I’ve been researching buying a queen size memory foam mattress for a couple of weeks now before running across your site. After reading a little, I am curious if there are any recommended factory direct stores in Wichita, Kansas that I can check out?
I visited Mattress World last weekend and found a 5.3 lb “off-brand” mattress that I liked for $750, which is a lot less than the iComfort I was also thinking about. The store is an “outlet” but I didn’t know to ask where the mattress was made or multiple other recommendations that are made in your buying guide. I intend to go back and find out more information.
The “non-commission” salesman was also raving about the bamboo cover that comes with the mattress. Is there anything special about these or are they just marketing gimmicks? Thanks for any info you can provide!
There are a couple of factory direct outlets in Wichita that may be worth including in your research …
Furniture Row® Store Locations - Store Hours & Addresses Regional factory direct manufacturer which makes a range of mattresses including innersprings, hybrids, and two iChoice models which are mostly latex but give you the option of a latex or memory foam comfort layer… I would avoid the major brands that they also carry.
http://www.sleeplevel.com/ Local factory direct outlet with a warehouse in Wichita but you can go there to test their mattresses. I spoke with Mark the owner and he is trying to do things “right”. They are a newer company that is sold mainly through various shows and displays in the region. They use high quality materials in their mattresses but are in a more premium price range compared to some other factory direct manufacturers. They would be worth including in your testing if you are looking at mattresses in the iComfort budget range (they compare favorably to these in quality and value). Their website prices are higher than they actually charge at tradeshows and local displays so make sure if you go here that you ask them for their discounted prices.
Some of the “alternative brands” that seem to be sold in the area in various places (when I did a quick scan) and that may have better value than some of the larger brands include Restonic and Englander. If you consider any of these (or others) it becomes very important to know the quality of the materials and the layering of the mattress so you can identify the “weak link” of the mattress which is a big part of its durability and finding a retailer that will tell you this (either from their spec sheets or a call to the factory) is important.
Some possibilities for other retailers in and around Wichita that may be worth including in your research or testing is in post #4 here.
Bamboo is a form of viscose or Rayon which is breathable, soft, and wicks moisture very well. It’s is becoming very popular as a “premium” fiber in mattress tickings but it’s not quite as “natural” as many people would have you believe.
Thanks for the info. I looked at the sleeplevel website and those mattresses are out of my price range. I’ll go back to denver mattress and do a little more looking. Last time I was only looking at name brands.
I went back to Mattress World after work and asked a few more questions about the 12" memory foam latex bed. It is Made in USA, contains 4" of 5.5 lb memory foam manufactured at Carpenter, 2" of synthetic latex, and 6" of 2.8 lb UR polyfoam base. This all sounds good but at $799 ( I was off $50 earlier) for a queen it seems too good to be true. Do you have any more insight?
The bamboo cover sounds ok to me. Does it hold up pretty well after numerous washes? I don’t really care how natural it is; I just want something comfortable that will hold up and help protect the mattress a little.
While Sleeplevel is certainly more than the price range you are looking at … they are in the same price range as the iComforts you were looking at previously but use much higher quality materials (their prices as I mentioned are quite a bit higher than the price they normally sell for and they are also a “set” price).
Having said all that … if the mattress you are mentioning at Mattress World really has the specs you have been given then the value is excellent. I would check to make sure that they are selling their mattresses with the original manufacturers warranty (to make sure that they are not returns) and I would also ask the specifics about where they came from (do they ever sell returns or floor models or any other type of used mattresses) and who the manufacturer was. I would also check the law tags to make sure they are white (new) and not yellow (used) or worse yet that there are no law tags at all or there are traces of yellow law tags that have been ripped off. I would also carefully check to make sure there are no obvious signs of stain removal or other defects that may indicate it is not a new mattress. They do have a good rating with the BBB (with no complaints in 3 years) and they also seem to be quite new.
If their answer is a clear no and you trust the answers you are given and you trust the company and the ownership (which appears to be Dan Blades) … then it certainly appears that they have some excellent value.
It would also make sense to pay a visit to Denver mattress for comparison purposes.
Bamboo is a good quality and durable material and a nice option to have … but it’s just not as “green” as many people say it is. This is only a major concern to a smaller minority of consumers though so since it’s not a big part of your “value equation” then it would be a good choice for you.