Hi Wmorales,
It’s the “optional” step in the tutorial post here which also includes a link to a list of some of the better online manufacturers and retailers that sell memory foam mattresses … many of which are members of this site.
Most of them use commonly available memory foam mattresses as a reference point or approximation for their mattresses (usually Tempurpedic but sometimes Sealy Optimum or Serta iComfort) so that their customers can test local mattresses that are similar to their own mattresses to get a better sense of how their mattresses feel and perform. Post #9 here has more about the different ways that one mattress may “match” another one. This can be based on having the equivalent comfort/support, quality of materials, overall design, or “feel” (which is very subjective, is the most difficult part to “match”, and can vary from person to person and mattress to mattress even if it matches based on the other criteria). Most of them also have good return policies so that if for some reason your experience on a mattress is significantly different from what you expected or the mattress isn’t suitable for you in terms of PPP then you have good options available after a purchase.
The thickness of a mattress is generally a side effect of it’s design goals and by itself isn’t really an important factor. In very general terms … thicker mattresses will tend to be softer and heavier body types may “bottom out” on some mattresses that are too thin but this really depends more on the specifics of what is inside the mattress than the actual thickness so this isn’t a reliable way to evaluate any mattress.
Some manufacturers are very aware that many consumers falsely believe that thicker mattresses are higher quality or somehow “better” than thinner mattresses so they will use some “design tricks” such as using taller innersprings or thicker layers of cheap polyfoam to “pad” the height instead of using more layers of more costly materials so that they can attach a higher price tag to the mattress at less cost. Retailers who make an issue of the thickness of the mattress instead of its suitability for a specific body type or sleeping positions are generally after the sale more than they are trying to educate the customer or help them make the best choice. What’s inside the mattress and how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP is always more important than its thickness.
Phoenix