I am considering getting the Tuft & Needle mattress. It is the #1 rated mattress on Amazon and it has a relatively modest price. I do have concerns about it being more of a “futon” than a standard mattress though. I have read a number of your posts but still don’t know enough about what materials to look for in a mattress.
I sleep on my stomach and want a medium firm mattress. Thanks for your perspective.
It’s somewhat synchronistic that you are mentioning them because I have been talking with them for some time as their company developed and I just hung up the phone from talking with JT (one of the owners) before I started replying to your post. They have just been listed as a member of the site (a few minutes ago)
They use 3 layers of high quality polyfoam (in the range of 2 lbs) and are well designed to have a “medium firm” feel by most standards which is in the “sweet zone” for many people.
They are good people and now offer a 6.5% discount, an extended trial period, and cost free returns to the members of this site which of course reduces the risk of any online purchase :).
Thanks for the quick response. I have a few more questions.
Do you have any concerns about the relative thinness of the mattress? It seems like 5" is thinner than most other mattresses. The reviews on Amazon seems great and no one seems to complain about the thickness but it is still a concern of mine.
What would you consider to be the most similar mattresses that are out there on the market? I am trying to comparison shop.
What do I miss out on not spending more on a mattress? I would prefer to spend less but would be wiling to spend up to ~$1,000 to get something that is better. I live in San Francisco and am comfortable shopping online as well. I guess I am trying to make sure that I am not underspending and getting something that wouldn’t be as good for my health or anything like that.
This would depend on your body type and weight, sleeping positions, and personal preferences. Thinner mattresses tend to be firmer than thicker mattresses or that have thicker comfort layers but this also depends on the design and the specific properties of the foam they use. I can certainly speak to the quality of the materials and they have done a great job designing this mattress inside the restrictions of its thickness and budget range but the only way to know whether a mattress is suitable for you would be your own personal testing or experience. If you can’t test a mattress in person then the best approach is a more detailed conversation with the manufacturer who will know more about their mattress than anyone and are in the best position to talk to you about how good a “match” it may be for you based on “averages” and the specifics of other mattresses you have tested and worked best for you in terms of PPP (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Outside of your conversation with them … the trial period would be the only way to answer this with any certainty.
I don’t know the “comfort specs” of the mattress and this isn’t the type of mattress that you would easily find in the mainstream market so I don’t know of any that would specifically compare. If you found a mattress that had 5" of polyfoam in the same density with a similar quality cover (at a local manufacturer or foam shop) then it would be comparable in terms of quality but it may still be very different in terms of PPP and “feel” because the specifics of the foam may be very different in terms of ILD, foam properties, and the thickness of each layer which can lead to significant differences in terms of how they compare.
It’s not likely that you could find a similar mattress without knowing the specifics of the materials (besides the quality specs) which would be proprietary information.
Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the San Francsico area are listed in post #2 here but again I don’t know if any of them would have anything similar. The foam in the mattress is CertiPur certified, the cover is natural cotton quilted with polyfiber, and the fire barrier is a “safe” material so most people would have no health concerns with the mattress.
In terms of quality and value it would be a very good choice. In terms of PPP only your more detailed conversations and your own personal experience can provide a meaningful answer.