Hi Phoenix! Thanks for this website - your information is invaluable. My sister and I are trying to find a new mattress and thought you may be able to help. She recently bought a S&F Beckinsale luxury firm tight top from Macy’s which was “supposed” to be made exactly like the S&F Vanna model from a few years ago which our other sister has and loves. It was awful and she had to send it back - it was like sleeping on a concrete block. Of course, she paid over $200 to return the mattress and now doesn’t have one. She has back issues and wants a firmer mattress but not one as hard as a board.
I have an 8-year-old Doctor’s Choice Pillow Top from Denver Mattress that has a huge sag in the middle. I sleep on the edge now but in the morning, I wake up in the sag with my head off the pillows so not only do my back and hips hurt, my neck hurts as well. I had one hip replaced at 50 due to arthritis and have mild arthritis in my other hip now. I am 6’ 6" tall, weight about 270 lbs. and am a side sleeper so I prefer a softer mattress - medium firm to soft - that conforms to my body. I also like a pillow top since that’s what I’m used to. We have looked at hundreds of mattresses at numerous stores and they are all so different and we get so confused. The salespeople just want their commission and if you ask detailed questions, they can’t answer them. I recently went to the mattress department of Macy’s flagship store on State Street in Chicago and they must have had 500 beds on display! The salespeople were hovering like hawks so I turned around and walked out - just way too overwhelming.
My sister likes the S&F Temple Estates Luxury Firm at Denver Mattress which is supposed to be a “limited edition” from S&F with more foam, Intellicoil system, New Zealand wool, etc. (Denver Mattress link to the luxury firm model: .404 | Denver Mattress). I I also liked it but in the plush pillow top model for myself - found it very comfortable. Unfortunately, even if I decide on the S&F Temple Estates from Denver Mattress, I would have to order it online and they will charge me $460 for delivery and set up in Chicago which to me is outrageous!
I also liked the Bellagio Primo Sonno pillow top (amazon link: Amazon.com) which was priced at $2,500 for the set at a local store, It was very cool when I laid on it which I liked because I get very warm when I sleep and it also seemed to fit my body very well…
The problem is we can just tell by sitting and laying on these mattresses that they are not going to last. In all honesty, they feel cheaply made and I know, at least for me, either of them will sag in the middle within a few months. Forget the guarantees - they are worthless. I’ve read hundreds of complaints about all the major mattress manufacturers’ products and your information on this site, which makes me shy away from them even more.
I looked into the Wink Beds and the Saatva but am hesitant to buy a bed without at least trying it. I am also concerned because of my height and weight these beds will not be sturdy enough for me since I’m so tall and weigh so much or soft enough for side sleeping. I don’t really like the striped ticking on the Wink Bed and don’t want a low profile box spring, either, which is all they offer.
Neither of us like total memory foam beds at all like the Tempurpedic - we feel like we’re laying in pudding so those are a no go for us.
We would very much appreciate your opinion of the S&F Temple Estates (supposedly similar to the S&F Baroque Limited Edition) and the Serta Bellagio Primo Sonno pillowtop or if you could recommend something for us that would be similar in feel but better quality. She lives in Peoria, IL and I live in Chicago, IL and believe me, we’ve been to almost every mattress store in existence, including Verlo and Lebeda custom bed shops in Peoria… If we have one custom made, we are stuck with it even if we don’t like it. True, they will adjust it for you but it’s a no go for me since I live in Chicago and my sister still doesn’t think it’s the right way to go.
Again, we would very much appreciate your thoughts and any suggestions you may have. Thank you!