The bottom line is spend as much as you can afford. It’s the same line that is trounced up and down every bed shop in the country making you think that to get even better you have to spend more … and spend even more for better still. There will always be a more expensive model available, in fact it culminates at £52.000. Your dilemma is, where between £99 and £52.000 do you set your budget? £99 will get you a cheap mattress. How much more do you want to spend to get better?
My answer would be - “spend as much as you can – to get what you want”. The tricky part is; Do you actually know what you want?
For some, it can be an easy choice. For everyone else it is more difficult to actually pinpoint what you need. Your partner fidgets, differing weights, rolling together, back problems, heat problems, neck problems, hip problems, and every single problem absolutely individual to you. Is the mattress you need actually out there?
Maybe. Bear in mind that there are well over 2000 differing mattress models out there. How do you go about finding the one that suits your needs as well as suiting your budget? The simple answer is you can’t. It is not physically posible. I’m five years down the line and still have not tried them all.
One of the most important things to bear in mind when considering budget, is the fact that there are only FOUR general TYPES of mattress build;
1. Mass produced – Polyester as upholstery
2. Mass produced – Mainly Polyester – Minimal natural fibre.
3. Mass produced- Mainly natural fibre – Minimal polyester
4. Mass produced – 100% Natural Fibre.
The higher your budget means the higher up this list you can go. Because of this manufacturers recognise that the inclusion of some kind of natural fibre component can sway you to their product rather than their competitors. If the price is significantly increased for an insignificant amount of natural fibre then your money would be better spent on tweaking the cheaper mattress by use of a separate topper.
My product list is entirely open and for all to see.
I would say that for a budget around the £300 – £400 mark you will be able to get a fairly decent mattress that should suit pretty much everyone . it will be pocket sprung and have decent waddings. It won’t last forever, or anywhere near ten mystical years with kids bouncing on it, but you will certainly be getting your moneys worth.
To go further than £600 or so on a mattress needs serious research and thought. This is the price range where not many other components can be added without carrying a genuinely hefty retail price.
Consider this. The finest Cashmere costs around £8000 kilo. How far down the Cashmere Quality chain do you think the mattress is that contains this product in any great quantity?
Summary. There is a claim that the more you spend on a mattress the better it will be. This is true when you are talking about premier league manufacturers. Mass produced mattresses are not in the premier league. Please comment if you will.
Hi Guys,
Well done what a fantastic site! I have dealt with the public for 23 years and yous are on the same views as me. Give genuine info.
My wife and i have just purchased a new suite and are now looking at a new bed and mattress. And guess what? yep Minefield. My wife is 9stone five six. i am 15 stone and for feet. lol no am five eight. The boss dosn wand a divan base and would like a leather bed frame,curently we have a kingsize frame with a built up mattress from IKEA. iT IS 8YEARS OLD AND HAS MORE NOISES THAN A HAUNTED HOUSE.
I have three de-hidrated discs in my back and we do a lot of cruises. The best sleeps we have had is on a carnival comfort bed. I wanted to buy the complete bed but wife say too much. We would consider 1- 1200 pounds. and for the record we arent at saga age yet with the cruises my wife is 44 and i am 49.
I look forward to your reply and indication of supply times.
Regards Terry.
Hi Terry. Thank you so much for your kind words. To make life a little easier just go and bite the bullet and get the Artisan Naturals. It falls within your budget and can be customised to take into account your wifes extremely low bodyweight and your musculkar frame. We would need to talk through your requirements to ensure we can do everything posible to accommodate your back troubles. FYI – The Artisan has an approx three week lead time from order to delivery. John and Ryan.
Hi… January Sale??
Hi Stuart. Please read this post. Genuine mattress sales are rare. All you are doing is taking the word of a salesroom that a particular mattress has been reduced. Unless you know the actual worth of a particular mattress there is no way whatsoever will you be able to tell for sure if a sale price is a genuine sale price. Ryan and I do not subscribe to this underhand practice, our prices are the best we can offer all year round. John and Ryan.
Hi John and Ryan,
This is an amazingly informative site which has been a great help while narrowing down possibilities for much needed new mattresses. I wonder if it would be possible to have your opinion before ordering a mattress from you.
My husband and I are currently sleeping on 2 wooden slatted single beds, we have these pushed together and use one set of super king bedding on them. This has worked well for quite a few years but the very elderly open coil mattresses we are using on these beds desperately need replacing. We will probably only use these bed bases for a year or two more, until we gut the bedroom and replace everything in it, so don’t really want to blow the budget at this point!
I am wondering whether your extra king, zip and link, comfort mattresses would fit the bill nicely. I weigh 9 stone and seem to have spent half my life saying that my mattresses are too hard and are giving me shoulder pain. My husband is just over 13 stone and seems to be able to sleep anywhere ( though when we’ve slept on firm hotel mattresses he has complained of hip pain). I really do feel I need a soft mattress but obviously don’t want this to be at the expense of my husband’s comfort.
I would value your advice and guidance.
Many thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris. The ideal solution would be a ziplink model whereby it can be made for your bodyweight and your husbands. The Origins Comfort would be ideal for you but definitely not for your husband. However, keeping to your budget The Origins Reflex would suit you both.
Obviously being on two single bedframes it will not be posible to zip the mattresses together. Speak to us and we will be able to inform you of what can be done until you renovate your room. John and Ryan.
hi , i am just about to buy a baronet by hypnos – what do you think ? all this research is exhausting!
Hi Hilary. the research is exausting because you are not being told what you [and everyone else] needs to know.
In order to answer your question with any degree of certainty you will have to phone Hypnos direct [Customer Service 01844 348200 ] and ask them what the exact specification of The Baronet is:
If they say wool – you say How much?
If they say Cotton – You say how much?
if they say White Fibre – you say “do you mean polyester?” If so, how much?
Only when you have this essential information will you be able to do any sort of comparison. John and Ryan.
Hi John & Ryan.
Excellent site – well done! I have spent (wasted!) a great deal of money over the last 5 years on new mattresses, then a mattress topper, then bought a new divan + matching pocket sprung mattress (soft) only 2 years ago, and here we are searching for another solution. I just wish that I had seen your site 2 years ago. I am 18 stone, my wife is 8.5 stone. We both suffer from sore hips during a night’s sleep and I also suffer from sore shoulders as well at night. Our current king size bed was expensive, but offers little comfort and also has annoying indents (your article on this subject was most illuminating). We have come to the conclusion that 2 x single matresses on a king size base, possibly as a zip&link is the solution. Any advice?
Hi David. The ziplink will be the solution, however it has to be put together with due consideration of weight difference. The most important aspect for you is the support, whereas your wifes priority will be the comfort. At 8 and a half stone she will not really be utilising the springs at all. We will be able to put together a set for you, so please give us a call to discuss. John and Ryan.
Hi,
I’ve been looking at buying a new mattress and divan base for a few weeks now and have come across your site and found it quite informing, you give more information about mattresses than any site i’ve come across, anyway i’m looking at a new bed as i’ve said, i weigh about 24st, i sleep on both my side and front, i would prefer a firm/firmer bed and i have a budget of about £650, could you please recommend a bed for me.,
Thanks for your help.
Hi Carl, Thanks for the thumbs up. Your weight is the primary factor here and so correct support is paramount to ensure you are not looking for another mattress a few months down the line. The comfort layers, although important are secondary. I would advise the use of supplementary comfort layers such as topper / comforter as it will be these layers that will be taking the brunt and it is easier to replace these in time rather than the whole mattress.
Please give Ryan or me a call and we can take it further. It is not an easy thing to get right but not impossible. Your budget is in the right area. John and Ryan .
Need some help to get a decent mattress. Am having surgery for back problems (cervical spine) and also have knee problems. Am 5ft 10 and about 19 stone. Need mattress to be able to cope with me ‘log-rolling’ out of bed. Am using king size bed frame with slats. Need to raise bed height – was thinking of using ‘elephant feet bed raisers’ from British Red Cross website. Suspect this will put extra pressure on edges of mattress. Am on benefits for now so do not have a lot of spare cash. Would be grateful for your advice.
Hi Elizabeth. Sorry to hear about your troubles. Unfortunately, you do not have many options and of course a low budget reduces these even more. I would suggest a high density foam core would be beneficial – topped off with a suitable comfort layer. Of course there will be no edge support but this will have to the compromise you make. For starters do a general search for foam products such as http://www.foamshop.me.uk to see what they can provide. Please let us know how you get on. John and Ryan.
Dear Sirs
My wife and I are finally about to move in to a new house after spending 3 years in rented accomadation sleeping on beds ranging from double to king size and on very dubious quality mattresses. We want to buy a very good bed as I think it is very important as you spend a third of your life in it! We would like a super king size and have been told that a zip and link mattress is a good option as it is easier to turn and you are less able to ‘feel’ your partner move if they are having a restless night.
I am 12.5 stone and my wife is 11 stone. I am very concious of back ache and see an osteopath quarterly.
We would like a divan base including drawers and headboard which would be of similar design,quality and appearance to the vi-spring and JL brands. We have looked at Vi-spring, tempur and John Lewis but would be grateful for your advice. I know it is a question that probably cannot be answered, especially without trying the mattress, but could you recommend a bed or brand?
Thank you and we hope you can help.
Hi Gregor. Of course we can help you. Firstly, for you and the benefit of all other readers, you mention that it is a question hard to answer “without actually trying the mattress” …
Ryan and I between us have tried hundreds of mattresses, all different builds, all different qualities and all from a myriad of maufacturers. We know what components work well with different spring types, with different overlaying and underlyng upholstery and with different finishing techniques. Plus, we also know what upholstery components and structure would be entirely suitable for your individual bodyweights for comfort, support and most importantly, longevity.
When you, or indeed anyone is trying out a mattress, you will fail to identify any inherant shortcomings as you will be only looking at one particular aspect – The comfort. And by way of emphasising this point, if bouncing around on a mattress for a few minutes in the shop was all it takes to find your perfect mattress (for your budget) then why are there literally hundreds of different questions about the ‘right mattress for individual needs’ on this site, or indeed throughout the internet. This is what Ryan and I do for a living day in and day out and our feedback is testament to our passion.
The first step you should take is to read as much of this site as posible. Only when you yourself understand the basics of mattress manufacture to a degree, will you be able to see whether the advice proffered by a salesman is in your interests – or theirs!
For the second part, give Ryan a call on the number above. He will be able to talk you through many options for your own personal requirements and give you plenty to consider before purchase. Good question Gregor. This will help many people in a similar position. John.