Got a Tuft and Needle and I absolutely hate it, what do I try next?

About a month or two ago I got a Tuft and Needle to replace a cheap innerspring I got that felt like sleeping directly on the springs. The whole reason I bought a Tuft and Needle in the first place was because I read online that it is the most buoyant and firm foam mattress on the market online. Unfortunately itā€™s not firm enough for me as I always feel like Iā€™m sinking in to it and I hate that feeling above all else. Iā€™m 6ā€™7" and 205lbs for reference.

So I know I need something firmer than the Tuft and Needle yet with more comfort than the cheap innerspring I tried before it (if I recall correctly, it was something like a 9 in terms of firmness). I sleep on my stomach mainly, so I know I need something quite supportive and firm with no sinking whatsoever.

Iā€™m wondering if I should try something online or something in store next. One of the reasons I prefer buying online is that many online retailers have stellar return policies, so I can sleep on it for awhile before deciding if I like it or not. Would latex be supportive enough for me? Or should I try an innerspring like the Saatva Luxury Firm or Firm? I know I hate memory foam. Like I said, I mainly sleep on my stomach but I sometimes end up on my side.

Hi ghiggz,

Iā€™m sorry to hear that your Tuft & Needle mattress didnā€™t work out for you but itā€™s great that you had the foresight to buy an online mattress that has a great return policy so you could try it out with no risk.

Most of the online ā€œone choice fits allā€ mattresses are in a medium to medium firm range which would be suitable for the widest range of people but it seems like you are somewhat ā€œoutside the averagesā€ and prefer mattresses that are in a firmer range than most people would consider.

Just in case you havenā€™t read it yet ā€¦ the first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice ā€¦ and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

I donā€™t have any specific suggestions because 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 for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress would be the best ā€œmatchā€ for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or ā€œtheory at a distanceā€ that can possibly be more accurate than your own personal testing or sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Having said that ā€¦ I 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 questions you may have along the way that I am able to help with, and help with ā€œhowā€ to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress that is the best match for you in terms of PPP or whether you are more comfortable with an online or a local purchase.

There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that is the most suitable ā€œmatchā€ for your specific needs and preferences (including firmness levels) and how to identify and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesnā€™t turn out as well as you hoped for that are involved in each of them in post #2 here.

There is also more about the most important parts of the ā€œvalueā€ of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of their suitability, durability, and value.

If you are still open to another online purchase then the tutorial post includes two links to lists of many of the better online options Iā€™m aware of (in the optional online step).

If you let me know your city or zip code Iā€™d also be happy to let you know about any of the better local options or at least ā€œpossibilitiesā€ Iā€™m aware of that are close to you as well.

Phoenix

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Hi ghiggz,

I canā€™t say whether youā€™d like the feel of latex or not, different materials have different properties and people experience different surface feel etc. Latex is extremely supportive in my opinion. Youā€™re quite a bit taller than I am (a good foot lol) but Iā€™m nearly the same weight as you are. Having your body weight spread over a larger surface area you probably wouldnā€™t ā€˜sink inā€™ like I do with my weight confined to a smaller surface area. When I tested various latex mattresses consisting of layers ranging from 36-40ild and middle and top layers in the mid to high 20ā€™s ild it was much more of an ā€˜on top of the mattressā€™ feel than just about anything else Iā€™ve tried.

In other words, nothing extreme. Latex comes in ilds much firmer than that. Finding the right combination you found comfortable is something else entirely, but in terms of support Iā€™d say yes, latex would be quite capable. In dunlop varieties itā€™s even denser than talalay.

Did you have any other thoughts about the T&F mattress?

Hi AnthroposMetron,

Iā€™m not sure who youā€™re asking or if ā€œT&Fā€ is referring to the Tuft & Needle mattress but if thatā€™s the mattress you mean then there is more information about it in posts #2 and #6 here and in post #205 and later in this topic (the posts before that are about their previous design) and a forum search on tuft needle (you can just click the link) will bring up hundreds of forum posts with more comments and feedback from forum members about them as well.

Having said that ā€¦ I would be cautious about using other peopleā€™s experiences or reviews on a mattress (either positive or negative) as a reliable source of information or guidance about how suitable a mattress may be for you and in many cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that may be a perfect choice for one person in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) may be completely unsuitable for someone else with a different body type, sleeping position, or preferences and sensitivities to sleep on (see post #13 here).

Phoenix