mattress advice
Just graduated college, got a job with a salary, so this will be the first time I can spend a bit on a mattress. I am 6’2″ at about 195. Sleep on my back and side.
Any overall suggestions, or specific brands/mattresses to look at or avoid?
Well, I usually recommend spending somewhere around $1000. And I’ll tell you why
Spend $1000 – 10 years of use = $100/year Spend $300 – 2 years of use = $150/year
Unless you plan on staining the bed every year, your better to invest in a better mattress. You not only get better value for your money, but you will get a much better mattress for the period of time.
Also, $1000 seems to be the sweet spot for good quality mattresses. Once you pass that, your either paying for marketing gimmicks, or for overpriced features that IMHO aren’t as valuable as the price tag you pay.
For a base you have two options:
1) Coil – more durable, sleeps cooler, heavier, typically more expensive
2) Foamless durable sleep hotter, lighter, typically less expensive
So I would suggest coil base Pocket Coils Only – Bonnell coil, continuous coils, and other types will sag in the middle. Pocket coils will not sag and they will provide maximum comfort and eliminate motion transfer
Now that the base is set. You want the foam on top. 3″ of good foam is better than 7″ of poor foam. The foam will break down the fastest, so you want this to be good. A density above 1.5 is important here. And a layer of cooling gel/memory foam adds a nice touch. This will provide the memory foam pressure relief, without the heat issue that memory foam has.
In Summary:
Pocket Coil Base – 900-1000 coils
Comfort Foam Layer – 3″ Quilted top is a nice touch Gel Cooling Memory Foam for Lumbar Support is a nice touch too
The trend towards suggesting all foam mattresses is because its cheaper and lighter to ship, not necessarily better. So I suggest going with the more traditional proven method.
Oh and don’t fall for “new foams” that “feel like memory foam, but without the heat” type of thing. That’s not real.
