I’m new to the forum and looking to purchase a new cal king mattress. Can anyone recommend a good place(s) to start out? I guess I’m looking for innerspring type. I’ve been looking at SAATVA online. This forum has been a help on that. I’m trying to absorb as much info as I can, there’s so much on this site. I live in the Sacramento Ca area.
Thanks Jay
Hi jjthenovice,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
Just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices.
The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Sacramento area are listed in post #5 here.
Phoenix
Thanks for quick reply. I have read the tutorial (several times). I need to do more research on latex. That seems to be your favorite. In short, after finding this site, I’m not sure what I want so I’ll be reading some more. This is a great site
Regard,
JJ
Hi jjthenovice,
Latex is my own personal favorite material but this is a personal preference and others may have very different preferences from me.
Reading can certainly help with some of the more technical differences between materials and there is more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here but in the end your own personal testing will be the most reliable way to know which type of materials and types of mattresses you tend to prefer.
I’m glad the site has been able to help
Phoenix
Just got back from European Sleep Design which was recommended in Post #5. I spoke at length with Jill (Owner I believe). I am impressed. There was no sales pressure at all. The prices are set and non negotiable and they have never had a sale. Never the less I am impressed with the mattresses. Next step will be to take the wife and see if she concurs. If the wife approves and we buy, I will post a follow up on the details. Thanks Phoenix for the link.
Hi jjthenovice,
I also think highly of European Sleep Design and Jill and the Berkeley Ergonomic mattresses they carry. They can certainly make a good choice
I’m looking forward to finding out what your wife thinks (and I would always make sure that you test any mattress you are considering together so that your testing is a good reflection of your “normal” sleeping experience).
Phoenix
Phoenix, I found this on the internet and would like your opinion. I am usually suspicious of one company attacking another in this way.
Regards,
JJ
Hi jjthenovice,
I think that these types of comparisons with local competitors are more about marketing than they are about accuracy and like you I don’t like to see them. IMO they can reflect more negatively on the company that posts them than they do on the company that is being compared.
If you were to call European Sleep Designs you will be able to find out “the rest of the story” and they certainly don’t change my opinion of the BE mattresses or design.
Phoenix
I’m looking at the BE mattresses at European Sleep Design. Phoenix, in your opinion, how much difference does using their flexible slat foundation vs using my box springs (or a solid foundation). My box springs are in good shape and firm (I believe they’re the ones with the stiff wire). Next, the Baltic mattress has the Latex foam over a layer of responsive Swedish coils and the Mediterranean has the Latex foam with a top layer of pre-compressed micro coils over a bottom layer of nested base coils. It would seem that the slat foundation would have less of an effect on the Mediterranean mattress because of the micro coil over nested base coils. From a pure engineering sense, which would be better, the Mediterranean or the Baltic. Side note: the Baltic has 2" Latex over coil and the Mediterranean 1".
Regards,
JJ
Hi jjthenovice,
I would personally choose between them based on which one your testing indicated was the best match for you in terms of PPP rather than considering it a “better worse” choice. If the flexible slat foundation clearly worked better for you I would add it. If it didn’t then I wouldn’t.
Innersprings can transfer pressure from the top to the bottom of the spring with very little hysteresis (loss of energy) compared to foam materials which absorb and spread out some of the compression forces as they travel through the mattress so flexible slats can have more effect on a thicker mattress that has innersprings than they would on a thicker mattress that used only latex or other foams. Either way though your own testing would be the guideline I would use.
Phoenix
My wife would like to look at more than one place for our mattress shopping. I’m still leaning toward the Berkley at this point. I’ve started looking online at Matthews Mattress specifically at This one. What is a “858 patented Marshalll encased coil”? Any general comments on the Matthews line and also the Stress-O-Pedic line? The environmental aspects of any of these on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest is a “1”. My main concerns are PPP and longevity.
Regards,
JJ
Hi jjthenovice,
It’s an innerspring that uses pocket coils and has 858 coils inside it (probably in a queen size which would be less in smaller sizes and more in larger sizes). You can read more about the different types of coils used in mattresses in this article.
Pocket coils respond more individually and contour better to the shape of the body than other types of innersprings where the coils are less independent and are joined together with helical wires.
I’d be happy to make some comments about the quality of the materials in any mattress you are considering but I’d need to know the type and thickness of all the layers listed from the top down (to make sure they add up to the thickness of the mattress), the density of any polyfoam and memory foam, and the type and blend of any latex to help you identify any possible weak links or make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses. While an innerspring isn’t usually the weak link of a mattress (a mattress tends to soften and break down from the top down) … it would also be nice to know the gauge of the coils.
A good retailer or manufacturer should be able to provide this so if you can find out the specifics and post them on the forum I would be able to make some meaningful comments.
I know that Stress-O-Pedic has committed to providing any information about their mattresses that a consumer would need to make an informed choice so they are certainly well worth considering (see this thread). Hopefully Matthews Mattress will be just as open and transparent about their house brand as well but you would need to ask them for the specifics.
Phoenix