My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Jan 31, 2010 1:48 PM
Joined: Jan 31, 2010
Points: 54
Hi guys,

I signed-up for this site because I conducted some research of the various types of beds out there.  Based on my research uncovering huge problems with each option, I have no idea what to buy.

I need to buy a new bed soon..

When I researched spring mattresses I found the following problems:

- They usually sag after a while and the sag is most often not covered under warranty because the warranty states that some level of sag is acceptable to them, the manufacturer, whilst the buyer remains stuck with a sagging mattress.

- they allow for dust mites etc. to accumulate

- it is impossible to comparison shop due to shady collusion between manufacturers and retailers obfuscating the features/specs of the products

- from my own personal experience with other spring mattresses, I don't like how they have thousands of tiny balls form on them, kind of like pilling in clothing...I presume that all spring mattresses do that?  I really hate that.

When I researched memory foam mattresses, I found the following problems:

- they tend to crap out after a few years

- they get infested with mold if they get wet and then they are health hazards and nothing can be done about that

- some of them emit toxins due to the glue used in their manufacturing or something

Ok, so now that I know about these problems, I will feel like a sucker for buying any kind of bed. Yet, I still need a bed so I will have to buy something.

Is there any kind of bed that doesn't have these problems?

I hope you guys can help give me some clarity as to how I should wade through these problems and determine  what I should buy.  What kind of bed can I buy that will give me the peace of mind of knowing such defects won't mess with me in the future?

I live in Toronto, Canada and my price range is about $1500-2000 CAD but I might be willing to go higher (maybe up to $3500 CAD max)  if I can find a bed that doesn't have any of the aforementioned type of problems.  I do not have a lot of money, so it is very important for me to buy a bed that will last for around 10 years at least.

This message was modified Jan 31, 2010 by confusedbedbuyer
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #10 Feb 1, 2010 1:10 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
Here's another vote for flobeds, because if you don't like it you can return it, no problem, and you can experiment with the configuration until you get it right or send it back.

My only contribution to your decision process is to tell you this:

Be aware that not everyone likes the feel of pure foam without springs. If you are one of those, you have a dilemma because there are almost no reasonably priced GOOD spring mattresses out there - they all have too much foam in them.

So if you turn out to be a person who needs springs, you have to buy as inexpensive of a mattress as you can get, with good springs and open 'er up and replace the foam with latex, as I have done. There are threads on mattress surgery here.

Here's my take on "What's the Best Mattress":
http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/experts-answer-question-what-mattress-should-i-buy/6097-0-1.html
This message was modified Feb 1, 2010 by jimsocal
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #11 Feb 1, 2010 1:35 AM
Joined: Jan 31, 2010
Points: 54
I definitely like the good consensus about FloBeds.  I'm gonna call them tomorrow and see if they ship to Canada, and if so if they ship via U.S.P.S.  I hate courier companies and refuse to do business with them because they always try to rip me off with bogus scam charges on cross-border shipments.

I never ordered anything as big as a bed via shipment with U.S.P.S. though. Maybe I'll call them tomorrow and see if they have limits for size or weight of parcels.  That would be another dilemma of me getting a bad deal either way if I was forced to choose between a bad mattress or get scammed by bogus courier company charges. But I guess sometimes life is full is nonsense like that. 

I really appreciate all the good advice from you guys, thanks!

Before I came to this site I was on the fence about maybe buying a PU spring mattress because they are the most readily available and cheapest and I figured maybe I'd get lucky and mine wouldn't get fubared over time, but after reading around on this site including in this thread, I am rightfully more disgusted than ever with PU spring mattresses and am resolved never to buy one, period.  I'm sure I will be happy about that decision at least  in the long run.

This message was modified Feb 1, 2010 by confusedbedbuyer
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #12 Feb 1, 2010 9:49 AM
Joined: Aug 21, 2009
Points: 486
you might check out whether there are similar, reputable companies to Flobeds, etc. in Canada.  I can only imagine how expensive it would be to ship a latex bed and pay the taxes, duties, etc.  Further, one of the greatest benefits of Flobeds is their very generous exchange policies, which allow you to trade latex layers until you get just the configuration you need.  That would be an added expense if you found you needed to swap out a layer of latex.
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #13 Feb 1, 2010 10:30 AM
Joined: Jan 9, 2010
Points: 128
I know I'm not a favorite BUT I love the bed I "made"! I read a whole lot on this site as well as many of the foam sites. I am so very grateful for all the really excellent information. My futon-with-springs is working for me as a great, cheap base/box springs, with 3 sheets of latex from Overstock. Ya, everyone says it's a "mix" but I took my Costco bed apart, I called all the companies and it sure looks, feels and doesn't smell like a "mix". Whatever, it's working for me, I feel great! This is the 1st time in 20 years I have been off air and I just can't begin to tell you how happy I am!! How grateful, not a kink, pain or anything else. On top of that Costco had a super little air cleaner which licked the off gases problem. So reasonable I bought two.

The $1100.00 bed goes back to Costco this week, to be picked up by the same delivery man who dropped it off, ALL included in the price of the bed. Now how can you beat that? The bed I configured myself cost $500.

Thanks to all and budgy for giving me a heads-up on the off gases, nasty stuff. Funny, seems like all futons smell like hay, I called Cannon (it's made in the USA) and asked about it. They are suppose to call me back today. I want to hear why it smells like hay. It feels like I'm sleeping in a barn, the dogs love it! Of course!

Happy days to all and thanks for getting me off air!

Alice in Wonderland

Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #14 Feb 1, 2010 7:34 PM
Joined: Aug 21, 2009
Points: 486
Shortly before Christmas Costco had a 100% latex bed for sale.  They sold out pretty quickly, and i didn't get one, but several people on this board did and they have been enthusiastically endorsed by everybody.  Supposedly Costco is going to have them back in stock in a few weeks, you might want to wait and check for it.  The label is Sleep Science.  The prices were fantastic, and the return guarantee was pretty good too.

I'm thinking of getting one for my daughter when they're back in stock.
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #15 Feb 1, 2010 11:37 PM
Joined: Feb 1, 2010
Points: 18
Friends, 100% latex mattresses will last for years and won't sag. It's that polyurethane crap they stick in the mattress. That also keeps the cost down. I had to learn the hard way and blow a couple thousand. I kept replacing latex layers in my old latex/PU mattress but kept getting the same results. I never thought it would be that crumby core foam. 100% latex is the best sleep surface. I just wish it was more affordable and the new standard. I just sprang $1800 for a queen 100% Serta latex. I have a platform bed with slats so I don't need a boxspring. Will finally get to enjoy some quality sleep after all these years.
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #16 Feb 2, 2010 3:15 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
london79 wrote:
Friends, 100% latex mattresses will last for years and won't sag. It's that polyurethane crap they stick in the mattress. That also keeps the cost down. I had to learn the hard way and blow a couple thousand. I kept replacing latex layers in my old latex/PU mattress but kept getting the same results. I never thought it would be that crumby core foam. 100% latex is the best sleep surface. I just wish it was more affordable and the new standard. I just sprang $1800 for a queen 100% Serta latex. I have a platform bed with slats so I don't need a boxspring. Will finally get to enjoy some quality sleep after all these years.

london79 wrote: "100% latex is the best sleep surface. I just wish it was more affordable and the new standard."

Yes, that is the dream:
Can you imagine if the mattresses companies made at least one line of mattresses that included nothing but pure LI latex? and allowed you to choose the ILD?
Now THAT would be revolutionary! Eventually someone should get around to doing that. Even at $3000 I bet they'd get buyers. People are starting to wake up to PU foam being "Peee-YEW!" foam.

As to the Serta you just bought:
It is really 100% latex, no foam at all?
Is it on springs or just pure latex? Please give us a name and a link. I am  - forgive me -  uhhh.... skeptical.
This message was modified Feb 2, 2010 by jimsocal
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #17 Feb 2, 2010 5:18 PM
Joined: Feb 1, 2010
Points: 18
jimsocal wrote:
As to the Serta you just bought:
It is really 100% latex, no foam at all?
Is it on springs or just pure latex? Please give us a name and a link. I am  - forgive me -  uhhh.... skeptical.

That question was one of my concerns. According to the product's description, yes. It is all latex foam.

http://www.mattressfirm.com/Serta-Opulence-Plush-P43.aspx

Also, i spoke with the local Serta rep in my city. The core is an 8" 28ILD talalay layer that's 36ILD around the edges. The website doesn't give a depth so I had to find out on my own. The soft layer being the top. There is no other foam present in the innards. Well, except for the quilted cover.


This message was modified Feb 2, 2010 by london79
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #18 Feb 3, 2010 12:32 PM
Joined: Feb 3, 2010
Points: 1
Greetings fellow Torontonian!  I've been researching mattresses for countless hours and I'm ready to buy.  Problem is I can't find a Canadian retailer who sells Sleep Science or comparable brand.  Did you make a decision?  Care to share?    Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Re: My research has discovered major problems with all types of beds, yet I still need a bed. Please help.
Reply #19 Feb 3, 2010 3:30 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
london79 wrote:
That question was one of my concerns. According to the product's description, yes. It is all latex foam.

http://www.mattressfirm.com/Serta-Opulence-Plush-P43.aspx

Also, i spoke with the local Serta rep in my city. The core is an 8" 28ILD talalay layer that's 36ILD around the edges. The website doesn't give a depth so I had to find out on my own. The soft layer being the top. There is no other foam present in the innards. Well, except for the quilted cover.



I'm sorry but I ain't buying that this is 100% latex. If it was, why would they not state for example what kind of latex it is and what ILD's are involved?
If they told you the base was 8" of Talalay then why would they not have told you what the other 5 and 1/2" are on top of it?
It makes no sense to advertise a "100% latex" mattress and then not describe the entire contents.
Also, nowhere on the page you gave us, above, does it SAY "100% latex"!

No, I smell a fish.

Add to that, that Serta is known to be the bottom of the barrel of the Big S companies... Even Sealy's latex mattresses are not all latex... The whole thing makes no sense.

I will apologize and admit I am wrong if it is shown that I am.

You have to be VERY CAREFUL when asking questions of some mattress sales people. If you ask "Is it 100% latex" they will say "yes, it is" meaning that yes, the 2" piece that is included in the mattress is "100% latex". What you have to ask is, "Are there any other foams included in the mattress that are not 100% latex?" And "So what are the other layers besides the 8" of Talalay? There are 5½" more - what are they made of?

And I would also ask, "Who makes the Talalay processed latex? Is it Latex International or who? Is it U.S. made or ?