Hi,
Does anyone know if there is a place in the Washington DC metro area to try out the “Ultimate Dreams Eurotop Latex Mattress” by Dreamfoam Bedding? Gets good reviews, and is a great price on Amazon, but have concerns about buying a mattress online.
Thanks
Hi CNJ,
Dreamfoam (Brooklyn Bedding) only sells these mattresses online through Amazon so they wouldn’t be available anywhere else.
Having said that … you could find mattresses that had a similar construction (a good quality polyfoam base with several inches of latex in the comfort layer with a quilted cover) in most areas of the country including Washington, DC.
Some of the better options and possibilities in the DC area are in post #2 here and if you wanted to test this type of mattress I would call them and ask if they carry a “latex polyfoam hybrid” that has 3" of latex over a high quality polyfoam support core. While this may not be the same as the Ultimate Dreams (latex and polyfoam both come in a wide range of firmness levels and there are also different types of both materials) … it would at least give you a reference point for this type of mattress and if the place where you were testing it was also able to provide you with the firmness of each layer for a mattress that you liked then this could also be helpful in making a firmness selection for an online purchase that used similar layers.
Chuck is also quite good at helping his customers make their firmness selections (especially if you have done some local testing) and of course if you do decide to go in this direction also make sure you let them know you are a forum member here so they will include their free shredded latex pillow 
Phoenix
Phoenix,
Thanks for the quick reply. I stumbled upon Mattress Underground while reading mattress reviews and have found the information to be extremely helpful. Sounds like you are the real mattress guru! A little info about us…We have been sleeping on a high end Tempurpedic mattress (don’t remember the specific name of the one we bought, but paid about $4,000 and it has the thick pillow-top attached to it) for seven years and we love it. No matter where we go or sleep now, nothing feels quite as good as our current mattress. I love the way my hips and shoulders can sort of sink into it, but it still feels very supportive. We especially love that it seems to eliminate a lot of tossing and turning at night…it seems to kind of cradle you just in the right place and doesn’t allow you to sort of just flop over when you’re lying on your side. We’re both side sleepers, with me being 5’5"-150 and my husband 6’2"-175.
Okay, so now the dilemma. We need to buy a new mattress (king size) for us to use in our second home (work related-and will be there for 1-2 years). I don’t want to spend $4,000 for a mattress that will only be used 2-3 days per week over the next 2 years. Also, have been reading so much scary information about the toxic off gassing from memory foam mattresses that now I’m afraid to buy another one. Have been reading about organic mattresses, but seems they are very expensive for a 2nd home mattress that will only be used part-time. I’m at a mattress stand still. Do you know if there is a “truly” non-toxic brand of memory foam mattress? “Bed Boss” says that they have non-toxic memory foam, do you know if this is true? If not, do you know of another non-toxic type of mattress that would have the same, or close to the same, feel of the Tempurpedic?
Many thanks!
Hi CNJ,
My guess is that your mattress is probably either the Allura or the GrandBed but your law tag should have the specific model listed on it. Either way … both of these use good quality and durable materials although as you know they are not particularly good “value” compared to other mattresses that use similar quality foams in similar layering and amounts.
The issue of the “safety” of a mattress is a controversial one and will end up leading you down a rabbit hole of conflicting information and opinions. You can read more general information about natural, organic, green, and safe materials (all of these have very different meanings) in post #2 here which also links to another post with much more detailed and specific information as well.
In practical terms and for most people … the memory foam guidelines that are in post #10 here would be 'safe enough" but the question of “how safe is safe” needs to be answered by each person on an individual basis.
They use CertiPur certified foam so they would meet the safety guidelines I use from this perspective yes. Of course this doesn’t speak to the quality of their materials which can be determined by finding out the density of all the layers in their mattress and both safety and quality are separate from how a mattress “feels” as well.
You can read a little more about the different ways to “match” or at least approximate two different mattresses in post #2 here.
If a mattress “matches” your mattress in terms of your individual subjective perceptions of its “feel” and the quality of the layers are acceptable to you (you would need to know their density to know this) then this may be close enough for the purposes you mentioned. A mattress can match another mattress in terms of how it feels for a particular person even though it doesn’t use the same quality/durability materials (you can’t feel the quality of a foam and even low density foams can feel similar to higher density foams in certain combinations).
To find other mattresses that may “match” your Tempurpedic in one way or another (feel or quality of materials) would involve calling the retailers in your area and letting them know which Tempurpedic you were trying to match and then seeing if their answer gives you enough confidence (and specific information) to justify paying them a visit and testing their mattresses. I would make sure before you visit them that they are both willing and able to provide you with the foam densities of their memory foam mattresses so you can determine their quality and durability of any mattress where the “feel” matches what you are looking for.
The question I would be asking on the phone would be something along the lines of …
“I’m looking for a memory foam mattress that feels similar to the Tempurpedic … (fill in the name of your mattress) and that uses similar quality materials … do you have anything like this?”
If they indicate that they may … then the next question would be …
If I test this mattress and it seems to feel similar to me … do you have and disclose the density of all the memory foam and polyfoam layers in the mattress and can you confirm before I go there that there is no memory foam in it that is less than 4 lb density?
If the answer to both of these is yes … then it would probably be worthwhile to pay them a visit
Some of the better online sources for memory foam mattresses are listed in post #12 here. A discussion with some of these may also be well worthwhile because they may not only be able to approximate the 'feel" of the Tempurpedic mattresses (in most people’s perceptions) but the quality of the materials at a significantly lower price as well.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix
Hey there Phoenix,
I really appreciate your response and all of the helpful information on your site. Who knew there was sooooo much to learn about mattresses. I’m still on the mattress hunt and of course it just stirs up more questions.
If you have a moment, was wondering…are you familiar with a company called Carolina Mattress Guild? We tried out a few of their mattresses at the Creative Classics Furniture Store in Alexandria, Va. and then tried a couple of others at the Great American Sleep Shop in Lynchburg, Va. We liked what we’ve read about the company on their website; seems as they are trying to produce a healthier product with reasonable prices. I just can’t seem to find much in the way of consumer reviews, or any significant information about the density of their materials, etc… We were mostly drawn to one of their hybrid memory foam/latex beds.
Thanks a bunch!
Hi CNJ,
Carolina Mattress Guild is a regional manufacturer which has better odds of being better quality/value than most major brand mattresses but any specific mattress is only as good as the construction and materials inside it and like many other manufacturers some of their mattresses use lower quality foams that I wouldn’t consider at all. The only way to know the quality or value of a mattress and to make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses is to make sure that the retailer or manufacturer you are buying from understands the importance of providing this information to their customers. Without it you would be making a blind purchase with no way to know the quality or likely durability of what you purchased. The quality of the materials is what will determine how long the comfort and support that you experienced in a showroom is likely to last (and loss of comfort and support is not covered by warranties). Of course the value of a mattress also depends on the price you buy it for and how it compares to other mattresses that use similar materials and with manufacturers who sell their mattresses through retail stores they can also vary widely. The brand of a mattress is just the name of the company that in essence puts the materials inside the cover in various ways.
A forum search on “Carolina Mattress Guild” or on “CMG” (you can just click each link) will bring up more information about them.
There is also a lot of “greenwashing” in the industry today as almost all the manufacturers try to capture the so called “green” or “natural” market but much of this information is also very inaccurate or misleading. You can read a bit more about this in post #2 here and much more yet in the posts and information it links to about the very confusing and controversial subject of what is really green, natural, safe, ecofriendly, and organic (and these can all have very different meanings). There certainly are healthier choices in mattress materials but once again it’s the materials and the real facts about them not the manufacturer that is important and each person may have a different answer to “how safe is safe enough for me?”
One of the most important parts of buying any mattress and one of the most reliable indicators of more knowledgeable retailers and salespeople are the ones who will provide you with all the details of every layer of their mattress and are able to educate you about the differences between them (see guideline #2 here). Without this … “quality” is just a meaningless word and you have no way of really knowing what you are buying and quite frankly the salesperson has no way of knowing the quality and value of what they are selling … no matter what marketing stories they may be telling you or which manufacturers label is on the mattress.
Phoenix
Good morning Phoenix,
Have been reading and re-reading to make sure I’m asking the right questions as my search for the right mattress continues. Your information is soooo helpful!
Keeping in mind that this purchase is for a temporary (1-2 years) 2nd home and will only be used 3 days a week at most…and, when this work project is over will probably just have to donate or give away…so don’t need it to last 10-20 years… trying to find something for under $1,500, that will feel as much like our Tempurpedic as possible…
We tried this mattress at Mattressland, in Sterling Va., and think it might be a contender. Wanted to know what you think, here are the specs that gave me:
It was called the “Visco Crown PT’ by Bed Boss. Price for King $1,099 (includes frame and base).
0.5 “inches of bamboo infused phyto-foam quilted into the cover-4.2
2"of high density memory foam-4.8
3” of memory foam with 9zone support-3.6
7.5” of high resiliency base foam with 9zone support-4.2
I liked that it had a plush feeling pillow top (like our Tempurpedic) but my husband was concerned that it feel too soft and might not be quite as supportive.
They also carry a brand called “Healthy Rest”. Are you familiar with this one?
Thanks so much!
Hi CNJ,
As you can see in post #2 here there are really only 3 ways to match or at least “approximate” another mattress with any degree of accuracy and you may have to rely on your own personal and more subjective sense of “feel” and how close you think a mattress you are testing is to the “feel” of the specific Tempurpedic model you are trying to match.
Since you are only looking at more occasional and short term use of the mattress … this means that you wouldn’t need to put the same emphasis on the density or quality of the materials as someone who planned to use the mattress every night over a longer period of time so I would probably “relax” the guidelines here that I generally suggest for memory foam mattresses in terms of foam density a little. This also means that you probably wouldn’t need to use your full budget because something suitable that “feels” close enough to the Tempurpedic for your needs would probably cost less (like the Bed Boss you are considering).
[quote]It was called the “Visco Crown PT’ by Bed Boss. Price for King $1,099 (includes frame and base).
0.5 “inches of bamboo infused phyto-foam quilted into the cover-4.2
2"of high density memory foam-4.8
3” of memory foam with 9zone support-3.6
7.5” of high resiliency base foam with 9zone support-4.2[/quote]
I think these specs are probably reasonable for the use you are considering (the 3" memory foam layer is a little on the low side) but the specs of the .5" of “phyto-foam” and the 7.5" of high resiliency base foam are clearly not accurate. These are density specs of memory foam not polyfoam. The .5" of polyfoam in the top layer wouldn’t be an issue for me and it’s very likely that the base layer as well is a suitable density but on principle along I would want to know the accurate number of what it was.
Healthy Rest looks like a house brand (my guess would be made by Zinus) that also uses Chinese poured foam (based on the description) but is CertiPur certified like the Bed Boss so I would also consider them as well as long as the density of their layers, how it “feels” to you, and the value compared to the Bed Boss are all in the range you are looking for.
For the sake of making “value” and “quality” comparisons … some of the better online memory foam manufacturers or merchants I’m aware of are listed in post #12 here.
Phoenix
Hello again,
Thanks so very much for your input!!
Have been back to Mattressland to give the “Healthy Rest” store brand another try. They had two on the floor that could be contenders in terms of their feel. The salesperson gave me printouts with the following information. At the top it says “MLILY”. But, the salesperson told me that the beds were made by a company called “Sleemons” (not sure if that is the correct spelling). What does that mean?
the “Revitalize”
1.5’ Air Foam-Air flow regulating Dream Foam, 4.2
2.5" Gel Foam-gelcore infused high density memory foam, 4.2
7" Base Foam-High resiliency base foam, 4.2
*This one felt immediately good to me, not sure why. It somehow had a lighter feel to it.
the “Legacy”
1" Gel foam in the quilted cover
2" Firm memory foam,4.8
2" Rebound premium support memory foam,5.8
8" High resiliency base foam,4.2
*my husband like this one the best, he likes a firmer bed. I thought it felt a little too hard, but wonder if it would give a little over time.
I’m so confused. Both beds had very strong odors, the salesperson said that they’d been on the floor for 3 weeks. Does the memory foam made in China have more off gassing/odor problems that US made memory foams? I really appreciate any input you can provide?
Okay, so for our next issue. I really would like to get away from memory foam altogether, the more I’m reading I can see that latex is supposed to be a much healthier option…no off gassing & better for folks like me who have terrible allergies. We have tried several different latex beds in various stores (healthy back, Ikea, CMG, and some others) but my husband always says that they are too giggly…he says that he can really feel the motion transfer…and he’s afraid that after sleeping on memory foam for the past 8 years that we will toss and turn and keep each other awake all night…this is why I’ve been searching for a 2nd home bed that feels like our Tempurpedic. However for me, the more I try the latex mattresses and the longer I lay on them, the more I like them. I guess my question is…is there a brand of latex mattress (or maybe a hybrid mix or brand that you know of) we could try that might be a good compromise for us…or as my husband asked is there a latex bed that would feel more like memory foam? Many, Many Thanks!
Hi CNJ,
Some comments about the specs you’ve been given …
the “Revitalize”
1.5’ Air Foam-Air flow regulating Dream Foam, 4.2: Is this memory foam or polyfoam. If it’s polyfoam then the density is wrong.
2.5" Gel Foam-gelcore infused high density memory foam, 4.2: This is medium density/quality memory foam.
7" Base Foam-High resiliency base foam, 4.2: I don’t believe this is accurate because polyfoam wouldn’t have this density. It would also make me question the accuracy of the other specs if the person giving you this didn’t know that this was not likely to be the polyfoam density and questioned its accuracy themselves before they gave it to you.
the “Legacy”
1" Gel foam in the quilted cover Is this gel memory foam or gel polyfoam and what is the density?
2" Firm memory foam,4.8: medium/high density/quality memory foam.
2" Rebound premium support memory foam,5.8 High densityquality memory foam
8" High resiliency base foam,4.2: Once again I don’t believe this is correct.
All foam including memory foam and mattresses will go through some initial softening over the first 90 days or so as the covers stretch, the materials “settle”, and the foams go through an initial softening period after which they soften more slowly and gradually. Higher density memory foams are typically firmer than lower density memory foams but are also more durable and more costly. If I was in the 200 lb range or higher I would begin to be more cautious with the use of medium density memory foam in the 4 lb range and less of it would be better in terms of durability. Whether any tradeoff between durability, “feel” and price is worth it depends on the preferences of each person and what is most important to them. My role is to make sure you know any tradeoffs you would be making. In other words this mattress would be more durable and uses higher quality materials but how it feels overall is just as important a part of its “value” to you. If you found a mattress that both felt the way you both liked and used higher quality materials it would be the best of both worlds.
I think that in general terms the answer would probably be yes but not in all cases and it’s not really possible to make blanket assessments like this. If Chinese foams are CertiPur certified (both the polyfoam and the memory foam layers) then at least you have some assurance that any smell has been tested for harmful substances that would be “safe enough” for most people but not all people would be comfortable with it regardless of whether it was considered to be “safe”. 3 weeks is longer than usual for the initial strong smell of most foam to persist. Memory foam in general tends to have more “smell” issues and “sensitivity” issues than other types of foam. If the manufacturer of foam in the Healthy Rest is Zinus (the foam manufacturer) then they are only listed with CertiPur for their memory foam (not their polyfoam and not any gel foams). Neither mLily or Healthy Rest are listed with CertiPur as a mattress manufacturer so with any Chinese foams I would want to make sure that every type of material in the mattress was certified. I believe that the foams in the mLily are manufactured by health Care which are CertiPur certified for their gel foams.
Overall … if you are “confused” or “undecided” and the retailer can’t provide you with the specific information you would need to feel comfortable with buying the mattress … I would pass it by. Their job is to provide you with all the accurate information you need to make a decision.
I can add one more piece of information which is that MLily as a manufacturer is open and transparent about their layers and foam specs and if you insist that the retailer does their job and calls their supplier they will have access to the real specs of the mattress from their supplier which they an in turn provide to you.
There are many types of latex mattress designs and there is a wide range of different types with different feels but in the end the choice of material is a matter of personal preference. Like any material … some people just don’t prefer it over other types of foam. Sometimes any new material that you are not familiar with or used to can take some time to adjust to. i would certainly try a range of latex mattresses (making sure that you were actually lying on the latex and not “trusting” that it was latex unless you see a spec sheet with the layering). The differences between the many latex mattresses available have nothing to do with the brand (which is just the company that puts latex into the cover) but with the design. Any manufacturer can make any latex design that they choose to.
Have you tried the line of Talalay latex mattresses at Healthy Back? They have a line of Pure Latex Bliss mattresses that have a range of different styles that can give you a good indication of how you feel about talalay latex. If you try a variety of latex mattresses and none of them are appealing to you … then perhaps you are one of the people who just don’t like latex.
Pure Latex Bliss also has a line of mattresses called the Hybrid 3.0 that uses “slow recovery” latex which has a similar feel to memory foam. If you look on the retail finder at the PLB site here they have a list of their retailers and calling them will find out if any of them carry the hybrid line on their floor so you could test it.
Hope this helps … and sometimes it’s a matter of eliminating options one by one. Are there any other retailers or manufacturers on the DC list that you haven’t talked with on the phone?
Phoenix