Best New Mattress

[Alex]

The DW and I are shopping for a new mattress. We are considering the memory foam beds or one of the regular beds with a pillow top, or even a sleep number doodad or a memory foam topper over our old bed. Anyway does anyone here own one of these types of beds or toppers? There is just so much to choose from now that we are really confused.

PS: We want something firm, but not 'too' firm yet soft, but not too soft. I like to thing we are using the Goldilocks approach!!!

 

[F-One]

Our experience (DW has chronic back problem)- we bought a pillow-top mattress 2 years ago. Initially they feel great but after a while it became horrible. I think unless you sleep on your back the whole night without moving, you will be sore. The problem with these is you "sink" into the cushion and any movement is restricted after that initial "settling". Sleeping on your stomach ends up stressing the back (hips stomach (more weight : ) sink more than shoulders). IMHO the memory foam are same. We bought a sleep number bed this year and both like its versatility - we like a pretty firm mattress - but it gives you flexibility to tune it for you.

 

[linkerbink]

I purchased one of those memory foam toppers (from Overstock.com...didn't pay much!) and I really like it. I'd consider purchasing an entire memory foam mattress except for the price ($1,000+ for a regular double size). Maybe if they ever come down in price, or I can find a REALLY good deal, I might do that.

 

[donheff]

We got a tempurpedic. Costs a bundle but it is a great mattress.

 

[Martha]

We have one of those cheap overstock.com memory foam toppers on top of our latex foam mattress. If you look at the memory foam mattresses, only the top few inches is memory foam. Our latex mattress with the memory foam add on works great. And, you can still flip the mattress because the memory foam is separate. You can't do that with a memory foam mattress.

The next time we need a mattress my plan is to "build" my own. Buy some good quality latex foam and memory foam. Mattresses are way over priced for what you get. We don't use a box spring and our bed was made in a style where none is necessary. Box springs are dust catches anyway.

I use a latex foam mattress instead of an innerspring mattress because of allergies.

 

[Texas Proud]

Interesting Martha....

My sister and BIL did what you said.. they had bought a topper, but it was having problems getting rid of the ridges in it... call the company and they sent another one to them... they liked it....

SO, BIL calls up a company and talks about the various foams... they tell him about the different foams and what is needed... buys three different kinds as you need a hard bottom, a medium middle and the memory top... has someone glue them together and now has his own mattress... cost less than half of what they want in the store (and much less than Temper pedic (sp?)...

But his is only 6 inches thick... 2 inch each level... the 'better' is to have 3 inches on the bottom two levels, but the price goes up a lot... and as he said, you can not tell the difference...

 

[JohnP]

We got a new pillow top kingsize bed last spring - no memory foam. We found that there were lots of recurrent half-price sales so we bought at half price (plus rebates) from Sears. The pillow top is soft but the bed itself is firm. To have the same bed "height" we got a 5.5 inch foundation to go with the 13 inch thick top. We had to replace all of our fitted bed sheets because of the additional thickness of the mattress! Sears deliivered and took the old bedding.

FWIW, Big-Lots is having a Serta mattress sale starting today (including pillow tops - king pillowtop with foundation is $800). Probably no delivery.

JohnP

 

[honobob]

I haven't been on a regular bed for over 30 years. Water bed to start but eventually got tired of the "look" so switched to a flotation bed about 12
years ago. Looks like a regular bed but has water tubes under a quilted top.

Last January I needed two beds for a rental in Waikiki and I purchased two memory foam beds from Costco. ($499 with a $50 off coupon) I slept on one for a month and noticed the difference when I went back to the flotation bed. My tenants love the beds and I think they stay cleaner than regular beds.

 

[TromboneAl]

A few unrelated things:

1. The mattress industry is one of the most corrupt around. For example, the same exact mattresses have many different names, making it impossible to compare or get data on one.

2. We've had a memory pad on our foam pad for over ten years, and like it. But the mattress covering is very important, here's why: If it isn't flexible or if it's too thick, it defeats the purpose of the memory foam.

You've got this great memory foam pad. If you push your hand down on it, you see an impression of your hand.

Now, cover this with a tightly stretched relatively thick canvas-like enclosure. When you press down with your hand, the entire region presses down ("hammocking"), and all the benefits of the memory foam are gone.

IOW, unless the covering is elastic and not too thick, you're wasting your money on memory foam. We discovered this, and took our covering back to get a looser one.

I think that the main reason the Tempurpedic sells so well is that the company makes a good elastic covering.

3. Note that the memory foam tends to trap a lot of heat.

4. We bought the cheapest possible pillow-top mattress for our guest bed. Every time a guest sleeps on it, he/she says "Wow, what a comfortable mattress!!" IOW, you don't have to spend a lot to get a good mattress.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

We have one of those cheap overstock.com memory foam toppers on top of our latex foam mattress. If you look at the memory foam mattresses, only the top few inches is memory foam. Our latex mattress with the memory foam add on works great. And, you can still flip the mattress because the memory foam is separate. You can't do that with a memory foam mattress.

The next time we need a mattress my plan is to "build" my own. Buy some good quality latex foam and memory foam. Mattresses are way over priced for what you get. We don't use a box spring and our bed was made in a style where none is necessary. Box springs are dust catches anyway.

I use a latex foam mattress instead of an innerspring mattress because of allergies.

I have a king size "pillow top". Don't even know what brand. Anyway,
former DW bought it and my morning backache (just awful)
disappeared overnight (literally). Not sure about the "memory foam"
but that bed stores some "memories". No doubt about that.

JG

 

[d]

i've been sleeping on a (rock-hard) futon for over 25 years ...works for me but i expect you "pillow-soft" types wouldn't last 5 minutes.

 

[Alex]

Thanks so much for all of the responses. We are mulling over the choices....stay tuned!!!

 

[samclem]

We've had one of these adjustable air mattresses for over 10 years now. It has memory foam over the air channels, and you can get wool filling atop that for better "breathability."
http://www.ultimatebed.com/contourair/index.htp

It is made by a small family-owned company in the US.

Like the "Sleep Number" bed, you adjust the firmness of each side independently. There are no numbers, though--you just stop adding air when it feels right. It is a very nice matress with some features the Select Comfort doesn't have, and a better warrantee, and a better price (no stores very low overhead. You'll figure that out immediately when you see the no-frills web site!).

They really want to sell you a complete bed with the air matress. Since the mattress doesn't need a box spring, they sell a nice platform bed with tons of storage drawers underneath. I wanted it (it is practical, etc) , but DW wanted to keep our regular-style bed (it is good looking, etc). So, I crafted a short box platform that sits in that frame with the air mattess on top. Looks and works great.

 

[Khan]

We've had one of these adjustable air mattresses for over 10 years now. It has memory foam over the air channels, and you can get wool filling atop that for better "breathability."
http://www.ultimatebed.com/contourair/index.htp

It is made by a small family-owned company in the US.

Like the "Sleep Number" bed, you adjust the firmness of each side independently. There are no numbers, though--you just stop adding air when it feels right. It is a very nice matress with some features the Select Comfort doesn't have, and a better warrantee, and a better price (no stores very low overhead. You'll figure that out immediately when you see the no-frills web site!).

They really want to sell you a complete bed with the air matress. Since the mattress doesn't need a box spring, they sell a nice platform bed with tons of storage drawers underneath. I wanted it (it is practical, etc) , but DW wanted to keep our regular-style bed (it is good looking, etc). So, I crafted a short box platform that sits in that frame with the air mattess on top. Looks and works great.

Has it never sprung a leak?

 

[samclem]

Has it never sprung a leak?

Nope, and I'm not going into details about the use it has had.

I probably top off the air every 4 months or so. Other than that, I tend not to mess with the firmness. DW, on the other hand, frequently adjusts her side.

 

[grumpy]

I purchased one of those memory foam toppers (from Overstock.com...didn't pay much!) and I really like it. I'd consider purchasing an entire memory foam mattress except for the price ($1,000+ for a regular double size). Maybe if they ever come down in price, or I can find a REALLY good deal, I might do that.

Thanks Linkerbink! After seeing your post I got the 2" Serta memory foam topper from Overstock.com ($79 & free shipping). I have been a back pain sufferer for years and over the last few months have had to resort to daily vicodin and a back brace. After sleeping on the memory foam for a week my back pain improved enough to go completely without the vicodin on some days and without the brace for part of the day. I have started walking again for exercise. I attribute the improvement to the mattress topper.

Grumpy

 

[justin]

SleepNumber beds - I hate em! I had to spend a week in a Radisson in Orlando, Florida on a sleepnumber bed. Horrible sleep!

It was a king size bed, with two independent sleepnumber air chambers, but I could never get them adjusted quite right. At night, I slept in the valley between the two air pockets. I would spend 10 minutes each night attempting to get them comfortable. Then in the middle of the night, I would wake up with sweaty dampness on the sheets (the mattress is a rubber air bladder, after all, and doesn't absorb moisture or breath at all).

It felt almost as bad as sleeping on my $20 inflatable camping bed from Kmart!

We have a pillowtop of some manufacture (don't know) and it is comfy for us.

 

[crazy connie]

My personal fav is a Sterns & Foster. Got one from a friend when my son was small and I would fall asleep on it while reading him to sleep at night. Got daughter a new bedroom set when she was about 15 and that was her pick as well. Now & then she will say sleep with me mom. Needless to say, I do and it is a marvelous rest!

 

[Bob_Smith]

Along the lines of what Martha said up-thread, my next mattress will be self-built. I dug around awhile back and found a guy who made his own and makes some sensible recommendations. I hired a cabinet maker will be building a platform bed/headboard for us next month. I'll build the mattress described in this link when the platform bed is done:

http://danielwebb.us/projects/bed/

My next choice would be a Sealy Spring Free Latex (Jacaranda model).

 

[Elderdude]

I thought my waterbed had a leak, but my wife told me we didn't have a waterbed.

 

[devo]

DW and debated this purchase for a couple months with significant research as well. We settled on the "Euro" model of the Tempurpedic. Among the Tempurpedics it was the right firmness for both of us. What finally sold me on the bed was the warranty. Although most spring mattress manufacturers will warrant theirs for 10 yrs (some sagging to be expected), I found with my weight (210 lbs.) I was wearing them out in five or less. Tempurpedics don't need to be flipped, won't show much sagging (won't feel any), and are downright comfortable. They do, as a previous post mentioned, "suck you in." My experience is that this helps me sleep more soundly. They claim to have "research" indicating that people move aound less on one of their mattresses. That has been my experience...just sound sleep. I also sleep fairly warm, so I was concerned about the "heat issue" as well. Haven't found that to be much of a problem. I might sleep with slightly fewer covers, but relative to DW, that has always been the case anyway.

Ultimately, I found that I was wearing spring ones out too quickly. It was either 2k every 15-20yrs, or 12-1500 every five. That part was a no brainer.

Humorous aside...my parents bought one of the sleep number beds. As my "handy" dad was setting it up, he accidently switched the cables for the firness adjust. For a week, mom was restless and constantly trying to make it softer, and dad was on the other side cranking it up. They were both confused and miserable. I laughed outloud when dad admitted his error. They did end up returning it and opting for the high end tempurpedic. And no, I don't work for them, nor does anyone in my family. But we're all believers now.

Good luck,
devo