Do you wake up tired and sore? Here we explain how to choose a mattress that helps you rest at night so you feel energized during the day.
Just as we cannot judge a book by its cover, a mattress cannot be chosen only by its appearance, it is necessary to dedicate time to them.
By Joanne Chen
I love my mattress; really, I love it. It hugs my body without making me feel trapped like in quicksand, the support is stable and bounce-free. Also, I can sit on the edge of the mattress without slipping.
Just as I love my mattress (details below), I also love getting a good night’s sleep, something that should be the goal of every person looking to buy a mattress. After all, a high-quality mattress provides you with support and comfort, which, in turn, can help you wake up feeling rested and pain-free.
There’s a good chance you might fall in love with your mattress, too. The key is knowing how to buy one, from entering the store with confidence to leaving knowing that you have found one at a good price and that it will last a long time. Below, I’ll share information, with tips from Chris Regan, Lead Mattress Testing Engineer at CR, as well as sleep and bedding experts, on how you can achieve this.
Before buying a mattress
Mattresses are a “blind” purchase: they all look the same on the outside, but their true value is hidden inside. So it is natural to feel uncertainty, especially considering the high prices they have.
The way I managed to feel more confident in making the best decision was by exploring the world of mattresses and becoming more familiar with the subject. My suggestion is that you spend about half an hour researching at home and then take the time to try out the mattresses in the store. “You’re not being fair to yourself if you spend less than that time making a decision on something you’ll sleep on for the next 10 years,” says Mike O’Donnell, a mattress salesman who has worked at Charles P. Rogers, Mattress. Firm, and Mattress Warehouse.
Before you set foot in the store, it’s important that you know exactly what you want in terms of basic features. These include surface feel (mainly dictated by the type of mattress), size, thickness, firmness, and cost. For details on these criteria, see our mattress buying guide.
From the beginning, I knew I wanted an innerspring mattress (a type of coil springs) or a hybrid, a model that combines springs with a thick layer of foam. I also knew I wanted that foam to be latex, which gives you a cushioned feel without feeling like you’re sinking in too much.
Although my decision was leaning toward a medium-firm to medium-firm mattress, I was clear that I wouldn’t know for sure what the perfect combination would be until I tried it in person.
I imagined a full or queen size mattress (a king size doesn’t fit in my room), but something nice and with a good thickness, at least 12 inches. She was also willing to spend between $2,000 and $2,500 on it (for a Queen size).
Sure, you might be able to find a mattress that provides a good level of support and pressure relief for between $900 and $1,200. “That’s the ideal option,” says CR’s Regan. But I hadn’t bought a mattress in a long time, and I wanted to treat myself to better quality materials, like a thicker cover, denser foam, and thicker springs (and more).
make your list
Once you have a basic idea of what you’re looking for, you can consult our detailed mattress ratings to make a list. Your list should focus on the models that offer the best support for your size and sleeping position (for example, a short person who sleeps on their back or a large person who sleeps on their side). These mattresses may not have the highest overall score, an average that favors those mattresses that do well in performance tests for all types of people. However, all you need is a mattress that suits your needs well.
Next, check the firmness level. We’ve rated each mattress on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. This way, you can compare mattresses from different brands.
Do you usually feel hot while you sleep? See the “heat retention” column. Do you wake up easily when your partner or pet moves? Check the stability score, which indicates how well a mattress can isolate motion.
Make a list of approximately six mattresses. Visit brand websites for information on materials. (For example, experts have told me that, generally speaking, lower-density memory foam may be more prone to body impressions than higher-density memory foam, and that most good-quality mattresses have a lower density. of memory foam of at least 3 pounds per cubic foot.) Also note pricing, warranties, and return policies, which may vary depending on where you purchase. If you can’t find the information you need, you can ask in a chat or call the customer service department.
Where and how to buy a mattress
Your love for your mattress depends not only on the company that made it, but also on who sold it to you. After all, it is the retailer who guides you while you are searching. Instead of visiting every showroom in your area, be selective. “The more you visit, the more confused you might be,” says David Binke, CEO of mattress brand King Koil.
Consider what type of store you would like to shop at. In our 2023 mattress store survey, in which more than 6,000 CR members told us about their most recent experiences, stores of all types received high scores across the board for customer satisfaction. But the best place to buy your mattress depends on your situation.
If you’re interested in a variety of brands, or don’t know which ones you’re interested in, try a furniture and mattress store or a mattress chain store, both of which sell a wide variety of popular brands. Chain mattress stores also tend to have good inventory, so they’re a good option if you need to buy now. The Original Mattress Factory was among the few retailers in our survey that received high marks for its helpful sales and customer service, says Martin Lachter, who leads our research on mattresses and mattress stores.
For a more personalized selection, you might consider independent mattress retailers, where it’s not unusual for owners to be on the sales floor helping customers. Some retailers also make their own mattresses, so you’re not paying a third party. For this reason, I decided to purchase my mattress at Charles P. Rogers in New York City, where I found my innerspring mattress, the Estate SE-GL. If you decide to follow this same path, ask how long your delivery will take. Some retail manufacturers may make their beds to order, so there may be a wait time.
If you like a particular brand, go directly to the brand’s store (such as a Saatva or Casper Sleep Shop showroom or showroom). That is the best place to have your questions clarified, and you can try the products that brand offers. You will often find the best return policies there as well. In our 2023 survey, Saatva scored particularly highly for its sales and customer support.
Even if you choose a top retailer from CR surveys, it’s worth checking Google or Yelp reviews for information on the best store or seller in your area. Johnnie Morrison, who has sold mattresses in Pennsylvania retail stores for decades, says satisfied customers often mention sellers who gave them good service in their reviews. If you see a name repeated frequently, ask for that person when you get to the store.
Limit your options
Prepare for a successful visit to the store by wearing a blouse or t-shirt and comfortable pants; avoid dresses or skirts. Go in the morning (because any mattress can feel good when you’re tired at the end of the day) and take your mattress list and your sleeping partner. If you start with a list of six, your goal should be to quickly narrow it down to three or four of your favorites. So spend a minute in the store with each model you’re considering. At this stage, you’re simply trying to see if you like the overall feel: is it cushiony, flexible, soft, or firm enough for you? Does it seem resistant or fragile? Do you sink so low that you feel trapped? Or can you move freely? If your first impression is “ni fu, ni fa”, or you are indifferent, cross that mattress off your list. “This is why having that experience inside the showroom is so valuable,” says Linda Klein, president of Charles P. Rogers. If you don’t fall in love with him there, it’s unlikely you will at home.
Test the mattress with your partner and see how much movement and position changes (motion transfer) you can feel. Sit on the edge of the mattress to make sure you don’t slip. If your partner or pet takes up a lot of space when sleeping, try lying on the perimeter as well.
Good quality materials tend to be carefully made; The cover of a foam model should not look sunken, or feel thin. “A good quality manufacturer will make sure not to present a mattress that has poorly made seams, uneven piping or side deformities,” says Carlitz of Bedding Industries of America.
Take note of the three or four mattresses that you like the most. Later, you will review them.
Focus on support and pressure relief
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, identify which mattresses will keep your spine aligned while providing proper support and relieving your pressure points. To do this, order a pillow (the seller should offer you a disposable pillowcase) and spend 10 to 15 minutes trying each option.
Don’t be shy about taking the time you need: A well-trained professional understands the importance of spending time with a mattress before purchasing it, says Jody Putnam, retail director at Mattress Firm. Instead of rushing you, he follows these steps:
Lie on your back. Your spine should be in a neutral, comfortable position, with adequate support in the natural curvature that exists in the lower back, without any tension, says Ahmed Radwan, PhD, professor of physical therapy at Utica University in New York. . Do you feel that your hips, knees and shoulders are comfortably supported? They must be.
Turn to each side. With the right pillow filling the space between your head and shoulders, your neck and spine should feel comfortably aligned, not twisted or flexed. Your shoulders and hips should feel cushioned, not compressed.
Lie face down, if necessary. Radwan advises avoiding sleeping on your stomach; It’s bad for your neck. But if you can’t avoid it, we think it’s worth looking for a mattress that minimizes damage. Don’t use the pillow. Make sure your spine is not too arched and that your stomach and ribcage feel padded.
Closing the deal
According to an internal Mattress Firm survey, what people worry about most when purchasing a mattress, besides making a bad decision, is overpaying. However, being able to identify a high-quality mattress and know its normal price gives you an advantage. to know if you are receiving a fair price. Also, remember that it’s okay to go home, think about it, and come back to buy it when you feel ready. To get a fair price:
Only work with sellers who are helpful. Stay away from those who are not. If a salesperson pushes you toward a specific brand, they may be more interested in getting a better commission than addressing your concerns. A good salesperson, says Putnam of Mattress Firm, “will ask you questions to understand your sleeping needs and your budget, and then depending on your answers, show you various products in different price ranges.”
Never buy a mattress that is not on sale. There is almost always some promotion. The largest sales events usually occur around Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday, but there are also smaller sales events throughout the year. . Consider shopping at the end of the month as well. Depending on your compensation system, store managers may need to hit their sales goals and might be more open to negotiating. (Sales staff may have a different compensation system.)
Lastly, don’t be afraid to negotiate. As we’ve seen, negotiating the price of a mattress can save you more than $250.
Ready to start?
Visit our list of detailed mattress ratings and read about the top-rated mattresses in our tests. If you are a CR digital member, you can read on to see some of the best innerspring, foam and adjustable air mattress models detailed below.
Avocado Green
Essentia Stratami
Saatva Solaire
Editor’s note: A version of this article was also published in the March 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.