Hi, new member here looking to purchase a mattress for my mother-in-law who is around 60, around 5’4, 110-120lbs and has some back issues. She said that the Tempurpedic Rhapsody Breeze looked ideal given that she wants a Medium Firm and it has a “cooling” element to it.
Because the Queen size Rhapsody seems a bit excessive at $3699, I’m looking for some alternatives. In my initial research through this site, Select Foam’s Regalis HD 12" seems to be a very good alternative at $1699. Are there any other good options that I should consider and any particular pros/cons of each? I’d like to have a few options to choose from rather than just choosing the first option I find. I’m definitely focusing on top quality manufacturers because who wants to have their mother in law mad at them every time she goes to sleep?
Thanks for your help and I’ll definitely be mentioning that I’m a member of Mattress Underground in upcoming purchase.
I would make sure that she’s aware that “medium firm” really has no specific meaning and can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and because firmness and softness are also so subjective … it can also vary from person to person. The best way to make sure that the Rhapsody Breeze would be a good match for her would be by using the testing guidelines for PPP in the tutorial post.
Some of the better online memory foam manufacturers or retailers I’m aware of are listed in post #12 here and several of these make or sell a mattress that uses the Rhapsody or Rhapsody Breeze as a reference point. The pros and cons of each one would depend on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
You can also read a little more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here.
There is also more about the cooling benefits of gel memory foam in post #9 here which in many cases may not be as great as some of the marketing stories in the industry may lead their customers to believe. The temperature regulation of a mattress is usually the result of a combination of factors and not just the type of foam used in the mattress. There is more about the factors that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress in post #2 here.
Phoenix, I appreciate the quick response. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time at the moment or geographic proximity to my MOL (who will not be interested in spending several days going to different stores) in order to go through all the steps in the testing guidelines for PPP. I’m essentially looking for a high quality alternative to a specific Tempurpedic mattress that my MOL is interested in. I definitely think that one thing she needs to do is at least go try out the different Tempurpedic models in a store so that she can be sure which one she’d like to “match”.
Other than that, I’m going by the “member” online retailers recommended by this site since I assume that will guarantee a minimum level of quality, especially since you can’t go try out online mattresses in person. Given that Select Foam is a “member” and highly recommended, I’m going to trust that they are a good (but not only good) option.
I’m one of those people that are will definitely be extra meticulous about certain things (house, car, investments) but have learned that I can’t maximize everything to the hilt without going crazy so I’m willing to settle for a “very good” mattress option as opposed to the “perfect” mattress option, particularly since my MOL may simply decide to buy the Tempurpedic if the process becomes too cumbersome for her.
I understand that mattresses are your passion and this website is a fantastic resource for all prospective mattress buyers, passionate and not. For those passionate about finding the perfect mattress, I think you provide great advice and resources. For those who are looking for a very good option much superior in quality/value to the usual Serta/Simmons/Tempurpedic but without the time and/or willingness to put in 100% effort though, it can be a bit daunting and some people may give up before they start. Though I agree that a mattress is one of life’s most important purchases, given how so many people simply buy something at Sleepy’s or 1800-Mattress due to lack of information or apathy, I think 80%+ of people would be greatly benefited by simply doing a basic amount of research and finding a “very good” option.
For most people, I’d guess that “very good” equates to trying out various beds at a major retailer and then finding the best
“match” from a better quality/value alternative (e.g. the members of your site). I’m likely to (i) call Select Foam to discuss their specific mattress models after my MOL decides on a final Tempurpedic model after trying them out and (ii) and if satisfactory with the call, ordering based on the fact that they are highly recommended on this site. For someone who unfortunately doesn’t have the time/capability to find the perfect mattress, I’m okay with that approach. I may regret this route and in that case, I’ll probably be back to ask for further advice - please don’t be too harsh:).
I completely agree with this which is why I suggest that people focus on connecting with the experts who already know what they would otherwise need to learn instead of trying to become an “expert” themselves.
“Just enough” information to recognize who has the experience and knowledge to help you make good choices is usually the best approach and helps avoid information overwhelm and “paralysis by analysis”.
I think that too little information and too much information can both lead to some poor choices.
In the case of polyfoam and memory foam … the most important part of the quality and durability of a material is its density which all good manufacturers and retailers will disclose so it’s not a matter of believing anyone else. Select Foam uses either similar or better quality/density materials than Tempurpedic and they also have similar designs and a similar “feel”. While the “feel” of a mattress or how it compares to another mattress can be somewhat subjective, they also have a good return policy in case a customer doesn’t agree that the mattress is similar to the Tempurpedic they preferred.
They would certainly be one of the better options for someone that knew which Tempurpedic they preferred.