OT: new mattress

[badgolferman]

Apologies for the off-topic discussion. Since everyone here is a homeowner I figure you would have good experience with this issue.

We are in the market for a new mattress. It seems no mattress lasts very long and I am afraid it might be an issue of "you get what you pay for." We're getting to that age where we wake up with aches and pains and it takes a while for them to go away, if at all. Bad backs, hips, shoulders, etc. are the order of the day.

What brands and/or models do you recommend? Is there any particular construction method I should look for? Thanks for your suggestions.

[Rick]

We just went through a 3-year odyssey looking for a decent bed.. Beds with air cores (SleepNumber), foam cores (Tempur-pedic), and on and on. All of them ranged from mediocre to absolute crap.

When it comes to a good night's sleep the money you spend is not an expense -- it's an investment. Don't scrimp.

The right mattress depends on how you sleep. Side sleepers need a bit more cushioning compared to back and stomach sleepers (to accomodate shoulders and hips). We're both side sleepers, so we tried a Tempur-pedic. But it didn't provide nearly enough hip support, and within a month we were both waking up every morning with lower back pain.

Finally we returned to a traditional coil spring mattress (entry level Stearns & Foster, "Bourdon Firm" model, $630 at Sears for queen size) and we've been sleeping like babies ever since. It's 14" thick so you might need to buy new sheets.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It is a personal thing. I like a pillow top as it is a bit smoother feeling and soft even on a fir mattress. King size is the way to go also. Plenty of room for two if you want to spread out. Any of the major brands will have something for you, avoid anything cheap. It is also difficult to compare models as different stores carry the same mattress under a different model mane just so you cannot easily comparison shop.

[Art]

We have a Tempurpedic on an adjustable frame and like it.

Our experience with Beautyrest was poor. And when a spring sprung the warranty replacment mattress was pathetic. It went right to charity.

[Curly Sue]

And the models go out of style. Mine is called "Extra Canterwood Limited," if you can believe that.

I second the pillow top-firm combination. And you might want to look for one that is "open-flame resistant" (which you'll get if you buy one in California anyway).

(BTW, if you decide on a Serta, the website has a coupon for $50 off).

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

[Harry Everhart]

We just moved to Florida last year from Pennsylvania. when we got here - we bought three new beds and mattresses. Two queens and a king

I always heard that 100% pure latex mattresses last forever and are very supportive. Do a google search on pure latex foam mattresses - read about them.

We bought them from this firm -

They sold us 3 full beds - rails - box spring - mattresses. Two queens and a king. Total price $1700 delivered to the house. After a year I can tell you it was a great purchase.

Do not let anyone sell you on memory foam or space foam or anything like that. 100% pure latex foam has many great properties. It is hypoallergenic - it cools you in summer and warms you in winter. It resists dust mite.

We have been sleeping on them for a year and love them. They are supposed to last 20 years too. Beware - pure latex foam is very heavy. It also is not stiff - the mattress will not stand up vertical by itself.

We bought them because we were staying in a five star hotel in Europe and absolutely loved that mattress there - so we went looking for them.

100% pure latex foam rubber mattresses. Any brand will do if it is 100% pure latex foam. Caution - watch out for "race track" foam mattresses - they wrap polyurethane foam around the edge.

Harry

Harry

[jdk]

remember some pillow tops will not take a normal fitted sheet. they are too thick.

[Rick]

Latex is great for back and stomach sleepers. We tried one (pure latex, Talalay process) and it was like trying to sleep on a marshmallow. Some people like that, we hated it, not to mention the talcum powdery smell that drove us nuts after a few weeks.

[Harry Everhart]

Dear Rick - I am a side sleeper. You can buy latex foam at any firmness you want. Maybe they make them different now. We do not notice any talcum powder smell. I guess there are lots of differences even in 100% latex foam mattresses. We love ours - and have had lots of guests in our new Florida home in the last year. They all leave saying their next mattress will be a 100% latex foam one. My sister - who has a broken back - with two 18 inch rods along her spine (try sleeping with that) went back home to Delaware and immediately ordered one. I am retired - I do not sell anything - I am just telling you of my experience - just like you are :-) I hope I can help. Harry

[Norminn]

When it comes to things that hurt in the am, backs are usually at the head of the list. Saggy mattresses are rough on backs, even good ones, because they cause strain on muscles and ligaments. A chunk of plywood between mattress and box spring can make a great difference, even with cheap mattresses. We sleep on futon. Very firm, but padded surface. Love it. I have always preferred very firm mattresses. Have no back problems but back hurts if I sleep on saggy mattress.

[3rd eye]

I'll second the recommendation on the Stearns - Foster. Mine is over ten years old & still like new. My father has one that is 25-30 years old & he still swears it's the best quality innerspring available.

[Bonnie]

"3rd eye" wrote

I also have a Stearns & Foster. It's the best quality mattress I've owned. I also second the motion on a king size. But I guess that depends on how you like to sleep. Also, make sure you really lay on the mattress for awhile in the store, to really get the feel of it. There's not much worse than plunking down hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a bed and then not liking it.

On a different note. What are opinions on buying the box spring that goes with the mattress vs. getting a frame that just takes a mattress? I always wondered if it's really necessary. Of course the sales people tell you you should, but it increases the price considerably.

Good Luck with your bed search, Bonnie

[Nick Hull]

We went for the Select Comfort (air) mattress and love it because you can adjust the firmness/softness as you are laying on it. It is also made of separate replaceable parts so it should be possible to jujst buy replacement parts, although we have had it for many years with no problems.

[Noozer]

I've had my Kingsdown "Emerald Crown" mattress for 15 years now... Still as firm as when I bought it. It felt the same in the showroom as the lower priced Sealy's - UNTIL I turned sideways... The Kingdown had more give for my hips and shoulders and was much more comfortable. Also has a 25 year total replacement (not prorated) warranty.

It cost me just over $1000, even if it totally failed today, that's only $66 per year.

[WonderfulFellow]

Why did you need queen and king sizes? Personally I sleep on one side of a full size and in the morning the other side looks untouched. I've never understood why people need such huge widths. OTOH even though I'm not tall (5'10") I would like another foot in length and especially longer comforters and sheets. Although I start sleeping on my side I almost always wake on my back frequently with the covers over my head.

Couldn't care less about dust mites and I very much doubt that any mattress can cool or warm you unless it has some sort of heating element built in.

Contrary to what some must believe the human spine is not flat and the weight of the human body is unevenly distributed over its length. I have difficulty understanding how there can be a "One size fits all" approach to mattresses. The first thing the salesman should ask is, "How much do you weigh?" and only then could he direct you to the right type of mattress. I think that with the fattening of America the mfgs must be designing with the 300lbs monster in mind and this is the reason I find most to be far too hard. If there's even a slight indent for my hips, the small of my back won't even touch the bed.

I did however find a solution: that memory foam you dislike. A topper of three inches on a normal rock-solid mattress provides good support all over. the only problem is that I'm now so comfortable I can't get up in the morning .

That web site you cited is pretty poor but I'll check around elsewhere for the "pure latex" you recommend.

[Rick]

I agree completely. Most positive reviews I've seen for foam mattresses have been from people who are either fat (often downright obese), or who have one physical ailment or another (fibromyalgia etc).

We were sold on it for other reasons, and that's what we tried first when we started our search for a new bed. We went through nine different foam variations, but none of them provided adequate hip support -- and we're not fat people (6' 170# and 5'11" 160#).

Among all the non-coil spring solutions we tried, that was the best. Although in our case our original mattress was old and worn out so we didn't get proper support.

Wherever you buy one, make sure there's a return policy ;-)

[Rudy]

Had a Simmons Beautyrest for over 20 yrs. The mattress was still good but the box spring sagged badly and the fabric was thrashed.

Decided to try a Sealy Plushtop from Costco (king). Ordered it and it was delivered about a week later. Right from the start, the springs creaked and crunked when I turned over. After a four of weeks of that, back it went and we got a new Simmons Backcare plushtop King. It was $ 100 more than the Sealy but its a great nights sleep and I expect it may be the last mattress I'll buy.

We splurged on some 100% Egyptian cotton 480 thread sheets..Nice !

My backaches seem to be caused from my back getting cold overnite. It stiffens right up. Once I get up and move around, it goes away

R

[KLS]

If you sleep alone, your logic works. It doesn't for people who share the bed.

The Select Comfort mattress another poster suggested actually does warm you because of the vinyl or whatever the material is that the inflatable mattress is made from, very similar to waterbeds. Nice feature in the winter, but not always so great in the summer. By the way, I agree with the Select Comfort recommendation; we each can control the firmness of our side, and I sleep great now that I've retired my excellent, expensive, but expired Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress (had that for 12 years, then started getting aches and pains).

[JimL]

We (me, our dog emily and spouse) really like the 2 inch memory foan on top of our firm king mattress. Actually the memory foam is one year old and the mattress is 22 years old. She liked it so much she bought a memory foam pillow and loves it too.

The instructions warn you about the odor. The smell went away after a couple of days.

It might not sound like it but we are particular about our mattress. Please don't make me sleep on a water bed again.

[Harry Everhart]

Hi -

Good luck on your mattress search. The web site I sent to you was not an "educational" web site - it was simply the place I bought mine. They have a store here in Tallahassee - so I went to them and asked for a bid. We went with them because they gave us a great bid and gave us a written guarantee which included that we could bring anything back within 30 days for a full refund.

We are completely satisfied with our 100% pure latex foam mattresses. The frames that came with them were just standard rails. The "so-called" box springs are simple soft plywood boxes that are covered with the same fabric as the mattresses. Latex foam mattresses can be used on platform beds that are just a plywood platform.

We had seen places that priced pure latex foam mattresses up to $3000 each! So when a place offered us three full beds - 2 queens and a king - for $1700 total - with a money back guaranteed - less than 3 miles from our home - we took the chance.

I am 6 feet - weigh 200 pounds. Wife is 5-4 - weighs 130. We like the king size bed very much. We often have "big" guests and they are happy with the extra room.

Studies show that pure latex foam is a heat sink. They absorb heat and moisture from the body - and then give it off. In the winter - they insulate the body. Don't ask me how - they just work.

I am not a salesmen - just a retired guy with a happy purchase. :-)

Harry