Foam Mattresses: Myths And Misconceptions

One of the most commonly asked questions we get via email and our Facebook page is “All of these big selling mattresses appear to be the same, which one should I buy?”, eluding to the overwhelming choices of foam hybrid mattresses available, especially online. Now that the dust has settled after the so-called “mattress disruptors” came in to being in the last five years, companies like Casper, Tuft&Needle, Loom And Leaf, Purple, an others, and it’s at least easy to look at maybe four or five big players (generally the companies throwing the most venture capital at the wall), to make a reasonable choice. Still, many shoppers seem to think that most of the mattresses are essentially the same, and other than the colors of the individual layers of foam, the outer fabric covering, and the story on the web site, the beds probably feel fairly similar. And, in fact, they would be correct.

When you’re dealing with polyurethane foam, latex, gel foam like the Purple ice cube tray foam (technically their foam is termed “column buckling” polymer foam), you can get a little variation in the feel of the bed, from spongy to firm and rigid, to bouncy, to a little sumptuous, still, a foam mattress will alway be a foam mattress, and the profile of comfort, or should we say the range of comfort options is not going to vary from say, one to ten. More like four to seven. Still, you can find enough variation to please one person over another, as we tend to pretty persnickety when it comes to finding the perfect sleep surface.

I recommend reading our down and dirty 15 minute mattress review guide to at least give you an overview of the general options out there. Another FAQ we get is what is a reasonable price to pay, for let’s say a queen size foam bed that will last a fair amount of time, won’t collapse and fall apart, and is supportive and comfortable? We say that generally speaking, the pricepoint of $600-900 seems about right, to get quality components, a good return policy built in, and a warranty that covers your rear for a few years. If you’re buying an all natural ltex mattress though, which is not polyurethane foam based, and uses more expensive botanically sourced material, expect to pay around $1200-1500, with the same general benefits. To see who we recommend, check out our Trusted Dealer page to get started.

Remember, buying a mattress can be a fun and enjoyable experience!

Marc