First of all, I want to thank you for maintaining this site. It is phenomenal and it has made what is arguably the most painful and challenging consumer purchase significantly more palatable.
I was hoping for a little advice. A few weeks ago, after doing some preliminary research (but not using this website), I purchased a Leesa mattress for my girlfriend and I. We had been using a Simmons Beautyrest matress that was 8 years old prior and had a cushiony, pillow top. While the Leesa appears well made and I still view it as a strong value purchase, It is not right for us. FIrst of all, we are willing to spend a little more for a mattress to improve our sleeping experience. In addition, we are both light weights and the Leesa seems to be too firm for us and has caused lower back pain (which I have never experienced before). I am mostly a stomach sleeper, but also a side sleeper, and my girlfriend is a side sleeper. We use a Queen size mattress.
After further research, we are going to return the Leesa and buy either the Nest Bedding Hybrid Latex mattress (medium) OR the Scott Jordan Oslo Mattress (softer one, but I think it is medium) made by Berkeley Ergonomics, with a 1 inch Talalay layer on top.
The mattresses have some similarities (both are innerspring, pocket coils with latex foam on top, and wool on top of that, surrounded by cotton). However, The nest mattress has zoned coils with 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex. The Oslo (seems similar to the Berkeley Ergonomics BE 1500 mattress on BE’s website) has pocket coils which are not zoned, and 2 inches of Talalay on top (instead of 3 inches of Dunlop). However, with the topper, it will effectively be 3 inches, with some extra layers of cotton and wool.
The Scott Jordan mattress is more comfortable (i.e. softer) with the topper than the Nest, but slightly less so without the topper than the Nest. However, my girlfriend is concerned about feeling movement on her side of the bed from the other side (this seems to be much more noticeable on the Scott Jordan vs. on the nest). Also, we are concerned about the zoned construction in the Nest as we are small and perhaps the zones won’t properly line up for us?
Any input you can provide is greatly appreciated as we are really struggling here. How do you feel about Nest construction of this one vs. Berkeley Ergonomics (which appears to be top of the line)? Also, the nest mattress comes rolled up, any concerns there?
I don’t love the idea of using a topper, and would prefer one self-contained mattress, but the Scott Jordan mattress without a topper has a thinner layer of Latex and feels a little firmer than the Nest one (although, given that the stores are a mile apart, it was tough to exactly remember the feel).
Anything else we should keep in mind given our sizes, sleep styles, etc. between these two?
I’m sorry that your mattress purchase didn’t work for you. But at least you chose a product that you could return.
As your name implies, mattress research is key. With that all being said…
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Read the mattress shopping tutorial here. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
Both of the products you mentioned use high quality materials with no “weak links.” While the componentry is similar, there are differences in dunlop latex being used on the Nest versus talalay on the Scott Jordan. Bot of the styles of latex have different qualities and feels. There is no right or wrong answer here - it comes down to your personal preference (part of your PPP). Additionally, the spring unit used in the Scott Jordan has tall and short springs, where the springs on the Nest are all the same height, but zoned. So while there are many of the same “types” of components being used, they are actually quite different in many ways.
This would make sense.
Were you comparing both mattresses on the same style of foundations? This can also have an impact on the sensation of motion transfer. Marshall spring units are generally good at assisting with les motion transfer.
The zones are quite large, and being lighter I wouldn’t have a big concern about this, If the bed felt comfortable in the store in different sleeping positions it probably wouldn’t be an issue for you. You’d have to dramatically alter your sleeping position to perhaps notice a difference, and even then it might be quite small.
In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress (see the durability guidelines here).
Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Both Scott Jordan and Nest Bedding are members of this site which means that I think highly of them and I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge and transparency.
No.
Using a topper is quite common and effectively allows you to have two different feels in the same mattress. Not wanting to use one would simply be a matter of personal preference.
Good luck in your search. You’re considering two nice products. I look forward to hearing about your decision. I hope my information is helpful.