Mattress Firm Reviews - The Best Mattress Brands for Your Budget

Getting Started with Mattresses

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to one's good health and mental productivity, and having a good, sound mattress is a large part of ensuring sound sleep. Buying a new mattress is something that many people put off due to multiple reasons, one of which is often simply not knowing which mattress to choose.  This buying guide will discuss the types, features, and brand names of mattresses so that customers will be able to decide which new mattress they should buy in order to get that good night’s sleep.

Types of Mattresses Available

Beds are all roughly the same shape and feel, but there are different types of mattresses people can buy based on need and personal preference. Average customers should probably gravitate towards the innerspring mattress, while those who suffer from chronic pain may benefit the most from memory foam and inflatable air mattresses.

• Innerspring. These are the most common, cheap types of mattresses and are widely available; people should consider these mattresses first as they are generally the best deal and are ideal for most people’s needs. Steel coils inside the mattress provide support for the body; padding on top provides cushioning. Some models include extra features like an extra layer of cushioning or gel cushioning.
• Memory foam. This option that is made from the popular polyurethane foam material is ideal for those who suffer from chronic pain while trying to sleep. This material molds to the body, providing support in all the right places. Some models come with dual firmnesses for couples with different sleeping preferences.
• Inflatable air. Air is pumped into the mattress to the desired hardness, making this bed a highly customizable option. This is also a good option for people who deal with chronic pain.
• Water. Water beds are not as popular as they used to be, but some people still like the feeling of the mattress full of water beneath them. Not all apartments and other rented facilities allow them due to the potential for water damage, so people should check their rules before making such a purchase.
• Gel. Some mattresses have gel pumped into them as a layer to help in terms of comfort and coolness; in some ways, this is a less messy descendent of the water bed.

Features of Mattresses

While all mattresses are basically some sort of material in a rectangular shape meant to be slept on, they still have features of which consumers need to be aware.

• Ticking. All mattresses have some sort of topping, some sort of outside covering for added softness. Polyester or cotton polyester is common, but more costly, fancy mattresses may use wool, cashmere, damask, silk, etc.
• Padding. Under the ticking is a layer of padding, which is often made of some sort of polyurethane foam or polyester batting.
• Coils. All innerspring mattresses have coils inside them that are aligned to match up with the average body’s weight distribution. Some springs are heavier than others, so people will have to decide for themselves what spring weight is ideal for them.
• Box spring. This is a wooden frame with stiff wires that rests beneath the mattress and provides height and stability to the bed set.  These can be somewhat costly if bought on their own; buying a set including a box spring may be a better deal than buying just a mattress.
• Topper. These extra mattress covers can be added to beds that are too hard or just for an extra layer of comfortable cushioning. Ideally, customers will not need to worry about using toppers if they pick the right mattresses that are the best fit for them.

The Brand Names of Mattresses

Serta and Sealy are some of the biggest brand names in terms of mattress manufacturing. Other brands that make mattresses are Tempur-Pedic, Select Comfort, and Simmons. Those who want to buy Memory foam mattresses may want to try Tempur-Pedic; most of these mattresses make a wide range of mattresses in terms of price and comfort.  Ideally, customers will be able to test out mattresses before committing to a mattress since terms like “soft” and “hard” are subjective and vary from brand to brand.