I've tried every mattress out there...help!

Hi Jewels,

The name of a manufacturer makes little difference to me because outside of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) a mattress is only as good as its design and construction and the quality of the materials inside it. King Koil is usually less transparent about the materials in their mattresses than some other larger manufacturers (see here) but they are a licensee group that is made by different manufacturers in different areas of the country so some of their factories may be more transparent than others. Some retailers may also be more willing to find out the more detailed specs of a mattress than others.

Unfortunately it’s not possible for me to make any meaningful comments about a mattress without more specific information about the materials inside it (see this article). If you can find out the specifics of the materials inside this mattress (including foam density for any polyfoam or memory foam layers) I’d be happy to make some comments about the quality of the materials or help you identify any possible weak links in the mattress.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I was able to confirm the density of the polyurethane foams in the King Koil World Luxury one-sided mattress. Each foam is about 1.55 in density. I was told that the foam is polymerized and I have no idea what that means or if that is beneficial. I’m not sure that this is appropriate for a one-sided mattress. Please let me know what you think regarding the foam density.

I’m inclined to believe that the Restonic double-sided may be a better option, if I can find one that gives me the correct PPP. It also uses 1.55 density polyurethane foam.

Finally, I am considering a OrganicPedic mattress by OMI. I’m looking at their “Classic.” It’s a medium-firm, double-sided cotton mattress. I would need to purchase a latex topper for comfort.

I look forward to receiving your opinion regarding the density of the foams in the King Koil one-sided mattress. This has been quite an unexpected adventure. Frankly, if it weren’t for your site, I would likely have an overpriced, poor quality mattress by now. Thank you for everything. :slight_smile:

Jewels

Hi Jewels,

I would need all the information listed in this article (not just the density of a single layer) to make any meaningful comments about the mattress. Whether 1.55 lb polyfoam was suitable or not would depend on the thickness of the layer and on the other layers and components above and below it.

This is a good quality mattress that doesn’t have any weak links in the design and only contains natural or organic materials but I would make some careful value comparisons because OMI mattresses can be in a much higher budget range than many other manufacturers that make similar mattresses.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I’m going to do a rather brief breakdown of the King Koil mattress. I hope this clarifies things better.

1" 1.55 polyurethane foam (called AdvantGel).
1" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
2.5" of 1.55 polyurethane foam.
.5" of visco-elastic memory foam (weight unknown).
Liner.
1" of visco-elastic memory foam (weight unknown).
1" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
Marshall coil.
1.5" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
Glued foam encasement.

I believe this breakdown is correct. I hope this helps. I’m concerned about all of the 1.55 density polyurethane. It seems like with this much lower density foam, the mattress would be more inclined to develop impressions versus a double-sided mattress with the same density of polyurethane foam. Thank you again.

Jewels

Hi Phoenix,

I’m going to do a rather brief breakdown of the King Koil mattress. I hope this clarifies things better.

1" 1.55 polyurethane foam (called AdvantGel).
1" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
2.5" of 1.55 polyurethane foam.
.5" of visco-elastic memory foam (weight unknown).
Liner.
1" of visco-elastic memory foam (weight unknown).
1" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
Marshall coil.
1.5" 1.55 polyurethane foam.
Glued foam encasement.

I believe this breakdown is correct. I hope this helps. I’m concerned about all of the 1.55 density polyurethane. It seems like with this much lower density foam, the mattress would be more inclined to develop impressions versus a double-sided mattress with the same density of polyurethane foam. Thank you again.
:slight_smile:
Jewels

Hi Jewel,

As you can see in the guidelines here … There is more than “about an inch or so” of lower density polyfoam (under about 1.8 lbs) in the upper layers which I would consider to be a weak link in a one sided mattress which would make this a risky purchase in terms of durability and the useful life of the mattress.

Phoenix

Thank you Phoenix!

Thanks to the guidelines you’ve provided here, I suspected that this mattress could be risky. I find this somewhat interesting, as the store that sells the King Koil World Luxury also sells the better King Koil Extended Life mattresses and that line has higher quality foams. However, I would need a topper and even then, the Extended Life mattress could feel too firm.

Well, it looks like I’m still on the hunt. I will carefully weigh my options regarding the OrganicPedic Mattress by OMI due to their price point, the Restonic double-sided, and an Englander mattress that I’ll be taking a look at on Friday. I’ve taken up a great deal of your time and I apologize for that. Prior to finding this site, I got stuck with two bad mattresses and that has made me very cautious regarding a purchase that isn’t backed by a comfort exchange.

Thank you,

Jewels

Hi Jewels,

If there are a limited number of suitable options in your area it may be worthwhile considering some of the online options that are available to you that have good exchange and return policies that would lower the risk of an online purchase and would let you test a mattress by sleeping on it instead of trying it in a store.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I apologize for taking so long to update things. Over the last few months, I’ve discovered that I don’t tolerate standard mattresses. In other words, my immune system has a negative reaction and my doctor has no way of knowing if it’s the glue or fire retardants. I do know that for whatever reason, my health improved dramatically when I had the sleep number mattress. I found it quite painful on my back, but my overall health improved. Therefore I am considering the OrganicPedic Classic mattress by OMI. I am planning on buying a topper to help soften it. I have no idea if this will work for me. It’s a firm mattress and I’m concerned that I won’t be able to find a quality topper that’ll make it comfortable. I would love any opinions you have. Do you have any advice on a quality (and pure) topper that can be effective in making a mattress feel softer? I did receive a fair (still expensive) price on the mattress and can return it if it doesn’t work for me. Thank you for everything. I will keep you updated. I will receive the mattress in about three weeks.

Thank you,

Jewels

Hi Jewels,

Post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to have more information about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and green 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 “how safe is safe enough for me” 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, and lifestyle choices.

Sleep number mattresses use polyfoam and/or memory foam in their mattresses (depending on the mattress) which are the same materials as are used in the comfort layers of most “standard” mattresses so at least you know there are some synthetic/chemical foams that you are OK with but of course you may be sensitive to some versions of polyfoam or memory foam and not to others because different manufacturers use different chemical foam formulations to make their foams.

OMI mattresses are primarily latex so not being sensitive to the foams in your Sleep Number won’t necessarily “translate” into whether you are sensitive to latex or not but outside of actual latex allergies (see post #2 here) the odds are high that latex will be fine in terms of sensitivities.

I would tend to avoid buying a mattress with the intention of adding a topper if you haven’t tested the mattress/topper combination in person because choosing a topper that is a good match for both you and the mattress you are using it on can add an additional level of uncertainty to your purchase (see post #2 here).

If you do decide to add a topper after sleeping on your mattress though then post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to can help you use your actual sleeping experience on the mattress as a guideline for choosing the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the best chance of success and also includes a link to the better topper sources I’m aware of as well.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you for all of the information that you’ve provided. The mattress I’m purchasing is the Classic by OMI (Organicpedic). It has no latex in it. It’s an 8 inch two-sided mattress using a 660 Bonnell coil. It’s filled with cotton and uses wool as the fire retardant. I wonder if you have any opinion regarding this mattress in particular. I’m concerned about the how thin it is and if it will hold up over time. I’m also concerned about cotton being used as the filler and wondering if such a small amount of cotton will hold up (about 2 inches on each side). I wish I had asked you about this before I ordered it. I think you are correct regarding finding and testing the right topper before buying a mattress. The salesperson assured me that his PLB 3 inch latex topper would provide the additional comfort I would need. I will study the links you provided in your last post. In the meantime, I would really appreciate any opinion you have on this Classic mattress produced by OMI.

Thank you very much,

Jewels

Hi Jewel,

I can’t speak to how the mattress will feel for you or whether it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP (only your own testing and personal experience can tell you that) but it certainly uses high quality materials and there would be no weak links in the mattress in terms of the construction or the quality of the materials inside it and a two sided innerspring mattress that uses natural fibers in the comfort layers can be a very durable mattress although it will become a little firmer over time as the natural fibers compress. There are some comments about these types of mattresses in post #2 here.

While these types of mattresses are more difficult to compare to each other based on the materials inside them because there are so many differences between them in terms of the type and amount of natural fibers that are used, the specifics of the innersprings and the construction of each mattress … there are some innerspring/natural fiber mattresses listed in post #4 here that may give you some useful reference points for comparison.

If you do decide to add a topper then I would sleep on the mattress by itself first and then use your experience on the mattress by itself along with the topper guidelines I linked to help you choose a topper that has the lowest risk and the best chance of being a good match for you in terms of PPP.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

I seriously don’t know what I would do if this website didn’t exist. You’ve saved me from making some very bad purchases and provided information that I can find nowhere else. Thank you. Mattress shopping isn’t easy anymore. Additionally, discovering that I have immune reactions to unknown aspects of innerspring mattresses has made it even more difficult. I’m just so grateful for the help you’ve provided for me. I will be receiving the mattress in about three weeks. I’ll let you know what happens, as I’m hopeful my experiences will help others. I’m fortunate that I can return the mattress if it doesn’t work. However, I really want this mattress journey to end.

Thank you so much, :slight_smile:

Jewels

Hi Phoenix!

I thought it’s time to finally update things. I tried the Organic Pedic (OMI), classic mattress. It was beautifully made, not one single stitch was out of place. There was no off-gassing, rather it smelled like fresh cotton. However, it was very hard/firm. I had to put five inches of topper on the mattress to make it somewhat comfortable. Therefore, I didn’t keep the mattress.

I’m now looking at the new “Naturals” line by OMI. I was led to believe that the mattress is organic, like their other mattresses. However, upon looking into it, I’m not sure what it is. I called the company and they told me that it’s a new, natural latex. It’s formed like Dunlop and vacuum sealed like Talalay. It’s not made in their factory that is sealed and makes only organic mattresses. It’s not Oeko tex certified. It is Green Guard certified, but it’s not Green Guard Gold. Finally, it’s made in a factory that makes polyurethane mattresses. Though, I was told that they keep the OMI separate from the other mattresses. I’m concerned because during this process of looking for a mattress, I discovered that I’m chemically sensitive and get sick if I sleep on a standard polyurethane mattress. Do you know anything about this new line of mattresses by OMI? What do you think regarding the fact that the mattress isn’t Oeko tex certified and NOT organic? Also, is this really latex? I look forward to your answers. I don’t want a mattress that’s unsafe and emits chemicals that will make me sick.

Thank you!

Jewels,

It sounds like you are struggling just like I was finding the right mattress.
If you haven’t already, check out :

He has a lifetime of experience with mattresses and I believe in him.

I don’t know your location, but if you are in the northeast and within a few hours of NYC, you could check out the Charles P. Rogers Powercore Estate 9000. It is a super mattress.

Hi Jewels,

Their latex would probably be closer to Dunlop than Talalay and while I don’t know for certain … it’s possible that their latex is similar to the HT latex that comes from here and is also used by Reverie in their mattresses.

There is a lot more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” 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 “how safe is safe enough for me” and that can help you decide on the type of materials and components you are most comfortable having in your mattress or on the certifications for harmful substances and VOC’s that may be important to you. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

When I talked with Greenguard they told me that the only certification they have that applies to mattresses is Greenguard Gold so their Greenguard certification would be Greenguard Gold.

@lilac2,

[quote]It sounds like you are struggling just like I was finding the right mattress.
If you haven’t already, check out :

He has a lifetime of experience with mattresses and I believe in him.

I don’t know your location, but if you are in the northeast and within a few hours of NYC, you could check out the Charles P. Rogers Powercore Estate 9000. It is a super mattress. [/quote]

I would be very cautious about providing this type of advice. You can see my comments about the Old Bed Guy and his website (and some of the very strange comments he makes) in this topic… There is “some” good information on his site and some information that is questionable at best and misleading, inaccurate, or deceptive at worst and I and many other knowledgeable people in the industry that are aware of or have interacted with him or that have read the information on his site certainly don’t think nearly as highly of him as you appear to.

Charles P Rogers certainly likes him though because he usually recommends their mattresses to the people that email him but that may have something to do with his daughter being the president of Charles P Rogers (which he doesn’t disclose).

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I’m a bit confused. I know that OMI calls this new latex “High-Density Natural latex.” What is your opinion regarding the company, Dasheng Chemical and the quality of the latex they produce? Another concern is the price. I would have to pay around $4000.00 for this new “Naturals” full-size mattress.

Thank you,
Jewels

Hi Jewels,

The latex that is used in the OMI mattresses is a high quality material and latex in general is the most durable of all the foam materials.

In addition to the durability of latex … all the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold (see post #2 here) and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very “safe” material in terms of harmful substances and VOC’s.

There is also more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other 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 to fine tune the mattress or the exchange/return options that are available to you).

While the price of a mattress is just one part of the “value” of a mattress purchase … OMI in general is certainly in a higher or often a significantly higher budget range than many other mattresses that use very similar materials (including 100% natural latex or organic latex) so I would make sure you make some very careful “value” comparisons with other latex mattresses that are available to you either online or locally based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you for the great information that you’ve provided. I can’t believe that I still don’t have a mattress. I have something to sleep on while I search, but I never thought the search would take me so long. Unfortunately, discovering the fact that I have chemical sensitivities has complicated my search. I will update you so hopefully someone can benefit from what I’ve gone through. My update may not be for a few months though. Thank you again. I love this site!

Thank you,

Jewels

I’m back. I don’t know why I wasn’t able to write new update. I’m still searching for a mattress. Anyway, I’ve just tried the Tempurpedic Luxe Cloud Breeze mattress. It is super comfortable and very plush. It’s the most comfortable mattress I’ve tried. It’s also hot, despite the cooling breeze cover. I don’t think it’s as bad as a Tempurpedic without the cooling cover. THE PROBLEM…I’m now very sick from sleeping on it. After the first night, my nose plugged up and my eyes watered. I thought that perhaps I had developed an allergy. However, each night I’ve gotten sicker. I’m now miserable. I’m experiencing serious dizzy spells, brain fog, feeling of being drugged and fatigue. I went to the doctor and she thought I might be having an allergic reaction. Thank goodness, I can return this mattress. I just hope the effects won’t be permanent. I wanted to let people know. I’m still searching for a comfortable, non-toxic mattress that isn’t made from latex. I think I’m out of luck.
Thank you,
Jewels