After 8 years the odds are high that your Stearns & Foster is close to the end of its useful life and there are many people replace them much sooner than that because they tend to use lower quality materials in the comfort layers that can soften or sag prematurely which is most likely the reason for your discomfort.
While the only way to know for sure whether any mattress would be a good match for both of you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) is based on your actual testing or sleeping experience … there is little risk in trying it because they have a great return policy. The Tuft & Needle also uses higher quality materials in the comfort layers and unlike your Stearns & Foster … there aren’t any lower quality materials or “weak links” in the design.
If you do decide to pull the trigger then I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
The Tuft & Needle mattress uses high quality materials and there certainly aren’t any lower quality materials or weak links that would be subject to premature foam softening or sagging in their design.
Thanks, Phoenix, for the additional information and for the links. I’ve been reading for days, ok weeks, and think it’s time for me to try out some mattresses IRL. As I’ve seen you write many times, PPP is different for every person. I happen to prefer a firmer mattress, but what I consider firm, someone else may think is soft. At this point, I know I don’t want a mattress an inner-spring mattress or one with memory foam in the top comfort layer, but otherwise, I’m still stuck. I’m still interested in the Tuft & Needle 10 in, the Casper and the Leesa, but I’m going to hold off ordering another mattress. I know all three companies have great return policies, but I’d rather not purchase and then return any more mattresses. Again, thanks.
I would be cautious with the Leesa because of the 2" of 3 lb memory foam which is a lower quality and less durable material which would be a potential weak link in the mattress.
The Casper and the Tuft & Needle don’t have any obvious weak links in their design.
The Leesa has 4" of material above the support core which would be more costly than using 3" of the same materials (and more lower quality/density materials would increase the risk of premature foam softening and breakdown even though it would add to the cost of the mattress) but there are many other variables that factor in to how each manufacturer prices their mattresses but this type of information is proprietary and isn’t available to consumers. You can read more about this in post #14 here.
There are also more detailed comments about Leesa in post #2 here and the rest of the topic.
At the moment all of the “one firmness fits all” mattresses don’t manufacture their own mattresses so they are really “resellers” that purchase the mattress from the manufacturer (which is often a foam fabricator) and then resell it to consumers so they would usually have some additional margins or “middlemen” built in to the cost of their mattresses compared to true “factory direct manufacturers” which purchase the raw materials and then manufacture their own mattresses at their own factory.
My Tuft & Needle arrived right on schedule. Boxed nicely and in good shape when received. Took about two minutes to cut the outer wrapping off, get situated on the bed, and another two minutes to get the inner wrapping off. In about 30 seconds the mattress was expanded to what appears to be it’s full potential. It’s beautiful, with a great cover and very upscale “Tuft & Needle” embroidery on the cover. Very, very nice. No off gas smell at all. Testing it for the first time (ten minutes after expansion) I immediately notice how firm - but supportive - this mattress is. I am expecting great sleep ahead after a period of adjustment!
Reading different threads on this forum I found that I am not the only one who reads and gleans tons of information and is still left wondering, “what’s the best choice?” So I went to a local mattress store to actually lie on some mattresses. I thought I preferred firm mattresses, but since my current inner-spring mattress is so back (I can feel the springs through the “comfort” layer), but I wanted to be sure. I was pleased to discover that I, indeed, prefer firm mattresses. I tried inner-spring, foam mattresses and hybrids. Of the Tempurpedic mattresses, the Contour Elite and Contour Supreme were the only one’s I liked. I also liked the firm hybrids and even the firm inner-spring mattresses. I did not like the hybrid mattresses with a latex comfort layer.
All of this was very helpful! It makes sense that I don’t like the Novosbed Classic mattress that I purchased in January. It sinks way too much. Unfortunately Novosbed requires that purchasers must keep their mattress 60 days before returning it. It hurt my back and neck so much that I am no longer sleeping on it, but on my 10 year old inner-spring. I’m sure it works for some people, but as soon as my 60 days ends, it’s being returned!
Trying out mattresses at a store helped me realize that what sheep123 explains above explains my preference. I want to on the mattress (with the appropriate support) not in the mattress. But I also, want/need the mattress to be supportive and not create pressure points.
So… With this new information (and knowledge about myself ), I ordered a 10 in Tuft and Needle mattress on Monday! My order has been confirmed, but I don’t have an arrival date yet. Crossing my fingers that it will ship and arrive quickly!
Mine T&N 10 just arrived yesterday. They shipped it on the second day after I placed my order. It comes FedEx ground from Carson, California so it takes a while once it’s on the way if you live far from there.
I think your experience with reading a lot of information and then still wondering “what’s the best choice” would be more of the norm than the exception and I think you did the only thing that can resolve this type of uncertainty which is actually spending some time testing mattresses to to get a better sense of the types of mattresses and materials that work well for you … and that don’t.
Congratulations on your new mattress
I think you made a good choice and I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback when you receive it and have had a chance to sleep on it.
I have one night under my belt on the new Tuft & Needle 10 that arrived yesterday. Here’s my quick punch list of my thoughts on only one nights sleep:
Virtually no odor from the mattress at all. We put a mattress pad (thin polyester, really just a protector) and a sheet on the mattress and if I put my nose directly against the sheet I can smell just a tiny bit of odor. I expect in a day or so it will be gone entirely.
I didn’t notice any heat generation from the mattress at all. I am a large man who is sensitive to heat and humidity, and I noticed no heat coming from the mattress last night.
The mattress slept firm but very supportive. I am a side sleeper and am worried that it might be too firm, and it seemed very firm but I did not awake with any feeling of pressure point stress or soreness.
The mattress makes no noise at all when I turn or roll. None. Motion transfer is almost nonexistent.
The dimensions specified are exact…this bet fits tight inside my frame, making me realize that our past mattresses were probably a bit undersized …
Tuft & Needle has followed up with me twice about the new mattress and has already read and commented on a review I placed over at Amazon. They are staying on top of their brand, that’s for certain.
More info will follow as I use the mattress for a longer period of time. If you have any questions that I can answer as a new owner please ask.
It sounds like you are making a good choice for all the right reasons.
There are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved in choosing a mattress for anyone to make specific suggestions about which mattress would be a good match for someone else in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) based on specs or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) but the mattress shopping tutorial includes two links to lists of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) that may be worth considering as well if you wish to broaden your search.
Update emailed support they credit my account for the 6.5% for BU member. They were nice enough to help me find a donation center for my old mattress. :woohoo:
