Looking for some recommendations

I am looking for a new queen mattress. I’ve gone through most of the guides and spent time browsing the forums and now I’d love some specific opinions and feedback.

I’m coming to the end of my trial with Tuft and Needle’s mattress, having decided it is too firm. That is about the price range I am looking at. When I was at IKEA about a month ago, I remember both Holmsta and Myrbacka being comfortable, but I am unsure about the quality. Casper is a bit more than I was looking to spend, but I feel more confident in the quality and, based on comments in the forums, it may be a better fit, if the price difference is really worth it.

I am 5’10", about 145 lbs, have broad shoulders, and am very bony. I tend to sleep warm, if not hot, so I am not really looking much at memory foam, at least for the comfort layer. I also have somewhat poor circulation, which I don’t know if that affects anything, but maybe that points to a softer mattress as well? I think I want a mattress that is medium soft. Soft enough to fit me well, but I don’t want to sink down into it and be surrounded on three sides.

Thanks for your help!

Hi akrieg,

Unfortunately nobody else 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 make specific suggestions about which mattress may be best for you based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). The tutorial post has all the information and guidelines that can help you with “how” to choose and post #13 here also has more information about the most important parts of the value of a mattress that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses but the specifics of “what” to choose and which mattress is the best value for you is always up to each person’s individual criteria and preferences and the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

If you know the specifics of all the layers in any mattress you will be able to identify any lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress (see this article and the quality guidelines here).

You can see my thoughts about the Holmsta here.

You can see a picture of the layers in the Myrbacka here and some comments about it in posts #58 and #59 here. It includes synthetic latex and 2.2 lb polyfoam which are both durable materials and there are no weak links in the mattress but I would make sure that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP because Ikea only has a one time exchange policy and doesn’t allow returns (see here) and they may not have another mattress to exchange for that would be a good match for you in terms of PPP.

You can see some of my thoughts about Casper in post #2 here and the posts it links to. Like the Tuft and Needle … it’s an “all or nothing” choice that will either be “good enough” for you in terms of PPP or if it isn’t then they have a great return policy.

Some of the better options for latex and latex hybrid mattresses I’m aware of are listed in posts #3 and #4 here and some of the other lower budget options besides latex that may also be worth considering are listed in post #4 here.

If you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area as well.

Phoenix

Thanks. I’m processing the links and will chime in later after I’ve gone through everything. (I found some, but not all of them. Your encyclopedic knowledge of everything that goes on here is astounding!)

I live in Oakland, CA. I found stores on the forums already, but they were either too far away or out of my price range. I’m going to stop by IKEA tonight to update my thoughts and collect some additional info.

Hi akrieg,

I’m not sure if you’ve seen this already but the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the San Francisco/Oakland/Berkeley region (subject to the “value” guidelines I linked earlier) are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thanks. Yes, that is the list I saw. I’ve narrowed down options (I think) and while I understand the personal nature of these decisions, perhaps you or someone else might be able to compare the mattresses I know (first three) with the ones I haven’t tried yet (second three).

Tuft and Needle: Currently have, too firm, sending back.

Ikea Hultsvik: Very comfortable, right price. The foam density is low, but it also seems that the pillow top can be removed and I could replace it with a different topper if it ends up being the weak link down the line.

Ikea Morgangava: Also very comfortable, though different from Hultsvik. Somewhat above the top end of what i want to spend.

Casper: Seems like a decent choice, though it is at the top end of my price range. No-risk trial.

DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams: This may be what I am leaning towards given the reviews on the forums and the customizability of the mattress. Right at what I want to spend.

DreamFoam 12-in-1: Intrigued by the layers concept, though unsure about quality, given the low cost. Side question: How are the different softnesses achieved if all three layers are the same density?

Thanks for your help.

Hi akrieg,

I’m not so sure that you can remove the memory foam but with the lower coil count (for a pocket coil) and the low density and thinner layer of memory foam this isn’t a mattress that I would generally consider to be a good quality/value choice.

This uses mostly natural continuous pour Dunlop latex which is a good quality and durable material and there are no weak links in this mattress. If it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP and it also compares well to your other finalists based on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you then it would certainly be worth considering.

My thoughts about Casper are in post #2 here and the posts it links to. I linked to the Casper forum search results in my previous reply about Casper (now corrected) but this is the link I meant to include.

This is a very good quality/value choice and is one of the lowest cost latex hybrid mattresses available. It uses blended Talalay latex in the 3" comfort layer which is a very high quality and durable material and 1.5 lb polyfoam in the base layer. There are also no weak links in this mattress. You can choose the firmness of the comfort layer before a purchase (based on a conversation with them where they can help “talk you through” your comfort choice) but unlike some of their other latex hybrids (such as the Eurotop here) it doesn’t have a zip cover that allows you to exchange the comfort layer for a different firmness after a purchase.

This uses high quality 2 lb polyfoam in all the layers so there are no weak links in this mattress either. Re-arranging the layers or using one side or the other of the cover gives you 12 possible configurations that you can use to fine tune either the support or pressure relief/comfort of the mattress after a purchase.

The density of polyfoam has nothing to do with it’s firmness but density is the most important factor in the quality and durability of the material. Any density of polyfoam whether it is low quality/density or high quality/density can be made in a wide range of firmness levels from very soft to very firm. Lower density polyfoam … like lower density memory foam … will soften and break down more quickly than higher quality/density materials.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thanks. I called DreamFoam today and spoke to Chuck about their mattresses. I think I will probably go with them. (For anyone else also considering, they are offering 10% off if you like them on Facebook, but its an either/or for the free pillow.)

As you said before, the Ultimate Dreams is a solid mattress, but the Eurotop (which Chuck said was their most popular) is better because you can customize it more easily. But is there really much difference between the Eurotop and the regular with a topper? It seems I would be spending an extra $300 right out of the gate before knowing if the regular mattress was fine.

He also said the Freedom was the best Latex mattress they had and worth the money, but in queen, its the same price as the Eurotop. It seems I should then be choosing between the regular UltimateDreams and the UD: Freedom.

Provided my logic is sound, is it possible to compare those two? I’ve seen your comparison between the Natural and Freedom, but not these. Would it be worthwhile to find a talalay and a dunlop mattress to get a feel for both before deciding or would there be too many factors to compare?

As always, thanks for your help. I would be lost without your guidance! (I even referred a family in IKEA here yesterday.)

Hi akrieg,

Most of your questions will come down to preference choices more than “better worse” choices based on the many tradeoffs that are involved and on which type of latex you tend to prefer, your budget, your risk tolerance, and the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. The options you would have after a purchase will become particularly important if your initial choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped but the only way to really know which one would have been best for you would be based on hindsight after you have slept on any of the mattresses you are considering and decided how suitable they are for you in terms of PPP or whether they would need any additional changes or fine tuning.

The most important part of the “value” of a mattress purchase is how well you sleep on it because regardless of the cost of a mattress it would have little value to you if you don’t sleep well on it. If you were to purchase the Ultimate Dreams latex and it turned out to be a great match for you in terms of PPP then the options that were available with either the UD Eurotop or the UD Freedom wouldn’t really be important because you would already be sleeping on a mattress that was a great match for you. If on the other hand you purchase a mattress and discover that you didn’t make the most suitable firmness choice then there would be significant “value” in the ability to exchange the comfort layer (in the case of the UD Eurotop) or to rearrange the layers and fine tune the support or pressure relief of the mattress (in the case of the UD Freedom).

If you chose the UD latex and it was too firm then you could add a topper but choosing a topper that is a good match for both you and the mattress you are using it on (the mattress underneath a topper will change how the topper feels) can be somewhat difficult and uncertain and in some cases it can be almost as difficult as choosing a mattress in the first place (see post #2 here). If it ends up taking some trial and error to find the most suitable topper then it could also end up being more costly than a mattress where all you had to do was exchange the comfort layer for a different firmness level or just rearrange the layers inside the mattress. Adding a topper involves changing two variables (you would be changing both the thickness and the firmness of the comfort layers) and is more difficult to predict while exchanging a comfort layer only involves changing one variable (the firmness of the comfort layer) which is easier to predict the outcome.

[quote]As you said before, the Ultimate Dreams is a solid mattress, but the Eurotop (which Chuck said was their most popular) is better because you can customize it more easily. But is there really much difference between the Eurotop and the regular with a topper? It seems I would be spending an extra $300 right out of the gate before knowing if the regular mattress was fine.[/quote].

There are some smaller differences between the UD Latex and the UD Eurotop that would have some effect on how each of them feel and perform and how they compare to each other in terms of PPP including the thicker support core in the Eurotop, any differences in the cover and quilting, and the separate “compartment” in the Eurotop, so even with the same firmness level of latex in the comfort layer they may feel a little different from each other for some people but the biggest difference between them is that the Eurotop allows you to exchange the firmness of the comfort layer which would have significant value if your sleeping experience indicates that you need a different firmness level. It would be even more important if your initial choice was too soft because you can soften up a mattress that is too firm with a topper but there are no particularly effective ways to firm up a mattress that is too soft without removing and replacing layers.

In other words … the UD latex would be a more risky choice than either of the other two and whether you are comfortable with the extra risk that can be involved in purchasing a mattress where the only way to change it would be to add a topper or in choosing a topper that works well for you on a specific mattress (which can sometimes be as uncertain as choosing a mattress in the first place) would depend on your risk tolerance and on your confidence that you would be able to choose a topper that was a good match for you and the mattress you were using it on. Depending on the type and thickness of the topper you were purchasing or on whether you choose the right topper the first time … adding a topper could also end up being a more costly option than exchanging the firmness of the comfort layer in the Eurotop. The Eurotop would also have the option of being able to replace just the comfort layer down the road if your needs or preferences change without having to replace the complete mattress.

IMO … all of their mattresses are great value and are “well worth the money” but which one would be the best choice for any particular person would depend on the parts of their personal value equation that are most important to them including the price and the options that are available after a purchase. The UD freedom has more options to fine tune the mattress after a purchase by rearranging the layers than either of the other two you are considering and wouldn’t require a layer exchange or an additional topper so this would be an advantage that the other two don’t have. In effect you are buying a mattress that would be like having 12 different options to choose from and the odds that one or more of them will be a great match for you would be very high.

Its unlikely that you would find a local mattress that would feel or perform like any of these because they would most likely have different designs and specs and layer thicknesses and firmness levels in their materials and layers and even relatively smaller differences between two mattresses can have a surprisingly significant effect on how it feels or compares to another mattress but if you have done some local testing on several Dunlop and Talalay latex mattresses than you would at least have a general idea of what Dunlop and Talalay latex feel like and how they compare. Synthetic Dunlop would be somewhat “in between” the feel of Talalay and Dunlop. It would be less supportive than 100% natural Dunlop (you would sink a little deeper into a layer that was the same thickness and ILD) and would feel softer in the same ILD (it would feel closer to softer Talalay) but synthetic latex would also feel less resilient than Dunlop that has a higher natural rubber content or than Talalay because of its different cell structure.

Again though … if you are comfortable with the more resilient feel of latex in general then it would be likely that at least one (and possibly more) of the many variations that are possible would be suitable for you.

In the end … all of the mattresses you are considering would be good options and I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase any of them in terms of their quality/value and if you are down to finalists that are choices between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them then your final choice will really come down to your “best judgement” based on your material preferences and all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you and which of the many tradeoffs between the cost, options, and risk for each of them you believe would be the “best value” for you.

Phoenix