Buying a new mattress can be just as hard as buying a new car. You wouldn't buy a car just because it looked nice. You would probably read up on that particular model and even take it for a test drive. The same thing should be true when it comes to mattresses. You keep the mattress for about as long as you would keep the car and you use it just as much. And yet, you're expected to buy a mattress without so much as a test drive. Finding the best mattress to buy can be a difficult task. That's why we've put together some of the latest information to help you make an informed decision. Consider this your mattress test drive.
Consumer Report Mattress Test Drive
In May of 2010, Consumer Report Magazine cut up 11 firm mattresses from Sealy, Simmons, Serta, along with adjustable air mattresses from Select Comfort and memory foam mattresses from Tempur-Pedic. They had 54 staff members try out the mattresses in a blind test. The results were highly static according to what staffers preferred. For that reason, they found that the same rating system that would normally work for rating televisions or appliances or even cars couldn't be used in the case of mattresses.
The most important thing to note about the consumer reports mattress reviews was that within any particular brand of mattress, the insides were basically the same. The prices varied greatly but the mattresses had the same box spring, or foundation and had the same design with slight variances in stitching and outer fabric and padding. As the price went up, so did the amount of coils inside. However, Consumer Reports found that even models with the least amount of coils were perfectly adequate.
Consumer Reports Ratings for Mattress Brands
Tempur-Pedic had a reader score of 83 and 60% of those surveyed said that they would buy it again. Scores of 80 or higher meant that customers were very satisfied. The Original Mattress Factory scored 81/52%. Select Comfort scored 80/57%. Denver Mattress was next with a score of 78/43% with scores over 60 meaning that the customers were fairly well satisfied. Simmons scored a 76 with 39% saying they would buy a Simmons mattress again. Kingsdown and Serta were next with reader scores of 74. Kingsdown had a higher number of 34% while Serta had 31% people who would definitely buy again. Sealy was next with a reader score of 73 and 32% of consumers claiming that they would definitely buy again.
The Bottom Line
Go with the model that is within your price range without being too cheap. Don't be swayed by the big differences in prices. Remember, that as the price goes up, you're basically paying for additional coils that you don't need and fabric and design that will be covered by your sheets anyway. Memory-foam can be uncomfortably warm and smell like chemicals. Skip the really cheap mattresses as they can be so thin that you can feel the springs through the padding. Skip the inflatable air beds. They can be complicated, noisy and fall apart faster than the traditional mattress. Latex foam mattresses are an ideal choice because they last long (20 years or more) and they are bio-degradable. Sealy, Simmons and Serta all ranked well in the Consumer Reports for best brands and they all offer latex foam mattresses.
Final Thoughts on Mattresses
I am a firm believer in getting the best products for the right prices. What is cheap isn't always a deal, and what is expensive isn't always of the highest quality. In my mattress research, I tried to combine consumer reports, customer opinions as well as expert advice. That combination of information has led me to believe that the best mattress to buy at this time is a Simmons Latex-Foam Mattress. The Simmons brand ranked well in customer satisfaction and they offer latex foam mattresses. The latex-foam mattress was recommended over all other types of mattresses by expert and author Barbara Flanagan of Flanagan's Smart Home.
