Mattress Forum

For the most part, the advice given on the welcome page is solid.  Follow those guidelines and your experience will be a good one.  As far as the types of beds, you generally have firm, plush, and pillowtop.  For many years, people were told the firmer the better.  This could not be further from the truth!  That myth led to generations of back problems.  It drives me crazy when a person comes in and says my doctor or my chiropractor told me to get the firmest bed you have.  I usually tell them to get a new doctor!  For the people who do not walk out on me at that point I go on to explain they should be saying firm SUPPORT.  Everyone needs good support, but not always a firm surface.  Only you can decide what is best for you, but a good rule of thumb is decide by body size.  If you are a very large person, you need a firm bed for support and comfort.  A pillow top will not give you enough support and lead to back pain.  If you are 5 feet tall and weigh 129 pounds, a firm bed will hurt your back.  A pillowtop would be great for you.  Obviously a plush bed falls between both and generally is where most of the population falls.  Another consideration is how you sleep.  Back, side, or stomach.  A stomach sleeper needs a frimer surface, a side sleeper, a more plush surface.  Pillows also play a big role.  Many people use too many pillows!  You neck should not be out of alignment when you sleep, be it back,side, or stomach.  If your chin rests toward your chest while on your back or your ears rest toward your shoulder while on your side, you are using too many pillows or too large of a pillow.  A good salesperson will know how to fit you with the correct one.

One thing I cannot agree with is buying online.  Unless you have done the ground work and have laid down on a bed you are considering, how can you make such an important and expensive decision without testing the product?  Regardless of return policy, I think you are just asking for trouble.  While I have read many good posts, I have also seen some really bad ones.  Remember, opinions are just that.  You and I can both lie in the same bed, I love it, you hate it.  Guess what? We are both right!  That is why Consumer Reports will not pick one bed as best.  It is too subjective.  For that reason, take any brand recommendations with a grain of salt.

As far as brands go, lets start with the "S" brands, the ones most familiar to people.  I would rate them in quality:

 1. Simmons

 2. Serta

3. Sealy

 4. Stearns & Foster.

Simmons has always been an industry leader.  They use the strongest steel and most models have individually pocketed coils which help cut down on motion transfer.  They also have a very low return rate due to warranty issues.

Serta is decent brand.  They also have some models with pocketed coils and seem to be a well constructed bed.

Sealy / S&F is actually the same company.  While Sealy is the most recognized brand, they have not been the best beds over the last few years.  Specifically, the S&F line has had many warranty issues.  In their defense, Sealy just revamped their entire line.  The construction seems to be much stronger, so I guess time will tell.  One thing they did which I think is great, is that they grouped the new line by series and kept the name consistent among retailers.  Signature, Preferred, etc...  The names are still different, but the series is very close in quality.  You can go to store "A" and see the Signature "Body Dream" then go to store "B" and see the Signature "Good Sleep".  Different names, and there may be slight differences, but they are BOTH in the Signature line so quality is nearly identical.  I applaud Sealy for doing this and it should make cross shopping much easier for the consumer.

Kingsdown is a company from the south and they make a tremendous product.  High quality and good customer service.  They are one of the few manufacturers who actually use springs in the box.  A true box spring.  Not many retailers carry them, so if you are not from the SE part of our country, availibility may be limited.

Spring Air also makes some very good beds.  Their top of the line is Chattam & Wells.  Very well constructed with the thickest coil spring in the industry.

King Koil / Comfort Solutions have a decent product with a wide range in prices from entry level to top of the line.

If money is no object (fantasy time!), I would seriously consider companies like Duxiana, Haastens, or Vi-Spring.  These are some of the most incredible beds I have ever laid on, and the construction is second to none.  The big problem with these is the fact sets run from 12-50 thousand dollars!  (No, thats no typo!)

As far as alternative sleep systems (water, air, foam) the choices as of late are just as vast.  There are many different brands out there so do yourself a favor and research them!

I dont care for water because I really dont think there is enough support.

Air beds feel good, but how long will they last?  One company has had issues with the air bladder failing repeatedly.  They have also had issues with mold developing within the bed due to moisture in the bladders.  I would steer clear of them for a few years until that situation is rectified.

Foam beds really seem like the wave of the future.  They have revolutionized the industry and will be a force for years to come.  They are pressure free as there is no steel, so you never have pressure points!  They are very comfortable.  The two types of foams which are most prevalent are memory foam and latex.  If you choose latex, dont worry about allergies.  People are allergic to the protiens in latex and will not come into contact with them on a latex bed.  The latex is under the ticking and should never touch your bare skin.  If you do choose latex, be sure it is Talalay.  This is the most expensive, but the highest quality.  Also, be sure it is a combination of natural and synthetic latex.  A bed made of all natural latex will not stand the test of time.   You will be replacing it sooner than you had imagined.

Natures Rest produced all natural latex beds and many of them failed.  I am not sure what they are producing now, so be careful

Vera Wang does a Talalay latex bed.  It is very high quality, but also very expensive.

Memeory foam beds have been around for a while and there are numerous companies producing them.  Be sure you do your research if you go with anything other than Tempurpedic or Comforpedic.  Find out how much of the bed is actual memory foam, and how much is base poly foam.  There are foams coming in from other countries and you have no idea what they contain,  Be careful.  Some have even had garbage thrown in the production mold as filler material!  I kid you not.  Do some research before buying a "Fredopedic".

Tempurpedic is the industry leader in memory foam.  They have a high quality product and are produced in strict, sterile conditions.  They foam density is very high and varies from model to model.  I personally have a friend who has had one for 7 years and she says it feels the same as it did the first night she slept on it.  There are a few drawbacks, however.  This product is price set by TP.  The price is the same no matter where you shop, and they are expensive.  Queen sizes run from 1699 - 6599!  If you are a "warm" sleeper, you WILL sleep very hot on one of these beds.  Eeven with their patented air flow system, they sleep very warm.  Another issue is the off gassing of the petroleum product.  Depending on how sensitive your sense of smell is, this bed will have a very strong chemical odor anywhere from a few days to a few weeks!  Lastly, larger people do describe a feeling of being "trapped" in this bed.  I have heard it called "wet sand", and rolling from back to side is somewhat of an effort. 

Comforpedic is a combination of memory foam and latex.  They call their memory foam "next generation" and guarantee it will NOT sleep warm.  The latex also gives more support so turning is not a problem.  They actually feel like a traditional bed.  They are also made in exacting conditions and the off gassing process is forced in the factory so ther is no odor.  In my opinion, aside from the 20K Vi-Spring and the 45K Haastens, the CP is the most comfortable bed I have ever been on.  That is just my opinion, and you may disagree, so try it before you buy it!  Thats with any brand.

There are many other bedding companies out there, some may be great, some may be horrible.  If I have not mentioned one you are looking into, it is because I have no experience with it and do not feel it is right to comment on it.

I suppose one of the most important parts of this entire process is your salesperson.  They should be your advocate, and help you make a purchase instead of trying to sell you.  I truly care that my customers get the best bed they can afford so they get many nights of deep, restorative sleep.  If you can find a person who cares about your health and quality of life,  they will help you find the perfect bed.  

Good luck and sleep well!