Wesley Allen Kenwick Bed - Headboard and Open Footbo...
4 Stores $875.00
Mattress Buying Guide
How much thought did you put into your last mattress purchase? Most people spend a third of each day on a mattress and two hours or less in a car, yet comfort tends to be a greater factor when people buy a car than when they choose a mattress. Mattresses today offer a variety of support types and well as support levels, both of which can have a profound impact of the quality of your sleep. Pronto’s Mattress Buying Guide will take you inside the mattress so you can choose the one that’s best for your back and your budget.
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the five
What are the five key points I need to look at?
Size
Mattresses come in four standard sizes: twin, full, queen and king. Couples should choose a queen- or king-sized mattress for the greatest freedom of movement. If you’re tall, choose a California king-sized mattress or look for a mattress with extra length.
Materials
Look for innerspring coil mattresses with 680 or more standard-sized coils; large coil mattresses should feature a minimum of 400 coils. Individuals with arthritis or joint sensitivity may benefit from memory-foam mattresses that mold to the body’s shape. If you and your partner have different sleep needs, consider an adjustable air mattress for customized support on each side.
Thickness
Choose a mattress that’s thick enough to offer the support you need, but not so thick it overpowers your bed or makes getting into and out of bed difficult. For innerspring mattresses, find out how much of the thickness is coil (thicker coils deliver better support) and how much is foam (thick foam looks comfortable, but may not be).
Firmness
Good mattresses will hold your spine in the same position as when you’re standing up. A mattress that’s not firm enough allows your hips and spine to sag, which can cause stiffness. Extra-firm mattresses may have thicker wire in their coils, which makes them more durable.
Foundation
Unless you have a platform bed, you’ll need to purchase a box spring to help distribute the weight of the mattress and your sleeping body and prevent sagging over time.
pronto pick
What product do we recommend?
We like the Serta Perfect Sleeper Mattress, which comes with a medley of features to cradle you while you sleep. With 532 coils to support you and distribute weight evenly, and Serta’s Fireblocker fabric that slows the spread of flames, you can sleep soundly and safely. The Perfect Sleeper is available in a variety of firmness levels, but does not include a box spring.
experts say
Web MD—“Neither bells and whistles nor a super-expensive price tag necessarily mean one mattress is better than another, say four experts consulted by WebMD. The right stuff, they say, should be firm enough to provide support to your back, neck, and legs, while still offering some cushion and recoil for comfort.” Source: Web MD
MattressReviews.com—“If you go to a mattress shop and test beds out then remember these mattresses get LOTS of wear and tear and often feel softer than they should as a consequence. Ideally when testing out mattresses in a show room they should still feel fairly new. I mention this because a number of people have commented that they try the Stearns and Foster mattress instore, but when they got it delivered it was quite a bit firmer than they remembered.” Source: MattressReviews.com
AchooAllergy.com—“It is so comfortable that it's difficult to get out of the bed. We now spend more time in bed because of the mattress. We read when where we used to watch television, which is a good thing. We sleep better. We are more comfortable. And we absolutely love our new King size Tempur-Pedic mattress. It is my new favorite product!” Source: AchooAllergy.com
hot buzz
What's the latest in the world of mattresses?
“NASA Beds” have long been marketed to users seeking memory foam to help their backs and ease their sleep, but claims about space beds are a mix of fact and marketing embellishment. NASA developed the first visco-elastic foam in the 1970s to help astronauts absorb G-forces at liftoff and re-entry. This foam broke down over time, and while it was a great shock absorber, it wasn’t comfortable enough for sleeping. Refinements to NASA’s technology eventually led to Sweden’s Tempur-Pedic perfecting a memory foam for beds. Although this foam owes its inspiration to the space program, it wasn’t created by or for NASA.
Wallet Impact
What can I expect in my price range?
| Price | Description | Good Pick (see all Mattresses) |
| $ | In the budget range, you’ll find innerspring mattresses with simple fabrics and without extra padding. You’ll find good values in this range if you look for firmness and seek out thicker-gauge coils. Be aware that most mattresses in this range are “no-flip” models with padding only on one side. |
Compare prices at 4 stores $469.00 |
| $$ | In the midrange, you can choose between innerspring and air mattresses. Look for flame-retardant coverings and top layers of foam that provide extra comfort and support. Choose a mattress that can be flipped for the best durability. Beware of memory foam at this price point, as some bargain foam mattresses lose their elasticity too quickly. |
Buy now at 
$656.00 |
| $$$ | At the high end, memory foam is the most popular mattress choice, though you’ll also find some of the most durable innerspring mattresses in Queen and King sizes. Durability and quality are the main things to shop for. Look for a mattress with a 10-year warranty and ignore exotic fabric covers. |
Buy now at 
$2,099.00 |
shop talk
What are the terms and definitions I need to know about?
Box spring
A foundation that distributes the weight of an innerspring mattress and prevents sagging.
Coil count
The number of innerspring coils located inside a mattress. The standard coil count in a full-sized bed is 312.
Memory foam
A material used in mattress construction that responds to heat and pressure, conforming itself to the shape of your body. Once you get off the mattress, the foam reverts to its normal shape.
Pillow top
A mattress with a big pillow-like surface that is filled with soft material for extra comfort.
Wire gauge
A measurement of the thickness of the metal wire used in innerspring mattress coils. Thicker-gauge wire provides firmer support and lasts longer than thinner wire.
guide tools
Research Central
We've compiled this group of information links to help you further your research