How much would you spend on a mattress?

[moonsi til]

I slept on a horsehair mattress once that was covered in pink silk at a friends grandmothers country house in Cheshire. I thought it fitted in with them being wealthy eccentrics.

I couldn't afford a new mattress so I bought a memory foam topper for £50 which has been amazing. Had it on the bed about 2 months and I still go 'ah' every night I go to bed. I also bought a kingsize duvet as a double was rubbish for me & BF so I got new linen and then new pillows too. Going to bed is ace for me now...

 

[Lea]

I'm afraid Argos only sell low quality brands of mattresses, and they aren't actually cheap. So if you find one at Argos that appears to be cheap, then the chances are that it is very very low quality.

Yeah the £89 mattress from Argos came to about £200 with the frame. I thought all mattress must be about the same. Little did I know. I bought the memory foam one from Bensons (I think).

 

[Meltingpot]

I slept on a horsehair mattress once that was covered in pink silk at a friends grandmothers country house in Cheshire. I thought it fitted in with them being wealthy eccentrics.

I couldn't afford a new mattress so I bought a memory foam topper for £50 which has been amazing. Had it on the bed about 2 months and I still go 'ah' every night I go to bed. I also bought a kingsize duvet as a double was rubbish for me & BF so I got new linen and then new pillows too. Going to bed is ace for me now...

That's what I might do as well, rather than shell out good money for a good new mattress. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Tim Deegan]

I slept on a horsehair mattress once that was covered in pink silk at a friends grandmothers country house in Cheshire. I thought it fitted in with them being wealthy eccentrics.

I couldn't afford a new mattress so I bought a memory foam topper for £50 which has been amazing. Had it on the bed about 2 months and I still go 'ah' every night I go to bed. I also bought a kingsize duvet as a double was rubbish for me & BF so I got new linen and then new pillows too. Going to bed is ace for me now...

I'm afraid people with money tend to get ripped off by gimmicks far more than those who have to scrimp and save.

Memory foam toppers are only any good as long as the springs are still in good condition in the mattress it is used on, as the spring layer under the memory foam is just as important. This also goes for memory foam mattresses, as some of them seem to tick all the right boxes as far as depth and density of the memory foam goes. But the layer of reflex foam under the memory foam can often be very low quality.

 

[Tim Deegan]

Yeah the £89 mattress from Argos came to about £200 with the frame. I thought all mattress must be about the same. Little did I know. I bought the memory foam one from Bensons (I think).

I should point out to people that if you want good quality, at a good price, then you need to stay well away from big brand names, and all of the big chain stores. It is far better to buy on line, and stick with smaller independent manufacturers. Just make sure that the seller gives a proper satisfaction guarantee, that allows you to unpack and sleep on the mattress. That way it is in their interest to make sure that you make the right choice the first time.

 

[Tim Deegan]

That's what I might do as well, rather than shell out good money for a good new mattress. Thanks for the tip.

Mattresses with memory foam built in actually work much better. But if your budget doesn't allow for this, then make sure that there are no dips or soft spots on your mattress. And also make sure that the depth of the topper is about 2", and the density id 60 to 70kg per m3.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'm still unconvinced by memory foam. I do love my trad mattress.

 

[Tim Deegan]

I'm still unconvinced by memory foam. I do love my trad mattress.

With memory foam 90% of people love it, and about 10% hate it. Out of those who hate it, most have been put off by poor design memory foam mattresses (including Tempur).

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I do like a very cool bed (hence window open in all weathers, linen sheets and feet never covered). I think that's the thing. My memory foam experience was even nastier than my ghastly 1970s Brentford Nylons fitted sheet experience.

 

[Tim Deegan]

I do like a very cool bed (hence window open in all weathers, linen sheets and feet never covered). I think that's the thing. My memory foam experience was even nastier than my ghastly 1970s Brentford Nylons fitted sheet experience.

And I presume it was a foam only mattress?

 

[stuff_it]

I hate to pour water on your fire, but anything from Dreams tends to be at least double the price that you should be paying. And that's even in their so called sales (which are actually fake anyway).

Also, only low quality foam mattresses come rolled up and vacuum packed, because it actually damages the reflex foam layer.

I said 'something like this', not 'this'.

That said the higher priced ones do last pretty well, and at least the poor man will have a comfy bed at last - it's been months!

TBF I got mine from my mum when she moved house, but it had a 5 year warranty and I've certainly given it a decent workout and it's so far survived bot my antics and the burrowing staffy.

I'm afraid Argos only sell low quality brands of mattresses, and they aren't actually cheap. So if you find one at Argos that appears to be cheap, then the chances are that it is very very low quality.

We're not all high quality people like you clearly. Of course no sane person would get a cheap sprung mattress, they are designed specifically for landlords to inflict on poor people.

Seeing as you are so clearly a 'person of quality' could you please recommend a decent swimming cap, for sport. I can't find one in the shops this time of year.

 

[8ball]

Luxury...

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So how much should I be spending and do they deliver.

How important is the mattress? I mean I do quite like sleeping on the floor, it's just the wife doesn't. Slightly annoying seeing as she is Japanese and we always sleep on the floor over there. She want's the mattress, I think I was happy enough with my old one.

Mind you, on a recent trip to Denmark we stayed in a lovely place and I was just enjoying lying in the bed. I thought it was because we were essentially in a park by a river, and all the walls kind of opened and there were floor to ceiling windows. It was very relaxing, but at the back of my mind I wondered if it was the bed that was more comfy, and I just didn't know my mattresses.

 

[stuff_it]

So how much should I be spending and do they deliver.

How important is the mattress? I mean I do quite like sleeping on the floor, it's just the wife doesn't. Slightly annoying seeing as she is Japanese and we always sleep on the floor over there. She want's the mattress, I think I was happy enough with my old one.

Mind you, on a recent trip to Denmark we stayed in a lovely place and I was just enjoying lying in the bed. I thought it was because we were essentially in a park by a river, and all the walls kind of opened and there were floor to ceiling windows. It was very relaxing, but at the back of my mind I wondered if it was the bed that was more comfy, and I just didn't know my mattresses.

Could you get a futon? TBF don't get a cheap futon mattress unless you are a masochist, not because they are firm but because they are lumpy. Again if you found one conveniently located you and a friend could probably haul it home on the bus so long as the base was fully disassembled.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

And I presume it was a foam only mattress?

I have no idea, it was in a B&B where they twittered on about their memory foam mattresses. I didn't actually strip down the bed to check.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Could you get a futon? TBF don't get a cheap futon mattress unless you are a masochist, not because they are firm but because they are lumpy. Again if you found one conveniently located you and a friend could probably haul it home on the bus so long as the base was fully disassembled.

An English futon is nothing like a real Japanese futon.

Anyway no, my wife wants a real bed and mattress.

When we first lived together I did have a english style futon mattress that I just slapped on the floor and I loved it. I would roll it up into a kind of sofa shape in the daytime (I had a studio flat).
Happy days.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Could you get a futon? TBF don't get a cheap futon mattress unless you are a masochist, not because they are firm but because they are lumpy. Again if you found one conveniently located you and a friend could probably haul it home on the bus so long as the base was fully disassembled.

A NHS physiotherapist told me futons are not good for people who lie on their sides. something to do with hip bones and spine alignment.

 

[tarannau]

I'm enjoying the contributions from our new mattress specialist too. I feel like I'm missing out on the knowledge.

Seriously considering splashing out on a much better mattress ourselves. We've got a nice bed (Dwell) with a sprung slatted base (fairly large gaps) and purchased a reasonable Slumbernight mattress to go with it a few years back. It's been a bit of a disaster tbh - it was never particularly comfortable to begin with, but the thing's degraded quickly, with awkward sounding spring pings and a general lack of support. The cheap double divan and mattress - delivered much the same time from Polish man with van from ebay for under £150 - in the spare room is depressingly far more pleasant to recline on.

Suspect our slatted base hasn't helped much, even if I suspect the Slumbernight was no great shakes to begin with. However I'm wary of making the same mattress based mistakes again; what would folks recommend as a good mid price mattress for a slatted base?

 

[Tim Deegan]

I said 'something like this', not 'this'.

That said the higher priced ones do last pretty well, and at least the poor man will have a comfy bed at last - it's been months!

TBF I got mine from my mum when she moved house, but it had a 5 year warranty and I've certainly given it a decent workout and it's so far survived bot my antics and the burrowing staffy.

Well 'something like that' would still be low quality wherever it was bought from. As I said, they only vacuum pack and roll up low quality mattresses, because it damages the reflex foam.

You may not even notice the gradual break down of the reflex foam, because it would only very gradually curve your spine more and more over a long period of time. Obviously the rate would be determined by the weight of the person, and how often the mattress is rotated.

We're not all high quality people like you clearly. Of course no sane person would get a cheap sprung mattress, they are designed specifically for landlords to inflict on poor people.

Seeing as you are so clearly a 'person of quality' could you please recommend a decent swimming cap, for sport. I can't find one in the shops this time of year.

You missed my point completely. Just take a look at the brands sold by Argos: Silentnight, Rest Assured (also part of the Silentnight group), Airsprung, Dormeo, Sealy (also Silentnight group), Slumberland, Myers (both Myers and Slumberland were decent quality until they were taken over by the Hilding Anders group), Layeezee (the rock bottom part of the Silentnight group). So they are all at the low end on the quality range. However you can buy decent quality for less than you pay for poor quality at Argos, as long as you stick with smaller independent manufacturers, and retailers (as the big ones are ripping you off).

 

[Tim Deegan]

So how much should I be spending and do they deliver.

How important is the mattress? I mean I do quite like sleeping on the floor, it's just the wife doesn't. Slightly annoying seeing as she is Japanese and we always sleep on the floor over there. She want's the mattress, I think I was happy enough with my old one.

Mind you, on a recent trip to Denmark we stayed in a lovely place and I was just enjoying lying in the bed. I thought it was because we were essentially in a park by a river, and all the walls kind of opened and there were floor to ceiling windows. It was very relaxing, but at the back of my mind I wondered if it was the bed that was more comfy, and I just didn't know my mattresses.

It sounds like it would be easy to please you (no offence), you just need a firm open coil sprung mattress. But what does your wife like?

 

[Tim Deegan]

Could you get a futon? TBF don't get a cheap futon mattress unless you are a masochist, not because they are firm but because they are lumpy. Again if you found one conveniently located you and a friend could probably haul it home on the bus so long as the base was fully disassembled.

Futons are ok for occasional use, but I wouldn't recommend them for long term use, as the support isn't brilliant.

 

[Tim Deegan]

A NHS physiotherapist told me futons are not good for people who lie on their sides. something to do with hip bones and spine alignment.

They aren't very good long term for any sleeping position.

 

[Tim Deegan]

I'm enjoying the contributions from our new mattress specialist too. I feel like I'm missing out on the knowledge.

Seriously considering splashing out on a much better mattress ourselves. We've got a nice bed (Dwell) with a sprung slatted base (fairly large gaps) and purchased a reasonable Slumbernight mattress to go with it a few years back. It's been a bit of a disaster tbh - it was never particularly comfortable to begin with, but the thing's degraded quickly, with awkward sounding spring pings and a general lack of support. The cheap double divan and mattress - delivered much the same time from Polish man with van from ebay for under £150 - in the spare room is depressingly far more pleasant to recline on.

Suspect our slatted base hasn't helped much, even if I suspect the Slumbernight was no great shakes to begin with. However I'm wary of making the same mattress based mistakes again; what would folks recommend as a good mid price mattress for a slatted base?

Was the Slumberland pocket sprung?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

It sounds like it would be easy to please you (no offence), you just need a firm open coil sprung mattress. But what does your wife like?

Something not to soft and not too hard. Good quality and airy.
Neither of us liked any of the memory foam that we tried.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

They aren't very good long term for any sleeping position.

What about almost everyone in Japan? The Futons there are far thinner, an inch tops. The 'pillows' are like small bags filled tightly with hard peas.

 

[tarannau]

Was the Slumberland pocket sprung?

Think so, but Slumberland were boasting of some weird slightly different spring arrangement if I remember correctly. Excuse the technical speak, but I'm guessing we erred on the sprung base/mattress combo?

 

[Red Cat]

Futons are ok for occasional use, but I wouldn't recommend them for long term use, as the support isn't brilliant.

What do you mean by lacking support?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

What do you mean by lacking support?

In my experience they don't support the body, the body has to mould to the surface of the futon. I had one once and I can't pretend I found it comfortable at all, despite the fact I like a firm mattress.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Welcome Tim! You are awesome. And this thread bump has reminded me that I need to get around to buying a new mattress sometime soonish.

 

[gentlegreen]

I need one - a 2'6" one - I think the current one is nearly as old as me - maybe 50 years - and the springs'll be popping out soon ...
Almost anything will do for me.
Where I do need to invest is in something for camping - I wouldn't want to do more than one night on the thin rubber mats I use - though it doesn't seem to affect my cycling home.