Phoenix,
You have been a great guide in during the mattress buying process. I need your suggestions on the following:
- Which of the following companies would you recommend buying latex mattress. The most important factor to me is the reliability, quality, longevity and credibility.
- Brooklyn Bedding
- SleepEZ
- Arizona Premiun
- I am thinking of getting a hybrid mattress with Blended Latex. The configuration that I am interested in is:
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Base Layer: HD Polyfoam
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Middle Layer: Dunlop 3 inch OR Talalay Firm (Need your input as to which way I should go)
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Top Layer: Firm or Soft Talalay (Again, need your suggestion here. I need some lumbar support and my fear is that Talalay is generally “softer” than Dunlop.)
Do you see anything wrong with this configuration? I have read somewhere in your post that you think its an overkill to go all latex since the top layers bear most of the pressure. Please specify if the memory foam may cause sagging or any other problem down the line.
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Will I be able to use my box spring as a base for latex mattress?
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What are some of the pros / cons of Natural vs Blended Latex Mattresses?
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I am interested in 2 mattresses from BB which are:
- What are some other companies/mattresses in the same price range that offer more value?
Thanks again for your hard work …
Hi mattressseeker,
The first place I would start your research is the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices and know how and why to avoid the worst ones. It also includes links to information that answer most of your questions but I’ll review a few of them in my reply here.
[quote]1) Which of the following companies would you recommend buying latex mattress. The most important factor to me is the reliability, quality, longevity and credibility.
- Brooklyn Bedding
- SleepEZ
- Arizona Premiun[/quote]
I think very highly of all of the manufacturers you are considering but there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to make the kind of specific suggestions you are hoping for so I don’t recommend specific mattresses or specific companies (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). The mattress shopping tutorial includes all the information you will need about “how” to choose a mattress that is the “best value” for you (regardless of whether it would be the best value for someone else) and post #2 here has more about how to choose between your finalists when you are down to final choices between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them.
Your configurations are very generic but even if you listed the specifics I can only speak to the quality/durability of the materials in a mattress. You can see the quality guidelines I would suggest using in post #4 here and you can use these to assess the quality of the materials in any mattress you are considering. Post #13 here also has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase.
I’m not sure where you read a latex base layer was “overkill” but it’s not something that I would have suggested. You can read more of my thoughts about the differences between latex hybrids and all latex mattresses in post #2 here.
There is more information about the many variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to different types of materials and people in post #4 here and the posts it links to. I didn’t see any memory foam in any of your configurations but if you are planning to use it then the biggest factor in the durability of memory foam is the density so it would really depend on the specifics. Memory foam that was in a 5 lb or higher density range would generally be the most durable version of memory foam. Assuming all the other variables are similar … latex in general is a more durable foam material than memory foam.
If it’s a box spring that has springs in it then I wouldn’t suggest it no. The foundation post here has more information about the types of support systems (box spring, foundation, platform bed etc) that generally work best with different types of mattresses.
Post #6 here has more about the different types and blends of latex.
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know of any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of that are local to you. If you are looking at online options then the tutorial post includes a link to a list of the members here that make or sell a wide range of latex and latex hybrid options that all compete well with the best in the industry and include a wide range of prices, designs and options (including return or exchange options).
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix …
In regards to point #5, which one do you think is the best option?
I was referring to high density foam base that comes in Aloe Alexis and
said memory foam by mistake.
Hi mattressseeker,
I don’t know what would be the “best option” for you (or anyone else for that matter) because it would depend on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you and this would be different for different people. These are the types of comparisons that only each person can make for themselves. Neither one has any lower quality materials or any weak links in their design in terms of durability.
You will generally find that mattresses that are made by the same manufacturer are generally in a similar “value” range based on the “commodity” or “raw material” value of the mattress (except mattresses in higher budget ranges will generally have a slightly higher margin) but a mattress isn’t a commodity that can be measured or assessed in terms of the price per inch of foam or the price per pound of fabric and the raw material value has little to do with which one you would prefer or how well you will sleep on either one (again see post #13 here for more information about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase).
Both of them use latex in the top 6" so they would be very similar in terms of durability but they would have a different “feel”. The Essence would be of more interest to those that are looking for natural materials and are in a higher budget range because it uses 100% natural latex (Dunlop and Talalay) while the Alexis uses blended Talalay (about 30% natural and 70% synthetic) and polyfoam (which is a synthetic foam). Both of them use safe materials that are either certified by Oeko-Tex (in the case of the latex in both mattresses) or CertiPur (the polyfoam in the Alexis) for harmful substances and VOC’s.
The choice of materials or the type of latex is a personal preference much more than a “better/worse” choice but there is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.
There is also more about a latex/polyfoam hybrid vs an all latex mattress in post #2 here although the Alexis has 6" of latex in the top layers and since most of what people “feel” on a mattress comes from the upper layers there would be less difference between them than between an all latex mattress and a latex hybrid that used thinner layers of latex in the upper layers.
Both of them have the option to customize the mattress in different ways before a purchase but the Alexis has two layers that can be exchanged or customized after a purchase while the Essence only has a single top layer that can be customized or exchanged after a purchase so the Alexis has slightly more customization options available after a purchase.
Both of them would make a great choice but different people would have different preferences.
If I had to guess I would say that more people would choose the Brooklyn Bedding Alexis over the Essence but that certainly wouldn’t be the case for all people because some people are more comfortable in a higher budget range and put a higher priority on all natural materials and the benefits of having an all latex mattress that doesn’t include any synthetic materials.
When you are down to final choices that are between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them then the final choice (see post #2 here) will really be a matter of “best judgement” based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Phoenix