Saturday, December 20, 2008

To the Mattresses

Before we got married, we knew we needed to get a bed. I saw an add in the Daily Universe for a Queen pillow top mattress for $280. I called the guy and it was a "company" that was pretty much run out of a storage facility. The mattresses were so inexpensive, he told us, because he didn't have all the overhead of a fancy show room and employees. Made sense.

We decided we'd give it a try and at least check it out. It seemed a little sketchy, but only BYU sketchy. We ended up buying one of the mattresses that night and he stored if for us over the summer until we got back to UT for no extra charge. I think he even delivered it for $25 or something.

The mattress has served us well the past 5 1/2 years. It was great in the beginning. I don't think we had any trouble with the size or anything until I was pregnant with Dean. A queen's just a little too cozy for my 6'2" husband, me and a 9 month big belly. We like our individual space when we sleep.

In the past year, however, we have both started having back problems. We've noticed that there's a hump in the middle and dips on our individual sides. It was supposed to last 10 years, but I have to be honest that we didn't rotate it and flip it as well or often as we should have, so maybe it's our fault. We're also both primarily stomach sleepers, so that doesn't help our problems at all.

Anyway, we decided it was time to get a new mattress. We figure we might as well get a King this time around, but that was all we knew. We had absolutely no idea what we were getting into. We didn't have a price range since we had no idea how much they ran. We didn't even know what type of bed we preferred. The sales guy at the store was slightly bugged. We just wanted to lay on every mattress and see what we liked. So we did.

We found that we're not fans of the foam like Tempurpedic (too hot) or Comforpedic (WAY too pricey starting at $6K or something for a King). Unfortunately, the bed we preferred the most was normally $5000+ for a King set. It's currently on sale for $2800. Holy CRAP! That's 10 times the price of our original bed! The "cheap" beds on our "keeper" list were still over $2000. That's a lot of money for a bed. We'd pretty much have to forgo living room furniture if we go for the bed. (Not like we're finding any living room furniture that works for us anyway.)

I'm not sure what to do. Is it worth it? If it really does help stave off back problems...maybe. Anyone have more experience with this or tips to share?

17 comments:

Amy said...

We're in the same position, matress-wise...ours has a big "hump" in the middle, and David wakes up every morning to his back hurting, so we're going to be in the market pretty soon. Dang they sound expesive! Keep us updated on what you decide to buy!

Juls said...

We bought a Natures Rest from RC Willey Outlet center. I think they are normally $2000, but we got it for $1000. I think this is a thing you just can't go cheap on! Is there a furniture outlet close? (Ashley??)

Anonymous said...

We had the same problem with our bed. Luckily for us, we house-sat for a family that had a tempurpedic (brand-name DOES make a huge difference). We normally sleep for 8+ hours to get enough "rest" on our old bed. That night we only got 6hrs and were FULLY rested and did not get tired during the day. We did this for 3 nights in a row. Needless to say, we bought one of our own a few months later. Yes, we are still paying it off, but we have not paid a penny in interest, thanks to a "no interest for 5 years" deal. I love my Tempurpedic and it really does not get any hotter than other beds, even in the Valley HEAT! It actually feels cool b/c it allows air to move. The body-forming really helps with our back problems. When we visit family and have to sleep on a "normal" bed, we realize how WONDERFUL our bed really is! Yes, beds are expensive, but we have come to realize that you get what you pay for. If you want a quality bed, you're gonna have to fork out for it! If you want a bed that you can get relatively cheap, a guy in my ward has an outlet store (probably similar to the storage unit store you bought from before)and I believe he will ship.

Tom and Audrie said...

For the hump part....try flipping it over and see if that helps. If I start to get back aches from sleeping, usually flipping the mattress helps. Good Luck!!!

Me again said...

did you know that you can buy a brand new mattress set at the Deseret Industries?

OK, I know it sounds strange but the DI actually manufactures brand new furniture and mattresses. The furniture is a little pricey, but not when you figure in the real wood and then compare that to furniture store prices.

But back to the mattresses. We're talking hundreds, not thousands.

Check it out!

Oh, and go for the supreme if you can.

Celia Marie (W.) B. said...

We don't live anywhere near a DI unfortunately.

Jacqui said...

A nice bed is the best investment, in Jeff's and my opinion. We splurged and bought a really nice $900 queen when we were first married. IT is still the best mattress in the house. We upgraded to a king right before Olivia was born, and got a "good deal" for $600. Within two years our backs were killing us, literally. So, we went and spent about $1200 on a new king. It is fantastic and has lasted us about five years...still going strong. We love it.

Since we spend a huge chunk of our day in bed, we thought it is worth it. It is. Totally.

Splurge, is my opinion.

Jacqui said...

PS I'm not at home, so can't check the brand, but it's a nationally known good brand.

mad white woman said...

We got a Simmons Beauty Rest pillow top when we got married and spent about $800 and it's awesome. It's been five years and no problems. Jason even sleeps on his stomach. Then, we got a Simmons Beauty Rest, a step or two down from what we have now, for our guest room, and everyone loves it. It's not as soft, but it's good on backs. So I guess my point is, get a good one, but it seems like you can get a good one for well under $2K (we got ours at Spencer's here in AZ... they have the BEST pricing on beds, sorry that doesn't help you out!).

Sarah Pace said...

It is well worth the investment. last year we tried 3 diferent beds (thank goodness my brother in law works at a furniture store so we could!) and we ended up buying a more expensive bed but the one we liked, and we sleep so much better!! I also have the back problems and a good bed really helps!!

Kristi said...

We have a Queen size Serta pillow top that is fabulous. I think my husband paid 1500 for it. Another option you could look into would be to get a less expensive mattress then get an Intelligel mattress topper. Those are the only things that work for my mom, who has a terrible back.

Mizike said...

I think we spent a little under 3000 for our mattress. I tend to toss and turn, so we made sure we had the ones with individually wrapped springs. Plus we made sure it had a life time warranty.

Don't skimp on your mattress. Also, when you start looking, avoid the discount mattress stores. Go to a name brand store and talk to the sales person. There is a huge science to mattress making, we weren't aware of.

Also, there are some stores that will measure you for the correct mattress. They'll put you on this mattress that measures how you sleep, the pressure points, etc. It will then suggest the proper mattress.

Also, lay on the mattress a good 10 to 15 minutes before you decide to move on. It takes a while for your body to relax to a sleeping mode.

Amanda said...

A friend of mine with health problems tried a bunch of beds and found that the sleep number bed helped her to sleep even though she was in pain. she kind of tosses and turns too (because of discomfort), but she swears that the individual sleep numbers and the whole system keep it from waking her husband up. Anyway, she says it's a dream during pregnancy. we need a new bed too, so that is high on my list because of my insomnia. i think i would definitely sleep better on a bed that didn't bounce when the other person rolls over.

Th. said...

.

A good mattress matters.

I shall say no more.

Laura said...

My dad recently bought three mattress sets at RC Willey - they are great! I'm pretty sure that they are pillow-top, and I don't know what brand they are, but we can tell a difference when we sleep there vs. when we are at home. Good luck - and congrats on the expectant baby!

mobility aids said...

A good mattress is really important in our home. It is where we relax and rest after a busy day. They are available adjustable mattress or bed online that will provide you a more comfortable position that your body needs. These mattresses will provide a relaxing sleep and comfort for those with back pain, osteoarthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Unknown said...

We bought a mattress from Deseret Industries ten years ago, and it has been a really good thing. I'm going shopping for a new one tomorrow, at DI!