Hi bunny1999,
Thank you for the kind words! Weāre always happy to be of assistance.
Phoenix
Informative post.You must always test the mattress before buying it.Though buying evevrything online seems much more convenient when it comes to furniture you must always buy it from the store to ensure that you get good quality ones. Here is a blog I found that mentioned some tips on how to buy a good mattress ( Blog ). Budget maybe a problem but it is always better to select good quality mattresses to make it last in the long run.
Thanks for maintaining such a great resource Phoenix.
I was hoping you could provide your recommendation for a suitable mattress for an AirBnB property in Sydney, Australia.
My key requirements are:
- Comfort for the widest range of preferences
- Durability and quality, natural materials if appropriate
- Not too heavy for ease of bed making due to access constraints
- Suitable for use with a platform bed (no slats)
I am thinking I will use a local mattress factory but would appreciate your guidance on what layers and specs would be suitable. I am currently leaning towards a pocket sprung design with latex and wool comfort layer. Something like the Grand, Eurocomfort or Platinum on this page:
http://www.rockdalemattressfactory.com.au/product.php?cat=pocket-spring
If there are any factories or suppliers youād recommend in Sydney Iād love to hear about them.
Hi rvpfh,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
Thanks for maintaining such a great resource Phoenix.
Youāre welcome, mate! :cheer:
[quote]I was hoping you could provide your recommendation for a suitable mattress for an AirBnB property in Sydney, Australia.
My key requirements are:
- Comfort for the widest range of preferences
- Durability and quality, natural materials if appropriate
- Not too heavy for ease of bed making due to access constraints
- Suitable for use with a platform bed (no slats)[/quote]
I donāt have any personal recommendations or members of the forum in Australia, as this forum is primarily focused upon North America, but I certainly can offer you some guidelines.
The first thing I would do would be to find out the information listed here of any mattress youāre considering 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 for your AirBnB property.
Regarding comfort for the widest range of individuals, I would suggest you consider mimicking what some of the larger and nicer hotels do in the industry, and they tend to stick with more traditional designs (innersprings) with firmer (higher ILD) foams on top. It is common for contract bedding to be changed out every 3-5 years (Iām not sure of the use your property will have), so they donāt tend to use higher-density foams (cost is of course an issue as well).
For surface comfort, because the mattresses they use tend to be a bit on the firm side, top-of-bed products are commonly used to provide an inexpensive and replaceable plushness. Here in the USA, American Hotel Register Company is a common supplier for products such as this. There are even some products termed as āstrap-on pillowtopsā for some extra plushness.
As for durability, you would use the guidelines I linked to previously regarding density of foams. If youāre looking for more ānaturalā materials, you certainly could focus on latex for your comfort layers and cotton/wool for your mattress covering. There is a company here in the USA that does a bit of ācontractā bedding, and they have some examples of items they offer in springs and foams here and here.
Most any mattress you consider will work just find on a hard, firm and flat surface.
The mattresses you mentioned arenāt provided with complete details on the Rockdale web site, but what they do list seems to be durable and better quality materials (latex and springs). Youād of course want to try out these items in person and also perhaps along with any top-of-bed products that you might be considering. Again, Iād lean toward a bit of a firmer mattress that could be customized a bit with added toppers/pads for plushness.
Also, good edge reinforcement is something that hotels consider important.
Good luck in your search!
Phoenix
Thank you for providing such an amazing resource for consumers to get educated! Iāll be shopping for a new mattress in the upcoming months just in time before getting married and have been slowly educating myself reading through the mattress shopping tutorial. I live in the greater Sacramento, CA area so not sure if there are any recommended mattress sources here but If I am able hopefully I can check out the ones in the San Francisco Bay area from the recommended list.
Hi ghaith13,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum!
Thank you, and congratulations on your impending nuptial!:cheer:
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 ā¦ the better options or possibilities Iām aware of in and around Sacramento are listed here.
Phoenix
thank you so much for the advice and pointing me to some local places!
Thanks for the detailed response Phoenix. Much appreciated.
Thank you Phoenix!
I have learned so much about mattresses in just the last two days. We were actually about to buy some of the big name brands for our kids and thankfully I stumbled across your site! It is an amazing resource and I have contacted a local retailer about buying a latex mattress and he complimented you as well!
Hi adcvc,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum!
Iām glad you were able to find us and are using the resources to educate yourself and make an informed buying decision.
Iāll be interested to learn of what you decide to purchase.
Phoenix
I appreciate the welcome, Phoenix.
I ended up deciding on the BME from Brooklyn Bedding. Based on research, I knew I wanted latex and then the price point and quality of materials were the real selling points for us. This is our first time buying an online mattress, so Iām very interested in what itāll be like when we actually get them.
Based on our budget, I thought weād have to get a sub par mattress, but now our kids are actually able to have really good mattresses for even less than what we would have otherwise spent! Iām so happy I found this site and have been going around recommending it to everyone I know! Thank you so much Phoenix, for everything you do!!!
Hi adcvc,
Congratulations on your new mattress! :cheer: As youāre aware, Brooklyn Bedding is a member here of the site, which means I think highly of them, and you certainly made a good quality/value choice.
Iām looking forward to learning about your mattress after youāve had a chance to try it out for a while.
Thank you for spreading the word and your compliment!
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix. I read consumer reports and a couple other sources and thought I was ready to purchase a mattress. After reading and at least partly understanding the incredible amount of info in your tutorials, I am sure I am not ready. Unfortunately I donāt know the next step.
I understand you cannot be prescriptive about what may make sense for my wife and me, for a number of good reasons. I appreciate the list of companies that are likely to have quality products they stand behind. However, none of those companies have a show room anywhere close to where I am. As best as I can tell, I would need to find examples of mattresses in town that might work for me, relay that information plus personal details to an online company, and hope the company is accurate when they recommend something. Is there a set of mattress āstandardsā in one or more brands that would be useful for this comparative purpose?
I would rather not have to depend on a warranty and/or return policy, and would like to get this ārightā the first time. However, in spite of all of the information on this site (and perhaps BECAUSE of all of the information on the site) it really feels like I am shooting blind. I guess I recognize at least part of what I donāt knowā¦ Am I missing something?
Iāll give you some detail in case that helps point me in the right direction:
- strong preference for low VOC/off-gassing, organics a plus but not required. Looks like your site members are all pretty much ok in this regard, thanks! Still intend to avoid polyfoam and glue to the extent I can, although I think I can live with the Certi-pur standard.
- mostly side sleeper or back sleeper, which looks like some decent support may be appropriate.
- even on my back I can wake up with numbness/tingling in my arm, and/or an achy elbow, which I assume means I need a much softer top layer than I have.
- wife and I are on the short side of average and not as fit as we intend to get (BMI 25-30), which also indicates decent support may be required.
- I tend to sleep hot. That may mean a thinner memory foam top layer if we go memory foam, or maybe the Talalay latex. How that interacts with the rest of the requirements I donāt know.
After thinking I had a good list of a dozen potential mattresses to consider, the only one still on the list is the Novaform 14" Serafina Pearl Gel (via Costco), and even that one is tenuous because some postings seem to indicate it is on the hard side. If I am making this more difficult than it needs to be, by all means feel free to correct me! Thanks for any direction you are inclined to offer.
Hi PA_Buzzard,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum!
I think you may have already seen my comments about the Consumer Reports mattress ratings and recommendations in post #2 here and in this topic . While they may be a good source of information about more āobjectiveā purchases, I would consider them to be an unreliable source of information or guidance about purchasing a mattress and their āratingsā are somewhat nonsensical and meaningless. My thoughts are also shared by most of the more knowledgeable people in the industry (see post #5 here for an example).
The first place to 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 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 youāve 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 āmatchā for you in terms of ācomfortā, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesnāt turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the āvalueā 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 doesnāt turn out as well as you hoped for). I would also make sure that you find out information listed here when you go mattress shopping 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.
In its simplest form, choosing the ābest possibleā mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers that sell the types of mattresses (see this article ) that you are most interested in (either locally or online) and that can provide you with all the information you need to know to make an informed choice and make meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then ā¦
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Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in this tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of ācomfortā, firmness, and PPP ā¦ and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or āfine tuneā the mattress and any costs involved if you canāt test a mattress in person or arenāt confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
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Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress (see the durability guidelines here )
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Comparing your finalists for āvalueā based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
There is also more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, āchemical freeā, and āgreenā mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer āhow safe is safe enough for meā or āhow organic is organic enough for meā so you can decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices. Most polyfoam you are likely to encounter domestically is CertiPUR-US certified.
Yes, youāll always want good support, and enough comfort on top to help allow your shoulders and hips to sink in when on your side.
This certainly can be a sign that your current mattress has lost much of its surface comfort, or that your body is changing, or a combination of both. But it would certainly be something to mention when you are out shopping for a mattress to any retailer or manufacturer you visit.
There is more information in the durability guidelines I linked to earlier about BMIs approaching 30.
There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. Regarding cooling memory foam claims (if you decide to go with memory foam), you can read more about phase change materials in post #9 here and at the end of post #4 here) and you can read more about the various different types of gel foams in post #2 here. In general terms gel foams will tend to have a temporary effect on temperature while you are first going to sleep until temperatures equalize but have less effect on temperature regulation throughout the course of the night.
It sounds like you desire some actual one-on-one interaction with a knowledgeable brick and mortar retailer, so if you let me know where you live Iāll see if I have a listing of some better retailers in your area.
Phoenix
We are in the Des Moines, IA area.
Hi PA_Buzzard,
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 ā¦ the better options or possibilities Iām aware of in and around Des Moines, IA area in post #6 here.
Phoenix
Know the different type of mattress options, usually mattress range from classic firm or plush options to higher tech mechanically operated beds through remote controls. Its better to do some research before buying the mattress and try to know about the list of option and type available with the mattress.
Memory foam mattress are made from material that mold to the shape of your body when you lie down and also it will maintain that shape althrough the night.
Sleep number mattress this type of mattress can be made harder or softer with touch of a button. These mattress are divided into different zones.
Basic firm or plush mattress made from variety of materials and are sold at every price range.
Have an understanding of your physical needs- first make sure whether you are an side, back or stomach sleeper because some mattress are designed to accommodate specific sleeping positions. So you can choose the mattress which suits your sleeping style and comfortness.
Set your budget before you go for shopping: Mattress stores sell a lot of extras, like mattress covers, pillow tops, bed frames, and other items you donāt necessarily need. Know exactly what youāre willing to buy before stepping into the store. Your mattress will work just as well without accessories, so donāt buy them unless you want to.
Thanks this is the most useful guide Iāve found researching all over the web! Absolutely essential when looking for a new bed. Youāre a lifesaver!
Dear Phoenix,
Recently my wife and I stayed at a Hampton Inn, and like other, we were impressed by the Serta they use. Thankfully, we stumbled across this site!
I was hoping by providing my zip code you may be able to point us in the right direction as to what retailer we could visit and which king size might be a close match.
Many thanks
AJ