How to Buy a Mattress
From LoveToKnow Buy
Learning how to buy a mattress is comparable in complexity to buying a car. Mattresses are sold with a dizzying array of features and come in many styles and designs.
Tips on Buying a Mattress
The first thing to keep in mind is that the mattress market is competitive because everyone needs something to sleep on. A lot of money is spent each and every day on mattresses, and every mattress retailer is trying to attract customers. Pay close attention to what the labels on the mattress say in regard to the mattress’s construction. Also pay attention to what the salesperson is telling you. Don't buy a mattress with all of the bells and whistles on it, when all you need is a basic mattress for a good night’s sleep.
Consider Your Sleep Requirements
The first thing to considers is your sleep requirements. Do you sleep better on an ultra-firm mattress, a firm mattress or one with a little give? Do you prefer coil or foam construction? Think about your past sleep experiences and what has worked for you, as well as what has not. Another factor to consider is the size of the mattress you will need. You can opt for twin, full, queen, or king-sized mattresses.
Mattress Terms
Lots of terms will be thrown out when you are considering a mattress. These can be briefly defined as follows:
- Ticking is the mattress covering, and it is best to pick a cotton-polyester blend. A vinyl ticking may cause you to sweat while you are sleeping, while cotton will dissipate your body heat. There may be a thin layer of quilting or top padding over the ticking.
- The Middle Padding lies directly under the ticking, and between this padding and the springs lies the Insulated Padding. The closer the padding is to your body, the more you want it to be made of natural materials, as opposed to synthetic ones.
Coil Mattress
You may choose a foam or a featherbed mattress, or a futon. Most people, however, buy coil mattresses. There are several different kinds of coil constructions. The trick for the buyer is to actually test the mattresses. Lie down on them when you are shopping, and see how they feel. Your body should not sink too low—too soft of a mattress will make your spine and/or your neck ache. But also remember that your body is used to lying on the mattress you have owned for years, so any new mattress is going to feel odd, even if it's a good quality mattress.
Get a Warranty
Since mattresses are generally big investments, make sure yours comes with a warranty and is returnable within a few weeks. You can also often have the company haul away your old mattress when your new one is delivered.
Caution
When you see an ad for what seems like a deeply discounted quality mattress, understand that in many cases the ad is simply a lure to draw you into a store. When you arrive, you may find that those mattresses are suddenly “sold out,” but (surprise, surprise) there are plenty of other models, at higher prices, available. Call ahead before you visit a store that is advertising a mattress sale to make sure the one you are interested in is available.
Where to Buy a Mattress
Sleep soundly knowing you made a wise purchase from one of these mattress retailers:
Mattress.com serves up several name brand mattresses. Read the specifications of each model and find several discount options.
Mattress Giant will match you with the mattress your body needs.
US-Mattress offers major brands, as well as 12-month no payment and no interest deals.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 2,492 times. This page was last modified 07:39, 18 May 2007.
© 2006-2009 LoveToKnow Corp.
Print this page
Email to friend
Follow ltk on twitter
