just beginning to look

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

Hi,
My husband and I have come to the end of an on-again, off-again “relationship” with our 10ish-year-old Simmons Beautyrest, and we’re in the mattress market. I happened upon your website and am delighted, but am trying to sort through it all quickly, b/c my husband’s waking up with back pain to the point of not wanting to sleep on the bed at all, so I’d like to try – and buy – asap.

We live in Danbury, CT and work in Stamford, CT – but the pricing at local stores in our area is pretty crazy, from what I’ve seen. I clicked through some of the local stores listed on this site, and since we’re looking for a king mattess (possibly a set, though we have a hardwood platform bed with slats that may still be in ok shape), the price tags are pretty high.

Our main challenge: he (about 5’11 and 230ish), and I (about 5’8 and 135ish) have very different preferences. He’d just as soon sleep on a sofa, and prefers all things cushy and super soft. He’s mostly a back/side sleeper (never stomach). I’ve always preferred more of a firm mattress, and mostly sleep on my side – occasionally flipping to my back, and sometimes sleeping on my stomach.

I’m a light sleeper, so if/when he moves, it’s fairly easy for me to wake up. That said, I’ve done pretty well with our Beautyrest (I think it’s in the middle category in terms of firmness).

My husband doesn’t like air mattresses (we tried a sleep # on vacation, and neither of us was crazy about it), and he’s tried some sort of foam (not sure which kind) and didn’t like it. I’m flexible, but don’t really want air.

Suggestions on where to try locally and stay under the $2000 mark for a king set? Suggestions re: what to look for given our very different preferences? Should I mention that I’d love to go as green/organic as possible? With that and price in mind, I’ve looked into Saatva, but am a bit concerned by some of the posts I’ve seen on this site about divots/impressions after a short period of time (though it seems the company addressed the issues). Thanks for any and all suggestions!

2

Hi jalula,

The “best” way to sort through the site quickly would be the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choice … and know how to avoid the worst ones.

The better options and possibilities I’m aware of within reasonable driving distance from you are listed in post #2 here (Connecticut) and in post #2 here (New York City region). You have some good options available to you.

You can see some of my thoughts and an analysis of Saatva in post #1 here. They are not what I would consider a “green” mattress which would normally focus on more natural or recyclable materials such as innersprings, latex, and natural fibers.

There is more about “how green is green?” in post #4 here.

The only two ways I know to choose the mattress that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) is careful and objective testing using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post if you are looking at a local purchase or a more detailed conversation about your specific needs and preferences with an online provider if you can’t test the mattress before a purchase (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

There is a little more in the first part of post #2 here about some of the options that can help a couple that have different body types, sleeping positions, or preferences.

Phoenix

3

Thank you Phoenix! I’ll look through the things you referenced and get back to you with any questions. I appreciate your help!