How should/can I choose the right bed mattress type?

Often the issue is either your back or even the pillows. Its not as simple as it seems. Might be worth seeing somone about your back. Brian

An interesting problem - I've bought 2 new mattresses in the last 3 years and dislike both of them,

I've never found the answer either, having bought a number of beds and mattresses over the past 40-odd years.

We find our memory foam (Which best buy, forget the make ATM) a significant improvement over a relatively expensive pocketed spring, although it's not perfect. I often sleep better in hotels (on business) than at home; not necessarily after a large well lubricated meal. Possibly not having to share?

We have for various reasons needed to visit and re-visit buying mattresses over the past ten years or so.

We decided against memory foam largely on the basis of them being too warm - at least in summer.

Ended up every time with one or other Millbrook product with pocket springs. The only relative disappointment was a non-turn mattress - a silly idea which seemed to have been designed either to save materials (only putting full padding on one side of the mattress) or to address the difficulty of turning a full king-size mattress on your own. Even that was very comfortable.

But absolutely agreed - it is impossible in the shop. All you can do is lie as long as possible and try to think yourself into a night on it.

We only have sprung slat bases - not interior sprung so the mattress has to provide virtually all the comfort.

Ikea has a 6-month scheme under which you can return a matress if it doesn't suit you. The matress has to be clean, so I bought Ikea's waterproof cover as well, and undamaged. Ikea's mattresses aren't the same sizes as 'ours', so it's worth checking the site for sizes and terms.

I have a feeling some are available in UK sizes now.

One thing to consider is a water bed. I find that this is far more comfortable than a traditional mattress and warm in winter, cool in sumer.

Most people seem to go for soft sided ones these days (had one, didn't like it) but I prefer a hard sided water bed.

You can try these in the shops - when I tried one it was an instant 'Aaaahhhhh' of relief as my back stretched out and relaxed.

Cheers

Dave R

That implies that a mattress you buy at IKEA might have already had six months use by somebody else. Hmmm.

We have just completed purchase of several mattresses. After comparing prices and quality across several suppliers we ordered bespoke mattresses from a local supplier. These are incredibly comfortable and cost less than mattresses from Ikea.

Shop around and don't ignore specialist suppliers.

As long as you don't mind the slopping noises and being woken up every time your partner moves.

Having used hotel standard pocket sprung mattresses for many years we looked around for something slightly less firm last year. From recommendations we bought Ikea's pocket sprung with integrated memory foam top. It is very, very good. I have an iffy back, hence the previous really firm mattresses but have no problems with this mattress. I consider it to be a very sound investment.

You forgot to state whether you're a six foot bloke weighing 22 stone, or a 5 foot woman weighing seven stone.

What suits one person doesn't suit another.

Of course, if you're a 6 ft 22 stone bloke married to a 5 ft 7 stone woman (or vice versa)...

Both of us are boringly average.

A good pocket sprung mattress should be able to cope with a wide range of weight distribution and variance in weight across its width without it impacting on either occupant of a double bed.

That did cross my mind. The one delivered hadn't, as there was no sign of any use. Perhaps they're sent elsewhere.

Ikea has extensive guides for this purpose. I went for one that's slightly softer than my old one, as it's not too difficult to firm it up a bit. When I was looking on various sites, most mattresses forbad sitting on the edge of them - bloody daft IMO - but Ikea tests its mattresses to check that the edge can take weight. Where else would I sit to put me sockses on!

Probably means they appear at Sale time at a much reduced price.

The signs in Ikea's Wembley store today said 90-days rather than 6 months - and only applied to Sultan range. (Are any not Sultan? - wasn't looking at beds at all so did not take any notice.)

They claim that 10% of Europeans are now conceived on an Ikea mattress... makes you think, if you get that one, its going to be soggy at best ;-))

Sorry - that's right, 3 months. Still, better than nothing.