there is no way to make meaningful comparisons, identify any lower quality materials or “weak links” in a mattress, or be able to realistically assess how long a mattress may really last. Any mattress … even those that use lower quality and less expensive materials … can feel great in the highly managed environment of a mattress showroom. The difference though is that the “showroom feel” doesn’t last once you are back in the real world of actually sleeping on your new mattress and lower quality materials will soften and break down much more quickly than higher quality alternatives. The loss of comfort and support that comes from the softening, compression, and breakdown of lower quality materials is not covered by warranties and accurate information about what is in a mattress is the only thing that will tell you about its real quality and value compared to the other options you have available to you.

People who will give you accurate information and truly know the difference between the many different materials and components of a mattress are rare in today’s market where marketing stories about “benefits” (that are often questionable) tend to replace factual information about the quality of the materials that provide those benefits or how long those benefits will last. Unless you are willing to take the time and effort to become a “mattress materials expert” yourself … it makes more sense to find retailers or manufacturers that are “mattress people” rather than “marketing people” who already know what you would otherwise need to learn and have the desire and willingness to give you the benefit of their knowledge and guidance. These are people who understand that the value of a mattress is not about the name on the mattress label but about how well it matches the needs and preferences of each person and the construction, quality, and Durability of the materials inside it.

The art and science of mattress construction

People who also have a good understanding about what makes a mattress suitable for one person and not another are also rare in the industry. There is both a science and an “art” in providing the type of guidance that can help “match” someone to a mattress that is best for them based on their height, weight, body shape, sleeping positions, and other personal circumstances. People who are good at this and are more interested in your long term satisfaction than they are in their profit or commission can be your best resource and best friend in the mattress shopping jungle. Even the highest quality mattress made from the best materials may have a construction type or layering that makes it completely unsuitable for a particular person to sleep on no matter how great the value of the mattress may be.

Because of the knowledge and research that can be involved in making your best choices on your own … it makes sense to focus your initial efforts on finding the retailers and manufacturers who are experts in both mattress materials and providing guidance to their customers rather than putting your initial efforts into finding the best mattress when you may not have the knowledge and information that is necessary to know the difference. As it happens … these types of “mattress people” are relatively easy to find because they exist all around the country at local factory direct mattress manufacturers and the better sleep shops that usually sell alternative independent or smaller local brands. These are also the type of people who understand and sell real value and because their success depends on reputation rather than advertising and marketing, they are much more accountable to their customers.

One of the biggest benefits of these types of retailers and manufacturers is they tend to deal directly with the factory that makes their mattresses (or they are owned by the factory), have a shorter supply chain from manufacturer to customer with fewer “mouths to feed” along the way, and operate with lower profit margins. This means that they tend to sell mattresses that have significantly better quality at lower prices than stores that are more focused on the latest story or advertising campaign, know little about what they are actually selling, and have little interest in supplying consumers with information that helps them make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

More qualities to help you recognize better manufacturers or retailers

Retailers and manufacturers that employ people who are more interested in educating you and fitting you to a mattress than they are in the profits they will make (they understand that profits are a side effect not a “cause”). They can tell you “why” one mattress may be better than another for your needs and preferences.

Manufacturers and retailers who understand that one of the most significant parts of the value of a mattress (outside of its suitability for your body type and sleeping style) is based on the materials in the mattress and how they are put together. These are the type of people who will show you how to compare a mattress based on what is in them rather than the stories that are “attached” to them. These types of manufacturers and retailers WANT you to know what is in their mattresses and can tell you why each material is used and how durable it is rather than making meaningful comparisons more difficult. They will provide you with specific information about the type and quality of all the layers and components including (most importantly) the foam density of any polyfoam and memory foam and the type and blend of any latex in a mattress.

Retailers and manufacturers who base their prices on the real cost of what is in the mattress and putting it together more than the fake sales (based on prices that nobody ever really pays), advertising stories, or sales techniques that try to convince you that a mattress is worth more than it really is or that you were “lucky” to have found such a “great deal”.

Always make a phone call before visiting and testing mattresses

One of the most effective things you can do is to phone each outlet you are considering and “interview” them to get a sense of their level of knowledge and service. The better ones that appreciate better questions and more educated consumers will quickly become apparent.

The first step here is to ask whether they carry the general types or category of mattresses that you are interested in testing. There is more about the different types and categories of mattresses here.

Outside of asking about the types of mattresses they carry … here are a few examples of the types of questions you can ask in your “interview” to find out if they meet one of the most reliable signs of a better retailer or manufacturer which is the willingness to give you good information on the phone (not necessarily prices) and help identify a few mattresses that would be worth testing if they have a clear sense that you are a serious shopper. They will not only provide better answers but will also ask you better questions focused on finding out what you really need and prefer.

  • If I like one of the mattresses you carry … will you be able to provide me with a list of all the layers and components in your mattresses that includes the density of any polyfoam or memory foam that is in it? If they say “yes we have spec sheets” … make sure you ask again and confirm that they include foam density of any memory foam or polyfoam in lbs/cu ft or the type and blend of any latex because this is usually missing and is the most important information you need.

  • Do you have any latex mattresses that don’t have more than about an inch or so of polyfoam above the latex?

  • Can you tell me the thickness and the density of all the foam in any memory foam mattresses you carry?

  • Can you tell me the thickness, type, and density of all the foam in any innerspring mattresses that you carry?

  • Do you have special sales or do you sell your mattresses for a similar price every day of the year (better retailers and manufacturers sell their mattresses at fair prices every day and don’t have “major sales” with massive discounts based on the time of the year or holidays?

  • Is your listed price your best price or do your customers negotiate for the best price (negotiating is often a warning sign for mattresses that are overpriced)?

  • Given my weight, height, sleeping positions, preferences, and budget (of course you would need to tell them this) … do you carry mattresses that you think would be a reasonable place to start when I visit you?

  • Do you sell mattresses based mainly on how they feel or do you help people know how to fit a mattress to their individual needs and preferences and what to look for?

If there is one single factor that will increase the odds that you are dealing with a more knowledgeable retailer or manufacturer it’s their willingness and ability to provide you with the thickness and type of all the foam layers in the mattress including the density of any memory foam and polyfoam and the type and blend of any latex and to be able to talk knowledgeably about the specifics of the materials in a mattress. This by itself will often differentiate more knowledgeable retailers or manufacturers from those that know much less about their mattresses. Negotiable prices are a second major warning sign.

Retailers and manufacturers that can and will answer these types of questions accurately, cheerfully, and easily without “resistance” and are clearly interested in helping you rather than telling you to “come in and lie on the mattress” before they give you any good information are the ones worth visiting. You will get a clear sense of what to expect by asking these types of questions and it will save you watching a lot of eyes roll and “I’m going on a break” or "only engineers need that type of information) comments if you go into the store and start asking questions about materials and construction without an “interview” first. In those rare cases where there are few stores of this type within reasonable driving distance … then there are also some great online retailers and manufacturers that are “experts” in working with their customers on the phone and these along with some local testing to give them some guidelines about your needs and preferences can lead to better choices and value than going to an outlet where a sale is based on the “story or promotion of the day”.

Finding the best retailer or manufacturer in your area.

For all these reasons and many more … alternative or local independent mattress manufacturers who sell factory direct or through smaller sleep shops with knowledgeable staff are the best source of quality and value in a mattress. If you don’t know of any in your area, then a question on the forum with your zip or city can help identify some possibilities for you.

Finding the “better” retailers or manufacturers in your area as a first step can be just as important as trying to find your best mattress without having the real knowledge to do so. A knowledgeable manufacturer or retailer that carries mattresses that have fair value, that you can trust to give you accurate and meaningful information, and are focused more on educating their customers than they are on “selling” their customers, can turn mattress shopping from a difficult and frustrating experience filled with roadblocks and uncertainty into one that is actually enjoyable and save you many hours of research and frustration. It can also lead to finding your “perfect” mattress and many years of restful and healthy sleeping at prices that are better every day than the best sale prices of the larger outlets.

Does anyone have any suggestions for quality outlets in the DFW area of TX?

Hi maregram,

Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article ) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … some of the options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Dallas/Ft Worth area are listed in post #4 here .

Phoenix

I am looking for a quality mattress outlet in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota area. Do you have suggestions?

Hi paddybiagi,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Unfortunately, there aren’t any manufacturing members here of the site in the Minneapolis region.

I have discontinued the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict vetting and qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who have indeed qualified the be members here of The Mattress Underground.

You can perform a forum search on Minneapolis or any other area and see what other businesses have been discussed in that region which may be helpful to you.

Aside from that, I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here.

If you have any questions about specifications or certain products that you discover, feel free to post back on the forum and I’ll do my best to provide answers.

Phoenix

Hi my name is Andrew. I am looking for recommended mattress shops in my area of 07662

Hi fatpeplrule.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Funny … it seems that it is the NYC and vicinities day on our forum. We just had another user enquiring about the same part of the country.

Some of our recommended site site members in and around
Rochelle Park, 07662 geographical area are:

Urban Natural Home Furnishings 10 minutes away
Shovlin Mattress company(less than an hour drive away)
Nest Bedding
if you are considering driving further Comfort Sleep Systems (about 2 hours away from you) or …
Magic Sleeper also with a wide variety of mattresses may be an option.

If you are interested in other non-members of the site you can always perform a forum search and you can type in the key term any city or area you would be closer to and consider driving

Whatever direction you chose to go with your purchase I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the Post #13 quality/value guidelines here.

I hope this helps with your research and testing.
Good luck!

Phoenix

Looking for a outlet in thr San Francisco Bay Area? Thank you!

Any San Francisco Bay Area outlets? Thank you!

This post has some ideas for places to visit in SF.

I am familiar with Original Mattress Factory, but am looking for other warehouse/local manufacturers that I should be checking out?

Our current thoughts… wanting an adjustable frame, with innerspring mattress. We love the pillow tops, but from learning, the comfort layers on top seem to be the pitfall to sustaining comfort - our plan is to find a simple, but durable innerspring mattress, then add our own “pillow top” (looking at a latex topper), so that we can replace the topper when the bed looses comfort, rather than replace the entire mattress.

Would be happy to hear your thoughts and recommendations for Pittsburgh places to check out, and any “simple” yet durable innerspring models in the area we should seek out.

Thanks!

Hi dri-bee.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

It seems that you have a plan sketched out … provided that whatever business you’re considering, you confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the Post #13 quality/value guidelines here.

We have decided to discontinue the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who meet the criteria to become Trusted Members of The Mattress Underground.

You can perform a forum search and you can type in the key term any city or area you would be closer to and consider driving such as Pittsburgh or any other area and see what other businesses have been discussed in that region which may be helpful to you.

If you call some of the outlets on the previous listings and let them know in general what you are looking for … they will tell you if they have anything suitable for you to try before you take the time to visit them. I would tend to keep your options open rather than deciding ahead of time on the type of mattress that you may prefer and describe what you are looking for in terms of preferences instead of a specific type of mattress design (such as a “pillow top” innerspring hybrid). This way you may find that a mattress that you otherwise may not have considered is the one that works best for you and meets all your needs and preferences. For example, a latex over innerspring combination where you are sleeping on the latex may work just as well as an all latex… or at least may be worth considering. Every “category” of mattresses has a wide range of different properties and “feels” available and there is a wide range of different quality in every type of material.

If you decide to look online, you may wish to use the experience and expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There are a wide range of latex and hybrid options included in the choices there and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.

I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here (there is a condensed version of it at the end of that post) which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones. 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 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 he will sleep), durability (how long he 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 (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

When assessing any product, also be sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

If you have any questions about specifications or certain products you discover, feel free to post back on the forum and I’ll do my best to be assistive.

Phoenix

Hello I have been doing EXTENSIVE research trying to find the right mattress for my husband and myself! we finally decided on the leggett and platt scape 2.0 + split king adjustable bed and now im looking for a mattress. Were both a little over 200lbs and are side sleepers. My husband wakes up almost every night soaking wet in sweat. We have a tradition coil bed thats way to firm right now and i had a 3in memory foam cooling topper. I took it off thinking it was making him hot but he still woke up soaked in sweat! I don’t know where to even begin to narrow it down. im so conflicted and dont know what to buy! I cant bring myself to buy a 2000-3000 twinxl mattress because that will make it over 6,000 just for the mattresses. We live around the muncie indiana area! If anyone knows anywhere to go! Also im not against buying online!!! Please HELP! Thank you! Ive also read almost everything and alot of the posts on here and im still confused.

Hello mdoss5,

Phoenix is on a retreat until this weekend. Here is an older post that lists several mattress companies in your vicinity. https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/mattress-shopping-overwhelmed

The “soaking wet sweat” condition you describe for your husband sounds to be more of either a sleep environment of health-related matter than a condition caused by your mattress. Please consider contacting your physician. I’m sure Phoenix will have some thoughts upon return.

TMU Administrator

I’m looking for online natural all latex mattress any good reputable manufacture

Hi cheryllew.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

At a quick glance here is a list (in alphabetical order) of manufacturer/retailers from our our Trusted Members ~ Listings here which means that I think very highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry. While they are all carrying all latex 100% natural (NR) latex mattresses (some carry both options (NR Dunlop and NR Talalay) some carry only Dunlop or Talalay) they are all using high quality and durable materials from reputable foam manufacturers. In alphabetical order:

Arizona Premium have 100% NR Both Talalay & Dunlop from several foam manufacturers.
CBH Wood Furniture also has 100% NR Vita Talalay latex and a unique slat system for their beds.
DIY Natural Bedding have Arpico (Sri Lanka) Dunlop producing very high quality Natural and Organic Dunlop Latex.
Flexus Comfort 100% NR or organic Dunlop & Talalay
FloBeds 100% NR Talalay
Foam Sweet Foam 100% Natural Dunlop and Talalay
Latex Mattress Factory have 100% NR Both Talalay & Dunlop from several foam manufacturers.
Luma Sleep also carries an all latex mattress but I am not sure if all layers are NR latex.
Mattress To Go
My Green Mattress
MFC our Canadian Member who offers all natural
SleepEZ Factory have 100% NR Both Talalay & Dunlop from two sources.
Sleeping Organic also carries an all latex 100% NR both in Talalay & Dunlop
Sleep On Latex 100% NR Dunlop
Texas Mattress Makers

I hope this helps

Phoenix

You can try Refresh Mattress.

Are you able to give me the name of any good factory outlets in the Austin Texas area?

Hi fighting_blindly,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :).

Here is the link to the mattress outlets we had recommended in the past - Austin TX post #2

In early 2018 we decided to discontinue the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was created with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who meet the criteria to become Trusted Members of The Mattress Underground

Here is also the link for searching for “Titles” that have Austin TX in it - Austin TX title search

Good luck and let us know if you have any questions after looking at local stores, and be sure to read the mattress tutorial.

Phoenix

I am looking for places in my local area of Saratoga Springs, NY. Any suggestions/recommendations?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!