Hello Phoenix, I’ve been researching mattresses on your site for a second time as I need to replace my current mattress (Select Comfort Sleep Number that was included in a house purchase) which has been giving my wife and I back issues of late.
I previously used this site to find a high-end memory foam mattress for my mother-in-law two years ago - a Select Foam Regalis HD 12" (utilizing the MU discount) to approximate a Tempurpedic Rhapsody Breeze - and my MIL has been very happy with the bed so far.
We checked out mattress types at a local Sleepy’s and have decided to get a medium firm foam (latex or memory foam or hybrid) mattress so most of the foam mattress companies recommended by this site could suffice. I currently have a platform bed frame and not looking to throw that away for a coil+boxspring setup (and I can’t put coil+boxspring on top of the platform because I have very young children who like being on the bed and would be a more dangerous fall from that height).
Since the earlier purchase for my MIL, however, new startup foam mattress companies have appeared (e.g. Brooklyn Bedding, Casper, Tuft & Needle) that use acceptable materials (according to this site) and generally get good reviews, and price mattresses at ~$1000 . I’m trying to understand all of the major differences between these new companies and the older higher-end companies such as Select Foam which can have pricing of $2000+.
Am I correct in believing that the major difference is that the higher-end companies use better and more durable materials, but the new startups still use good acceptable materials that should last 10+ years (guess based on warranty length)? Are there significant differences in comfort and usability? Understanding that each individual situation is difference, should I expect more comfort and back pain relief from the more expensive option on average?
I’m willing to spend more for better comfort and quality, but trying to determine the type of gap between the two types of companies. Is the difference between the two company types akin to the difference between a Toyota and Lexus (I’m fine with a good Toyota that does the job with less luxury but still very good comfort and similar reliability) or between a Dodge (usually functional and acceptable but with less expected reliability) and a 2014 Tesla (the one that got the best score ever from Consumer Reports)?
Most one sided innerspring mattresses will work best either directly on a suitable platform bedframe (without a foundation) or on a solid non flexing foundation … not on a box spring which has springs inside it which flex. In many cases a box spring may even invalidate the warranty.
Unfortunately it’s not possible to make these types of comparisons in such general terms because it would depend on the specifics of two mattresses you are comparing. There is more about some of the factors that can affect the price of a mattress relative to different manufacturers or retailers in post #14 here but the biggest factor is generally the type, amount, quality, and cost of the materials and components inside it. Some materials are more costly than others and this (along with the other variables involved in the price) would be reflected in the cost of the mattress.
There is also more about the 3 most important parts of “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 if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
[quote]Am I correct in believing that the major difference is that the higher-end companies use better and more durable materials, but the new startups still use good acceptable materials that should last 10+ years (guess based on warranty length)? Are there significant differences in comfort and usability? Understanding that each individual situation is difference, should I expect more comfort and back pain relief from the more expensive option on average?
I’m willing to spend more for better comfort and quality, but trying to determine the type of gap between the two types of companies. Is the difference between the two company types akin to the difference between a Toyota and Lexus (I’m fine with a good Toyota that does the job with less luxury but still very good comfort and similar reliability) or between a Dodge (usually functional and acceptable but with less expected reliability) and a 2014 Tesla (the one that got the best score ever from Consumer Reports)?[/quote]
I would keep in mind that the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), any specific health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
While I can’t speak to how a mattress will feel for someone else … outside of “comfort” and PPP the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress always depends on knowing the type and quality of the materials inside it (regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or the type or category of the mattress or the materials inside it) so I would always make sure that you can find out the information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the quality/durability guidelines here to confirm that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
I would always keep in mind that the only reliable way to know for certain whether any mattress or combination of materials will be a good “match” for you in terms of “feel”, “comfort”, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own personal experience but when you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines I linked earlier in this reply … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article).
While there is no way to quantify how long any mattress will last for a specific person or predict exactly when you will decide to replace it because it is no longer suitable or comfortable for you (because this is the only real measure of durability or the useful life of a mattress that really matters) because there are too many unknowns and variables involved that are unique to each person … if a mattress is well inside a suitable comfort/support range and isn’t close to the edge of being too soft when it is new (see post #2 here) and you have confirmed that they meet the minimum quality/durability specs that are suggested in the quality/guidelines then it would be reasonable to expect a useful lifetime in the range of 7 - 10 years and with higher quality and more durable materials like latex or higher density memory foam or polyfoam (in the comfort layers especially) it would likely be in the higher end of the range or even longer and the chances that you would have additional “bonus time” would be higher as well.
A warranty is important to guard against manufacturing defects in the materials or components inside a mattress that can happen on rare occasions but I would also keep in mind that mattress warranties only cover manufacturing defects and they don’t cover the gradual (or more rapid in the case of lower quality comfort layers) loss of comfort and support that comes from foam softening that is the main reason that most people will need to replace their mattress. In other words warranties have little to do with the durability or useful life of a mattress or how long it may be until you need to buy a new mattress. If there is an actual defect in the materials it will usually show up early in the life of the mattress but knowing the quality and durability of the materials in your mattress is always a much more reliable way to assess the durability and useful life of a mattress than the length of a warranty. There is more about mattress warranties in post #174 here.
You can see some comments about what I call “simplified choice mattresses” in general in post #1 here and you can see some more specific and detailed comments about many of the “simplified choice” online mattresses (including the three you mentioned) in post #2 here in the same topic.
In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to first finding a few knowledgeable and transparent manufacturers that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in (either locally or online) and that can provide you with all the information you need to know to make an informed choice and make meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.
Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Thanks for the help Phoenix. I’ve reviewed the tutorial as well as spending some time in the forums reading old threads. I understand that there’s no best mattress for everyone so its important to find the one that works best for us and I believe that the companies that are part of MU’s membership all sell quality mattresses for a fair price so will make the purchase from that list.
I hadn’t realized that most one-sided innerspring mattresses would work with my platform bedframe. I would strongly consider purchasing an innerspring mattress for its edge support (circumstances requiring sitting on the edge alot for the next 6 months). Can you tell who on the membership list, if any, sells innerspring mattresses? Going through the list, I see that they seem to be predominantly foam mattress makers (of which I am leaning towards Brooklyn Bedding). Thanks.
Almost all of the local members on the list would sell innerspring mattresses and there may be other local options as well that may also be worth considering.
Post #2 here also includes the members that I’m aware of that sell innerspring mattresses online as well.