Mattress Purchase

J

jalou65

New Member
I have some discomfort & stiffness in my back & hips (probably a combination of old age & arthritis). I need to purchase a new mattress. I am overwhelmed by all the options out there. I was wondering if anyone here has a particular mattress you would recommend? And soft, medium, or firm? Thank you.
 

I, too, have a bit of arthritis, and started having some pains that woke me up at night. I looked at several new mattress options....hundreds of dollars for virtually any of them....and no real way of knowing if they would help, over time. Being fairly conservative, financially, I saw these toppers at Walmart, months ago, and bought one....about $17. That was almost a year ago, and I rarely have any "night pains", anymore.

I would suggest you try a Topper before you spend a bunch of money on something that may or may not be of much help.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstay...enic-Mattress-Topper-1-Each-Twin-XL/109773569
 
jalou65 said:
I have some discomfort & stiffness in my back & hips (probably a combination of old age & arthritis). I need to purchase a new mattress. I am overwhelmed by all the options out there. I was wondering if anyone here has a particular mattress you would recommend? And soft, medium, or firm? Thank you.
Click to expand...
Are you blamming your current mattress for the ailments?
 

I bought a topper also. It is about 6" thick. Not memory foam. I don't care for that. This is regular foam. I've had it about a year. I bought it in Kohl's for about $75.00 and it is great. It hasn't sagged.
It has a 10 year warranty.
It comes in quite a small box. They recommend that you take it out of the box and let it expand overnight,which I did.
Before I bought it I asked how I would bring it back if I wasn't happy with it. There was no way I'd be able to stuff it back in the original box.
They told me as long as I have my receipt and the original package to just stuff it in a plastic garbage bag and bring it back. I took the box apart so it is flat and put it in our storage room.
I doubt I'll need to return it.
I'd like to add that it will make the bed higher and some comforters or bedspreads may not fit. I also put the sheets under just the topper because the sheets won't reach around the topper and the original mattress. It isn't a problem for me in fact it makes putting the sheets on easier.
 
Picking out a mattress must be one of the hardest purchases, ever. Everyone needs something different, for sure. I know many don't have any use for memory foam, is not for everyone. Tried my first memory foam about 10 years ago, will never go back to anything else, 4" memory foam, and under this is 8" hard core, high density foam, very firm, when i use any that's soft, is when i have problems, if i lay down on, even my couch, not firm, pain and stiffness. There is no sign of sagging or wear on my memory mattress, it's on an adjustable deck, very handy.
 
Thank you for all your thoughts & suggestions. My current mattress is very old & sags in spots which adds to my discomfort so I think replacement is needed. Maybe a less expensive mattress with a topper is the way to go. It's hard to make a decision by laying on a mattress for a few minutes in a showroom.
 
14 years ago, I had terrible low-back pain during sleep. I'd go to bed around 11pm & get up every 2 hours & walk around the house because that was the only way to make the pain go away. Some nights, I didn't get any sleep at all. By 6am, I'd get ready to go to work. An MRI showed several bulged discs in my back.
One night, I saw an infomercial for the Tempur Pedic bed. Since they had a 120-day free trial & I was desperate, I ordered it.
After a week, I didn't notice much difference & I was starting to get disappointed. Then, I woke up one night, thinking it was 2am. It was 7am.
It seemed to repair the problem during that couple of weeks. Now, I rarely have back pain - maybe once a year.

After 15 minutes, your body heat causes the mattress to conform perfectly to you.....I guess that's how it works. Unlike a regular mattress, you can't put your hand anywhere between you & the mattress, not even your lower back where it curves; it's sorta like sleeping on soft clay. What they claim in the ads is that you won't toss & turn during sleep & you won't wake up with any numbness. They're right because when I wake up, the TV remote & whatever book or magazine I was reading is still on the bed. With any other mattress, everything ended up on the floor by morning, sometimes including the blankets.

I'm still using that same bed. The company now has several different models with different levels of firmness & thickness. I also use their pillows; they're made of the same memory foam.
 
RadishRose said:
Don't get memory foam. It's too hot and breaks down too soon, I am told.

Latex rubber is the best but they are around a thousand dollars.

If you are not a heavy person, the topper may work well for you.
Click to expand...
The newer Tempur Pedic mattresses have some sort of ventilation system to prevent getting hot. Other brands do the same thing. I don't really care because I'm always cold. In the summer, I just don't use any blankets & sleep in light clothing.

I can't speak for other brands, but my Tempur Pedic is 14 years old & looks the same as when I got it.
 
I hate mattress shopping. How do you lie on a mattress for 15 seconds fully-clothed, stare at the fluorescent lights in the store ceiling, and make a best-sleeping choice while other people walk by and stare at you?

I was going to point out that mattress manufacturers put store-specific names on the exact same mattress so you cannot comparison shop, when I came across this Consumer Reports article that mentions this and that gives other mattress shopping tips.

Here's another article on "the best mattress" for those with back problems. It says "not the firmest and not the softest." It admonishes agains putting a layer of foam over an existing mattress if you're addressing back problems. But everyone's an expert, huh?

I used to have a full-slop waterbed and really liked it (they are sooo embryonic) but wrenched my neck trying to climb out of it one day and later developed lower back problems. I then went to a full-firm conventional mattress. It was a huge change, but I've stayed with firm ever since. We're all different.
 
Buckeye said:
Bought an king size Awara mattress and bed frame on line about 4 months ago. So far so good. Bottom layer is 7" of fancy coil springs, top layer is 4" of latex. Isn't "hot" like I am told memory foam. No box springs needed.
Click to expand...
Not sure about the memory foam being hot, may depend on the person, find it very cool in summer, and warm in the winter.
 
Don, Ruth, Fm44
Must have a topper
Problem one Wal-mart in town, limited inventory, plus the
no-caring attitude of employees.
'Can you order it for me?"
'Well, but the lady in charge of that is off today.'

You guys ever try putting plywood under mattress, works some, not well, back is stiff for first few days, some improvement.
 
I was wondering the same thing. I need a new bed but I want it to be an adjustable one. No hurry because I've been finding it more comfortable to sleep in my recliner which is winder than normal. Still I wondered what mattress that would accommodate an adjustable frame would be most comfortable. I tried two tempurpedic mattresses a few years ago. One was too firm, the other not firm enough. Tempurpedic adjustable beds are very expensive too. I've been seeing adds for the Purple mattress, the Sleep Number beds and Tempurpedics. When I really get serious about purchasing something I start by searching for "the best" [whatever]. Of course personal taste and circumstances may alter or negate this list but here is a listing of best mattresses:
https://www.top10mattressesonline.c...e&utm_content=comfortable mattress_G_exact_kw
 
There's a couple of good "best of" mattress comparisons, and there's always the old backstop Consumer Reports. I joined on a discount subscription and they had a big mattress comparison report early in 2020.

Great timing since I HATED our Stearns & Foster mattress. Made an effort to buy local long ago and have tried two S&F mattresses - one pillowtop, one regular. We have a chest bed so no need for a box spring. I loathed both and unfortunately, they are an expensive purchase. I'm sure I'm not the only one who suffers with an unhappy purchase because it cost so much, you feel like you need to keep it long enough to get your money's worth out of it, LOL!

I liked the CR report as it tested for side sleepers (my spouse) and edge support (me), as well as longevity. This time I had a budget - we are flirting with the idea of downsizing and may not have room for a CA king bed in the future.

Plus, the reality is mattress life is considered to be 8-10 years! So I didn't want to spend more than $1500 - and preferably much less. Did you know that after 10 years, half the weight of a mattress is the dust that's accumulated inside? (So you're not getting weaker with age, that mattress is actually getting heavier!)

Next you have to decide what kind of mattress you want. Innerspring? Hybrid? Memory foam? Latex? All have advantages/disadvantages.

I wanted a firm/extra-firm mattress as I intended to purchase a mattress pad. I checked out the CR mattresses I'd noted. As luck would have it, after half an hour chasing down other mattresses (also reading the user reviews on the websites), I happened on a CR well-rated model that was on sale from a local chain.

It was a good price. It's a Beautyrest BRS900, extra firm, just shy of 15" tall. Delivery and install inside was free, only a modest charge $10, state mandated, for disposal and free takeaway of the old mattress. The latter was a big deal for us - a CA king mattress is HUGE and really heavy!

One issue with the mail-order mattress sites was that not all of them took away the old mattress, and the ones who did charged for it. Getting the takeaway for free saved between $35-50 from other companies.

I went on Amazon for the mattress pad. Was tempted by the one that somebody on Senior Forums recommended from Wal-Mart, but then I found a 3" latex foam pad at a slightly lower price. Latex is the type I prefer, but it is the most expensive mattress. As a pad it's a little more reasonable!

FYI latex tends to be "firm" - and very, very heavy. This was another consideration: if you rotate your mattress by yourself, a larger size latex mattress is REALLY heavy. Even as a 3" pad, this latex pad weighs almost as much as the much taller hybrid Beautyrest! Polyurethane foam pads are more medium-firm to soft in comparison, and very light - one person can easily handle even Queen or King sized.

Note this combo makes for a very tall mattress. I have bought extra-deep fitted sheets ever since we first purchased the first Stearns & Foster - that mattress was a whopping 21" thick!

Even with the cost of the pad and pad cover added, we spent less than half the cost of the S&F mattresses (I figured I can always buy another pad).

I sleep much better now. I have lower back issues so I prefer a firm mattress. We'll see how long this pairing lasts, but only time will tell. HTH.
 
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Lethe200 said:
There's a couple of good "best of" mattress comparisons, and there's always the old backstop Consumer Reports. I joined on a discount subscription and they had a big mattress comparison report early in 2020.

Great timing since I HATED our Stearns & Foster mattress. Made an effort to buy local long ago and have tried two S&F mattresses - one pillowtop, one regular. We have a chest bed so no need for a box spring. I loathed both and unfortunately, they are an expensive purchase. I'm sure I'm not the only one who suffers with an unhappy purchase because it cost so much, you feel like you need to keep it long enough to get your money's worth out of it, LOL!

I liked the CR report as it tested for side sleepers (my spouse) and edge support (me), as well as longevity. This time I had a budget - we are flirting with the idea of downsizing and may not have room for a CA king bed in the future.

Plus, the reality is mattress life is considered to be 8-10 years! So I didn't want to spend more than $1500 - and preferably much less. Did you know that after 10 years, half the weight of a mattress is the dust that's accumulated inside? (So you're not getting weaker with age, that mattress is actually getting heavier!)

Next you have to decide what kind of mattress you want. Innerspring? Hybrid? Memory foam? Latex? All have advantages/disadvantages.

I wanted a firm/extra-firm mattress as I intended to purchase a mattress pad. I checked out the CR mattresses I'd noted. As luck would have it, after half an hour chasing down other mattresses (also reading the user reviews on the websites), I happened on a CR well-rated model that was on sale from a local chain.

It was a good price. It's a Beautyrest BRS900, extra firm, just shy of 15" tall. Delivery and install inside was free, only a modest charge $10, state mandated, for disposal and free takeaway of the old mattress. The latter was a big deal for us - a CA king mattress is HUGE and really heavy!

One issue with the mail-order mattress sites was that not all of them took away the old mattress, and the ones who did charged for it. Getting the takeaway for free saved between $35-50 from other companies.

I went on Amazon for the mattress pad. Was tempted by the one that somebody on Senior Forums recommended from Wal-Mart, but then I found a 3" latex foam pad at a slightly lower price. Latex is the type I prefer, but it is the most expensive mattress. As a pad it's a little more reasonable!

FYI latex tends to be "firm" - and very, very heavy. This was another consideration: if you rotate your mattress by yourself, a larger size latex mattress is REALLY heavy. Even as a 3" pad, this latex pad weighs almost as much as the much taller hybrid Beautyrest! Polyurethane foam pads are more medium-firm to soft in comparison, and very light - one person can easily handle even Queen or King sized.

Note this combo makes for a very tall mattress. I have bought extra-deep fitted sheets ever since we first purchased the first Stearns & Foster - that mattress was a whopping 21" thick!

Even with the cost of the pad and pad cover added, we spent less than half the cost of the S&F mattresses (I figured I can always buy another pad).

I sleep much better now. We'll see how long this pairing lasts, but only time will tell. HTH.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you about Stearns and Foster. We bought one a few years ago and it has been the biggest dud EVER.
 

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