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 counterbalance.
Firstly, in the mattress industry there has to be precise definition of Soft, Medium or Firm (SMoF) which there isn’t, so some sort of benchmark is required in order that your definition of SMoF is the same as everyone else’s, particularly the retailer. And so here lies the problem.
What exactly are you asking for?
Say your perceived comfort level is firm. Are you asking for a firm support from the spring system or firm sleep surface from the comfort layers? If it is a firm support from the springs then a 1000 pocket spring unit is ‘firmer’ than say a 1500 unit. But, a 1000 unit is a lesser quality. The same is true with the waddings. Soft = Polyester (cheap) – Firmer = wool and cotton (expensive).
The support from all similar spring foundations are relatively the same, such as all 1500 pocket spring units for example should relatively be the same and similarly, all 12.5 gauge ortho cage springs or whatever should again be relatively be the same.
Lets take cage springs first. A firm spring is 12.5 gauge. A medium spring is 13 gauge, A Soft spring is 13.5 gauge. Now, consider that 12.5 gauge springs cost the manufacturer more than 13.5 gauge springs. Brings the question: Do you want to sacrifice the quality of the spring for your own preferred comfort?
The same is true for pocket springs. Far superior to any cage sprung system but if you press down on a pocket spring unit it easily ‘gives’ to exactly where the pressure is being applied which feels softer – but is ultimately, overall more supportive.
How heavy are you?
Again, this plays a major part in which mattress you should be choosing but is very rarely mentioned by the customer or indeed questioned by the retailer. A light person will find an orthopaedic mattress rock hard, whereas a heavier person may find it just right. So what kind of mattress would be chosen for the heavier person who is asking for a firm mattress believing that this would be the only option for them?
This is where the expertise of the retailer should come into play. For me, I know exactly what mattress would be entirely unsuitable for a person with a bodyweight of say 18st and equally I also know what would be entirely suitable. More so than the customer. I know which materials would be more durable, I know what spring type would be more supportive, I know whether a particular mattress would be better if an additional layer of wadding was included/replaced and so on. It really should not fall on you to make a decision based purely on the mattress you want to replace. You need to know all the viable alternatives.
Another thing to bear in mind is that mattress tension is also relative to the size of the mattress. .. [deep breath] .. a single mattress will be firmer than a double mattress, a lot firmer than a king size and much firmer than a superking, and of course vice-versa - The bigger the span of the mattress – the ‘softer’ it will feel. So going out to buy a mattress bigger or smaller than the one you are looking to replace will have a direct influence on the mattress tension.
As if that wasn’t enough there is also the fabric to consider. Mattresses that have a final layer of Latex or foam will always have a soft knitted fabric to face the mattress. Whereas final layer Polyester will usually have a damask (woven fabric) to face the mattress - When manufacturers want the mattress to have a softer overall tension, then they would use a knitted fabric rather than a damask – It does not work the other way round – A damask should not really be used with latex or foam.
Summary: I repeat what I say in the post what-can-you-expect-for-your-money that initially you should be looking for the best combination of components you want that your money can buy, rather than whether it is SMoF. If you are lucky enough to have a budget in excess of £5000 then you could have a hand built mattress tailor made to your exact requirements composed of the best available fillings and finest materials. For many of us this is not an option. And so, me knowing what the most suitable alternatives are for your budget will get you as close as possible to your dream mattress.
Finally, there are some people who really do prefer a rock hard mattress (Ultra Firm) or an all engulfing Ultrasoft mattress. If this is you, then let me know your preference, making it easier for me to select a product within your price range that will be suitable for you.
Hi
I would like some advice please
My wife and I will be moving soon and will buy a new bed, we are not small people my wife is 18 st and I am 14. We have a 7 month old baby who occasionally shares our bed for this reason we would like a SK size bed but have been advised that getting a SK mattress into a lot of bedrooms can prove difficult and as we might move a few times in the next few years thought a Zip and Lock Mattress would solve this problem.
We want a solid wood sleigh bed, which at a guess will be slatted, we think that we like firm to medium springs but like the top layer to be soft and welcoming – any ideas???
Hi John,
I have lower back pain and looking for firm mattersses. I am around 90 kg and 165 cm in height. Which mattress is good for me. can you please let me know the company name and mattress model details to check.
Appreciate your help
Thanks
Hi Raj. usually I would have said that for a bodyweight of 13.5 stones a medium tension woul dhave been supportive enough for you. Your preference for a ‘firm’ leads me to question whether you are juding your preference on your previous mattress which over the years would have become softer through age. However, you may prefer a firmer feel in which case we can accommodate this and select a mattress with this tension.
Obviosly our recomendation would be dependant on your budget. As a first option I would ask you to look at our Artisan Naturals with a firm spring tension. If this is outside your budget, then the Sequence Suspension would be a secondary choice. Please feel free to contact us direct and once we know your budget can make a more precise recomendation. John and Ryan.
Hi John, I weight around 18 stone, 120kg. What tipe of mattress should i look at on which me and my wife can sleep. She being around 85kg?
Hi Japie. Consider a ziplink set. Obvioiusly, which one depends on your budget. Initially I would have a look at our Artisan Naturals whereby they each can be tailored to your own individual bodyweights. Feel free to give us a call and we can talk it through. John and Ryan.
Hi Im looking for a very soft mattress we recently bought a new bed and Im on my 3 rd mattress, I was hoping 3rd time would be lucky but it is way too firm for me I bought a memory foam one thinking it would be very soft as there are no spring etc I was completely wrong its like sleeping on a rock… I want a very soft one I can sink right into!!! Im pregnant at the moment so a little heavier then normal Im usually very light approx 55kilos my husband dosent mind at all what sort of mattress we have he could sleep anywhere! Please help another sleepless night tonight!!!!
Hi Laura, Have a look at our Origins Comfort 1000. Soft and supportive. It would be interesting to hear what your previous three mattresses were tho. Give us a call just to go through all the options. John and Ryan.
Ryan/John – Thanks for your written replies and for the advice given in several phone calls, which lead us to decide to buy the Artisan 1200 medium tension with jumbo drawer, which will have saved us about £800+ on the bed that we would have bought from a shop ! As someone else reported, it did initially seem a worringly big decision to buy an expensive bed on the T’interweb, without even seeing it, let alone trying it.
However, the masses of information on your website, the positive feedback from other purchasers and the phone calls with you plus your standard offer of returning the bed within 2 weeks if it was not suitable convinced us to go ahead. Now just counting off the days until the bed is delivered……..
Hi Graham. The confidence you, and many others have shown in us, is testament to the six years plus of work we have put into uncovering the deceipt, the malpractice and the utter contempt of the mattress industry as a whole. This site, in all its previous guises [Mobilemattressman - Factory-Beds-Direct ] and now John Ryan [By Design] was set up to find the best quality mattress you can buy for a particular budget without having to see it or even try it.
Our ‘Love It or Return It guarantee was in place from the very start. It was very early on we came to realise that there was absolutely no need to see or even try a mattress if the consumer was given all the relevant facts and the judgement was based entirely on the consumers personal needs and requirements. We feel this guarantee should be standard from all mattress retailers – NO clauses and certainly NO additional charges. By doing this you will be assured that the product advice given will be entirely in your interests and not the interests of the retailer or manufacturer.
The mattress you have chosen [Artisan Naturals] is our pride and joy. For £800 or so, it is not overly expensive [as mattresses go] but you are getting a matttress build that equates to mattresses at twice the price.
You, like so many other people looking for their perfect mattress for their own particular needs and budget may have spent [probably] a few weeks researching products/ models / brands etc and no doubt realise now that for all the advertising, marketing and hype you are no better off now than when you started. Ryan and I have been going through this self same process for over six years hence our faith in our entire product range. Of course there will be times that we get it wrong, and of course there are times when our guarantee is abused, but our commitment to providing the best customer service based on the customer is always right will always prevail.
In the new year we shall be updating our site and adding the final pieces to this jigsaw by publishing our comparison data on many models that are currently available in order to show you that despite a change of name or the inclusion or ommision of a filling – the fundamental build from a number of manufacturers will be similar. This will give you the opportunity to make an informed decision to purchase based purely on quality.
Finally Graham, to you and all potential purchasers, Ryan and I completely realise that such a major purchase sight unseen can indeed be [in your words] a worryingly big decision. We trust that from what you read between these pages our standards of service and most importantly, our valued reputation, should negate any concern. John and Ryan.
John, Thanks for the phone call , the evening tah I left my original comment – I was impressed by your speed of response and your advice. and for the follow up response to my original questions. I have taken on board your comments about number and quality of springs and that Savoir do not use thousands of springs. As you advised we attempted to try a Vi-Spring Lynmouth, but the nearest John Lewis with one on display was about a 2 hour drive from home. So, we abandoned that idea and tried some other Vi-Springs at a local store. These were all around the £3500-£4500 level, so way over what we would want to spend. We found most of the Vi-Spring medium mattresses way too soft – sinking in the hip area of the body. The Regal Superb firm gave a similar feeling to the Harrison Ruby medium and the very expensive Shetland medium was ok as well. We are coming to the conclusion that we like a medium/firm level of support but with sufficient padding to make it comfortable. we also noted your comments about using a mattress topper to start with to give te extral level of comfort and extending the mattress life. Maybe we could have a call with you about the Artisan 1200 medium/firm tension ?.
Hi Graham. As you say, £3500-£4500 is a lot to spend and way over what you actually need to spend. The official specification for the Regal Superb is as folllows;
Upholstered with 1,000gsm bonded British fleece wool and cotton, then 1,200gsm long-stranded horsetail blended with British fleece wool and enclosed in a hair-proof cambric cover. Overlaid with a layer of 900gsm blended real Shetland Isle fleece wool and cotton.
If you compare this to The Artisan you will see there is not that much between them anyway.
I’m glad you picked out that Vi-Spring seems to be too soft. Ryan and I find this an anomoly in the production process and we do produce ours to be more on the supportive side. Another little detail we do not like about Vi-Spring production technique is their removal of the edge support bar around the perimiter that significantly reduces the edge support of the mattress. We all know that we are not supposed to sit on the edge but we all do and anything that can be done to aid edge support should be done.
For now, please send Ryan an email with your contact details – I’m afaraid your number has been lost in my call list of the last week. John and Ryan.
Hi John, My wife and I are definitely buying a new bed, we awake each morning with a lower back ache ! We are both 60 and I weigh 12 stone, she weighs 9 stone.
We have looked at many king size pocket sprung with divan bases and found the most comfortable by far was the Harrison Ruby 6000 medium. I wanted to check prices on line and also to see if there were any independent reviews and came across your excellent site – so informative and candid. I noted one comment about not getting a straight answer from Harrison on whether the edges were hand stitched or not, which is a worry with an expensive bed.
I also liked the 2 week trial and the 10 year guarantee on your mattresses. Which of your mattresses and bases would be the most similar to the Harrison Ruby 6000 medium ? By the way, Harrison also have a similar range called Parker – difficult to tell the difference as we saw them at different retailers.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Graham. Firstly, I would take it for granted that The Ruby Is indeed Hand Side Stitched, despite the omission even in their own description.
Harrison’s Ruby – Bed Tailor Range [Official Description]:
A blend of horsehair, Hempure and wool together with a wool rich blend topping the warm for winter side and the renowned qualities of fine Egyptian cotton and a natural cotton blend on the cool for summer side makes this a truly luxurious mattress.
Two rows of HD, a mini pocket spring that distributes your weight evenly contours together with the Revolution Pocket Spring system allows the Ruby to have 5000 pocket springs in the mattress and 1000 pocket springs in the True Edge base. The depth of the mattress means that the borders are finished with triple side stitching, eight padded handles and 16 brass vents to enable the mattress to breathe.
A thoroughly disconcerting aspect of this mattress is highlighted in one suppliers description stating;
Thoughtfully arranged fillings provide a winter side with wool and white fibre fillings, summer side with cool cotton blend fillings.
In my mind I am assuming [and I do stand to be corrected] that the white fibre fillings is a euphomism for polyester – a product I would not personally expect to see in a mattress of this calibre.
Obviously my biggest gripe is that there is no mention of weights of upholstery – the most significant part of any mattress.
The HD springs [2 layers no less] are of course pressure relieving and obviously beneficial – I have absolutely no gripes at all [ despite Ryan describing them as over engineering! ] EXCEPT – I personally would prefer the natural suspension properties of Horsehair rather than metal and being entirely cynical i wonder if the cost price of two layers of small springs is significantly cheaper to manufacture and include in said mattress than the aforementioned horsehair?
When our site is completely overhauled at the end of the year [it has now unfortunately got to be quite dis-organised] we shall be publishing the entire breakdown of spring types from all manufacturers. This will evidently show that spring count is not a measure of the quality of mattress/bed.
The [Harrisons] Spink and Edgar Empire boasts an incredible 21,700 springs in the mattress and a further 4000 in the base !! with a retail price of £12.289 [RRP - Kingsize Set] – does this mean that The Ruby [est] £1,800 is six times INferior ? Pure cynicism I know, but because the weights of upholstery is not given we are only left to wonder whether substantially more springs are better than more upholstery!
Make no mistake Graham, In our mind Savoir Beds is the UK’s premier mattress manufacturer. However, price will be the inhibitor for many people. It is with no shame that we do try to emulate their manufacturing processes and we do of course look to source identicle or similar components for use in our Artisan Range. The basis of a good mattress is the same now as it was 100 years ago. A good quality spring unit and good quality upholstery. A craftsman will know what tensions of spring [and fibres] works with a particular bodyweight and as simple as it sounds – that’s all there is to it. John and Ryan.
Hi, I’m looking for a new double mattress. I’m not sure about the firmness, medium maybe? Whatever provides most support whilst still being comfortable. I am 9st (but currently pregnant so my weight will increase!). I’m interested in possibly a pocket springs mattress combined with visco memory foam. My budget is £400 and it seems that this can get me a one-sided mattress with 1000 pocket springs and 2″ of V60 memory foam. Is it safe to go with any brand offering a mattress of this spec for the price?Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Alex. Sorry for the delay in replying. As you may be aware, Ryan and I have been quite fervent in our scant disregard for memory foam mattresses. On numerous occasions we have chosen to point enquiries such as yours to other websites offering what we believed to be good value for money products rather than [aptly] able to supply ourselves.
Over the past few months we have developed two memory foam mattresses with a three inch V60 Memory Foam, in a 1500 and 2000 spring count. Foam encapsulated and exceptionally well finished. Our direct comparison can be likened to Salus 1500 and 2000 respectively although we have taken the option to fully tape edge the mattress rather than using zippable covering. We also aim to keep the retail price to below the £600 for the 2000 model. When these models are included on our site we shall of course be able to directly price and quality compare with many other brands.
In the meantime Alex, please feel free to give me a call on 07999 007 000 to discuss further. John and Ryan.
Hi another seeking help. Would like to replace a kingsize mattress with kingsize link and zip matress(mainly down to access as opposed to different mattress tensions)
Thanks
Old mattress was a cage sprung orthopaedic so was pretty firm.
OH suffers with degenerative discs and prefers to sleep on a ‘firm’ matress(which suits me too) Re weights 10 and 14 stone. Was looking at the 2000 but reading your article re single matresses being firmer, will this be too firm? I guess having comfy padding would be good although we have slept on a foam matress once and hated it so obviously wouldn’t want anything too enveloping.The more I read the more confused I become
Hi Karen. For starters, have a look at our Origins Latex 1500. This will have the perfect support for your bodyweights, and also a cushioning top that will not ‘envelope you’ but cushion you. Please feel free to give us a call and we will be able to explain the options in a bit more detail. John and Ryan.
My parents are both 90, a short while ago we bought them a new double mattress (from a local store) but it is not meeting their needs. My Mum needs to sit on the edge of the bed before having her legs lifted onto the mattress and she keeps slipping off the edge when sitting and has ended up on the floor. Is there any mattress we can buy that has a firm edge that would be suitable for them.With thanks.
Hi Mary. We are well familiar with this scenario. We are able to put additional butterfly clips on to the sides to give extra support – See image here.
We can also have the base manufactured to a lower level (10 inches for example) to enable your parents to lower themselves rather than to hoist themselves up on the edge.
Give Ryan or myself a call. There will be no need to be paying over the odds either. I am going to assume your parents are of a light bodyweight and as a first choice would steer you towards the Origins Reflex. John and Ryan.
I currently have a orthopeadic mattress which is about 4 years old. It is now sagging and is getting lumpy especially on my husbands side. I like a firm mattress and am only small but my husband is 6 foot 4 and weighs about 16stone. I tried to prolong the life of our mattress by turning it regularly but this didnt seem to help. Could you please advise what the best mattress option would be.
Thanks
Hi Lowri. Firstly I would consider an extra long bed at 7′ for your husbands sake. This extra length need not be too expensive. Your weight differences are above average so I would ask you to give Ryan a call so he can go through the options with you based on your budget to find a mattress that will suit you both. John.
Hi, I am looking for a rock hard mattress (Ultra Firm) for my standard double bed. I have tried at some local shops but couldn’t find really firm mattress. I have gone through lot of websites but as you have said everyone has different definition of firm. Can you recommend me a mattress?
Thanks for your help.
Hi DT. To get that level of firmness you would be looking at a ortho cage spring unit 12.5 gauge steel. This would be topped off with a firm pad to prevent any movement whatsoever from the spring unit. On top of this there should be a firm reflex foam pad and when tufted this will be compressed to add to the firmness level.
In this case DT we are unable to supply you as it would not be something we would readily put our name to particularly as the spring unit would have to be cage sprung. We would not be proud of the build quality nor the components that would have to be used to get the firmness levels. However, if you do find something that seems to fit the bill we would happily cast a glance to see if it is all it seems. John and Ryan.
Hi John, I hope you can advise us on what double mattress to buy, We are both quite heavy, 14st and 17st. We were thinking of getting a memory foam mattress as they seem quite comfy. We do like it to be too firm or too soft. I mostly sleep on the front and my husband tends to sleep on side/back. We have a wooden slatted bed frame which we have had for 8 years, but our current mattress is just as old and has a dip in one side. Thank-you for any tips!
Hi Julie. First, take a read through the Ziplink section to see if a zip and link mattress set of different tensions may be suitable. This will be the perfect solution for differing bodyweights. Alternatively, if your budget allows, have a look at The Artisan 1200 where the springs and fillings will be tailored and placed to your exact requirements. Give Ryan a call on the number at the top of this page and he will be able to help you further based on your budget as well as your rerquirements. Many thanks, John.
Hi John,
We are looking to buy zip and link – superking – for our new,totally empty flat.
I am shopping from overseas and the bed will possibly end up being a guest bed – all depends?
As I can’t try out beds I need advice please.
My husband weighs around 95kg and I am 60kg and we both like a moderately firm bed – not a brick, but can’t do squishy/water bed feel. Probably with good padding to make it comfy and I like soft textures, if that makes any difference. I looked at the Origins Comfort 1000 and Origins Reflex on your site but worried they are too soft.
Thanks for your help,
Elaine.
Hi Elaine. The Comfort 1000 and Reflex 1000 may indeed feel too soft for you. I would say that The Origins 2000 would be an ideal choice. Phone me and I can go through all the options and a bit more detail. John.
Hi. I am looking for a zip and link super king. We dont like a hard mattress. We like comfort and some support. My husband is disabled and has leg problems so we need to be together and have the abiltity to have our own mattress to prevent rolling together. As for weights we are similar. 13st and 14st. What woud you recommend. Thanks.
Hi Sue, As you suggest – a ziplink bed (Superking or Extraking) is the first option either on separate divan bases or utilising a Superking bedframe. Secondly, will your husband be spending more time in the bed other than sleeping? If so, then extra care has to be taken when choosing a satisfactory primary layer. As for spring type 1500 to 2000 pocket springs. I assume your husband will be sitting on the edge of the bed for various reasons and in this case seek out as much edge support as you can muster. This will help both in stability for your hubby as well as aiding the longevity of the edge of the matt. In your case Sue, you may have to make additional compromises to get a mattress you need, rather than the one you want. But always bear in mind that once the foundation is correct you can tweak it to your own personal comfort level by use of toppers and suchlike. Give me a call, I’m sure I can help. John.