I personally like what I see in the affordable bed, but my wife is skeptical bc it’s so cheap and we’ve been burned before.
Any sleepyheads who’ve owned this bed experience any wear and tear or sag in the foam yet? I’m interested in hearing from those who have slept in it for several months at least. Is it really a durable, good quality bed? I realize we all have different body types, but please post your experiences. Thanks!
Hi tarpon21,
The Dreamfoam 12 in 1 customizable mattress has only been available for a few months (the first Amazon feedback was on April 11th,2014 and the first mention of it on the forum was on April 6th) so you won’t find any feedback for longer than this.
The polyfoam they use is 2 lbs which is a good quality material and unless for some reason it is defective (in which case they would replace it), the lifespan of 2 lb polyfoam would be measured in years not in months.
A forum search on Dreamfoam 12 in 1 customizable (you can just click the link) will bring up all the forum information and feedback about it and hopefully some of the members that own it can share their experiences as well.
Phoenix
Thanks, Phoenix!
Had no idea it was relatively new. Really just want to find a foam mattress made by quality components that won’t degrade in a couple years. Hoping this might be that one
Hi tarpon,
There are 3 main types of foam used in mattresses which are polyfoam, memory foam, and latex foam and each of them are very different from each other.
The Dreamfoam 12 in 1 customizable mattress uses 2 lb polyfoam which is a good quality material and it would be reasonable to expect that it will last you much longer than just a couple of years.
Phoenix
But how does polyfoam compare vs memory foam?
In your opinion, do you feel there is a big enough difference in general between the two-enough to spend a little more $ for memory foam?
My wife and I love this one memory foam we sleep on at my parents (tempurpedic). It’s firm, but supportive. Tried to find the model # on it to compare it’s specs, but couldn’t.
I do like how the 12 in 1 is customizable, especially for a bed in a box.
Hi tarpon21,
Like apples compare to oranges … they are very different materials. There is more about polyfoam here and here and there is more about the pros and cons of memory foam here and the pros and cons of latex here (for reference). Polyfoam is a fast response material with no “memory” and isn’t temperature sensitive and memory foam is a slow response material (the kind that leaves a “hand print” for a few seconds when you press on it) that is temperature sensitive.
Memory foam and latex are “specialty foams” which are more costly than polyfoam which is a lower cost material than either. The best way to decide how you feel about either one would be your own personal experience.
The choice between them is a preference. For those that prefer memory foam then it would certainly be worth the extra cost and for those that don’t like memory foam then it wouldn’t. Memory foam tends to be more of a “love it or hate it” material.
Tempurpedic is a memory foam mattress which means that it uses several inches of memory foam for the comfort layers (the amount and density depends on the model) and polyfoam for the support layers (memory foam is too soft to use in support layers). If you know the Tempurpedic model then I would probably be able to provide the specs but memory foam specs are different from polyfoam specs so the densities of each one aren’t comparable. For example a 3 lb memory foam would be low quality but a 3 lb polyfoam would be a very high quality material. One of the links in the tutorial post is the foam density guidelines I would suggest using here.
Tempurpedic mattresses use good quality foams (either memory foam or polyfoam) in most (but not all) of their mattresses and the 12 in 1 uses good quality polyfoam but doesn’t have any memory foam.
Phoenix
I came across many of the mattresses possessing similar qualities but haven’t experienced with this yet. I bought my mattresses from 3mart which is providing the best discounts without compromise in quality. I would like to have some more details for the more detailed view. Thanks in advance.
Hi there Phoenix,
I’m happy to report my wife and I went to Mattress Firm today and laid on some memory foam mattresses. Tried some iComforts with gel, one was way too firm and I like firm. Wife thought it was like laying on a board lol.
Fortunately, we did find one mattress that we both liked, the Serta 10" Kales memory foam. It wasn’t too soft and it wasn’t super firm. I am a side sleeper too, and it felt pretty good. Keep in mind, we have a 4 year old Serta pillowtop that completely fell apart (under warranty still I believe) and has severe sag with extreme sloping on both sides. So, kind of skeptical of Serta, although memory foam is a completely different ballgame.
I was wondering what you know about this model, its quality of components, and specs. Are there any other names for this bed out there or just known by Matress Firm as “Kales”? The salesman thought it only had 1 lb density? Yikes if true. Also, are there any other memory foam mattresses out there that would be comparable to the feel/specs/price of this Serta 10" Kales memory foam? Seems like it is a medium firm, not sure how to classify it excatly when comparison shopping online… and do you feel 10" even enough support for memory foam? We love the feel for it, but don’t trust Serta completely and I know we could do better on price. We were quoted for $1200 including box spring. Salesman said it would come with 10 year full warranty.
Lastly, was wondering your thoughts on what we should do with our current mattress and box spring that is clearly defective. We aren’t overweight (180 lb and 160 lb) and the thing is shot after nearly 4 years. Would you recommend we contact the store who sold us this mattress since it’s still under warranty? If it’s not worth it, would we be able to use our existing boxspring since that appears to be ok?
Sorry for so many questions, but we are making strides in our mattress quest! We can now cross of polyfoam at least and focus on memory foam/latex going forward. Thanks so much, you are doing great things and I’m recommending friends to your website.
Hi tarpon21,
[quote]I’m happy to report my wife and I went to Mattress Firm today and laid on some memory foam mattresses. Tried some iComforts with gel, one was way too firm and I like firm. Wife thought it was like laying on a board lol.
Fortunately, we did find one mattress that we both liked, the Serta 10" Kales memory foam. It wasn’t too soft and it wasn’t super firm. I am a side sleeper too, and it felt pretty good. Keep in mind, we have a 4 year old Serta pillowtop that completely fell apart (under warranty still I believe) and has severe sag with extreme sloping on both sides. So, kind of skeptical of Serta, although memory foam is a completely different ballgame.[/quote]
As you can see in the guidelines in the tutorial post … I would avoid chain stores like Mattress Firm and major brands like Serta completely.
Outside of what is on their site (which is next to nothing) I don’t know any specifics about it no and the only information I would be able to find out is what Mattress Firm would provide their customers but it’s very likely that the quality/durability of the materials are quite low. Having said that … the memory foam certainly isn’t 1 lb density and whoever was answering the questions here and whoever provided you with this information clearly knows very little about mattress materials or they would realize very quickly that the specs they are providing make no sense at all.
There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here but this isn’t a mattress that another manufacturer would even try to match so in terms of feel and performance the only way to know to “match” it would be based on your own personal testing and subjective comparisons. Even if this mattress was “perfect” in terms of PPP though … I still wouldn’t purchase it if I didn’t know the quality of the materials so I could identify any weak links in the mattress and make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses. This would be a very risky purchase in terms of durability. To compare the quality/specs of another mattress (which is a separate issue than PPP) you would need to know the type and quality of all the layers in both mattresses and it’s not very likely you will be able to find out the correct specs for the Serta mattress.
The memory foam is 3" and the support foam is 7" but the only way to know if any mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP would be based on your own careful and objective testing or if you can’t test a mattress in person then a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). Some memory foam mattresses with 7" or polyfoam and 3" of memory foam may work well for some people and others may not work at all. It all depends on the specifics of the materials and components in the mattress and the body type, sleeping positions, and preferences of the person.
I would only trust knowing the specifics of the materials inside a mattress … not the name of any manufacturer. Warranties also only cover manufacturing defects in a mattress and have little to do with the useful life of a mattress or how quickly you may need to replace it (see post #174 here).
If your mattress has visible impressions that are deeper than the warranty exclusions then I would certainly contact the retailer where you purchased it so they can send an inspector (normally there is a charge for this) to assess whether your mattress has a “defect” based on the warranty criteria and that there isn’t anything that would void the warranty (any stains of any type on the mattress or a support system that isn’t suitable for the mattress).
That would depend on whether you have a box spring (that flexes) or a foundation (which doesn’t), whether it’s still in good condition with no weak spots or sagging, and on whether it is suitable for the specific mattress that you end up buying. There is more about the different types of foundations and box springs that are suitable for different types of mattresses in the foundation post here and the posts it links to.
I would personally avoid visiting chain stores and testing major brands (or any mattress where you can’t find out the information you need to make an informed choice) because the time you spend will probably contribute more to your frustration than get you any closer to finding a mattress that is the best choice for you.
Phoenix
Thank you for your time and expertise as always, Phoenix.
I’m just not sure how else we can find the right mattress for our preference if we can’t try them in stores. Even though these are chains, they still do have brands like tempurpedic. Our goal was to find a mattress we like to lay in, obtain the specs and learn more about it, and use it as a baseline to find another mattress online and order it. Looks like we are back to the drawing board. Are there any memory foam mattresses out there you would recommend that would be medium to medium firm? Looks like another few weeks sleeping on a mountain range.
Thank you for the links and ill take a look at them more depth tomorrow.
Hi tarpon21,
Trying mattresses out in stores is always a great idea … just not those types of stores or stores that can’t provide you with the information you need to make an informed choice about any mattress you are considering there (see this article and these guidelines that are both linked in the tutorial post). If you do go to these types of stores then I would only test mattresses there where they can provide you with all the information you need about all the materials inside the mattress or where this information was publicly available on the internet.
Step 3 of the mattress shopping tutorial is all about how to choose the stores you visit.
There is no “standard” definition of what a “medium” or a “medium firm” mattress really is and different people with different body types and perceptions and different manufacturers can all have a different definition of what “medium firm” means to them. There will likely be many memory foam mattresses that would feel like a “medium firm” to you but you would need to test them in person to confirm that someone else’s definition of “medium firm” was similar to yours.
Phoenix
I think we have narrowed it down to a few mattresses based on our research and wanted to get some additional input from you, Phoenix. Keep in mind we are looking for a bed that offers great back and side sleeping, but not too plush or hard like a table as my wife says.
We like the Restava Ivory and its quality components/reviews. But we are confused a bit comparing reviews of the bed here and comparisons of the mattress on the Restava website. The reviews here seem to compare the mattress to the Tempur Pedic Cloud Luxe which is a very soft feel. I have actually tried the cloud luxe before and it is way too plush for my liking. However, the Restava website compares the Ivory to Rhapsody Luxe which is firmer. So I was wondering which comparisons are more accurate. Keep in mind these are general comparisons, but big differences.
We also like the Novosbed Aria and website states it’s a medium firminess which is good for side and back sleeping, something I need. However, the website compares the mattress feel to a tempur pedic, the cloud supreme. . Plus, it is only 11" thick compared to the Restava’s 13".
Both are great mattresses and offer great return policies.
Lastly, we kind of like what we see with the Sleep Warehouse. It’s only $900, but has quality components and interchangeable layers. Still, it’s only 10" thick and seems like the less quality of the two mentioned above.
So that’s where we are today Phoenix. I know you strongly dislike Mattress Firm, but we are going back there to lay in their tempur pedic beds on the floor so we can compare the feel of them again with these others. I know in the end, it is better to side on the caution of going with the firmer option since we can soften it, but cannot make a very soft mattress firmer.
Look forward to your feedback and added clarity.
Thank you.
Hi tarpon,
There are only two ways to know how a mattress is likely to work or feel for you. One is your own personal testing and experience on a mattress (or a very similar design) and the other is more detailed conversations with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer. They are the “experts” about their own mattresses and are always the best source of guidance (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
They will tell you when you talk with them which one is more accurate for the majority of people (keeping in mind that a group of people will always have a range of experiences on the same mattress) but I would suggest that the description on their site (comparing it to the Contour Rhapsody) would probably be more accurate for most people. Most manufacturers wouldn’t put a free return policy at risk with a description that they didn’t believe was accurate and that most people wouldn’t agree was at least close (in spite of the subjectivity involved).
Again I would make sure you talked with them but I would tend to put more weight on a manufacturer’s description of which mattress it approximates for the same reasons.
I would be very cautious about using mattress reviews or other people’s experiences as an indicator about how a mattress will feel for you (see post #13 here).
Thickness doesn’t mean much at all. It’s the materials inside the mattress and the comfort layers especially that will make the biggest difference in how a mattress “feels” and the thickness is just a side effect of the design.
The memory foam in the mattress is good quality (4 or 5 lbs) but the polyfoam support layers are a little lower density than the other two you are considering. They can be customized but they don’t have a free return policy but once again talking with them is the most reliable way to decide on any mattress that you can’t test in person.
I think that one of the few reasons I would walk through their front door is to test Tempurpedic mattresses if I was using them for a reference point.
You are looking at some good options but with online purchases that are comparisons between “good and good” your confidence in the suitability of a mattress based on conversations with each manufacturer and local testing on mattresses that approximate the ones you are considering along with the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price and return policies) will play the biggest role in your final choice.
Phoenix
Thank you very much, Phoenix. I agree that it can be risky comparing reviews of others in the feel of a bed. I do trust the manufacturer’s comparisons of the tempur pedic models (to an extent) and can use that as rough comparisons when going back to mattress firm. Like you, I don’t trust mattress firm, but as long as they don’t alter the tempur pedic beds in their showroom, they can be of some help in this case…and they are right down the road. Btw, do either of the models I mentioned have interchangeable layers with separate covers? Ill check again, too.
Sounds like we are on the right track and I have you, your members and this great site to thank. Will keep you posted.
Thanks again.
Hi tarpon,
Out of the three memory foam mattresses you mentioned in your last post, only the one from Sleep Warehouse has interchangeable layers with a separate zip cover.
Of course the 12 in 1 customizable does as well but that wasn’t one of the ones you mentioned in your last post.
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding 
Phoenix