Anyone have recommendations for a good latex mattress?
@nottelling same here. Bought a mattress that the top few inches was foam and I hated it with a passion. I tried it for a couple of weeks but hated that feeling of sinking in and felt like I was trying to climb out of the abyss when I tried to move or get up. Luckily they had a 3 week period you could return and exchange. I have a friend who has the foam mattress and they love it. I guess we all have different comfort zones.
We tried out a bunch of Tempurpedic mattresses. Some of them were soft, but the one we got is quite firm. We love it.
We let my sister and her husband use our room while they were here over Christmas. They liked the mattress so much that they’re going to buy one now.
@patsmom we have friends who bought a latex mattress…I think at IKEA. They then got some nice toppers to go on top of it. It was placed on a platform bed. Their theory was that when the toppers self distracted…they wouldmger new ones. LOTS cheaper, and more flexibility than the tempurpedic. It has worked well for them.
Does anyone have experience with online bed in a box type companies such as Casper, Saavta, Tuft and Needle etc.? I am converting my full size frame to a queen and purchasing a new box spring and mattress. I read the previous posters link to “theoldbedguy.com” and while interesting didn’t really help in our decision. Just curious.
@lvvcsf, We just purchased a bed in a box – it was from a local showroom for bedinabox.com so we were able to try before buying. We got rid of a Tempurpedic that was about 20 years old and no longer the firm mattress we loved. It was really sagging and long overdue for replacement. We got a split king on an adjustable frame and right now it’s great. This is the one we chose - https://www.bedinabox.com/product/serenity-mattress.
But I’ve been reading a lot since we got them and learning that memory foam is going to start to sag at some point but latex won’t. I guess we didn’t do enough research before we jumped into the purchase. We’re still in the return window so I’m considering swapping for latex but this showroom didn’t have any so I’d be buying blind from an online source. I’ve read reviews on sleeplikethedead.com but was hoping for some testimonials here.
Okay folks, just spent some time with a Macys sales guy who has been selling mattresses for 30 years at MAcys. The oldbedguy link I posted above does mention Macys as being a source he recommends (albeit not as much as a local source).
According to the Macy guy, there are hardly any true latex beds. Real latex is very expensive but it does wear. Many beds that say they have latex may have a small layer but not enough to perform as well as a true latex mattress.
We ended up with an innerspring with heavy gauge coils because my research showed that the gauge was important for longevity. It does have some padding on top which will help cushion the shoulder and hip area (I am a side sleeper). Neither DH nor I liked the feel of the temperpedic or foam tops. They were comfortable at first but I did not like how it felt when I rolled to my other side. Just our personal preference.
We have friends who like their Casper bed but other research I did said a lot of that is marketing. The price covers the “full refund” they offer, so even if 1 in 3 return theirs, they are still making money. I really can’t imagine that they will have the functional life that a coil innerspring mattress will have.
I am glad we looked at Sleepys/MattressFirm but I will not buy there. They seem hugely overpriced and hard sell commission-based. I much preferred the sales people i have met at Macys, where we have bought prior beds, They seem to be “lifers” and really understand their product. My husband used to work for a competitor department store and this guy knew exactly the product they sold 25 years ago!
The most difficult thing about shopping for a mattress is, you can’t really just go by how it feels in the store, or even in a 30 day trial. I am okay with spending $2000 if I know that in 5-10 years the bed will still be firm enough for me. That is the tough part since those details don’t “sell” a mattress in the store.
Our mattress, purchased 10-15 years ago, is heavenly, every one loves it. I took photos of the tag, but have been uable to determine what is the magic and replicate that for other bed purchases 
We do have a memory foam topped one (pillow top including memory foam) in the guest room and no one likes it.
We bought one of these about 2.5 years ago. Right now, I’m not very happy with the company. I still love the bed, but I am now on my third set of sheets; the first two fitted sheets developed tears down by my feet. With the first two sets, we did buy the ‘higher end’ sheets that were supposed to offer some sort of temperature balancing - at the time I was having lots of hot flashes and was desperate for anything that would make me more comfortable while I was sleeping. But whatever they were made from was not very sturdy material, hence the ripping. But now I don’t really have any hot flashes so what I bought this week is just their standard cotton sheet. We had each set about 14 months before they ripped down by the feet.
After the first set ripped, I went back to the store, and they told me the sheets were beyond warranty, so I was really up a creek. The issue is, we have a Flex split top bed, so they are custom sheets and the only ones that fit the bed have to be bought through Select Comfort. After the second set ripped, I went to their website, and saw reviews from others that said their sheets had also ripped, down by the feet. Following the reviews, someone from the company replied to them and suggested they contact a certain phone number. So I wrote a review, similar to others, submitted it, and found out the next day it was not accepted for publication due to it not falling within their guidelines. So I felt censored, which I did NOT appreciate. I know my only option is to buy more sheets from them (others will not fit due to the split top), so I went yesterday to buy another set, and after I explained my story to the salesman (I actually went to a different store than the one we bought the bed from), he did give me a discount on the new sheets. And I was thankful, but it’s not enough. I have written the CEO of the company, and will see what I hear. I’ve had all kinds of sheets throughout my life, from cheap to expensive, and I’ve never ripped holes in the fitted sheet, so this is obviously a manufacturer problem; but they know anyone who has purchased the Flex split top is hostage to buying sheets from them and that royally peeves me. They don’t sell separates, so every time I buy new sheets, I’m buying fitted, flat and two king pillowcases. The first two sets were $350+; the set I got this week was $170. The guy told me yesterday that the 100% cotton sheets were more durable than the Lyocell.
It’ll be interesting to see if I hear back from corporate and if/what they offer. But, buyer beware if you purchase one of their split top beds!
We have a sleep number - bought in 2003 and have had bad allergies when going to bed, figured it was the dogs or whatever…ends up - we dismantle the bed - taking off the pillow topper, and then the 2" foam topper to the airmattress parts - all are covered with large splotches of black mold. Apparently any of their beds before 2005 or something had issues - and they failed to inform people even though they have our customer info right there on their database - there was a failed class action suit that I was never informed of too - but back in 2008. Anyway - I am glad they are shipping new parts free to us, but have a little fear of a company that would try to put this under the covers as it were, and not go public with info for their customers who may be having issues. Wouldn’t trust them again when we replace this one.
Eek @amandakayak! Black mold that was known about is awful! Hope your allergies clear up but yuck!
@Fishnlines29 - We have had Sleep Number beds for over 18 years. The kids also have them. We did make a mistake a couple years ago when DH needed an adjustable bed and sleep number didn’t offer one so went with a tempurpedic mattress which was a huge mistake. We are now back to sleep number. We don’t have the split top bed though we have 2 twin beds attached to a king headboard. We were able to use the adjustable bases that we already had so we only had to purchase the new Sleep number mattresses.
We’ve never had mold problems with our beds… and I have taken them apart before so I would know. Maybe it’s because we bought their cheapest ones.
We’ve had our latex bed for a year after many decades of innerspring mattresses–LOVE it. I wake up pretty much every morning thinking “I don’t want to get up, this bed is just so comfortable…”
I used https://www.themattressunderground.com/ It’s overwhelming but in the end helped us figure out how to look for a bed and how to figure out what would work best for us. Kind of like College Confidential 
There’s a great deal of discussion about mattress components, both in terms of how they will feel and in terms of longevity.
We ended up buying from http://www.flexuscomfort.com/ which manufactures their own product–both latex and innerspring mattresses. We opted for a 13" latex mattress, a triple-layer club sandwich of various types of latex in different firmnesses.
It’s a very individual decision and really depends on your own preferences.
ST, according to the Old Guy (link in this thread) the Underground is run by certain mattress co shills.
Happy New Year everyone.
One of my New Years goals is to buy a new mattress, soon. I’ve been looking on line at reviews and now reading this thread and am now more confused and indecisive than ever! I do not know what to buy and can’t imagine that spending a few minutes on the mattress at a store will help me decide.
Right now I gave a queen with a split box springs. We need the split box springs to get up our L shaped narrow staircase. We plan to move our current bed to one of the kids who no longer live here rooms that only has a twin in it. I do not remember the make of the mattress. But I did add a foam topper a few years ago.
So I want a new mattress and box springs, must be split box springs. Don’t want to do platform. I do get hot at night but have been sleeping on foam topper for awhile. It is unbearable when H wants to snuggle. Doesn’t seem to bother him! I tend to sleep on my side. H on his back, but then he snores, so I push him over.
You all seem to buy mattresses much more often than I have. I’m sure my mattress is 20 years old. I really need a new one. Any suggestions other than what has been posted? Anything to clearly stay away from?
I feel silly asking given I am not a spring chicken as far as my age is concerned. But I apperently am as a new mattress buyer.!
Great link @SlitheyTove …wish I had read that 3 years ago.
We replaced our 26 year old mattress about 3 years ago. Walked into a small-ish local chain and happened upon the owner (who is on all their TV ads). We were the only ones in the store at the time so had a long talk with him. Ended up buying the first matress we tried out…A Serta iComfort. It’s a hybrid mattress, so innerspring with memory foam on top…We absolutely love it.
We found that t is absolutely impossible to “comparison shop” when buying a mattress.
Underground is very upfront about their commercial membership, and how it works. They certainly favorably mention other mattress companies that aren’t on their membership list, especially when people are looking for showrooms or manufacturers in their general area. The information they provide is free, so you can use it and then decide where to buy.
morrismm, the innerspring set that we replaced was older than 20 years! Between its high quality and our size, it lasted a long time…which made it that much harder to replace. You mention that you sleep “hot”–do a search on the various mattress sites mentioned to see recommendations about what mattresses sleep cooler. Memory foam sleeps hot; latex does not run as hot. Sheets (percale weave) and cooling pillows will also help.
@morrismm - Our mattress is at least 18 years old. The technology/features have certainly changed a lot in those years. Even though DH and I did not want to belabor this process, I do feel like it was helpful to go to a couple of different places, just to learn the “lingo” and features and lay on a few samples.
You will definitely get overwhelmed at first. We went over 2 or 3 days, and that helped. When I combined what I read in objective sites like CR etc and the same info that was repeated by all the sales people, I felt like I had some info that was basically reliable.
Then of course there is the personal preference. We ended up preferring an innerspring mattress, based on feel and on what I learned about performance over the years. But obviously some people love their tempurpedics and foam, so those choices are right for them.
It is definitely impossible to compare apples to apples when shopping, at least as far as price. Meaning, if you like Sleepy’s “XYZ” named mattress, you cannot determine easily which mattress at Macy’s is most similar, in order to see who has the better price (hint - Macys does!)
I’d suggest visiting a big chain store like Sleepys to see many types of mattresses in one place, but I would hesitate buying there due to the mark-up that I sensed. If you can find a sales person who has been in the business for years, that is even more helpful.
Sleep number made changes to their materials - to antimicrobial whatever after 2004 or something - so the mold issues should not happen now, but my confidence a lot lower with a company that would cover up issues like that - not proactively addressing/informing.