The Serta iComfort mattress ... what's the buzz

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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Hi dottie,

You are fortunate to be in Phoenix as there are several very high quality and knowledgeable factory direct manufacturers nearby including two of the members of this site (meaning I consider them to be among the best of the independent manufacturers in the country) which offer great quality and value and perhaps more importantly have a lot of knowledge in fitting a mattress to an individual’s needs and preferences. This thread and post #4 here should be very helpful.

I would not order online when there are such great options available locally that have better quality and value and that you can personally test. If you want to keep your choices down for the sake of time … I would focus my efforts on the two manufacturers that are members here.

In cases like yours … memory foam can be very tricky because not only is pressure relief very important (which memory foam like latex does very well), spinal alignment can be even more important and the many different types of memory foam layering options can mean the difference between a mattress that can work well for you and a mattress that doesn’t work well at all (usually too thick in the comfort layers or support layers that are not the best for you). Memory foam is only a pressure relieving material and if the layers are too thick or otherwise unsuitable for your particular needs or the support system under the memory foam isn’t what you need … it can cause more harm than good.

The Gel memory foams are also an emerging category and there are several different types, some of which are better than others. In general … I would tend to avoid the types of gel memory foams that use gel particles mixed in the memory foam (like the icomfort) as particles added to memory foam can weaken the memory foam. There is an analysis and review of the iComfort lineup in post #11 here (none of which have good value) and a brief overview of the different types of gel memory foam options in post #26 here.

Hope this helps … and I only wish that the rest of the country had local choices that were as good as yours.

Phoenix

1 Like
267

Thank you, Phoenix. Those are terrific information links to other threads. I read everything in this particular thread, but there’s so much more information you’ve given out there.

I’ll definitely contact the two member mattress firms listed on the #4 “eco” thread.

Thanks again. (And my back thanks you in advance as well :slight_smile: )

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You provided me with some excellent information the other day. Since then I’ve been visiting mattress manufacturers, mattress retailers and doing a lot of online searching. I went and visited the mattresses.net showroom/manufacturer and looked a their latex beds. I didn’t find any of them extraordinarily comfortable, except for the 3" latex mattress topper.

I like the feel of memory foam, but not the full bed. I started researching latex/memory foam mattresses, and came across several sites selling natural latex, memory foam, AND air mattresses - plushbeds.com, habitatfurnishings.com, and flobeds.com. I was wondering if you had any experience or knowledge of any of these. Another brand of mattresses I’ve looked at were Natura.

I plan on purchasing a queen mattress (it’s just for me) and putting it on an adjustable base. I like the idea that you can adjust the firmness someone by having the air pump, but also have the latex and memory foam as well.

Any advice or insight you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

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Hi DOTTIE,

As you probably know … I am a big believer in local testing and choices over an online outlet when the mattress, quality and value is similar. In your case … you have some local manufacturers that offer some of the best value in a range of mattresses in the entire country. I would never make an online purchase that I hadn’t personally tested when this range of selection in all types of mattresses and this kind of value was available for me to actually test with personal experience. I generally even suggest it’s worth paying a premium to some degree to purchase something locally that i could personally test as being suitable for my needs and preferences (to a degree at least) but I would never pay a premium to make an online purchase when a similar mattress is available locally at a better price.

I am very familiar with all of the outlets you mentioned (plushbeds, habitat, flobeds, and Natura). A search on the forum for each will bring up lots of posts about all of them. Of these 4 … Plushbeds and flobeds would be better value IMO but for you they would all (except Natura which is good quality but poor value) be an “unknown” online purchase and none of them would have the value of what is already available to you in a similar mattress purchased locally that you could test personally. No matter how high quality the ingredients in all of them may be (and all 4 use quality materials) … it’s always more accurate to determine the suitability of any mattress for your own personal needs and preferences with actual experience than with an online purchase and if what the online outlets you are offering is available locally at better prices … then for me the choice of which direction to go would be fairly easy.

Hope this helps

Phoenix

270

Aloha Phoenix,

Might you be able to recommend some mattress manufacturers on Oahu that I might be able to purchase good/high quality memory foam mattresses from, please?, or am I stuck with Amazon.com (Costco and/or Sam’s Club don’t stock the Sleep Innovations/Novaform mattresses here, and they don’t ship them here)?

If I’m stuck with Amazon.Com … what would be your recommendation for a matress in the $800 range, please?

I am 5’10" and 280 lbs, my better 1/2 is 5’6" and 160 lbs.

Mahalo for you time & help!

HawaiianKine

271

Hi HawaiianKine,

The only local manufacturer that I know of in Hawaii is listed in post #2 here

I believe that the “best” first step in shopping for a mattress online is to find a manufacturer or outlet that provides accurate information about their mattresses and the materials in it and is also skilled at
fitting" their mattresses to your needs and preferences. Once you have done this … then choosing a mattress with their knowledge and guidance that fits your height, weight, body shape, sleeping positions, and preferences is much simpler. Of course the more testing you have done locally on mattresses that have a known constructions … the easier it is to use your testing as a prototype for the type of mattress that would work best for you.

Each manufacturer uses different types of foam and has different types of materials, layering schemes and construction methods in their line of mattresses and sometimes small differences in construction can make a big difference in how well a mattress works for any individual. All of them have a “databank” of customers who have purchased their specific mattresses so the better ones are very good at knowing what an “average” person of a particular weight, shape, sleeping position, and preferences would normally be happy with.

If you are committed to memory foam … then the density of the memory foam and the specific type of memory foam becomes important. With weights over 200 lbs or so … memory foam under 5 lbs won’t hold up nearly as long as higher density/quality memory foam. In addition to this … the different types of memory foam (more or less breathable, more or less responsive, more or less temperature sensitive etc) and the different layering pattens in the mattress (how thick is the memory foam, what type of support system is under it etc) becomes a major part of how suitable any particular memory foam mattress may be for you.

So the first step is to choose a manufacturer or store rather than a specific mattress. If you do choose to make an online purchase without the guidance of someone who “knows their stuff” and can advise you on which of their specific mattresses may work best for you or without local “testing” to act as a reference point … then the choice of a mattress becomes much more hit and miss and the refund policy of the outlet becomes more important than the choice of mattress itself because there is no way to know if an online choice will be suitable for you without actually trying it no matter how good the quality of materials may be.

So my recommendation would be more to help you find the better outlets who are familiar with the specifics of the materials and layering in their specific mattress and to provide some general guidelines about the layering of the mattress that may work for you rather than suggest a specific mattress. A second recommendation would be to avoid the use of any memory foam density under 5 lbs for heavier weights unless you prefer its feel and response and durability was a secondary issue (and this may be difficult to find in a budget of under $800 depending on the size you want and on whether it includes a foundation). I certainly wouldn’t consider the Novaform/Sleep Innovations as a better option. A few of the outlets that I believe may be better choices for online memory foam purchases are in post #12 here

The more a manufacturer knows how to help you “match” a specific mattress to your specific needs and preferences … the less you need to research and know yourself.

A quick look at some of your local options that may provide better testing grounds (if they will provide you with the specifics of the layering in their mattresses) include …

https://www.slumberworldhawaii.com/ Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (big island). The carry several major brands (such as Sealy and Simmons and Tempurpedic which I would avoid) and also some more expensive brands like Organicpedic (OMI), Vi Spring and Aireloom) but they also carry a house brand called Island Dreams which I would focus on here. They are quite knowledgeable and open about the materials in their mattress if customers ask and tend to focus more on fitting a mattress to the needs and preferences of their customers and on value than they are on price alone which means that they are more concerned about their customer’s long term satisfaction than they are on just making the sale and the profit. Of the local retail outlets … this would be my first choice for testing but avoiding the major brands they carry may mean their selection is more limited.

http://www.dakinemattress.com/ Hawaii (big island). Carries mattresses made by Stress-o-pedic and by Leader who are both smaller manufacturers who typically make mattresses that are better quality/value than larger brands. The mattresses on their floor are mostly lower to mid budget (under $1000 or so queen) and mainly polyfoam/innerspring mattresses although they do carry one memory foam mattress (made by Leader) which uses 5 lb memory foam. In my conversation with them though, they are more focused on price and “comfort” than on value and quality meaning that they are less inclined to talk about the actual materials in their mattresses than they are on the price of their mattresses alone. This is likely because they may not have access to this type of information from their manufacturers. You may need to do some extra research to find out the quality of the materials in many of their mattresses.

http://www.mauibedstore.com/ Maui. Carry a wide range of Lady Americana including latex hybrids, memory foam, gel memory foam, and innersprings that may have some better quality and value. They also may not be able to provide the details of all the materials in their mattresses (when I talked with a salesperson there it was not the type of information she had access to or would normally provide) so I would make sure here as well that you are given (or can find out) all the information you will need before making a purchase here.

There is nothing at America’s Mattress (Serta) that I would consider for a purchase. You can see for example the details of the quality and value of the iComfort lineup in post #11 here). If you do include them in your testing … I would avoid any temptation or sales technique that may get you to buy anything here.

Hope this helps

Phoenix

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Hi Phoenix,

I would really appreciate your advice purchasing a new mattress. I am 6’4 and 240 lbs and my fiancee is 5’6 and 130 lbs. We are both mostly side sleepers, although we occasionally sleep on our backs. We purchased a Serta iComfort Insight back in September and initially were very pleased. I would say the first three months were great; we seemed to be getting a more restful night sleep and I was no longer waking up with lower back pain. I attribute this to having better support than our last mattress, which was several years old. Well, after the first three months the supportiveness of the iComfort started diminishing and now it is to the point where it is uncomfortable to sleep on either my back or my side and I am waking up with lower back pain again. Basically, it feels like the foam top layer just caves in when I lay on it now. My fiancee agrees. Even though she weighs substantially less than I do, she says the comfort and supportiveness have diminished and she is no longer getting the restful sleep she was the first few months. If I lay right in the middle of the bed, where neither of us ever normally lay, the bed is just as supportive as the first month we bought it, so I know that we are not misremembering the initial comfort or support of the mattress.

So, with all that being said, we are returning it and want to start looking at getting something different. This was our first time trying a memory foam bed and I think we want to stay away from this style going forward. Perhaps with my size and weight, I need to stick with a more traditional spring mattress to maintain support? My fiancee likes her side a little softer, but she says she can always put on a foam topper on if she needs to. Any suggestions on types of mattresses and/or places to purchase from? We have a Sleep Number store close by, but I am not convinced their beds are worth the price tag. I live in Little Rock, AR.

Thanks,
Brad

273

Hi cyberbrad4,

With weights over about 200 lbs … memory foam can be a little tricky. In addition to this … the density of the memory foam in a mattress is the single biggest factor in how durable it is and how quickly it will soften. The iComfort gel memory foam has a 5 lb density which would normally indicate good quality but this is only because the gel particles that are mixed in with the memory foam are heavier and add to he weight. In reality … the actual memory foam is lower density (closer to 4 lbs) which means that it would soften more quickly than higher density foams and iin addition to this … particles added to memory foam make it less durable as well. There are versions of gel memory foams where the gel is actually part of the memory foam rather than added particles but the iComforts don’t use this which is one of the reasons I don’t believe they have great value. They also use other types of foam in many of their models and in the higher priced models … some of them have such thick comfort layers that even normal softening that all polyfoam and memory foams go through in the first few weeks may result in the mattress being too soft for a particular body weight, shape, and sleeping position. It appears this is what has happened.

When you are looking for a mattress … the first thing I would do is eliminate as many as possible of worst choices so that you can be more focused on choices where your odds of long term satisfaction are much better. This article will help you avoid most of the traps and pitfalls of mattress shopping.

The next best step is to gather some basic information about mattresses and the materials that are used in them. The goal here is to gather enough basic information that you an ask better questions and to help you identify which outlets really are knowledgeable and which are just telling you marketing stories. Reading through the overviews in the mattresses section will help you here. I wouldn’t “study” them so much as just read them through to gain some general information.

The next step … before you start looking at or thinking about “which mattress” … is to find some of the better outlets that are knowledgeable about the materials in a mattress and how to fit a mattress to the needs and preferences of each person or couple. If they know this (and your basic reading will help you know when someone knows what they are talking about) … then you won’t have to. One of the best signs of outlets like this is a willingness to give you good information on the phone about prices and mattress materials that may be suitable for you to try. Calling on the phone first will help eliminate the outlets who only want you to come there before they will give you any information.

When you have found one or a few outlets that know their stuff and offer mattresses with good value (based on comparing other mattresses that use similar materials and construction) … then you can relax knowing that you don’t have to go store to store and listen to more and more confusing stories to find the best mattress and the best value for you. This bypasses most of the frustration of mattress shopping.

Once you reach this point … it’s just a matter of finding the “best” mattress in each of the list of outlets you have chosed and then deciding on the one that best meets your needs and preferences and has the best value in your budget range. This way you completely avoid most of the outlets that will do more to confuse and frustrate you and sell you a mattress that does more for their profit than it does for your needs and preferences.

There are two factory direct outlets near you where I would I would spend most of my time. they are …

Denver MattressÂŽ - The Easiest Way to Get the Right Mattress Regional factory direct outlet that makes a range of mattresses including memory foam, latex, and innersprings. They have a good selection of choices and have better value than most. I would only focus on their own brands and ignore the major brands they also carry.

https://www.jordans.com/sleep-lab/about-our-brands/jordans-mattress-factory Factory direct manufacturer who makes memory foam, latex, and innerspring mattresses. They fit the profile of smaller factory direct manufacturers who use better quality materials in their mattresses and then sell them at lower prices than the larger mass market outlets.

These would be my reference points for any other outlets you visit and quite frankly if I was in your shoes … I probably wouldn’t spend any time at any others with one possible exception …

https://thebeddingmart.com/ Carries Pure Latex bliss which are a high quality line of talalay latex mattresses which are better quality and value than most mainstream mattresses but not usually in the same value range as many local manufacturers.

Hope this helps

Phoenix

274

Hi:

Like many others here, we are looking at replacing our 10 year old innerspring mattress set with either a foam/latex bed or an air bed or a combination thereof. Also, like many here we tried the Icomfort revolution and liked how it felt in the showroom but were a bit concerned about the non-negotiable price. After reading through all the negative feedback on this site and elsewhere, we clearly need to do more shopping around.

We live in west Michigan about 30 miles west of Grand Rapids. Can you recommend any reputable local manufacturers or distributors in our area? I haven’t seen any others on this site from our area.

Thanks for your help!

Scottp

275

Hi Scottp,

You have some great choices very close to you!

buismattress.net Holland, MI They are a local factory direct manufacturer that is a member of this site (meaning I think highly of both them and their mattresses) and I highly recommend them. They make a wide range of mattresses using high quality components and materials and have great quality and value. Marc Dozeman the owner is truly “mattress people”.

jonathanstevens.com Grand Rapids Local factory direct manufacturer who also makes a full range of mattresses that are also very good quality and value.

chirobed Holland, MI. They make a range of latex/innerspring hybrids, one and two sided innersprings, and some memory foam mattresses as well. They specialize in custom manufacturing, often from chiropractor recommendations or for more challenging circumstances, but also have standard models on their floor as well for “regular” consumers to test. They are knowledgeable and helpful and have some good quality and value available.

aacawaybedding.com Comstock Park, Smaller local factory direct manufacturer who carries Restonic and Posturecraft (because he doesn’t want to make everything himself he told me) but also makes their own to any specs you may want using high quality materials.

acmebeddingcompany Muskegon Local factory direct manufacturer that also manufactures a full range of mattresses. They have fewer details on their site but in the few shorter conversations I had with them they seemed to be good people and very knowledgeable.

capitolbedding.com Smaller wholesale manufacturer in Lansing, MI that makes a wide range of traditional innerspring and specialty mattresses. They have some detailed specs on their site and have a capitolbedding to find any local retailers in the area. They make some good quality/value mattresses and are transparent about the materials they use.

You are fortunate to have such good choices nearby and there’s no doubt that the best quality and value in your area are with this group of manufacturers :slight_smile:

Phoenix

276

Hi,

I was wondering if you had any opinion about the brand Zedbed?
There is a description of their mattress here:
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I was recommended to buy the iComfort but based on Phoenix comments I will pass. I am wondering if Zedbed is good replacement.

Thanks.

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There is also the Essentia 8 Classic which seems to fit most of the criteria described in this forum but it is pretty expensive. Any recommendations on this one?

Thanks.

278

Hi Sylvain,

My thoughts on Essentia are in this thread starting in post #2 and continuing with a discussion with a company representative.

The Zedbed certainly uses high quality materials and could make a good quality choice (although latex has a very different feel from the memory foam in the iComfort line). It is on the expensive side though which is often the case in larger outlets that carry many major brand mattresses. They seem to be an up and coming company that is unusual because they actually pour their own memory foam.

While I haven’t done extensive research in Quebec (partly because I don’t speak French) … I do know of many factory direct manufacturers in the province and I would suspect that at least some of them may have better value for similar quality latex hybrid mattresses. There is a wide range of latex mattresses as well as every other style available here. The ones I know of within about 100 K of Montreal (and I’ve added the ones I’m aware of in the rest of the province as well) include …

https://www.matelasalhorizontal.com/ Terrebonne
http://www.letendrematelas.com/ Drummondville
http://www.literielaurier.com/ Montreal
http://www.literieprovinciale.ca/fr/ Montreal (see some comments in post #1 here)
http://matelasbourck.com/ Terrebonne
Home - Matelas Dauphin Brossard, Quebec city (several), Sainte-Foy, Beauport, Charny, Levis, Scott, Gatineau, Thetford Mines, Rimouski
https://www.matelasexcellence.ca/ Laval
www.matelas-personnel.com/ Montreal
http://www.matelasprestige.com/ St-Eustache (see some comments here and here)
http://www.matelasrene.com/ Drummondville, Matane, Granby, Nicolet, Quebec city (several), Riviere du Loup, Rimouski, Shawinigan, Sorel, Trois Rivieres, Victoriaville
Matelas SĂŠlection | Manufacturier de matelas sur mesure Montreal
http://www.futondor.com/ Montreal
http://www.matelassiesta.com/ Brossard
http://www.matelasconfort.com/ Quebec City
https://www.matelas.qc.ca/ Notre-Dame-des-Pins
matelas.com/index.htm Saint-Tite
http://www.matelasliondor.com/ Chicoutimi, Alma
https://www.matelascondor.com/ Cap-Saint-Ignace

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There may be more that I haven’t sorted through yet but there are some very good choices here.

Phoenix

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Hi, Phoenix!

thank you so very much for your very knowledgable and insightful commentary on the iComfort mattress. My wife and I went out yesterday looking to buy another mattress having never heard of iComfort before–we haven’t been in the mattress market for years. We ended up buying an iComfort–a Cal King Adjustable Split frame for way too much $$–about $8,500 when all is said and done. Having done a little bit research and, most importantly, read this thread now, we know I’m going to call the store shortly and cancel the purchase.

Now, here is the $64 dollar question:

where should we go to shop for a top quality mattress here in the Metro Phoenix area?

thank you so very much for the education and information–many others on this thread as well.

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Hi jxrphoenix,

You are very fortunate to live in the Phoenix area because there are some great choices there in a wide variety of mattresses including a couple of our manufacturing members.
Post #4 here should help :slight_smile:

Phoenix

281

Apologies for jumping into an existing thread but figured that would be preferable to starting a new one involving the same mattress.

We’re looking to replace our 8 year old Original Mattress Factory coil mattress. Generally pretty happy with that mattress but our tastes have changed (it was their ultra firm version, feels too firm now, wake up aching) a bit and it just doesn’t feel very comfortable any longer. Why wife is pregnant and that’s what pushed us into the market for a new one. The current mattress was pretty inexpensive so overall happy with how long it lasted. While we don’t like this ultra firm bed any longer, I dislike the especially soft beds even more. I am unable to sleep on a pillow top.

Looking in Atlanta, both side sleepers. Have been to many stores and tried many mattresses. Overall we like the foam and air based beds over coils and have tried Sleep Number, Sterns and Foster Latex, Simmons/Sealy/Serta coil, Serta iComfort, and Tempur-pedic. For comfort at the show room, we like the iComfort the best.

We still have the Original Mattress Factory on our list to visit before making a decision, but what are your thoughts on their beds, particularly in comparison to iComfort?

They have a 9" and 12.5" latex here:

And a foam based one here:

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Part of me likes the amount of information you can get on their mattresses compared to the Serta stuff. Also, is there any truth to the heat issues being lessened with the gel? We do get hot sleeping so are wary of that part of the foams.

Thanks for any info, these forums are fairly helpful for getting more opinions. Glad we didn’t walk out of the store with the iComfort, had never heard of it before so wanted to go home and research first. Not limited on budget, but like to get good value for what I do spend.

282

Hi jstephens,

No problem. This thread has become a kind of “catch all” thread anyway :slight_smile:

There is an analysis and review of the iComfort lineup here in case you haven’t seen it. Overall, like most of the major brands they don’t have great value and some of the models would also be “risky” for many people. They tend to cater to a showroom feel that people like in the short term but not so much on what people need (good alignment along with the pressure relief they do provide) in the longer term.

I also believe that airbeds are among the worst choices and value of all and there is more about the reasons why here.

Some of the guidelines that will help you in finding better quality and value and in avoiding most of the traps and pitfalls of mattress shopping (such as believing when the salespeople say that the Stearns and Foster are really a “latex” mattress or comparable to other lower cost and higher quality latex options) are in this article. Not only do they use the least expensive latex available (blended Dunlop) … their premium models such as this still contain over 4" of lower quality polyfoam in the upper layers of the mattress (which is the weak link of the mattress). With a mattress like this you are not sleeping on latex at all but on much cheaper polyfoam.

Original mattress factory is much higher quality and value than any of the major brand mattresses IMO. Both of their latex mattresses contain only 1" of polyfoam in the comfort layers (which is within the maximum I normally suggest) and they use a higher quality of latex than the Stearns and Foster.

Their Serenity is also a very high quality memory foam mattress however because they only have one model (and only two latex models) … it’s important to make sure that the models they make are suitable for your needs and preferences regardless of their quality and value.

If you go to test these mattresses … I would also make sure you test them on a firm foundation (or on an adjustable bed which are also firm and non flexible) because they tend to put their mattresses on “active” box springs which I don’t believe is as good an idea and will certainly change the feel compared to a more “normal” rigid foundation that is usually used for latex and memory foam mattresses.

Gel tends to slightly reduce heat through convection (like putting your and on a marble countertop) but of course this would only be effective if the gel foam was on top. Some of the gel foams are also more breathable (more open cell structure) which means that they can regulate temperature better than some of the “slower” more heat sensitive and less open cell memory foams. There are also many non gel memory foams that are also more open celled and breathable that don’t contain gel. None of them are as cool sleeping or as open celled as better quality latex though.

How far you sink into any foam and how closely it conforms to your body and the quilting/ticking on top of the mattress will also directly affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular individual.

Post #2 here includes some of the better options in and around the Atlanta area that I am aware of.

A final suggestion that may be worth considering if the only issue is that your mattress is too firm but hasn’t developed any other “issues” (you have changed more than the mattress) is that a softer good quality topper (generally either latex or memory foam) may also be a good solution.

Phoenix

283

Really appreciate all this information. We’re planning to swing by the original mattress factory this week to try out their beds. Given we’ve had a good experience with them in the past and that the detail available on their website (specifics on each layer and such) I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up buying something (assuming one of the fewer models is a fit). It’s impossible to get any useful information out of serta’s site - just a bunch of “SomeWeirdName ™ layer” with no description of the materials, sizes, densities, etc.

If we do pick up one of their beds will be sure to post thoughts once we’ve logged a month or two on it.

284

Hi Phoenix, first off, like many other ‘1st time posters’ on this forum, I really appreciate you providing your input/knowledge on mattresses. I think this is a great forum/website and will recommend it to anyone I know who is looking for a mattress.

My wife and I haven’t been in the market for a mattress for about 15 years. We spent $2000+ (can’t even remember exactly it was so long ago) on a Spring Air mattress that obviously treated us well. Only in the last year or so did we start to notice the support was fading. Now, we’re at the point where it’s really causing us aches and pains, but that’s only been the last couple weeks.

Any way, I stumbled across your site doing general research on a new mattress and I immediately found it to be very informative. Even though I don’t know you from Adam, just reading your posts gave me confidence that you really knew this industry and I agreed with a lot of things you said about certain companies, etc…

Our focus has mostly been around getting a foam mattress. Not sure exactly why, other than we thought it might be fun to try one, along with the fact we’re getting old (aren’t we all) and these appear to be good options for back relief, etc…

We looked at the iComfort series last week @ Macy’s and my wife really liked one of the models. This was before we found your site. Your feedback on the iComfort definitely steered me away and made me realize I need to do more research. The Tempurpedics are of course the popular choice, but their costs make me feel like there’s just no way their foam mattress is that much better than the others. We did try out the Cloud Luxe and really liked how ‘soft’ it felt, much like how our Spring Air feels now (ha!).

I know your preference for foam is the Aerus and I looked at those a lot and was tempted to purchase solely based on your recommendation and cost alone. I also looked at others offered by Sam’s and Costco. Most of these had really good reviews by people with the occasional bad review here and there.

Now on to the real point of my post (sorry, just felt compelled to lay some ground work). I also did some research and found a site called sleeplikethedead. This site had some good data compiled on feedback by owners and one brand kind of stood out to me based on their ‘owner satisfaction’ and that was bedinabox. Now I now you may be cringing in front of your monitor right now, but I decided to check out their site and models.

To cut to the chase (finally, huh?), I ended up purchasing a mattress from them for us and my teenage son. My main reasons were:

  1. High % of owner satisfaction on sleeplikethedead (among the highest of any mattress, let alone foam)
  2. US-based company. Don’t feel comfortable knowing my mattress is made in China, just don’t, I get enough ‘junk’ made in that country, including my new dining table in our kitchen which I absolutely can’t stand. It’s so cheaply-made but the price wasn’t (note: stay way from Ashley furniture)
  3. Certipur certified. Felt good to know their foam passes this industry standard.
  4. Cost. Their mattresses are mid-level priced and we were able to get our queen bed and our son’s full size w/platform bed + mattress covers for the cost of the iComfort we were looking at Macy’s.

I know you don’t have high marks for Bed in a Box and it seems to mostly be about the lack of 5lb. foam density in their foam. I asked them about this and they had a come back (of course). They state that older technology foam needs to be measured by this, but their foam is based on a newer technology and thus doesn’t need to be as dense. They have a pretty good schpeil on their website about their foam technology. Now I know, this could be all talk, blah, blah, blah, etc… but based on the happiness of their owners and their return policy, I decided to give them a shot.

I know too that the 5lb. density thing is good for longevity of the mattress. They did state that they’ve had a few mattresses that ‘sank’ after several years (4-5 or so), but that they would replace it if it did this within the first 10 years.

I don’t know, I felt this company was worth a shot. We’ll see, I’ll definitely try to report back on here (promise a much shorter post) after a few months and hopefully years. I just wonder what your thoughts are on their claims that 5lb.+ density isn’t necessary if the foam is of high quality (or based on their technology). Just curious what you think and any other reason why B in a B is not a good choice. Thanks for reading! Ray

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Hi rgham,

Thanks for a very detailed and researched post which IMO deserves an equally detailed answer :slight_smile:

To answer some of your more specific and very well made points and questions …

All of the American manufacturers are making some very good foam. while Aerus is my favorite (mainly because of it’s published breathability specs which are the equivalent of some latex) there are also many other manufacturers that are making very high quality foam that also uses different methods to achieve breathability and other characteristics that are also very effective. I mention them a lot because they are quite easily available but they are by no means the only “good” choice … only one that has some very good information released about it’s qualities. I also agree with you about Chinese foams and while I can’t in good conscience “disqualify” Chinese foam that meets the CertiPur standards for chemicals, offgassing, and durability, I would also personally choose North American foam over Asian foam given a roughly equal value choice.

The main point of your post though was about the Bed in a Box site and the claims they make about their foam density and about the value of customer testimonials.

First about their claims. They contradict every article and all the more research based information that is available deeper on the web about foam manufacturing including the information that is on the PFA site itself. Some research on this site (which is made up of the manufacturers themselves and which disputes their claims) will almost certainly be enough to dispel their claims much less the much more detailed information that is available with some deeper and more technical research into foam manufacturing. In my opinion, their claims are just factually wrong and my conversations with them have not inspired any confidence about their knowledge beyond what they have been told to say.

While foam density is not the only factor in foam durability when comparing similar foams, it remains to this day the single most important factor. Every manufacturer and resource I have talked with who has no vested interest in what they say and all the more technical information available confirms this and this applies to “new generation” foams as well as older ones. While their materials meets most of the guidelines for memory foam that I normally recommend except for density, they are in no way comparable to mattresses that use higher quality and more durable foams. Their claims contradict everything that I (and more importantly many others that I respect) know about the material science of foam manufacturing.

Next about online testimonials. While I recognize that “testimonial patterns” can be useful and can certainly be a valuable part of any research, it is also true that the vast majority of them are written early in the life of a mattress before most problems and issues have had a chance to develop and are also mostly written by people without a lot of knowledge about alternatives, mattress materials and quality, and without a frame of reference that includes the relative qualities of mattresses that they could have bought with the same budget. The sources of their “ratings” are reviews from other sites and forums which often than not base their reviews certain brands rather than specific mattresses (which can each have different layers and materials) and without the knowledge of what to compare their mattress to. Subjective reviews such as this have a huge range of variances and are often self justifying which IMO can often do more to confuse than they can to help. For example many of the reviews of “latex” mattresses are based on opinions about mattresses that shouldn’t even be in this category and many of the memory foam ratings would have more to do with what is over the memory foam (quilting and ticking) than the memory foam itself even though the reviewer doesn’t realize this.

So overall … these reviews or consumer surveys are written shortly after purchase, take place in a vacuum of more specific and factual information about what is actually in the mattress they are reviewing, what the objective basis for their rating is, and what their mattress was compared to. Many don’t even realize it seems what denser more conforming memory foam should actually feel like. They have some value but only to a degree and their biggest value is not so much to identify “good” mattresses but to help identify mattresses which clearly have problems which are obvious to even those who don’t have real factual information about what they bought or the alternatives that were available to them.

In addition to this … there are many places which include reviews of Bed in a Box which are not quite so favorable. There is also some question about how many of the online reviews for this particular company (and the source of the Sleep like a Bear ratings are from other review sites and forums) are planted by the company itself or it’s representatives. It would be very easy to skew this type of rating system which was gathered from other sites which are the “target” of many fake reviews to bolster ratings.

Of course warranties are a whole other story because warranties only cover defects in construction or materials and since softening is not considered a defect (softening and impressions are separate issues and only impressions beyond a warranty exclusion are included in the warranty coverage) … even though it may lead to a mattress that is clearly not suitable for someone to sleep on.

So overall IMO, Bed in a Box is a better choice than many other “cheap memory foam” outlets on the web … but they are in no way comparable to higher quality choices that are available when consumers know more about what to look for and are aware of better outlets either online or in their area. I guess meeting 3 out of 4 of the memory foam guidelines is certainly better than many other choices :slight_smile:

I of course have no issues if someone chooses a mattress with any materials of any density … as long as they have the correct facts about that material and that the price they paid justifies the quality and durability of their purchase and they are happy with the value they received. Worse yet would be a consumer who purchases a Comforpedic mattress for example which used 3.5 lb next generation memory foam and is several times the price of the Bed in a Box and believed that they bought a higher quality mattress than they did.

Value is always relative to what something is compared to and to the needs, preferences, and “value equation” of each individual. My only real issue is that there is so much incorrect information on the web … particularly from manufacturers who give information designed to make a lower quality mattress seem more comparable to a higher quality option … that making truly informed choices based on objective and more factual information is much more difficult.

In case I missed anything … this thread is also about Bed in a Box and Sleep like a Bear as well and also includes lots more information about different types of memory foam and their different qualities (besides durability) in general.

They are certainly a better choice than many “low budget” mattresses that are so widely available … but I would hesitate to choose lower density foam when higher density “next generation” alternatives are also readily available at similar prices.

Phoenix