I would like to be able to try out different mattresses in my area before buying. We are overdue for a new mattress and would like to spend around $1500 … I must admit I am a bit worried about buying online. I’ve looked at your list of recommended members in an effort to make a visit to one of them, but the only site is more than 2 hours away from here.
I’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial as well as many posts on the forum, and now agree that I do not want to buy one of the 15 brands that should be avoided. Before finding your site, I was thinking about trying out a Beautyrest Black, but not anymore! Actually, I’ve read so much about mattresses lately, my head is swimming. (I’ve also been on Sleep Like the Dead and The Old Bed Guy) Currently, I own a Beautyrest pillowtop that is approximately 11 years old. It sleeps hot and gives me terrible pain in my hip and lower back. The box spring is on slats and we have a platform sleigh bed.
I am a side sleeper, age 55 and weigh under 120 lbs. with a BMI of 23. My husband’s age is 46, weight is 185 with a BMI of 26. He is also a side sleeper.
Again, if you can recommend an actual place in my area (Scranton Pennsylvania) that I can physically see and feel the mattresses, I would be very thankful.
Since you’ve read the tutorial you probably already know that 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).
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 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 he will sleep), durability (how long he 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).
Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list you plan to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your specific criteria and the quality/value guidelines I linked earlier in this reply … the better options or “possibilities” I’m aware of in and around the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Blakeslee areas are listed in post #4 here.