mattress advice

[aliantha]

Now cut that out.

I need a new one. Tossed the old full-size mattress set when I moved -- it was pretty close to 15 years old, and slept like it. I've been making do for the past month with one of the girls' twin-size mattresses on the floor. It's okay, but man oh man, I'd sure like to be a grownup again.

I've always had an innerspring mattress -- except for most of my married life, when we had a waterbed. However, I'm intrigued by the idea of a latex mattress. Specifically the hypo-allergenic properties. One intarwebz post I saw last night claimed that the person never woke up with a stuffy nose anymore after getting a latex mattress. OMG, what I would do to wake up in the morning without a stuffy nose....

Anyhow, it looks like IKEA sells them *and* their prices don't start in the stratosphere (unlike everybody else).

So -- anybody have a latex mattress? Pros/cons? Anybody ever bought one from IKEA?

[Harbinger]

If you're allergic to house dust/ mites it will help, but you'll need a pillow too.

I don't like Tempur-Pedic, they sleep hot and the memory foam is too high density for me (not soft enough). And I keep the house cool so the bed stayed hard. Tempurs will actually freeze pretty solid if exposed to cold weather.

Some of the Tempur knock offs are great. I think there was a 5 to 600 dollar Serta I really liked. The foam is lower density and they are softer. Definitely get a pillow top.

But the best bed I know of is Stearns Foster. I had been telling my brother about them and then he stayed in a hotel in NYC that he said had the best bed he'd ever slept in and he and his wife looked at the brand and it was a Stearns Foster.

I know a little about beds b/c I worked for Tempur-Pedic in the early 2000s.

[Worm of Despite]

She crushed her mattress.

[aliantha]

Well, the guys at the dump crushed it, I imagine, but yeah.

Thanks, Harbinger. I tried a bunch of mattresses at IKEA this morning, and I agree with you about the memory foam -- too dense. I tried their latex mattresses too and kind of went "meh" -- better, but still a little stiff for me.

Then I tried one they had that was an innerspring mattress with a latex pillowtop. (It's the Sultan Hjelmas, for those keeping score at home....) That's the one I'm going to get. It's rated "firm" but is very soft and comfy.

Now I just gotta wait 'til Magickmaker is home so I can have someone to help me haul it home.

I've seen those Stearns and Foster mattresses, btw -- I don't doubt they're comfy but they're kind of outside my price range.

EDIT to add that I actually am allergic to house dust (and whatever creepy-crawlies are in it).

[WiselNathan]

I indulged myself with an exy Latex mattress, well over a grand for a 'king' single, and worth every cent. It was blissful from day one and 3 years later is just as good. It's too heavy for me to turn but it doesn't need to be, it's good as the day I bought it.

Don't have heel problem any more than with any mattress and as it's on an adjustable bed it gets flexed every time the bed does to accommodate the position of the ache of the day. Not even crease damage in the mattress from the flexing.

Luv that thing. Think I might get buried on it.

UPD: Found excellent latex mattress reviews here sleepmentor.org/the-best-latex-mattress-reviews/

[DoctorGamgee]

Glad you found one you like. With my wife wanting a marshmallow and me wanting a slab of granite, we went for a sleep number bed. Best money ever spent. Yeah, it was expensive, but we both sleep like logs and she can have her 35 cloud while I have my 100 brick, and we both are happy.

[aliantha]

I'd seriously consider a sleep number bed if I ever shared a bed again, Doc.

Still liking my IKEA mattress just fine -- which I guess I've had now for four years, given the date of my original post. Hunh.

[Baradakas]

Not sure where you live, but the best price to quality I have ever found is at Omaha Bedding. They supply most of the mattresses for hotels in the Midwest, and nearly all have a 15-year warranty. (You have to bring it to them, but they refab in one day, usually enough time to enjoy Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and the 5000 restaurants that Omaha has.) Another option is Nebraska Furniture Mart (they also have a location in Kansas City), and they deliver. Beds are definitely expensive, so the best option (IMHO) is to find the cheapest with the best warranty.

I do not suggest buying from IKEA. I have worked for Nebraska Furniture Mart (great customer service), and I have bought beds from Omaha Bedding. Each company will treat you well.

-B

[lorin]

I tried those mattresses and was not impressed. They are hot hot hot and soft. And IMO over-priced. Of course, I have a really bad back and soft mattresses kill me. So I went to inner spring and decided to 'invest ' in some super deluxe thing with a pillow top. Paid 2200.00 for it and sold it one month later for 100.00 It was like sleeping in a hammock. I also have the pet peeve that I HATE mattresses that are not flippable. I think they are a rip off. They have half the shelf life of flippable. I did a lot of research. I considered buying a mattress from the people that supplied Carnival Cruises but they were also about 1500.00. Finally I found an Ultra firm flippable for 600.00 from Sealey (I think). It changed my life. It's firm enough and durable enough to survive even me. And it's ............flippable!!!! When(if) I die I am gong to be buried on it.

[aliantha]

Yeah, see, I hate firm mattresses. I sleep on my side, not on my back, and a firm mattress is like sleeping on a board to me. I can't get comfortable.

My dad convinced my mom once to get an extra-firm mattress. He had arthritis in his spine and thought it would be terrific for his back. She hated it, and he still ended up sleeping in the recliner. If they'd had sleep number beds back then, my parents might have gone for it. But probably not, as they were -- uh, I believe "frugal" is the polite term for it.

[lorin]

Yeah, see, I hate firm mattresses.

I hated firm mattresses too until my back thing 3 years ago. I sleep on my side half the time too and firm works for me.

When you catch up to my almost 60 years we will talk again about firm vs plush.