Buying a Mattress

[JustMeUC]

I have been sleeping on foam or latex mattresses in Central America and Mexico. They have been really comfortable overall. But, I am now in the USA for the next year due to circumstances and have had to purchase an entire apartment full of furniture down to spoons and forks.... Anyway, I will not be taking the mattress with me when I go... so didn't want to spend a fortune. Sadly, I have already gone thru 2 mattresses in the past month and am now looking for another.

First I thought I found a great deal at Well Known Brand Name Mattress Clearance center. It was an innerspring pillow top, regularly priced at $1200 for about $500... It was supposed to be a customer return, meaning it had been slept on for less than 30 days and they had it certified and cleaned whatever that means. I was soft and comfy for the first night or 2 but then I started noticing it was really sinking in the middle and I was waking up with neck aches. I went to costco and bought a $120 novaform gel topper. Didn't help. I gave in an put it on CL and sold it for $200. (since it was a clearance item, it was non-returnable) I then read the reviews on Amazon and bought a $300 memory foam mattress which was delivered last Friday. It has been very disappointing. I now have it on CL as I don't want to bother returning it. It came in a small box and once freed from the plastic expanded to 5 times its size, plus is probably 75 pounds. It would cost mega bucks to ship it back.

Wednesday I bought an aerobed and put the novaform topper on it and it has been the most comfortable bed I have had so far, LOL... but probably not a realistic solution for the next 12 months.

Please, can someone give me some advice about how to go about mattress shopping? I am tired of throwing money down the toilet but I NEED a comfortable mattress......

 

[Brat]

We purchased a foam mattress from Costco. The manufacturer delivers it in a box. If you don't like it it is returnable.

I agree, the mattress business in the US is nuts.

 

[W2R]

I usually lie on them in the store for 5-10 minutes before buying. Even so, the last one seemed uncomfortable until I bought a (non-memory) foam topper for it, and bought a new metal bedframe since my old one was bent. If you have a chance to try the bed overnight, such as in a hotel, that would be great.

Good luck! It is not easy to find a comfortable bed, but once you do it is wonderful.

 

[powerplay]

It sounds like you have already spent a considerable amount of money on your attempts to find a comfortable mattress. Perhaps the Aerobed would hold up and if you find it comfortable it could be replaced for a nominal amount if it didn't last the 12 months you need.

I believe the problem with so many of the mattresses that are sold today by the big companies is the use of crappy PU foam that compresses and breaks down within weeks to months in many cases coupled with a complex warranty that has difficult criteria to meet.

One possibility is to consider getting a base of high quality PU foam and top it with 2-3 inches of latex.
For example:
LUX-HQ 5" queen foam base is $161.99, Med density latex 2" queen topper is $189.99 and a zippered terrycloth queen cover is $69.99 from Foam Factory or Foam by Mail (they are the same company). This could sit on the floor or look for a box/support on Craigslist for free or cheap.
Welcome to Foam Factory, Inc.

Good luck finding something that will give you a good nights rest!

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Here's the link to the "In the Market for a New Mattress" topic at the Bogleheads Forum.

 

[JustMeUC]

""You should think about buying a new mattress if you wake up tired or achy, you tend to sleep better at hotels than at home, your mattress looks saggy or lumpy, you're over 40, or your mattress is five to seven years old. Use this mattress guide to help with your purchase.""

was reading up online on how to buy a new mattress and came across this direct quote from from consumer reports.....

I now see the problem... I've crossed the 40 year mark...

 

[Dimsumkid]

I went to costco and bought a $120 novaform gel topper.Wednesday I bought an aerobed and put the novaform topper on it and it has been the most comfortable bed I have had so far, LOL... but probably not a realistic solution for the next 12 months.

Seems like you're getting closer. We were in the same dilemma with our son's bed, ended up getting the Costco Novaform memory foam topper on an old futon as the base, this is his 1st adult bed. He really loves it and he's been on it about 3+ yrs now.

We were so impressed we got the queen Costco Novaform memory gel mattress. It did take us about 3 weeks (almost returned it) to adjust since our backs were used to the old mattress "banana" effect that caused back pain. We transitioned from an old water tube foam bed and a memory foam topper.

 

[Tigger]

Here:
From an ex-mattress salesperson - Choosing a Mattress - Epinions.com

 

[bUU]

We spent fifteen years on waveless waterbeds. Loved it. However, we decided that we wanted to find an alternative that didn't require so much care-and-feeding, and didn't put so much extra weight on our joists, and so we went to Select Comfort. It seemed okay in the showroom. Got it home and hated it. Bought a foam topper. Hated it. (Yes, I know - we should have returned it right there and then, instead of letting the return period expire.) Bought a feather bed to top it with. Hated it. Bought a thicker feather bed. Hated it. After years of this stupidity, we deflated it and, since we wouldn't inflict it on any human we really like, it serves now as a very expensive way to insulate our cats from the dreadful cold of the basement slab, when they're stuck down there while we're on vacation.

At the time we had given up on our air mattress, one of our really good friends had just bought a new bed for herself, after having bought the same kind of mattress for her daughter, and commandeering that mattress after realizing how comfortable it was. That convinced us. That was two years ago, and it was one of the best purchases we ever made.

It's PacBamboo. It's probably similar to many other foam mattresses, but we feel it is better. We found other foam mattresses to be too warm to sleep on; the PacBamboo seems to breath better.

Anyway, that's my recommendation.

 

[NW-Bound]

I cannot remember where and when we bought our last mattress, and how much we paid. Maybe IKEA. But for 20+ years now, we have a Scandinavian design bed that's low to the ground, and does not use a box spring. Perhaps it works for us because we are skinny people, but when we sleep on a regular bed with a box spring such as in hotels, I occasionally have a hard time. I remember one time I had to go sleep in the sofa.

And sleeping on beds that are high off the ground, I now have this fear of tossing and turning and falling off it and break my ribs or back!

 

[Sue J]

If you are near an Original Mattress Factory store, go have a look. We've been very pleased with ours and have gone back again when needed.

Store Locator - The Original Mattress Factory

 

[JustMeUC]

I actually went to one of them today but they have a NO return or exchange policy. I really would like to be able to try it out for a month before deciding!

 

[Amethyst]

I have slept on platform (no box spring) beds with a regular, mid-grade coil mattress almost my whole adult life. I can't stand a wobbly or saggy bed, and there definitely is no sagging with a platform bed! Not sure why "skinniness" would matter, since platform beds seem sturdier than box spring beds, and thus would be a better choice (I should think) for heavier people.

Amethyst

I cannot remember where and when we bought our last mattress, and how much we paid. Maybe IKEA. But for 20+ years now, we have a Scandinavian design bed that's low to the ground, and does not use a box spring. Perhaps it works for us because we are skinny people, but when we sleep on a regular bed with a box spring such as in hotels, I occasionally have a hard time.
!

 

[pixelville]

After some research I had done on sleeplikethedead and the Bogleheads thread, we bought a cheap firm spring mattress (with bed frame/slats but no box spring) and the Costco memory foam topper. In our case the mattress was from Ikea, it allows exchanges on mattress within 60-90(?) days.
The combination has been wonderful so far (8 months).

 

[NW-Bound]

Most people do not do without a box spring, so I thought perhaps their body needs a softer bed if they are heavier. As for me, I am not sure I would like a foam mattress. I do not see that it is a good thing to be sunken into a bed that conforms to your body, such that you leave an imprint on it when you get up.

A thinner mattress is actually better for me. And as I am on the skinny side, I thought I am different for that reason.

I have slept on platform (no box spring) beds with a regular, mid-grade coil mattress almost my whole adult life. I can't stand a wobbly or saggy bed, and there definitely is no sagging with a platform bed! Not sure why "skinniness" would matter, since platform beds seem sturdier than box spring beds, and thus would be a better choice (I should think) for heavier people.

Amethyst

 

[Lazarus]

We have several of these frames. Plenty of room underneath and cheap as box springs. Only drawback is no headboard attachment.


Amazon.com: Handy Living Full Wood Slat Bed Frame: Home & Kitchen