I am in the process of purchasing a new mattress and I am looking for guidance on which mattress to choose. I have always purchased traditional mattresses, and was not pleased most of the time. I am seriously considering a foam mattress this time.
Can anyone suggest a foam mattress that I should consider? I have looked at the iComfort by Serta and the Tempur-Pedic. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Hi shawk26,
There are many different types of “foam mattress” and a very wide range of quality and value from “junk” to very high quality. In essence … there are three different types of foam that you will encounter and these are latex, polyfoam, and memory foam (including the newly emerging variant of memory foam with gel in it).
There is a lot more information about the different materials that are used in both the comfort layers and support layers of a mattress (including the different types and qualities of different types of foam) in the mattresses section of the site which should help provide some basic information about the many choices you have.
In essence … instead of shopping by brand … I would shop by material. It’s the only way to make meaningful comparisons between mattresses. The most effective way to buy a mattress is to look for the better outlets in your area that have the knowledge to help educate you about what is in each mattress they sell, the skill to help you make better choices that fit your needs and preferences, and a range of mattresses that have good value regardless of which choice you make. This article will help you avoid most if the “traps” of mattress shopping (and both of these would be included in lower value major brands that are mentioned) and this article may help you with some of the qualities of better mattress manufacturers and sleep shops. The more the people you are working with know, and the more they are “on your side” (rather than being mainly focused on their profit margin) … the less research you need to do and the less you have to know 
If you let me know the city or zip you live in I’d be happy to let you know of any of the better outlets I’m aware of in your area.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix:
Thanks for the valuable guidance! I live in Burlington, NJ 08016.
Hi shawk26,
Post #4 here has a list centered on Trenton, NJ which should help.
The closest to you is Croydon in Bensalum and while they use good quality materials and are close enough to warrant a visit and include in your research … they are not as focused on material information as other manufacturers. Post #7 here has more detailed comments about most of the choices on the Trenton list (and others that are further away as well) which should help decide which of your choices best match your needs and preferences and your personal “value equation” (the things that are more and less important to each individual).
It’s often well worth making a few phone calls first before actually going to test mattresses to get a sense of the overall approach of each outlet you are considering and get a sense of which ones you best “connect” with.
You have some some good choices within reasonable driving distance.
Phoenix