My wife and I are interested in buying our first king size memory foam mattress, but after extensive in-store testing and on-line searching, the more I read the more confused I get about which product to buy.
We have been mostly looking at the Serta iComfort (EFX?), Sealy Optimum, or Novaform 14" (one of the different in-store or online gel options). I also tried an iComfort with some new type of gel cooling layer (Directions line?) that I liked. We tried a few Tempur Pedics but at $3,000 and up it is likely out of our budget.
For all mattresses we tried, we preferred medium to firm options.
I’m mostly interested in value for my ultimate buying choice. If the best price/quality ratio can be achieved for under $1,000 (like the Novaform 14" Altabella King Memory Foam Mattress on sale at costco for $999) that’s what I’ll do. If there is much better value in spending $1,500 or more because I can get a much higher quality product, I’m ok with that as well. I just don’t want to overpay for the brand or for the illusion of getting a better product.
I’m ok with buying from a lesser known manufacturer in my area in Birmingham, Alabama or online direct.
Any feedback or guidance would be much appreciated!
Hi 5tevie,
The first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the most important information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choice in any budget range … and perhaps more importantly learn how and why to avoid the worst ones (including most of the mattresses you mentioned) … all in one place.
It should also help you “dump” much of the marketing information you have probably been exposed to in the types of stores that would typically be carrying the mattresses you mentioned and focus on the more “educational” information that is much more important and relevant to making an informed purchase and making meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
Once you are at step 3 in the tutorial and are ready to start testing mattresses … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Birmingham area are listed in post #57 here. The tutorial post also includes links to some of the better online manufacturers or resellers I’m aware of if you are comfortable with an online purchase.
If you get “stuck” along the way or don’t know if any information you are being given is accurate, relevant, or even important, then of course any questions you have along the way are always welcome 
Phoenix