Looking for a new full king setup

Hi folks,

What an amazing site! Thank you Phoenix for making a huge impact on people’s lives.

I have read through many of the posts here and want to discuss a few things.

We are based in SF bay area (zip-code: 95124). Currently we have a queen non-adjustable bed with Stern & Foster spring mattress.

We’ll be moving to a new house and are thinking of getting a king bed (I need my space!). We want it adjustable and also want to try out a latex mattress.
We went to a local store and tried out Latex pure bliss (full latex) and in general like the benefits of Latex over spring and memory foam (we have Costco memory foam in past that we ended up returning.

I’d like to buy things online.

Adjustable bed:

  • Wife would prefer a non-split king bed (no crack in middle + cheaper mattress), but from what I can tell, nobody manufactures this. All king sizes come in split. Anyone seen a good non-split king adjustable bed ? If we have to go for split, we’ll pick between Ergo and Reverie.

Mattresses:

  • We are back and side sleepers. Wife prefers medium, I prefer slightly firm, but we both are happy with medium that’s slightly on the firmer side. If we have to go for split, we may pick differently, but not sure.
  • We are looking for good 10 yrs and will be happy to change it afterwards (instead of less comfortable 20 yr).
  • We’ll be fine with a hybrid (with Talalay) over full latex. Currently debating between BB bamboo , Alexis - I know Alexis feels more like total latex, but it’ll be ~$500 extra (we have to get 2 Twin XL for split) . Ultimate Dream Euro Top is significantly cheaper - $1500 for 2 Twin XL vs. $2000 for Bamboo vs. $2500 for Alexis. So really looking to better understand the differences and whether it’s worth making the plunge.

Bed frame:

  • Any good ones we can order together with adjustable bed ? We want cushion back (at least 2 ft) and short height - other than that we are pretty flexible.

Thanks!

Check out Texas Mattress Makers - those guys know how to build a quality bed, including latex.

Hi wavyphotons,

Thanks for the kind comments … and welcome to the forum :slight_smile:

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the San Fransisco/Oakland/Berkeley areas (subject to the “value” guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here.

There is more about adjustable beds in post #3 here and the adjustable bed topic that it links to that also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information and as pricing references that can help you make the most suitable choice. I don’t know of any adjustable beds that are made in a “non split” king size since they would be impossible to fit into most bedrooms and would be too heavy to handle. There was at least one manufacturer I know of that used to make one years ago (Electropedic) but they no longer do and it didn’t have any of the more modern features (such as a wall hugger feature) and was very very heavy.

There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress (online or locally) in post #2 here that can help you reduce the risks involved in each of them but only you can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to be able to predict which mattress or combination of materials will be the best match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) based on either specs (yours or a mattress) or theory at a distance (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). I would also keep in mind that there are no standardized definitions of firmness ratings between different manufacturers and that firmness/softness is also relative to the perceptions of different people and a mattress that feels too firm for one person can feel too soft for someone else so the only reliable way to know what feels firm or soft for you will be based on your own personal experience.

If you find out the “quality specs” of any mattress that you are considering (see here) and use the guidelines that it links to here (relative to your body type) then if a mattress you choose is a good match for you in terms of PPP (and not on the edge of being too soft) then it would certainly be realistic to expect a comfort life of 10 years.

Post #2 here from earlier today as well as post #3 here has more information about the same three mattresses and how they compare that may be helpful in understanding the differences between them.

You won’t “need” a bedframe with an adjustable bed (the adjustable bed would replace a bedframe and a foundation under a mattress) and you can just attach a headboard to the adjustable bed if you prefer one but if you plan to purchase a bedframe anyway and place the adjustable bed inside the bedframe then the bedframe would be strictly a preference choice based on aesthetics and would be more of a furniture item that isn’t my area of expertise (or an area where I do any significant research).

Phoenix

Thanks folks!

Mattress + Adjustable beds:
So due to the cost of split king bed + mattress, I’m also considering 2 setups offered by Costco (and they have great return policy) :

Even though King has firm and soft side, seems like people complain about i) height of the bed - we both are under 5’8" so it’s a concern ii) very soft edges, so can’t really sit on it.
Sleep science has overall good reviews (it’s also $300 more expensive).

Could you give your thoughts on the 2 mattresses ? King one has a small foam layer on each side whereas Sleep science is full latex.

Bed frame:
Ah…good to know it’s not required. We’ll just shop around for headboard+rail combo.

Hi wavyphotons,

[quote]Mattress + Adjustable beds:
So due to the cost of split king bed + mattress, I’m also considering 2 setups offered by Costco (and they have great return policy) :

  • King Nature
  • Sleep science[/quote]

I would treat the purchase of a mattress and an adjustable bed as two separate purchases so that you can assess the “value” of each of them separately because one of them may be a good choice but the other may not be the best choice for you and if you are buying a set that is only available together then you are being “forced” to buy both together. I would only consider a purchase of both together if both of them (the mattress and the adjustable bed) were the “best” choice for you individually.

Just as a reminder … there is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.

King Nature’s Caress™ Latex Adjustable Bed

The adjustable bed that comes with this is the S-Cape and the set sells for $4499.99 and the adjustable bed sells for $2179.99 which means that the mattress portion of the purchase would be $2320. If you were to prefer the Sleep Science adjustable bed vs the S-Cape then it is available by itself for $1599.99 which would make the “effective” cost of the mattress $2900.00 (for “value” comparison purposes because you can’t buy the mattress by itself). This means that you would be comparing the mattress to other latex mattresses that are somewhere in the range of $2320 to $2900.

In looking at the layers and materials … there are no weak links in the mattress (it contains 10" of what appears to be blended Talalay latex (although I would confirm this) and 2" of polyfoam (only 1" of which is in the upper layers). While this would be reasonable value (and better than most mainstream mattresses) … for most people it wouldn’t be in the “best” value range compared to other similar latex mattresses that are in lower price ranges and have better options available after a purchase. There are also some comments about the same combination in queen size in post #4 here. There is also more about buying a mattress from Costco in post #4 here but since they aren’t particularly knowledgeable about the mattresses they sell or providing good guidance to their customers about whether a particular mattress is suitable for you in terms of PPP you would be “rolling the dice” in terms of the suitability of the mattress although of course if it isn’t a good match for you they do have a good return policy that lets you return the mattress with little risk (outside of the time involved in trying it and returning it).

Sleep Science 9" Natural Latex Split-King Mattress with Adjustable Base

The same comments about buying both together would apply here. In this case the split king mattress isn’t available separately so I would use the king mattress as a reference point to compare the “value” with other latex mattresses.

This mattress uses 3" of Talalay latex in the comfort layer and 6" of Talalay latex in the support core and has a wool quilted cover. I would also confirm whether the latex was blended Talalay or 100% natural Talalay so you can make more “apples to apples” comparisons with other mattresses but I believe it is blended. Either way … there are no weak links in this mattress either but it also doesn’t compare as well to many other similar mattresses that are available to you either in terms of cost or the options you would have available after a purchase.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

You make some very valid points (I’m a bit embarrassed I didn’t do the basic breakdown analysis myself).

After thinking through it, I plan to go with Bamboo and S-Cape from BrooklynBedding. With discounts, sales tax, etc it’ll end up being cheaper than Costco and I feel I’ve picked good items that we’ll end up liking.

I promise to come back and do a review in a few months and also give you a donation for helping me save so much money!

Thanks again!

Hi wavyphotons,

You certainly made a great quality/value choice … and congratulations on your new mattress … and adjustable :slight_smile:

I’m looking forward to your feedback once you’ve received everything and have had a chance to sleep on it for a bit.

Phoenix