Hi Connor,
The tutorial post includes the guidelines about what to look for and what to avoid but only you can know the types or mattresses or materials you tend to prefer. The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Medford area are listed in post #4 here. The better online options I’m aware of are linked in the tutorial post. Posts #3 and #4 here also include the better online latex and latex hybrid options I’m aware of that are in relatively lower budget ranges.
There is more about the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase in post #13 here (this is a post that I would consider to be essential reading). I would tend to avoid brand shopping because outside of how suitable a mattress is for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) … a mattress is only as good as its construction and the quality of the materials inside it no matter what the name of the manufacturer on a label (see post #12 here and post #5 here about brand shopping).
Latex is certainly a high quality material but it would be a good idea to make sure you like it before you purchase a latex mattress. There is more about the differences between latex vs memory foam comfort layers in post #2 here and there is also more about latex vs innerspring support cores in post #2 here but your own testing will be the most reliable way to know which materials and components or types of mattresses you tend to prefer because trying to describe “feel” is like trying to describe a taste to someone who has never tastes something similar…
“Feel” is also very subjective and there are no standard firmness ratings between manufacturers so a mattress that is rated as “medium firm” with one manufacturer may be “medium” or “firm” with the next. Firmness is also very subjective so what feels too soft for one person can feel too firm for someone else depending on their body type, sleeping positions, and preferences and sensitivity. The only way to know how firm or soft a mattress feels for you would be based on your own personal testing or sleeping experience regardless of how anyone else may rate it. Only you can feel what you feel on a mattress (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Following the steps in the tutorial post one at a time will be the most reliable way to make the most successful purchase. There is also a shorter version at the end.
Memory foam is a temperature sensitive material (although different types of memory foam are more or less temperature sensitive than others) but latex fast response foams like latex are affected very little by temperature.
Phoenix