Thanks Phoenix could you provide me with some good shops in my area so I can go and check them out⊠I live in Orange County CA 90631
Hi Primetime,
The Los Angeles list is in post #2 here.
I would suggest some preliminary phone calls first to describe the general type of mattress you are looking for. I never visit any outlet ⊠even if they are right next door ⊠until I have talked to them first to get a sense of what they offer and the level of service and knowledge of the outlet. Half an hour on the phone can save you a hours of testing time. For example you would be looking for memory foam that was on the cooler side of the memory foam range if you are committed to the feel of the actual material itself rather than just liking a particular mattress (such as the Optimum) but could also be happy on other materials that offered similar pressure relief, support, and preferences of âfeelâ. This will not only save you a lot of time but will give you a good sense of who to visit that may have mattresses you want to try and what to expect when you go there.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
Can you point me in the direction of reputable local manufacterers in and around Nashville, TN please? I had no luck in the Hunstville, Al area. Thanks for your help.
Hi Hendricks,
Post #7 here has some of the better options in the Nashville area. There are more factory direct manufacturers around Huntsville (within 100 miles) though than there are in Nashville although there are also some better retail options in both areas that are closer.
Do you have a particular type or style of mattress that you are looking for?
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix. Yes, Iâm leaning more towards the feel of the Sealy Optimum and the iComfort Insight. However, the more I learn about them from this site, the more I feel like I should stay far away from them. However, I havenât had any luck with the other stores in this area. But I am willing to travel within the 100 miles.
Hi Hendricks,
I amalgamated all the Huntsville posts in post #2 here. If you are willing to drive 100 miles or so there are some very good options available to you at the factory direct manufacturers that are closest to you and there is also a list of wholesale manufacturer that may have some better quality mattresses and how to find the local retail outlets that carry them. There are also some local retail outlets with the brands listed that may have better value.
Overall there are some very good choices available to you that would give you much better quality and value than either Sealy or Serta and have many options in memory foam (including gel memory foam).
Are you sure youâve looked at all or phoned the many options in this list that are as close or closer to you than Nashville?
Phoenix
PEOPLE!
Take it from a very satisfied customer⊠you cannot go wrong with the Ultimate Dreams mattress from Dreamfoam Bedding on Amazon. My wife and I received ours last week Thursday and wanted to wait a week or so before I posted any kind of review. It is simply the best mattress I have ever slept on, but to put that statement in context, I have never had any type of âhigh endâ mattress (innerspring or foam). You can check the previous posts on this thread; I originally came to this forum trying to research the Sealy Optimum. But after messaging Phoenix and reading other reviews, we decided to pull the trigger and purchase the Ultimate Dreams mattress. Now, donât get me wrong, it was one of the harder decisions I have made. If I was going to drop a significant amount of coin on a mattress, I wanted to be able to test it out first. If I was wrong about buying a mattress online, the Wifey would have never let me hear the end of it! Well, those concerns were put to rest the very first morning waking up on this mattress. Not to sound too clichĂ© about it, but it truly does have the perfect amount of comfort and support. Well, before I get too ahead of myself, I guess I should let you know that we went with a â7â for our customized layer of 3" latex. I am 6â 190 and my wife is 5â4" 120 and mainly back and side sleepers, but we also prefer a softer mattress.
Phoenix, I cannot thank you enough for the information you have made public knowledge. So many people, including myself, are so lost and ignorant when shopping for a mattress. I thank the good lord that I stumbled across your website and forum and didnât drop $2100 on an âSâ brand mattress when we were able to get a great bed for $600 on amazon of all places.
Oh, and also in a previous post I mentioned that we bought our foundation from a local manufacturer and retailer where we live and it also has worked out great.
If anybody has any questions about my experience in shopping, comparing, and purchasing, I want to be an open book. I am no expert, but I know it is helpful sometimes to hear someone elseâs opinion.
Phoenix,
Thank you so much for your help. I didnât realize there were so many located this close to me. I looked at another post where you referenced about 3 in my area. Hopefully one of these will pan out. Iâm in despereate need of a good nightâs sleep so I really need to make a purchase soon.
Hi Hendricks,
There were several Huntsville posts and the one you saw probably only included the factory directs which are usually the best value in any particular area. Retail outlets often involve a bit more research and âworkâ to find out which of the mattresses they carry to âexcludeâ from consideration and it can also be more difficult to find out the layering and quality specs of the âbetter possibilitiesâ you are considering there (some are much more knowledgeable and helpful in this way than others) but if you do some preliminary research online and on the phone at home before you decide on which ones to visit and âinterviewâ them first along the lines of this article ⊠there can be some good value there as well. It may just take more time, effort, and research to find it.
Phoenix
[quote=âanna.sorinâ post=5981]Hello, I have reviewed your posts above. We went to Mattress Firm today try out memory foam beds. We are both side sleepers and fell in love with the feel of the Sealy Optimum Inspiration bed. I saw you are recommending that people contact local manufacturers instead of large brand names for the best value. Can you suggest some places to try in Raleigh NC?
Thank you
Anna
[/quote]
Anna, come see me at the organic bedroom on Falls of Neuse near the fresh market. I would love to meet you and show you our products.
Hi anna.sorin,
I just realized because of the previous poster that I hadnât answered your post. Sometimes when I am replying to one post another one is added to a thread and I miss it. My apologies.
Youâve probably already read this (because you already know that I normally recommend local factory direct outlets or better sleep shops) but just in case and for the sake of others who may read this ⊠these guidelines will help you avoid most of the worst choices when you are shopping for a mattress.
Post #48 here has and analysis and some thoughts about the Sealy Optimum line and the reasons I would avoid it.
The overviews in the mattresses section of the site also has lots of information about different mattress materials that are used in the various parts of a mattress and âfittingâ a mattress to each personâs needs and preferences that may be worth scanning so you can ask better questions and will also help you to know when the answers you receive are more about marketing or are meant to help educate and guide you into making better choices.
Post #6 here has a list of some of the better possibilities in the Raleigh area.
Again ⊠sorry to take so long with this reply.
Phoenix
I live in the Dunedin, Fl area and was considering the sealy or Simmons line and was hoping you could direct me to the best loaction for foam or latex beds.
Hi dunedin70,
Post #143 here includes the better choices in the Tampa, Clearwater, St Petersburg area that Iâm aware of.
I would also suggest reading this article before considering a major brand mattress whichgennerally use lower quality materials and have much worse value than most local factory direct manufacturers or better sleep shops who carry independent or smaller brands.
Phoenix
Primetime! Did you get rid of your Optimum then, or do you still use it? Curious how you like it after a few weeks or months?
[quote=âmgdunaway " post=6096]PEOPLE!
Take it from a very satisfied customer⊠you cannot go wrong with the Ultimate Dreams mattress from Dreamfoam Bedding on Amazon. My wife and I received ours last week Thursday and wanted to wait a week or so before I posted any kind of review. It is simply the best mattress I have ever slept on, but to put that statement in context, I have never had any type of âhigh endâ mattress (innerspring or foam). You can check the previous posts on this thread; I originally came to this forum trying to research the Sealy Optimum. But after messaging Phoenix and reading other reviews, we decided to pull the trigger and purchase the Ultimate Dreams mattress. Now, donât get me wrong, it was one of the harder decisions I have made. If I was going to drop a significant amount of coin on a mattress, I wanted to be able to test it out first. If I was wrong about buying a mattress online, the Wifey would have never let me hear the end of it! Well, those concerns were put to rest the very first morning waking up on this mattress. Not to sound too clichĂ© about it, but it truly does have the perfect amount of comfort and support. Well, before I get too ahead of myself, I guess I should let you know that we went with a â7â for our customized layer of 3â latex. I am 6â 190 and my wife is 5â4" 120 and mainly back and side sleepers, but we also prefer a softer mattress.
Phoenix, I cannot thank you enough for the information you have made public knowledge. So many people, including myself, are so lost and ignorant when shopping for a mattress. I thank the good lord that I stumbled across your website and forum and didnât drop $2100 on an âSâ brand mattress when we were able to get a great bed for $600 on amazon of all places.
Oh, and also in a previous post I mentioned that we bought our foundation from a local manufacturer and retailer where we live and it also has worked out great.
If anybody has any questions about my experience in shopping, comparing, and purchasing, I want to be an open book. I am no expert, but I know it is helpful sometimes to hear someone elseâs opinion.
[/quote]
MGDUNAWAY⊠how is that new latex mattress going thus far? Is the firmness level the only thing you can customize? Still leary on buying anything online w/out feeling it first, but everyone keeps talking about this mattress so I find it hard to turn away.
Phoenix,
Can you give me some goop places to look in or near Chicago? Zip is 60655.
Thanks!
Hi Tjwalsh3,
Post #2 and 4 here includes the better choices in the Chicago area.
Some other choices that are either further away or not in the same âvalue rangeâ are in post #4 here.
You are fortunate to be as close as you are to some of the best quality and value in the country.
Phoenix
I am a bit bewildered as I read your site, as I am locked into choosing a Sealy â I purchased a Stearns and Foster Estate Plush about a month ago and absolutely hate it, I unless I am sleeping dead center of the King mattress (i.e. where the edges of the box springs are). I love the plush feel, but anywhere other than the middle, my 165 lb female body causes the mattress to âhammockâ. Not so for my husband, but I guess his body weight is more evenly distributed. I complained, as the salesman promised me that this S&S would have great support. I believe they will be making an exception to their return policy and allow me to choose another. The other innerspring models feel too firm for me, and do not seem to adequately relieve shoulder and hip pressure. So, I am tempted to go with the Optmum as an alternative. Yet, I am very gunshy. I am even more gunshy after reading your comments on this forum. That said, I am sure they wonât refund my money, only offer an exchange. So, I am stuck choosing a Stearns or a Sealy Optimum. As to the better of what I understand you to say are two " evils", what would you recommend? I think the Elation feels best, but I am confused as to why a 3" middle layer feels softer than the 5" middle layer, all else equal. And, why is the 4" middle layer firmer than both the 3" and 5"? Are the foams different densities to achieve the different feel? I just want to be sure I choose right so I donât end up with hammocking and body impressions due to my weight being concentrated in the center of my body, yet still enjoy a plush feel?
Hi Dymnd,
Unfortunately you are in a similar set of circumstances to several others that have posted on the forum (needing to exchange a mainstream mattress for another mainstream mattress). This is a difficult position to be in but there are some better approaches that can help minimize the âdamageâ. Some of my comments in post #2 here and in post #4 here to forum members in similar circumstances may be helpful.
As you can see ⊠the main goal is to either choose a mattress where the materials are both known and better quality (although this can be difficult or impossible to find out in many cases with major brands) or to choose a mattress which has the least amount of questionable or unknown materials (this mostly involves using the least amount of polyfoam in the upper layers) and then add your own comfort layers as a topper where you can choose the quality of the material. this approach has several advantages. The first is that you can choose any type of comfort layer that you wish in any type of material. the second is that it takes a more modular approach to your sleeping system where the modules can be replaced. The upper layers of a mattress are usually the âweak linkâ of a mattress and the ones that will soften and degrade the fastest resulting in the loss of comfort and/or support. This softening is not covered by any warranty. If the upper layers are replaceable ⊠then if they wear out faster than the rest of the mattress (which is likely) ⊠they can be replaced without replacing the whole mattress.
An example of the first approach would be trying to exchange for one of the Sealy Optimum line in the hopes that it uses better quality materials. Unfortunately ⊠there is no way to know this for sure unless the specs of the materials they use are available and they donât release all the specs to the consumer. Even the retailers that Iâve talked to donât know the density of all the memory foam that Sealy uses in the Optimum. Based on their history however ⊠they would either be lower quality or higher quality and overpriced. Iâve updated the information about the Optimum lineup in post #48 here which may help somewhat if you choose to go in this direction.
The differences in the mattresses you are mentioning would come from differences in the memory foams they use along with any difference in the polyfoam cores they use. The Optimum line replaced the Embody line (although both are still available) and if you go here and click on each model, you will see that the Embody line uses several different types of memory foams including 2.5 lbs, 4 lbs, 5 lbs, and 7 lbs in various combinations. The Optimum lineup is likely similar and the âwhyâsâ behind the different feels will make more sense as more of the specs of the mattress become available over time (if they do).
The Elation has a 5" memory foam middle layer and is the softest of the lineup (for most people) but the feel of a mattress can be changed with the use of different types and densities of materials along with different thicknesses of the layers.
So overall there are really 3 things you can do.
-
Make sure the foundation itself is not the issue. If you have a more rigid no flex foundation then the middle area shouldnât be substantially different from each side. This may happen over time though because the sides are used more than the middle and foam will generally go through an initial softening or âbreak inâ period over the first few weeks and this may be what is happening for you. so this may have less to do with the foundation than with foam softening. How much this initial softening will affect each person will depend on whether the softening puts you outside your tolerance range in terms of pressure relief and support. If you were on the edge of your support needs when the mattress was new ⊠then this initial softening may have put you over the line and made the mattress unsuitable or less than ideal for you ⊠even though it may still be fine for someone else who was more in the middle of their range when the mattress was new (like your husband).
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Exchange for another mattress (like the Optimum) that you can confirm uses better materials which are more appropriate for your needs and preferences and that will also be more durable and suitable over the long term. I would also take the initial softening into account so that what meets your needs and preferences in a showroom wonât end up outside your range once again when the breakin period is complete. After the initial breakin period ⊠softening is generally more gradual over a longer period of time.
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Exchange for another mattress which is as firm as possible and uses the least amount of polyfoam (or memory foam) in the comfort layers and use this as a âbaseâ for a topper of your choice. This will take some research into the layering of the Stearns & Foster lineup to discover which model would be most suitable. there are many online outlets which provide the layering of each model (although they donât provide quality/density specs). For example ⊠this site lists all the specs of the Stearns & Foster lineup and in the Luxury Collection the Josette Ultra firm (3" of polyfoam and 1/2" of memory foam) would likely be the best option for this approach, in the Estate Collection the Twila (4" of polyfoam) or the Felisha (3" polyfoam and 1" of memory foam) would be the best, and in the Luxury Latex collection the Villa (only 1" of polyfoam but has a mostly synthetic latex core which is more expensive than an innerspring) would be the best choice. These would be a way to make the best out of a difficult situation and build a âcomponentâ sleeping system.
If you have other choices available for an exchange besides the Optimum lineup or the Stearns and Foster lineup ⊠then the same general ideas would apply to these as well.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix
We were looking at the Sealy Optimum as well. But Iâd like to see what else is out there. Anything near Centreville, VA. 20120?