The Sleep Satisfaction Guide to Mattress Shopping

Finding the Deals – Avoiding the Ordeals

Do you need a new mattress? When it comes to replacing most other things around the house, there’s usually not much of a question. A washing machine or dishwasher, for example, will let you know pretty surely when it’s come to an end. A TV or computer will typically go belly up in one dramatic electronic death scene.

Mattresses don’t die but they do get worn out. This happens so gradually that you may not notice when your once plush, luxurious new bed has turned into a lumpy old bag of springs. What you do notice are the frequent back aches and sleepless nights.

It’s commonly recommended by independent sleep experts that you replace your mattress every 10 years or so –Consumer Reports actually says every 5 to 7 years. Most of us let it go for a little longer than that. Some of us are even sleeping on mattresses that date from the last century!

It’s tempting to try to save money by making do with an old mattress for as long as you can. But there’s not much economy in anything that comes at the expense of your health and ability to get good sleep.

If it’s time for you to go mattress shopping, let us guide you through some of the choices and give you a few tips on how to find the one that’s right for you.

 

Shopping Tips

Where to Look

Department stores always have a good selection of mattresses and if you catch a sale you might find a good one at the right price. You’re likely to find a more comfortable showroom experience and more knowledgeable salespeople in a specialized bedding or mattress store. Many furniture stores carry mattresses too.

Names such as TempurPedic, Select Comfort, and Duxiana sell their mattresses directly from retail outlets dedicated to the brand.

Buying online is always an alternative. The big disadvantage here of course is that you can’t try the thing out before you buy it. However, if you already know the exact model you want, an online purchase may be a great opportunity to save money.

One annoying little peculiarity about shopping for innerspring mattresses is that it’s very difficult to comparison shop. This is because although different stores might carry the same selection of brands and mattresses, they tend to use completely different model names. Manufacturers actually make small changes between the mattresses they supply to different retailers so each one gets to use model names exclusive to their own store. This is rather sucky because it makes comparing mattresses and prices from store to store a shot in the dark at best – even if they are the same brand.

Asking a salesperson to show you a mattress that’s equivalent to one you liked at another store is an iffy proposition. What they end up showing you may not even be close. Some less-than-scrupulous salespeople will gladly show you a “comparable” mattress at a lower price – the only problem is, the mattress is actually an inferior model.

Look for the Bargains

Innerspring mattresses usually have hefty markups by the time they make it to the showroom. Retailers tend to set their “regular” price sky high and then try to bring in customers with lots of sales and incredible markdowns that make you feel like you’re getting the deal of the century. The reality is that these mattress sales are going on more or less all the time.

So this is the takeaway: Never pay full price. Let this be your shopping mantra. If you pay full price, you could be paying more than twice what you really should.

In fact, mattress stores are usually not averse to a little haggling. Especially if you signal that you’ve already been shopping around and are considering other options. Retailers are often restricted by manufacturers from going below a set price for a given model. So if your salesperson won’t go any lower, try switching tactics: Ask them to throw in extras like linens, mattress protectors, bed frames, or free delivery.

What Kind Is Best?

There’s been an amazing profusion of choices in the last 20 years when it comes to mattresses. Shopping used to be a matter of deciding which innerspring to buy. Now you have conventional innersprings, memory foam, innerspring/memory foam hybrids, latex foam, even air-filled mattresses that let you adjust firmness. Which one is best? There really isn’t an answer to that question. It depends on your personal preference.

You might think that a consumer looking for a new mattress would be heavily guided by the accumulated wisdom of sleep researchers, ergonomics experts, and orthopedists straight to a definitive, scientifically correct choice. But in fact most experts advise simply to find the one that feels right for you.

We used to hear all the time that a firmer mattress was better for your back. But the evidence for this turned out to be not very firm at all. Nowadays the conventional wisdom is to think Goldilocks: Not too hard, not too soft. A mattress that’s too firm will tend to put too much pressure on your neck, hips, and ankles. But a mattress that’s too soft will inhibit your ability to change positions easily as you sleep. (This is something the average sleeper does many times a night and is essential to comfortable sleep.)

The descriptions manufacturers give you for their various mattresses are not going to be much help here. This one is firm, this one is soft, this one is plush. These are not precise, standardized terms so much as inventions of marketing departments. And there’s just so much subjectivity hiding in those words. People come in all shapes and sizes, weights and ages. If you ask how a given mattress feels, the response has to be, “To whom?”

Tryouts

The best way to know if a mattress is any good is to lie down on it in the store. Some people of course might feel sheepish about doing this sort of thing in public. But be assured, that’s why stores put mattresses out in showrooms.

Go ahead and take your shoes off and lie down. Try out as many mattresses as you can stand. For each one you try, give yourself a minimum of 5 minutes on your back and 5 minutes on each side – and take 5 on your stomach too if that’s how you tend to sleep.

Be thinking about how it feels on your pressure points (your head, neck and shoulders, hips and heals). Does it give good support for the curve of your spine? Is it too firm or too cushy? How does it feel when you roll over?

Comfort Guaranties, Warranties, and Other Fine Print

Try to find a deal with a good comfort guarantee or return policy (some manufacturers give you a trial period). The time limit for most guarantees ranges from a couple of weeks to a few months. 30 to 60 days is typical. Pay attention not only to the time period but also any fees you might incur if you don’t like what you bought and want to return it. Most stores will charge you some sort of restocking fee, usage fee, or pickup fee. Understand whether the guarantee entitles you to a cash refund or just an exchange.

Warranties on mattresses are typically good for 10 years or so – sometimes you’ll even see 20 year warranties. Which sounds impressive enough, but remember, warranties cover defects only. And most defects will show up in the first year or so. Anything that can be considered normal wear and tear – like sagging (unless you can prove that it’s excessive) – won’t be covered.

Manufacturers may not honor the warranty if there are any signs of soiling or if the mattress tag is missing. And if you use a new mattress with an old box spring this too could void the warranty.

Even when you are covered, some warranties may be prorated, i.e. you get less money back the longer you’ve had the mattress. It’s very important when your mattress is first delivered to give it the once over and make sure it has arrived in good condition without any defects or damage from shipping. If something’s not right, tell them you want a replacement. Finally, it goes without saying (though we’ll say it anyway) that you should always keep your receipt.

Two more details you’ll want to get squared away before you buy: Find out if they will dispose of your old mattress. And make sure your sales agreement has a no-substitutions clause, so if the mattress you bought is out of stock, they can’t just stick you with anything.

 

The Choices

Innersprings

Despite all the exciting innovations over the last few years, innersprings continue to be the top choice for consumers, making up a formidable 80% of the market. The most prominent brands here are Simmons, Sealy, Serta, and Spring Air.

Innersprings are a tried and true, 20^th century technology but they still hold up extremely well to their more hi-tech competition. There are plenty of different brands and models to choose from and they are usually less expensive. A good innerspring can provide excellent comfort and value.

Inside an innerspring, you’ll find a network of coils made of steel wire designed to support and evenly distribute weight. The coils are sandwiched between two outer layers of cushioning called the upholstery layers or comfort layers. And the whole business is wrapped up in an outer layer of material called the ticking.

The upholstery layer is an underappreciated component in a mattress’s quality and comfort. The springs in the mattress core do all the heavy lifting of supporting the sleeper. But it’s the upholstery layer that you feel right underneath you when you lie down. Upholstery layers are generally made out of foam, polyester batting, or cotton fiber, and gel/foam combinations are now the latest thing. As a mattress wears out, it’s usually the upholstery layer that’s first to go. So it pays to look for durable, high quality materials. The quilted surface design on the very top of the layer is important too: Large quilting patterns generally give you a softer, cushier feel, while a tight pattern usually has a firmer feel.

More upscale beds sometimes use exclusive materials for the ticking such as wool, cashmere, silk, or damask. But since this will be covered from day one with sheets and blankets, you’ll likely never notice the difference. Save your money and spend it on high quality linens instead.

You’ll hear manufacturers talk about the coil count or number of coils in their beds – typically from 300 to 800 – but we’re told that this is really of limited significance. What you want to pay more attention to is actually the gauge of the wire that makes up the coils. Most beds use wire from 12 to 18 gauge, with 12 being the heaviest and 18 being the lightest. A heavier (lower) gauge wire makes for a firmer mattress while a lighter (higher) gauge will give more of a bouncy, springy feel.

Some mattresses are engineered to be stiffer around the edges to give the sleeper a more cradled, secure feel (like you’re not in danger of rolling off the side) and to make it more comfortable to sit on the edge of the bed.

Innersprings are said to be a good choice for people who suffer from back pain as well as people who are overweight. They also have an advantage over memory and latex foam because they don’t retain heat as much – something you’re likely to notice on a hot summer night.

Durability can be an issue with innersprings as they do tend to sag and get less comfortable over time. Latex foam, memory foam, and adjustable air all have a significant edge in longevity over conventional innersprings. And if you find the inevitable squeaks and creaks they make a little too noisy and annoying, you also might prefer latex or memory foam.

Box Springs and Foundations

A box spring is basically a heavy wooden (or sometimes metal) platform overlaid with a grid of rigid wire forming a box. The whole package is wrapped in fabric to give it the same look as its partner mattress. Its function is to provide a flat, stable platform for the mattress with some additional shock absorbing properties to reduce wear. It also raises the bed to a height that’s more convenient to the sleeper.

A “foundation” differs from a box spring mainly in that it usually lacks the wire component and is basically just a box-shaped wooden platform. (Although we notice that the two terms are often used interchangeably.) Box springs are generally paired with innerspring mattresses while foundations work best with latex and memory foam.

It’s almost always a good idea to replace the box spring at the same time you get a new mattress. However, if the box spring is only a few years old (say less than 7), shows no signs of significant wear or sagging, and doesn’t feel bouncy, you could save money by continuing with it. Keep in mind that if there’s any sag to the old box spring, it will transfer right away to the new mattress – and this will likely nix your warrantee. So think of this as a calculated risk.

It is also possible to pair a less expensive box spring with a higher-priced mattress. You’ll get the better mattress with a box spring that will do the job and save some money. They won’t match in appearance of course, but as long as the bed is made up, it’ll be your little secret! You also might want to look into a lower-profile box spring. Today’s mattresses are about twice as thick as they were just a few decades ago. A low profile box spring will offer the same stiffness while bringing the overall height of the bed back down to a more ergonomic level.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a really interesting concept and is now one of the fastest growing segments in the market. Many swear by it and will sleep on nothing else.

The material (also known as tempur foam or visco-elastic foam) was developed in the late 1960’s for NASA to help astronauts cope with the intense g-forces experienced during liftoff. And like many other space-age advancements it has found its way into more everyday uses – everything from medical equipment to insoles and helmet liners.

It was introduced to sleepers in the early 90’s by Tempur-Pedic TM and has put that company in the top five of the mattress industry. Today there are several companies that offer memory foam beds as well as pillows and mattress toppers.

What makes memory foam so special is its ability to form itself to the shape of anything that presses against it, yet it always goes back to – or “remembers” – its original shape. When you lie on it, it molds itself to every curve of your body, providing good support while virtually eliminating pressure points. It also responds to temperature, becoming softer as it gets warmer and more firm when it’s cooler. So your body heat actually enhances the effect, making it even more soft and pliable.

This makes memory foam a good candidate for anyone who suffers from chronic pain or fibromyalgia. Memory foam is also particularly good at absorbing motion, which may be just the thing if you have a bed partner who tosses and turns.

Memory foam mattresses are usually made up of layers with a top layer designed for comfort and pressure point relief and a higher density base or core layer made of polyurethane foam to provide support.

You may see memory foam measured for its firmness using a rating called the Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) or sometimes Impression or Indentation Load Deflection (ILD). The higher the number you see here, the firmer the foam. But in truth, this is really kind of pocket protector stuff and it’s not clear how meaningful these numbers are in the real world. Manufacturers have mostly stopped using them to describe their products.

A more straightforward way to get an idea of a memory foam mattress is simply to look at the density and thickness of the layer of foam. Thickness will generally range from 2 to 6 inches. The thicker it is the more it will “give” when you lie on it. Density is measured in pounds per cubic feet (lb/ft³) and higher densities usually mean a better mattress. For top mattresses you might see numbers in the neighborhood of 5 lb/ft³ while anything less 3 lb/ft³ might suggest lower quality.

Memory foam is of course not for everyone. The feeling is somewhat different than a conventional mattress and it may feel “not quite right” at first. Some people find that the way you sink into the mattress makes it harder to change positions through the night which could interfere with your sleep. And if you’re a stomach sleeper, you may not appreciate the feeling of sinking into the bed if it’s your face that’s sinking. If price is an issue, you may not be prepared to pay the higher prices that memory foam commands over innersprings.

The heat retaining properties of memory foam can be both an advantage and a drawback. For people who suffer from pain this can sometimes be a big plus because it almost works like a heating pad, directing soothing warmth to sore muscles. But on a hot, humid summer night, this is not really a welcome thing.

Manufacturers have tried various ways to overcome this including the use of gel beads infused throughout the foam to absorb heat away from the sleeper and open-cell designs which create spaces in the foam for air circulation in order to cool things down.

Some people find that memory foam gives off a disagreeable chemical odor when new. A simple airing out of the mattress before use is usually enough to get rid of the smell for most noses. Some manufacturers have started adding activated charcoal to the foam or even scents like aloe vera and green tea extract to ensure an odor-free experience.

Memory Foam Hybrid

If memory foam has some advantages over innersprings and innersprings have some advantages over memory foam, why not put the two together? That’s exactly the idea behind the memory foam hybrid mattress. A layer of memory foam is built on top of a conventional steel coil innerspring.

Latex

Latex foam mattresses have also seen huge growth in popularity. Latex has many of the same advantages as memory foam. It gives a nice firm, supportive feel, evenly distributing weight across the mattress while relieving pressure points on your body. It has more of a bouncy, springy feel than memory foam. Yet it still absorbs movement well so bed partners can flop around without disturbing one another.

Latex is also affected by ambient temperature and body heat, becoming softer as it gets warmer, but not to the same degree as memory foam

There are two different processes used to produce latex: Talalay or Dunlop. Dunlop usually makes for a firmer, denser latex, while Talalay is softer and lighter as well as more expensive. The other big choice is whether to go with natural latex, synthetic latex, or a blend of the two. Most latex beds on the market today are a blend of natural and synthetic. Natural latex is made from the Hevea-brasiliensis tree. Most people consider it to be more comfortable with a springier, more resilient quality than synthetic. But as with just about everything else, you’ll pay more to get the real thing.

When comparing latex mattresses, it’s possible you’ll encounter the same ILD or IFD rating we talked about in the section on memory foam – though again, most manufacturers don’t provide this information anymore.

Latex may be a great benefit if you are an allergy sufferer. The material has a high resistance to dust mites, bedbugs, and bacteria, as well as mold and mildew. Natural latex is considered to be even more resistant to allergens than synthetic. It’s important to note, however, that there have been cases of people who are allergic to latex itself.

Latex shares a couple of the same potential drawbacks as memory foam. New mattresses may have a noticeable chemical smell. And latex can sometimes feel hot.

Adjustable Air

This technology has become very popular in the last few years, mostly due to Select Comfort and their well-known Sleep Number Bed which allows you to dial in the amount of firmness you want using a small remote control. There are now several competing brands that offer adjustable air beds of their own.

The idea is simple yet ingenious: Inside the mattress is an air bladder connected to a small electric pump to increase or decrease air pressure depending on whether you want a firmer or softer sleep. The pump is controlled by a simple remote control that lets you change the feel of your mattress as easily as you’d change the channel on your TV.

The mattress is topped by a relatively soft “comfort layer.” And while it’s the bottom air bladder that provides support and allows adjustability, the comfort layer has a great deal to do with how the mattress feels. Several types of comfort layers are available from standard fiber to more advanced materials such as latex and memory foam.

Most mattresses have separate air chambers for each side of the bed so couples can fine-tune their own side without having to comprise. A single comfort layer covers the two chambers so the mattress has the look and (mostly) the feel of a conventional bed. Ideally you shouldn’t be able to feel a trench between the two air chambers, though in some lower quality beds the trench may be very obvious. If you are a single sleeper who likes to spread out and use the whole bed, you might have a problem with this.

Adjustable air beds do tend to be pricey, though this really ought to be considered in terms of the mattress’s lifespan. Select Comfort claims that their beds last up to twice as long as an innerspring.

One possible drawback: Some people find the noise made by the air pumps kind of irritating, especially when you’re making late-hour adjustments.

Adjustable beds

The adjustable bed may be an idea whose time has come. We are talking here about a bed in which the head, knees, and feet can be raised or lowered independently by electric motors, so you can read or watch TV, elevate your feet, or sleep in a variety of reclined positions.

Adjustable beds have been around for decades. Many readers will remember the rather cheesy TV commercials for the Craftmatic Adjustable Bed that used to saturate daytime television.

In the past, companies like Craftmatic tried hard in their ads to depict their beds as stylish and futuristic. But somehow they always seemed to have the aura of a hospital bed about them. We’d guess their appeal was mostly limited to the elderly and people with disabilities. That all seems to be changing now as the benefits of adjustable beds are being rediscovered by a younger, more diverse group of consumers.

Brands such as Sealy, TempurPedic, Select Comfort, and Legget and Platt all offer adjustable beds in a rapidly growing market segment.

Today’s adjustable beds are quite smart looking and hi-tech with attractive, well thought out designs. The motors and mechanisms are nicely integrated and concealed so there’s none of the ungainliness of yesterday’s adjustables. New mattress technology is also better able to cope with the constant bending of an adjustable.

And while sleep specialists have been advising for generations that working, reading, and watching TV in bed is “bad sleep hygiene,” the trends are running in the other direction: People want beds that can function as part sleeping surface, part easy chair, part work station.

Adjustable beds often come with lots of bells and whistles like built-in alarm clocks, USB ports, and iPod docking stations. Many models feature massage and/or heating mechanisms. Pre-sets and programmable memory are a must have feature so when you find your personal just right position you can always get back to it. An important safety feature seen on some beds automatically returns the bed to a flat position in the event of a power outage, so if the lights go out when you have your feet up, you won’t be left to wriggle like a turtle on its back trying of get up.

Some people with certain kinds of back or neck problems find sleeping at an inclined angle much more comfortable, while the ability to elevate the feet and knees can relieve pressure and help blood circulation. Elevating the head can also help with snoring, sleep apnea, asthma, allergies, and acid reflux.

Note here that adjustable beds make sense if you sleep primarily on your back. Not so much if you like sleeping on your side or stomach.

Adjustable beds are usually designed with two independently adjustable sides so each bed partner can fine-tune their own position. This of course means a division down the center of the bed and each side must have its own sheets and blankets.

You’ll obviously need a mattress that’s specifically designed to operate with an adjustable bed – one with enough flexibility to tolerate continuous bending without losing its ability to provide comfort and support. There are innerspring mattresses that work with adjustables, but air, latex and memory foam work much, much better.