Trying to order a good, very firm, double-sided mattress in Albuquerque, NM

[Nii]

Hello Phoenix,

Thanks so much for this valuable service.

I’m looking for new queen mattresses and box springs for both my parents and myself. The pickings here in Albuquerque, NM are really slim, especially since we really want double-sided innerspring mattresses that are very firm. Foam mattresses just don’t work for us.

I’ve already contacted almost all the places in your Albuquerque post. None of them carry any double-sided mattresses at all. The only places in Albuquerque that do are Albuquerque Mattress Factory and Priced-Rite Waterbeds, both of which don’t have anything really firm. I’ve emailed White Mattress in Roswell and am waiting to hear back, but it looks like we are going to have to look out of state.

I could drive to the Denver area with my Dad, so one question I had was if you know of any stores there that definitely carry the kind of mattresses we are looking for and that would be worth the trip for value and quality.

I also wondered if you know of any online stores with nationwide shipping from which I can order. It’s kind of nerve-wracking to order without ever having tried the mattress, but if there’s a really good brand with a great double-sided firm model, we’ll take a chance.

So far, all I can find online that look at all promising are the Serta Perfect Sleeper Sapphire Double-Sided Firm: Serta – US Mattress and the Restonic ComfortCare Brookhaven Firm: Mattresses For Sale | Find Your Perfect Mattress | US-Mattress – US Mattress, both at US-Mattress.com. It might also be possible to get the Shifman Anniversary Edition Extra Firm Mattress shipped out here via Bloomingdales: http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/shiftman-anniversary-collection-extra-firm-queen-mattress-set?ID=840985 . Do you think any of those are good?

Another option is that my parents have to go to Pittsburgh next month and there’s an Original Mattress Factory store there. We were thinking it might be worth it for them to get mattresses there and have them trucked to NM. Do you know if OMF mattresses are significantly better than the ones I mentioned? And if we end up having to have a mattresses sent from far away, would it be better to look into getting something from a more hand-crafted type place, like Seattle Mattress Company? What company would you say is making the best, old school, firm, double-sided innerspring mattresses right now?

And, last question, is it just stupid to be so stuck on the idea of a double-sided mattress? Are we better off just going to Denver Mattress right in town and getting the firmest one-sided mattress they have? I’ve heard people say a lot of great things about Saatva mattresses, which are all one-sided, and we’ve thought of getting those, but can’t tell just how firm their firm will be and have no way of trying one out.

Any advice would be most appreciated. Our beds are old and we’re getting desperate. And sore.

Thank you very much,
Nii
Albuquerque

[phoenix]

Hi Nii,

Just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place I would start your research is the tutorial post here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you find the best possible choice … and know how to avoid the worst ones.

I’ve already contacted almost all the places in your Albuquerque post. None of them carry any double-sided mattresses at all. The only places in Albuquerque that do are Albuquerque Mattress Factory and Priced-Rite Waterbeds, both of which don’t have anything really firm. I’ve emailed White Mattress in Roswell and am waiting to hear back, but it looks like we are going to have to look out of state.

I could drive to the Denver area with my Dad, so one question I had was if you know of any stores there that definitely carry the kind of mattresses we are looking for and that would be worth the trip for value and quality.

I talked to them this morning and they do make 2 sided mattresses and are probably the closest option to you for a two sided mattress that I’m aware of.

I could drive to the Denver area with my Dad, so one question I had was if you know of any stores there that definitely carry the kind of mattresses we are looking for and that would be worth the trip for value and quality.

The Denver list is here but I don’t keep a record of the specific mattresses carried by each store (it would be more than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market). While most of them probably don’t … I would check their websites or call them to see if any of them do.

So far, all I can find online that look at all promising are the Serta Perfect Sleeper Sapphire Double-Sided Firm: www.us-mattress.com/serta-hotel-sapphire...rm.html#.UyvbwCijn8s and the Restonic ComfortCare Brookhaven Firm: Mattresses For Sale | Find Your Perfect Mattress | US-Mattress – US Mattress, both at US-Mattress.com. It might also be possible to get the Shifman Anniversary Edition Extra Firm Mattress shipped out here via Bloomingdales: www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/shif...ttress-set?ID=840985 . Do you think any of those are good?

As you will read in the tutorial post and some of the links it includes (such as this article) … I would avoid the major brands or any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the quality of the materials inside it. Without knowing this information (see this article) … it’s not possible to make any meaningful comments about a specific mattress, identify any weak links in its construction, or make meaningful comparisons to other mattresses.

Another option is that my parents have to go to Pittsburgh next month and there’s an Original Mattress Factory store there. We were thinking it might be worth it for them to get mattresses there and have them trucked to NM. Do you know if OMF mattresses are significantly better than the ones I mentioned? And if we end up having to have a mattresses sent from far away, would it be better to look into getting something from a more hand-crafted type place, like Seattle Mattress Company? What company would you say is making the best, old school, firm, double-sided innerspring mattresses right now?

The most important part of the value of any mattress is how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). Once you have tested a mattress for PPP then the next most important part of the “value” of a mattress is the quality of the materials inside it. While you would need to know the specifics of two mattresses you are comparing … in general terms the OMF mattresses would be higher quality than Serta and most importantly they will disclose all the information you need about what is inside all their mattresses.

The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Pittsburgh area are listed in post #2 here.

What company would you say is making the best, old school, firm, double-sided innerspring mattresses right now?

There isn’t any way to answer this because there are too many different definitions of “best” and it would depend on which type of mattress you prefer, which one is the best match for you in terms of PPP, and the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. In general terms there are many smaller independent manufacturers across the country that still make high quality two sided mattresses that would be well worth considering but the only way to compare or assess them would be based on the criteria that are unique to you.

And, last question, is it just stupid to be so stuck on the idea of a double-sided mattress? Are we better off just going to Denver Mattress right in town and getting the firmest one-sided mattress they have? I’ve heard people say a lot of great things about Saatva mattresses, which are all one-sided, and we’ve thought of getting those, but can’t tell just how firm their firm will be and have no way of trying one out.

There are some great quality and value one sided mattresses that use very durable materials that may be a great match for you and would also make good quality and value choices. There are always tradeoffs between different mattress designs where each choice can have it’s own pros and cons. There is more in post #3 here about the pros and cons of two sided mattresses and while a two sided mattress will be more durable than the same mattress that uses the same materials and components in a one sided design … it may not be more durable than a one sided mattress that uses higher quality materials.

You can read an analysis of the Saatva mattresses and their marketing claims in this post and a forum search on Saatva (you can just click this) will bring up more information about them as well.

Phoenix

[phoenix]

Hi Nii,

Just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place I would start your research is the tutorial post here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you find the best possible choice … and know how to avoid the worst ones.

I’ve already contacted almost all the places in your Albuquerque post. None of them carry any double-sided mattresses at all. The only places in Albuquerque that do are Albuquerque Mattress Factory and Priced-Rite Waterbeds, both of which don’t have anything really firm. I’ve emailed White Mattress in Roswell and am waiting to hear back, but it looks like we are going to have to look out of state.

I could drive to the Denver area with my Dad, so one question I had was if you know of any stores there that definitely carry the kind of mattresses we are looking for and that would be worth the trip for value and quality.

I talked to them this morning and they do make 2 sided mattresses and are probably the closest option to you for a two sided mattress that I’m aware of.

I could drive to the Denver area with my Dad, so one question I had was if you know of any stores there that definitely carry the kind of mattresses we are looking for and that would be worth the trip for value and quality.

The Denver list is here but I don’t keep a record of the specific mattresses carried by each store (it would be more than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market). While most of them probably don’t … I would check their websites or call them to see if any of them do.

So far, all I can find online that look at all promising are the Serta Perfect Sleeper Sapphire Double-Sided Firm: www.us-mattress.com/serta-hotel-sapphire...rm.html#.UyvbwCijn8s and the Restonic ComfortCare Brookhaven Firm: Mattresses For Sale | Find Your Perfect Mattress | US-Mattress – US Mattress, both at US-Mattress.com. It might also be possible to get the Shifman Anniversary Edition Extra Firm Mattress shipped out here via Bloomingdales: www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/shif...ttress-set?ID=840985 . Do you think any of those are good?

As you will read in the tutorial post and some of the links it includes (such as this article) … I would avoid the major brands or any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the quality of the materials inside it. Without knowing this information (see this article) … it’s not possible to make any meaningful comments about a specific mattress, identify any weak links in its construction, or make meaningful comparisons to other mattresses.

Another option is that my parents have to go to Pittsburgh next month and there’s an Original Mattress Factory store there. We were thinking it might be worth it for them to get mattresses there and have them trucked to NM. Do you know if OMF mattresses are significantly better than the ones I mentioned? And if we end up having to have a mattresses sent from far away, would it be better to look into getting something from a more hand-crafted type place, like Seattle Mattress Company? What company would you say is making the best, old school, firm, double-sided innerspring mattresses right now?

The most important part of the value of any mattress is how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). Once you have tested a mattress for PPP then the next most important part of the “value” of a mattress is the quality of the materials inside it. While you would need to know the specifics of two mattresses you are comparing … in general terms the OMF mattresses would be higher quality than Serta and most importantly they will disclose all the information you need about what is inside all their mattresses.

The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Pittsburgh area are listed in post #2 here.

What company would you say is making the best, old school, firm, double-sided innerspring mattresses right now?

There isn’t any way to answer this because there are too many different definitions of “best” and it would depend on which type of mattress you prefer, which one is the best match for you in terms of PPP, and the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. In general terms there are many smaller independent manufacturers across the country that still make high quality two sided mattresses that would be well worth considering if you were in their area but the only way to compare or assess them would be based on the criteria that are most important to you.

And, last question, is it just stupid to be so stuck on the idea of a double-sided mattress? Are we better off just going to Denver Mattress right in town and getting the firmest one-sided mattress they have? I’ve heard people say a lot of great things about Saatva mattresses, which are all one-sided, and we’ve thought of getting those, but can’t tell just how firm their firm will be and have no way of trying one out.

There are some great quality and value one sided mattresses that use very durable materials that may be a great match for you and would also make good quality and value choices. There are always tradeoffs between different mattress designs where each choice can have it’s own pros and cons. There is more in post #3 here about the pros and cons of two sided mattresses and while a two sided mattress will be more durable than the same mattress that uses the same materials and components in a one sided design … it may not be more durable than a one sided mattress that uses higher quality materials.

You can read an analysis of the Saatva mattresses and their marketing claims in this post and a forum search on Saatva (you can just click this) will bring up more information about them as well.

Phoenix

[Nii]

Phoenix,

Thanks so much. I’ve now read pretty much all the mattress info on the site, and it’s been immensely helpful. I have cancer and a lot of attendant health problems, and mattress-buying had started to seem so overwhelming that I’d just about decided to go to a chain, get something that feels OK on the floor, and hope it holds up for more than a year. But the fact is, I’m going to be spending a lot of time in bed and I have serious back and shoulder issues, so I can’t really do crappy mattresses any more. After reading the articles here, I think it’s worth another call and maybe a drive out to Roswell to get a mattress at White Mattress. I think I’ll get more for my money, and the owner says if the mattress isn’t right after I use it for little while, he’ll rebuild it to suit. I like the idea of supporting someone who’s making something in a conscientious, old-fashioned way out in the middle of nowhere, but I don’t know that I’d have had the confidence to go with an unknown independent manufacturer if I hadn’t read the articles here.

It’s been such a pleasure to find this site, not just because of all the helpful information but because of the good, clear, intelligent writing and the generosity of spirit you show in every response.

All the best to you,
Nii
Albuquerque

[phoenix]

Hi Nii,

Thanks for the kind words

It’s always great to see when one more person realizes the benefits of dealing with a good local independent manufacturer who values their name and local reputation more than their shareholders profits and as you say puts more “value” into their mattresses than the mainstream manufacturers.

I’m looking forward to finding out about the mattress you end up deciding on and of course any feedback you have the chance to share when you’ve had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

Phoenix