ok I’m gonna be buying a new mattress this weekend and need some advice. I’m not spending a lot on a bed. There are a bunch of sales this weekend, I’m getting a sealy around 300-400. I dated girl for a very short time last year and the only thing i got out of that was I loved her bed! She had an egg carton memory foam topper on it. So I wanna do this. Have a super comfy bed for not so much money. What I need help on is I don’t know what type of mattress she had underneath or the thickness of the topper? Should a buy a firm mattress if I plan on putting on on a topper, or a plush with a not as thick topper? Need advice!
Hi corygoose,
Unfortunately you haven’t provided enough information about either the mattress, or the topper that you are trying to “duplicate” to make any meaningful suggestions.
While I normally wouldn’t suggest the approach you are taking because of all the unknowns and variables and the trial and error that will likely be involved in finding the “right” mattress/topper combination (not to mention that the materials in both the mattress and the topper will likely be very low quality and not very durable) … if you do decide to go in this direction I would buy the mattress and then buy a convoluted topper from a supplier that allows returns so you can return it and try another one if the first one doesn’t feel the way you want it to in combination with your mattress. While neither one will probably last long … at least you will be able to replace the topper at a relatively low cost because the top layers of a sleeping system will generally soften and break down faster than the layers below them.
If you do decide to buy a higher quality/density and more durable topper that will last you longer, then the component post here has some sources where you can buy higher quality polyfoam toppers but I don’t think that most of them allow returns.
The softer your mattress the thinner the topper you will likely need and if your mattress is firmer then you would likely need a thicker and/or softer topper to help isolate you from the firmness of the mattress underneath.
If you are committed to your “plan” then I would probably buy a mattress with the least amount of polyfoam inside it in the comfort layers because in your budget range it will be very low quality material and the less lower quality polyfoam in your mattress the better. Then you can use a thicker and better quality topper that will last you a little longer and will also help improve the durability of the lower quality foam in the upper layers of your mattress. If you buy a mattress with thicker and softer layers of cheap low quality polyfoam and then use a thinner topper the comfort layers in your mattress will be much more likely to soften or break down fairly quickly and then you would need to replace the whole mattress.
The mattress shopping tutorial here also includes some links that will help you with how to identify better quality and more durable materials although in your budget range you won’t find particularly good quality materials … especially with major brands.
Phoenix