Upgrading my queen spring bed. It is on a box spring which is on the ground. i never understood why we need box springs or mattress frames (which i do not havfe currently) so can someone tell me why they may be good?
Also, suggestions for mattress? I have amazon prime and have IKEA, bed bath beyond, and others near me to test some stuff out. anything specific to look for in terms of quality? (Los angeles area ~pasadena)
Was looking at memory foam and heard of tempurpedic in the past a long time ago. Not sure if still good. Also heard of purple but seen reviews of shady tactics from them. Would like some more knowledgeable opinions and suggestions.
Looking for best bang for buck kind of stuff without being cheap. Like I’, willing to pay 500 or 1000 or more if the upgrade is signficantly better/noticeable but would feel uncomfortable spending a few thousand
There’s much more information about the functions of foundations, active slat systems and actual box springs in the foundation thread here. With most modern mattresses, the bottom piece of the mattress set is a foundation that does not flex. Closely spaced wood slats are quite common for the construction. This serves the purpose of allowing the mattress to be higher off of the floor for easier egress and ingress, and also to help promote better air circulation around the mattress.
A bed frame (or bed set) serves a similar purpose. It elevates the mattress set for easier access, and also promotes airflow around the complete mattress set.
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose, it’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
The first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
Outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase (I linked to this in my reply to your previous post).
In its simplest form, choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.
Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
I have discontinued the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict vetting and qualification process that is part of becoming an approved member of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who have indeed qualified the be members here of The Mattress Underground.
You can perform a forum search on Los Angeles or any other area and see what other businesses have been discussed in that region which may be helpful to you. If you have any questions about specifications or certain products you discover, feel free to post back on the forum and I’ll do my best to be assistive.
Tempurpedic mattresses generally use good quality materials but they are in much higher (and mostly unjustifiable) budget ranges and for most people they certainly wouldn’t be in the best “value” range compared to many other smaller manufacturers that use similar (or in some cases better) quality materials that are in much lower budget ranges. You can read more about Tempurpedic in general in posts #1 and #2 here.
As I referenced in my previous reply to you, while other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).
Thanks Phoenix! Im going to read these posts closely. Appreciate your help!
Went to ikea today and was rather underwhelmed by the mattresses they offered. THey did have the latex and memory foam mattresses, which I lied on. Couldn’t tell much of a difference since i only lied on it for maybe 10 seconds.
Will check around my area / search LA in here to test mattresses again after gaining more knowledge
seems most frames are 14in metal on there. i dont think i need a headboard and dont see the ned for one since my bed is against the wall. headboard purpose? (if you answered this in one of the linked posts, I apologize as I will have read that in a few hours :P)
BTW have you thought of doing a youtube channel in which you discuss these tips? I think you would gain a big following based off the value you give!
Ten seconds is of course not enough time, as you mentioned, to form an impression regarding a product. But the first thing is to evaluate the componentry within the mattress as I discussed in my previous reply.
Sounds like a good plan.
There will be differences in the build quality and sturdiness of foundations and platform beds available. Be sure to read through the foundation thread I linked to in my earlier reply regarding things to look for, as well as slat spacing. Also, be sure to check with any mattress manufacturer you’re considering if they have specific foundation requirements to stay current with their warranty.
The Zinus product is a metal platform bed. The concern you may have with items like this is the thinner metal wires on the top deck, and the bending that can occur with these, as well as their spacing and “pushing up” into the foam base of some mattresses. Again, check with the mattress manufacturer you’re considering for their requirements.
In most modern bed situations the headboard serves an ornamental purpose more than anything. When part of a bed set, it does contribute to the overall structural integrity and support.
Not currently, but stay tuned! For the time being, I’ve previously linked to and recommended some of the videos from forum member Mattress To Go’s Beducation channel, some of which you may find interesting.