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Edited on Sun Nov-23-03 08:41 PM by RatTerrier
Namely me (gee...nice to have one on board here at DU)!
Serta is a great brand. Of course, I'm partial, since the store I work for sells them. Sealy is also good (I sleep on a Crown Jewel pillowtop).
Some words of advice when shopping for a mattress:
1. If your mattress is ten years old or more, is lumpy and funny shaped, or was a cheapie to begin with, GET A NEW ONE!! Most backaches and fatigue are caused by bad mattresses. Sounds like you're ready to do this.
2. Plan to spend AT LEAST $500-600 or more (likely) for a queen set. Don't be afraid to spend a little more money for a good product. After all, you will likely spend 1/3 of your life on the thing. You can get a great night's sleep on a $1000-2000 or higher unit, but you may feel more comfortable on a $700 set. Buy the whole set, including the box spring (foundation). If you have a platform bed or are using it in a waterbed frame, you can skip the box spring. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go cheap and put the new mattress on the old box spring. Would you build a new house on an old foundation? Probably not.
3. Be aware that there are three general types of mattresses on the market - firm, plush and pillowtop (eurotop). All three of the same level tend to have identical coil constructions. Firm mattresses have a dense fiberpad layer on top of the springs, which gives it a stiffer feel. Plush has softer foams across the springs, and pillowtops (or the more modern eurotops) have even more foam. These are comfort choices, and each should give the same amount of support. Don't fall for the old fable of firm mattresses being better for your back. That's B.S. I've slept on the floor before and it wasn't very good on my back.
4. When going out shopping, wear loose, comfortable clothes. You will be laying down a lot. You don't necessarily have to hit every store in town. Mattress pricing is very competitive. But you might like to try the major brands (Serta, Sealy, Simmons, Stearns & Foster (owned by Sealy). Also, try some alternative products such as Tempur-Pedic, made primarily from the very dense visco-elastic foam (I'd say Select Comfort, but they advertise heavily on right-wing radio shows - El Rushbo sleeps on one himself!). All make great mattresses, and likely all of them will be more comfortable than your current one).
5. Look for a long warranty. Ten or more years should suffice. Any less is a promotional-level (cheap) mattress, and it won't give you optimal support.
6. Coil counts mean little. Some mattress shops push the importance of this, but gauge and style of coil are also important. For example, Stearns and Foster makes a higher-end mattress that has a thicker gauge coil and a lower count than most, but it's still a great mattress. Also, most premium bedding has similar counts, within a 50-100 count range, which means little.
7. Above all, go with the model that gives you the best suport and the most comfort. This is most important. It doesn't have to be the most expensive in the store, but it has to suit you the best.
I could go on and on, but if anyone has questions, post them here.
Good luck, and sleep well.
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