New foam mattress

Hi,

We’re looking for a new mattress and from my readings, foam was the best choice.

We’re both side and sometimes back sleepers. Since i have shoulder problem, i need a soft mattress (just not too soft where you sink in it).

From what i read, i should avoid top brands like Sealy, etc…

I’ve found a few decent deals:

Novosbed.ca (the Aria) - decent price
Amerisleep.ca (the Colonial) - expensive
Amazon.ca (DreamFoam Bedding Ultimate Dreams 13-Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress) - good price

and many at Costco.ca…

Are there better values elsewhere?

TheBay also has this deal: http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/thebay/hybrid-specialty-titanium-gold-champion-euro-pillow-top-set (988$)

Thank you

Hi frederixx,

The best place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Almost all mattresses contain some type of foam material (latex foam, memory foam, polyfoam) as either part or all of their design but the type of materials or components and the type of mattress which is “best for you” is always a personal preference. There are also better quality and more durable versions and lower quality and less durable versions of most foam materials so regardless of which type of foam or which type of mattress you tend to prefer based on testing different types of mattresses … the goal is always to make sure that you know the type and quality of all the materials inside it so that you can identify any weak links in the mattress and make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses (see this article).

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here. Softness and firmness is very subjective and a mattress that feels too soft for one person may feel to firm for someone else. The “best” mattress for you (regardless of whether it is best for anyone else) is the one that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).

There is also more about the different ways to choose a mattress (online or local) and how to reduce the risks involved with each of them in post #2 here.

Yes … I would avoid the major brands or any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here).

When you are considering an online choice the one of the most important parts of your purchase will be a more detailed conversation with the manufacturer or retailer so they can help “talk you through” the options that are best for you based on the information you provide them, your local testing on similar mattresses, and on the “averages” of their customers that are similar to you.

These are different mattresses so the first step is to decide which of these you are most likely to sleep well on (which is the most important part of the “value” of a mattress purchase).

The Aria is similar to the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme, the Colonial is similar to the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe, and the Dreamfoam 13" gel memory foam is also similar to the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe so I would test the equivalent Tempurpedic mattresses locally to see which one is the best match for you in terms of PPP which will help you narrow down your choices.

Once you have narrowed down your choices and have talked with each of them on the phone … then you can also compare them based on the type and quality of the materials inside them (especially in the upper layers which are the weakest link of a mattress in terms of durability) and on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

You can see my thoughts about buying from Costco in post #4 here. They certainly wouldn’t be the best source of guidance and most of their mattresses tend to use lower quality materials than I would be comfortable with and they aren’t generally the best quality/value choice either but if you decide on one of their better quality mattresses then at least they have a good return policy (although other online sources that may have better quality/value mattresses and offer better guidance may also have very good return policies as well).

The “value” of a mattress purchase depends on a combination of which mattress is the best match for you in terms of PPP, the quality and durability of the materials inside it, and all the other criteria that are most important to you, but if you are committed to a memory foam mattress then the mattress shopping tutorial includes a list of the better online sources for memory foam mattresses I’m aware of which includes Novosbed and Dreamfoam (which is also a member of this site). If you do decide on Dreamfoam I would also make sure that you purchase from the Dreamfoam site rather than Amazon so that you have the benefit of the 10% discount they are offering (see their facebook page here) and their 45 day comfort guarantee.

You can read more about Amerisleep and their sister companies and their so called “expert sites” that pose as being independent in post #2 here and the posts it links to. A forum search on Amerisleep (you can just click the link) will bring up more about them as well. While they are in a “better than average” value range compared to most mainstream choices … there are also other options available to you that for most people would be a better quality/value choice.

As you mentioned in your earlier comments (which I would agree with as you can see in the guidelines I linked earlier) … I would avoid the major brands completely because they tend to use lower quality less durable materials in their comfort layers than I would be comfortable with in their price range (which means the sale price not the fake regular price) and they are one of the most frequent sources of buyers remorse much too quickly after a purchase.

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

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I live in Montreal, Canada. I know the best match PPP would be ideal, but it’s kinda hard to test them since most are online only retailers. Of course they will say they are = to Tempurpedic, but how reliable?

Also, most of the best deals are only available in the US or are much more expensive in Canada.

I see some of them with 1.5in as the top layer. Is that enough?

So to resume it, I’m looking for the best deal available in Canada, for a medium-soft mattress.

Thanks for your answer, i appreciate it.

Frederixx,

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Montreal area are listed in post #276 here. You are fortunate because there are many factory direct manufacturers that are relatively close by.

There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here that you can use as a frame of reference when you are comparing them. It’s relatively simple to compare the quality of the materials inside two mattresses as long as you know what is inside them (see this article) but of course comparing them in terms of PPP and how they feel is much more subjective and relative to each person’s individual perceptions so when you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable approach for this is to deal with knowledgeable and experienced retailers or manufacturers that will provide you with good guidance when you talk with them on the phone and to make sure you include the return or exchange policy as part of the “value” of your purchase so you are comfortable with the options you have after a purchase if it doesn’t turn out as well or “match” as closely as you hoped for. There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress (local or online) and how to reduce the risk involved in each of them in post #2 here.

This would depend entirely on the rest of the layers and how well the mattress “as a whole” matched your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP. The thickness of the top layers of a mattress has little relevance by itself to whether a mattress will be a good match for any particular person because all the layers will affect the feel and performance of all the other layers in a mattress.

Firmness and softness is very subjective and there is no specific or common definition for “medium soft” between different manufacturers or different people so this really means that you are looking for a mattress that “feels” medium soft for you when you sleep on it regardless of how firm or soft it may feel to someone else with a different body type, sleeping positions, or individual sensitivity.

There is also no such thing as the “best deal” in general … only a mattress purchase that is the “best value” for you (regardless of whether it would be the best value for anyone else) based on all the criteria that are most important to you. There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here.

The tutorial post also includes a link to post #21 here that includes of the better online retailers or manufacturers that I’m aware of that ship across Canada. Your best options will most likely either be locally in the Montreal list I linked or in the online list.

Phoenix

Hi again,

I did go through your list, but most of them lack info or i can’t return the mattress if unhappy.(memoryfoamconfort.ca).

So far, my best guess would be with Novosbed.ca

Also, what do you think of this mattress : http://www.costco.ca/Humber-Bridge-Queen-Mattress-Set.product.100042683.html

I can get it new for half price! It looks good on paper, but i can’t find any reviews (for what it’s worth anyway) and can’t return it if i buy it.

Thank you

Hi frederixx,

[quote]Also, what do you think of this mattress : www.costco.ca/Humber-Bridge-Queen-Mattre…oduct.100042683.html

I can get it new for half price! It looks good on paper, but i can’t find any reviews (for what it’s worth anyway) and can’t return it if i buy it.[/quote]

Reviews won’t provide you with any meaningful information anyway (and in many cases can be more misleading than helpful) so the lack of reviews shouldn’t make any difference in your decision (see post #13 here).

I’m not clear why you wouldn’t be able to return it since Costco normally has a great return policy. Would you be buying this from Costco?

If you can’t test a mattress in person then you would need to sleep on it to know whether it would be a good match for you in terms of PPP (and if you aren’t certain then once again I would make sure that you have good exchange/return options after a purchase) but I can make some comments about the quality and durability of the materials if you can provide all the information listed in this article and post it on the forum.

The information that is missing from the Costco description is the blend of Talalay latex they are using (although either way it would be a good quality and durable material) and the density of the base polyfoam layer.

Once you know this then you can confirm that there are no weak links in the mattress and make more meaningful comparisons to any other finalists you are considering (either local or online).

Since you are looking at both memory foam and latex I would probably decide which of these materials you tend to prefer before making a purchase because they are very different materials. There is more about how memory foam compares to latex in post #2 here but your local testing will be the most reliable way to know which one you prefer.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I tried a few different mattresses and the ones that i liked the best were:

Sealy Optimum Elation
Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme

They are kinda expesive (2500-3000$) and i know i could find similar quality for much less.

I know that Novosbed sells the Aria which they say can be compared to the Cloud Supreme.

Do you know any other options out there (that can be compared to the ones i’ve listed above? I’d rather order it online (cheaper) and I’m in Canada.

Thank you

Hi frederixx,

[quote]Do you know any other options out there (that can be compared to the ones i’ve listed above? I’d rather order it online (cheaper) and I’m in Canada.[/quote].

There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” or “approximate” another one in post #9 here.

I don’t know of any manufacturer that makes a mattress that is designed to approximate the Optimum Elation so the only way to approximate this would be based on your own personal testing or by talking with an online retailer or manufacturer who happens to be familiar with the Elation and has compared their mattresses to it (even though the comparison isn’t included in the mattress description) but this isn’t all that likely.

Out of the list of manufacturers that ship across Canada … the only ones that I know of that make a mattress that is specifically designed to approximate the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme is the Novosbed Aria which you mentioned and two of the Brooklyn Bedding mattresses here.

There are also some others in the list of online memory foam manufacturers and retailers listed in post #12 here that make a mattress that approximates the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme (including Dreamfoam, Select Foam, Christeli, and Selectabed) but you would need to use a re-shipper or freight forwarder to ship your mattress to their border point and then re-ship it across the border to your home or if you live near the border pick it up yourself in the US.

Phoenix

Thank you for all your advices, i appreciate it.

I will probably go with Novosbed as they seem like quality mattresses, nice fit and good value.

Hi frederixx,

Either the Brooklyn Bedding or the Novosbed mattresses would certainly be good quality/value options and I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding once you pull the trigger.

Phoenix

Main factor was shipping. Novosbed has free shipping to Canada and prices are same as in the US (despite a weaker $). BB would be over 300$ for the shipping + US$

Now i’m trying to figure out if i should go for the Aria or Harmony. I sent them an email about it

Thanks again, you’re knowledgeable and really helpful

Hi frederixx,

The Aria would be similar to the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme and the Harmony would be similar to the Harmony inspiration so you could test both of these mattresses locally to see which one was the best match for you.

If you can’t test them in person then I would talk with them on the phone so they can talk you through your comfort choice. I wouldn’t use emails to make comfort choices (see post #4 here).

Phoenix

Hello again,

I found this deal:

http://www.costco.ca/Elegante-Queen-Mattress.product.100017711.html

Mattress:
Core: 11.4 cm (4.5 in.) overall of premium memory foam over 3.8 cm (1.5-in.) visco-latex with a 9.1 cm (7.5-in.) high-density foam base
Tencel™ natural fiber blend has a natural wicking ability, quickly transferring heat away from your body, and providing a very comfortable surface for sleep
Poly jacquard with bamboo rayon quilted cover and chenille top and side border
Non-slip interior layer
Non-slip stitched bottom
Tiny purified charcoal particles (ActivCharcoal™) from coconut husks to filtre and absorb moisture
Green tea extracts (Evergreen™) to act as a natural deodorizer and anti-oxidant to fight odours
Natural seed oil (BioFoam™) to minimize the use of chemical oils in the manufacturing process
Rolled up and vacuum sealed to reduce shipping costs
Once packaging is opened, the “memory” takes over and mattress expands to its normal size

Here are the extra specs they sent me:

ELEGANCE 14.5"
1" memory foam in quilted top = 3lbs
Core:
3.5" Memory Foam = 5lbs
1.5" HD Edge Support Foam = 1.8lbs
7.5" HD Base = 1.8lbs

How does it sound (mats-wise)?

Thank you

Hi frederixx,

This mattress is made by Zinus/Sleep Revolution which is a Chinese manufacturer that makes a very wide range of mattresses under many different names. They are CertiPUR certified. In most cases they tend to use lower to mid quality 3 - 4 lb memory foams and I haven’t seen any that use 5 lb memory foam (although I have seen some that have been mis-listed as 5 lb) so I would be cautious with the 5 lb description.

The specs you provided only add up to 12" of thickness and the mattress is 14.5" thick so the specifics of 2.5" of the layers in the mattress are missing from the specs you listed and I would want to know what they were so that I could confirm there isn’t too much lower quality materials or any weak links in the mattress. There is already an inch of 3 lb memory foam so if there is another inch of lower quality materials in the upper layers then it would be outside of the guidelines here that I would suggest (no more than “about an inch or so of lower quality/density materials”).

According to the Costco site … the mattress includes …

4.5" overall of premium memory foam (which is probably the 1" 3 lb layer and the 3.5" 5 lb layer that they listed)
1.5" of Visco latex (there are no specifics about this in the information you listed)
7.5" polyfoam support core

Their specs include an additional 1.5" visco-latex layer compared to yours but they still only add up to 13.5" which is still 1" less than the thickness of the mattress.

Their description also doesn’t include any edge support but this wouldn’t affect the thickness of the mattress so this isn’t a discrepancy that would matter in terms of knowing the layers unless you listed the edge support in your description instead of the “visco-latex” layer.

There is also more about buying from Costco in post #4 here and there is more about the additional risk and uncertainty that can be involved in buying a mattress that has been compressed and shipped from China in post #6 here.

Assuming that you can confirm that there isn’t too much lower quality materials in the mattress (you would need to know the density of the visco-latex and any other missing layers or materials) and that the 5 lb density is correct and if you are confident that the mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP (or are comfortable with trying it to find out because of Costco’s return policy) and you are also comfortable with the additional risk and uncertainty that can come with materials that have been compressed for longer periods of time during shipping from China … then if it compares well to your other finalists based on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you it would be worth considering.

Phoenix

Let me add as bed alternative 4, Brooklyn Beddings’ PureCool Supreme.

Thanks again

Thank you Phoenix, i went with the Aria from Novosbed.ca

I received it last friday and i’m really happy so far. I’ll you know how it turns out.

No more shoulder/back pains so far.

Hi frederixx,

Congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

I think you made a good quality/value choice and I’m looking forward to any additional feedback you have the chance to share over time.

Phoenix