Hi Teemhaydre,
Welcome to the site 
[quote]On your website i’ve noticed that you’ve recommended 3 layers - Firm bottom, medium middle, and soft top. I’m wondering if you think we might benefit from something similar. Our local store basically sells by the inch, so the configuration is up to us and doesn’t affect the price.
I’m around 175lbs, my wife around 145lbs. Mostly side-sleepers (75%), and back-sleepers (25%).[/quote]
I’m not sure where you read this but I don’t make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or 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 (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) 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 (hopefully 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 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 that I am able to help with, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress is the best match for you based on your own careful testing or personal experience and on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
There is more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP in post #2 here that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for once you actually sleep on your mattress.
There is also 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 in terms of comfort and PPP, durability and the useful life of a mattress. and the overall “value” of a mattress relative to your other finalists.
I would be very cautious about buying any mattress that isn’t a good match for you in terms of PPP because no matter what the price of a mattress … there would be little value in purchasing a mattress that you don’t sleep well on.
Phoenix