Bed Shopping Recommendations?

I'm just an average lazy person that got sucked in. I bought a Sleep Number king and love it. But I'm lazy and don't know any better. Is it comfortable? Yes. Would I buy another one? Yes. I guess I'm just a sucker for expensive air pumps.

plr66 wrote:Rocketgal, I so appreciate the time and detail you put into your reply. Thanks! I think you have swayed me completely away from the memory foam alternatives. I just cannot afford a couple of thousand dollars every year or two for another bed! Not even close! Remember when beds used to actually last 15 years??? I am curious about which Original Mattress model you chose...

Just another quick note...the Original Mattress Factory makes the 'old fashioned spring mattresses' (but with more and better springs) and they also make a latex bed with no springs at all...which is what I bought. The biggest selling point for me, again, is it is two-sided and flippable....which extends the life of the mattress regardless of what it's made of...and if you go to one of their stores (instead of shopping online) they have a cut-away of each mattress they sell...so you can see what's inside. And they will not hassle you to buy. I went to one of the warehouse type places and the salespeople practically blocked the door when I decided to leave! High pressure sales...not for me! (And no....I don't work for the Original Mattress Factory!)

Thanks, SleepyT--I see that the nearest Original Mattress Factory outlet is 2 hours away from me, but it sounds like I need to check it out. Do people really flip their mattresses every 6 weeks?? I thought I was doing well to remember to do so once every year or two!

plr66 wrote:Thanks, SleepyT--I see that the nearest Original Mattress Factory outlet is 2 hours away from me, but it sounds like I need to check it out. Do people really flip their mattresses every 6 weeks?? I thought I was doing well to remember to do so once every year or two!

I try to remember to flip it regularly. Rotate and flip....keeps any sagging places from developing at all. I purchased two mattresses from them...one for the guest room...one for me!!! Good stuff.

Interesting reading. I'm surprised that no-one has come to the defence of Beautyrest pocket coil beds. I'm on my second one, and it's now over 20 years old. I love it. The mattress does not sag. It's supportive all around. I flip the mattress about once a year. My expectation is that it's good for another 10 years or more.

BTW, I'm 290 lbs and a side sleeper. I have osteo arthritis (knees and hips) and I sometimes have back issues. No aches and pains that originate with the beautyrest bed.

One thing about any mattress is to ensure that you get the right firmness for you. Beautyrest makes them in several degrees of firmness. I like medium. My wife prefers a soft mattress.

I experienced a sleep number bed for a week in a hotel about a year ago. Miserable sleep for the first three nights while I dialed in the correct (for me) setting. Once I found the right setting, sleep was OK, but not great. I really don't understand the hype about this bed.

I've also tried sleeping on a regular spring mattress bed with a 2" tempurpedic topper mattress. This is an OK bed if the underlying spring mattress is supportive. It may be a reasonable and cheaper solution for those who don't want to pay big bucks for a full size tempurpedic mattress. If it works for you, it's cheap enough to swap out for a new topper every year or two if "softening" of the foam is a problem for you. My only beef with this set up is that the foam topper makes one feel like they are trying to roll uphill every time they try to turn over (a lot like a waterbed in this regard). It's also a "hot" mattress when compared with other beds that I've tried.

Hose_Head wrote:Interesting reading. I'm surprised that no-one has come to the defence of Beautyrest pocket coil beds. I'm on my second one, and it's now over 20 years old. I love it. The mattress does not sag. It's supportive all around. I flip the mattress about once a year. My expectation is that it's good for another 10 years or more.

Well, I bought my medium-firm BeautyRest mattress 10 years ago, and at $1200 it was rated to last 20 years. Unfortunately, unless buying their cheapest and least quality model, there was no choice at the time about the dratted pillow top they had begun adding (quilted layer several inches thick on one side....which also prevents flipping the mattress). And so, at a little more than half your weight, my BeautyRest is killing my back with the sagging that's been happening already.

Edited typo: meant to say my mattress was rated to last 20 years, not 30.

A while back I found a company that makes a memory-foam pillow with separate sections to support side and back sleeping. The sides are high and contoured for side-sleeping neck support, and the center is lower, with a ridge for neck support. It is strange-looking, but it has been very helpful to me. I can post the url where I found it, if that's within the rules and if anyone would like it.

Please suggest which pillow this is. I am recovered from another frozen shoulder and find it difficult to spend the night laying on my side.

Also,we purchased a Westin "Heavenly" bed in 2005 (made by BeautyRest?) which we rotate. What I love about it is that it isn't too firm or too soft and you can't feel the other person's movements in the bed if they are restless. Previously we had a mattress made by Englander called a "Never Flip". We liked it also because you couldn't feel the other person in the bed (my husband is 300+ BTW).

Got to lay down on each one in the showroom--not just for a minute or so, either.
Turn, skootch, toss, kick, whatever you normally do (just don't get thrown out of the store)
Wouldn't hurt to bring a mask along--just don't leave it in the store.

plr66 wrote:

Hose_Head wrote:Interesting reading. I'm surprised that no-one has come to the defence of Beautyrest pocket coil beds. I'm on my second one, and it's now over 20 years old. I love it. The mattress does not sag. It's supportive all around. I flip the mattress about once a year. My expectation is that it's good for another 10 years or more.

Well, I bought my medium-firm BeautyRest mattress 10 years ago, and at $1200 it was rated to last 30 years. Unfortunately, unless buying their cheapest and least quality model, there was no choice at the time about the dratted pillow top they had begun adding (quilted layer several inches thick on one side....which also prevents flipping the mattress). And so, at a little more than half your weight, my BeautyRest is killing my back with the sagging that's been happening already.

Mine is NOT the pillow top type. I had one of those at my weekend home and got rid of it when I sold it (the weekend home ). The effect of the pillow top is to stiffen the mattress, not to soften it. I know that's counter-intuitive, but that's the way it works. If you can find a non-pillow top version, you'll find it much more comfortable. My workaround for that pillow top beautyrest was to use the 2" memory foam topper on it. That worked OK, but it was still firmer than my regular beautyrest that I use at home. Try it, it's cheaper than buying a new mattress!

BoomersRock wrote:Please suggest which pillow this is. I am recovered from another frozen shoulder and find it difficult to spend the night laying on my side.

Sure thing - and I sympathize regarding your shoulder. I have small tears in both rotator cuffs and it is so difficult to find a comfortable position with shoulder troubles.

The pillow that I use is this Therapeutic Pillow. It looks really weird, but since I typically spend time on my back and on my side(s) at night, for me it's been the perfect pillow. It comes in different sizes, which is also helpful in making sure your neck can be aligned properly.

I hope your shoulder feels better, and I hope this helps!

Many thanks!