Hi Snagged,
The problem with “brand shopping” is that you aren’t buying the brand … you are buying a specific mattress … and most manufacturers make a wide range of mattresses that can vary from very low quality that in some cases may only last you for weeks or months to much more premium mattresses that use higher quality and more durable materials that will have a much longer useable lifetime. In terms of quality and durability … a mattress is only as good as the type and quality/durability of the materials and components inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label. The name of the manufacturer on the label won’t tell you anything about whether a specific mattress is suitable for you in terms of PPP or whether there are any lower quality materials or weak links in the design. There is more about the risks of brand shopping in post #5 here and post #12 here).
I would put more emphasis on the knowledge, experience, and transparency of the manufacturer or retailer you are dealing with than on the brand name of the mattress and who you deal with can be one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase.
I would be very cautious about pillowtops in particular (especially if they are made by a major manufacturer) because the materials in the pillowtop are often lower quality foams or fibers that are notorious for softening, breaking down, or sagging prematurely.
To find the “best mattress for you” (regardless of whether it would be the best mattress for anyone else), you will need to …
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Make sure that a mattress is suitable for you to sleep on in terms of PPP. A mattress that is a perfect “match” for one person may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on regardless of the quality of the materials inside it or the cost of the mattress.
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Make sure that a mattress uses good quality and durable materials inside it regardless of the brand because this is the only effective way to assess the durability and the useful life of a mattress.
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Compare your finalists for “value” based on all the criteria that are most important to you including the price of course and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
I already linked some of the better lower budget online sources I’m aware of and if you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
Phoenix