Let me start by saying I’ve read much of what you have here, and thank you for having this site,and for offering so much help! You seem quite knowledgable and have helped so many!!
My problem is that I have a tight budget for a new mattress - around 1k. To my husband, this is plenty of money to spend on a mattress, and he fails to see the need to spend any more. I have scoliosis which gives me terrible shoulder pain, and L4-L5 disc degeneration from old injury which causes chronic low back pain, and I haven’t slept “normally” for years. I’m 48, around 160 lbs. and have slept on a Tempurpedic (deluxe I think?) for over 7 years. It was ok, but has now gotten hard as a rock and has a significant body impression which makes it useless.
I’d like to stick with memory foam, as have been on one for over 15 years now and I can’t stand any sagging from regular beds. I"m in such pain, I’ve been sleeping in guest bed, sofa, heck…I’ve even thought of the floor this past week - so I need/want to get a new mattress asap! I’ve been to Sit and Sleep (ugh) and a few other retailers, and have found the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe to be the most comfortable thing in the store. Nothing else seems to compare, but I don’t know if the bed is just so soft and giving me relief from the pain I’m in currently that it feels good to lie on for short 20 min. periods at a time- - or if it’s really a great bed on the long term. I don’t know if going from something so hard to something so soft will be good for me in 6 months, you know? Also, of course it’s way above budget. I’ve done nothing but research for the past few days and found the “Dream Foam Ultimate Dreams 13"” on Amazon for about $700. It gets rave reviews, but I just can’t see buying something online without trying it - plus there is no edge support on it and I figure it’s cheap for a reason. So…my ultimate question is: Is there such a thing as a mattress under 1K that is any good for a person like me who needs softness, support, and NO sagging issues?
I was thinking of buying a cheaper hybrid with a super soft pillow top, but realize the sagging will be an issue in the longer term. Because of my bad back, I am like a Princess and the Pea who notices the slightest change in a bed. I realize a bed will break in also not last too much over 5 or 6 yrs., and I’m fine with that. I just want something that will hold up well for that amount of time. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Oh - also of note that TempFlow is right down the road from me and I have an appointment to go see them today. However their price tag for the Celestia is $2500. I know this is more than I can afford so it’s probably a waste of my time. Are the cheaper Serta I comforts going to break down too fast? Agh…I’m so confused and in such pain. Any help you can give me is appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi backpainAmy,
There are too many unknowns, variables, and preferences involved for anyone to tell you which specific mattress (or brand) to buy based on specs (either yours or the mattress) out of all the thousands that are available in the market (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
The tutorial post here though has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you with “how” to choose the mattress that is best for you … and just as importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
If you follow the steps one by one you will have the best possible chance to make a great choice and of course if you have any specific questions along the way you can always post them on the forum.
It also has all the information you need to make meaningful comparisons between mattresses based on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. Price is certainly not the best way to determine either the suitability of a mattress or the quality/value of a mattress compared to others.
If you are comfortable with an online purchase then the tutorial post also has a like to some of the better online memory foam retailers and manufacturers I’m aware of as well. Many of these sell mattresses that are very similar to the Tempurpedic lineup so you can use your testing on Tempurpedic as a reference point. Post #9 here also has more information about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one.
If the Tempflow/Selectabed showroom is close to you then post #2 here includes the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Phoenix
Thanks for the great links. I went ahead and bought the Dreamform Ultimate Dreams 13" memory foam through Amazon. After talking to Chuck over there for the past few days, and then calling their sister company Brooklyn Bedding, it became obvious that they know what they are doing and really care about customer service. I couldn’t face going back into another sleazy mattress showroom again. It ultimately came down to that one and the Aloe Alexis from BB, as I like the customization and choices that offers; but not having much experience, I went for the Dreamform because it was a great price and Chuck thinks it will be closest to the Temperpedic Cloud Luxe. I hope come monday I’ll be one of the over 250 happy customers raving about it on Amazon. Time will tell. Just relieved to have made a decision.
Hi backpainAmy,
They certainly do know what they’re doing and are very knowledgeable and experienced and provide great customer service.
The Dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams 13" memory foam is one of their more popular mattresses and there have been many forum members that have purchased it. While each person’s experience can be different on the same mattress … the most common feedback has been that it is similar to the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe and perhaps “just a bit” firmer.
So if the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe was a good match for you in terms of PPP, then I think you made a great choice … and congratulations on your new mattress
I’m looking forward to your feedback when you receive it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
Phoenix