So, you've seen a mattress advertised at Half Price - WAS £1000 and NOW £500. How can you be sure if you have a bargain?

As you will by now have found out, mattress buying is confusing and complicated. Finding a 'Mattress Man' you can trust is like finding a garage mechanic you can trust - never forget who it is.

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 better you have to spend more ... and more.

Many mattress brands belong to the same company and trying to figure out who owns what has become a labour of love for me. But why is this important to know?

Silentnight have over170 different models - Sealy have over 100 different models - and so on. There is simply no posible way that they can all be different EXCEPT for the fact that they have a different fabric, name and finish. Why?

[Video Clip] Understanding how each component wadding works with each other is paramount. Even though the descriptions below seem detailed - they are only scratching the surface

Memory foam in itself is an acceptable material as a comfort layer, coming second to latex and far exceeding polyester. It is comforting and cradling and more importantly, rather durable ..

Hand side stitching is a labour intensive process involving the perimeter rows of pocket springs to be directly attached (sewn) to the side panels ..

[Video Clip] Pocket springs are individual springs contained in a calico fabric pocket, totally independent of the springs that surround it. Therefore, eliminating roll together as your ..

Divan Bases are the most economical alternative to a bedframe. They are supplied in kit form to the majority of bed manufacturers from only a handful of ..

For people of size it will become apparant to you that there is relatively little – if any, choice or guidance on what mattresses will be suitable for your bodyweight. If you are 20 stone plus, you have to base you choice on the correct...

The most expensive bed you can buy is £52.000 from Harrods. This section is just a bit of fun to show you what you can buy if you have the cash!

To clarify, on a zip and link bed you have the option of for example, making one side firm and the other side soft. This method of construction can be done on nearly all sized mattresses but there will be a (up to 50%) cost involved.  On Ziplinks...

Image of bedframe utilising thin sheets of mdf to prevent the humps of the slats causing a dip in the mattress.

Memory Foam mattresses will always have a knitted fabric rather than a damask (woven) to accentuate the comfort of the mattress and depending upon which type of fabric used, will also have a direct correlation to the price you pay. As memory foam mattresses are associated with...

Tempur® hate it when you refer to their products as Memory Foam. ..  Oh no, no, no. It’s NOT memory foam –  It is a temperature sensitive pressure relieving material. And because of this they come down on you like a ton of bricks if you dare...

[Video Clip] Understanding how each component wadding works with each other is paramount. Even though the descriptions below seem detailed - they are only scratching the surface

[Video Clip] Pocket springs are individual springs contained in a calico fabric pocket, totally independent of the springs that surround it. Therefore, eliminating roll together as your ..

This comment was submitted by a reader who raised an interesting and valid point about the use of Harrisons Posturfil and HD mini springs as a viable component to supplement the upholstery layers. In order to make for easier reading I have added my responses directly below each point.

100% Natural Latex as a mattress component has not yet come down sufficiently in price to make it a common component of mattresses. The cost price to manufacturers of this material is still rather high and will of course be reflected in the price.

If you’re tall, then only you will know the difficulty in finding a bed that will suit your needs as well as your budget. Not many manufacturers will take the time to specialise in this area and even if they do may see you palmed...

A while ago the National Bed Federation (NBF)  / Sleep Council noted that retailers were not informing customers that all new mattresses, in particular high end mattresses were subject to settlement. This means that initially, body impressions would be more visible as the mattress fillings...

Turning a mattress does not feature high on everyones list of household chores, for elderly and infirm people it can be quite a challenge. This is why I say that for these type of mattresses you should be paying less than a traditional double sided mattress - Not More!

Or to put it more correctly - What are Foam Encapsulated Pocket Springs – FEPS ? Quite simply it is a ‘box’ of high density foam that contains the pocket springs. The usual construction is : One inch deep base sheet of foam The sides...

The main objection to pillowtops come into what you are expected to pay for them and the lifespan you will get out of them. Just like a one sided mattress you will be unable to turn it so when the pillowtop layer becomes indented and worn..

A sprung edged base is really only viable for pocket sprung mattresses, acting in conjunction with the individual springs ..

There is too much fallacy around about mattresses that are or arn't suitable for slatted bases, or bedsteads or divans. So how did these stories come about?

All components used in mattresses cost the manufacturer relatively the same price. Just because 'Brand X' ..

In the past few years a multi million pound business has grown in relation to fabric coverings for the mattress industry. The latest innovation soon to hit the shops are Probiotic Fabrics such as ..

The finish and look of the mattress is a retailers best friend, knowing that it is this look that will sway you towards a particular model without giving too much thought as to what is actually on the inside! Be careful out there.

I keep touching on this method of mattress selection and as it is the biggest method that customers use it does require a detailed explanation of why it is so wrong . As always, these are my personal views and I open the page up for...

Buying a mattress for commercial use is subject to pieces of legislation that would not normally apply to domestic settings.

Each side of the bed is entirely independent of each other, thereby totally eliminating 'roll together' even when the springs are cage sprung.

As you can imagine there are umpteen combinations that polyester can be used in your mattress and if used in isolation (without any other wadding types) then the price should ..

A mattress described as orthopaedic just means that the spring gauge used is 12.5g. This is the thickest and strongest spring used in a bonnell (cage) sprung mattress.

My price checks show that there are well over a hundred and seventy different models on offer with many retailers (such as Tesco / Argos etc ) having the same ..