The mattress cartel

I asked for new ideas from readers and looky! I got one. My first request in their words:

"Do you think it matters what kind of mattress you sleep on? How many years should a mattress last? Do you find that industry to be scam ridden? Are mattresses really worth what you pay? Do you believe all the hype? What do you think of the line..."You're not buying a mattress...You're buying a better nights sleep"? Why is it so hard to comparison shop? Seems you can't find the exact same mattress at a different store."

I do think it matters what kind of mattress you sleep on. But that's me. I know people who can easily sleep on a bare floor if given the option and I also know folks whose bed needs are quite particular. You may recall that on our last vacation, we had to switch hotels because the bed just wasn't suitable for Darlene. My needs are a little less specific, but it truly is a personal thing.

Mattresses are supposedly guaranteed for 15-20 years, but it's been our experience that they rarely keep their form for more than 10-15 years. I find it very difficult to shop for a mattress, because as much as it's impractical to pick one after lying on it in a store for 3 minutes, most mattresses require a 2-3 month break-in before you'll know what it's going to be like to sleep on them long term. Even if a store offers a 30 day satisfaction or return policy, it's not really enough to know for sure. So I have found every purchase to be a gamble.

I do find mattresses to be expensive depending on where you shop. I've seen a particular type at one third the price in a mattress store compared to a department store, even the same brand. But you're absolutely right when you say that you can't find the exact same mattress at a different store. I do believe they do this to make it harder to comparison shop. I try to pay attention to the mattress features to help with the comparison. It's tough though. Then there's the materials used. Imagine if you bought a newfangled mattress with latex foam only to discover that you have a latex allergy.

Yeah, there's a lot of hype surrounding mattress sales, but for most people I think choosing a suitable one is important. I think that the problem is that even if you choose a mediocre mattress, you'll likely never know there's better stuff out there until you try one out. I think all of our travel and the 4 and 5 star hotel stays have made us a little more aware that there are great mattresses out there. Unfortunately, Darlene and I do not like the same kind of mattress, so I've had to compromise a little for her sake. We ended up (this time) with a thick coil mattress with a memory foam topper. We got it on sale, which is to say that the store 'let us have it at the sale price'. It has to be rotated a lot or it ends up with ruts (because of the foam). But it suits Darlene's neuropathy issue and that's what counts.