Monthly Archives: August 2013

Sleep and Mattress Recommendations

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Call me a sleep geek, but I not only write my own sleep blogs, but I read everyone else’s too.  I think that blogs and articles about sleep and mattresses are really interesting, as long as they are done right.  That being said, here’s my gripe:

It’s ridiculous to write in to a blog and ask the writer to recommend a specific mattress that will solve all your sleep problems.  It’s even more ridiculous for the “sleep expert” blogger to actually recommend such a bed.

Why?  Because everyone has a different body with different support needs, different weight distributions, etc.  Telling me that you’re 5’9 and 180 lbs. in a letter doesn’t tell me if you carry your weight in your belly, or if you have really broad shoulders, or if you have chicken legs.  Telling me that you sleep on your side doesn’t tell me if your legs are stretched out or pulled up to your chest, or if your arm is under your pillow.  Telling me that you have occasional lower back pain doesn’t tell me if it hurts after you go golfing, if you have a physical job, if you medicate daily with aspirin, etc.  Telling me that you have a herniated disc in your back doesn’t tell me what position is the most comfortable for you to sleep in, or if your doctor has recommended a specific type of mattress or way of sleeping.  You get the drift?

And really, you’re going to trust this guy?

So, as self-centric as I am, I tell you what brands I like, and which brands have the broadest appeal.  I also tell you which comfort levels are usually better for which types of sleeper, to be used as a loose guideline.  You will never find a post in my blog which has a specific mattress recommendation for a specific problem. 

If you’re set on having someone else choose your bed, feel free to write to those other sleep bloggers, and ask for their advice.  However, if you don’t like their recommendation, be prepared to foot the bill for exchanging your mattress, with no assistance from the blogger.  Just sayin’.

What’s a customer to do?  Talk to someone who knows what they’re talking about, and who asks you a million questions about your body and sleep habits.  It might be calling Customer Service at 855-377-6669, or going into a local store to find an expert that can help you.  Lie on some mattresses; see what general feel is the most comfortable to you.  Try out a few different brands, and see which ones feel better than others.  THEN, go online and find the best prices that you can (preferably on DrSnooze.com – you know that was coming). 

So good luck with your search, and take your mattress buying experience into your own hands.

CURV Mattresses are Almost Here!!!

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about the new Simmons line-up of memory foam beds under $1000 called CURV, geared towards the “millennial generation”.  Well, some new info has been released, and I think that you’re going to be really excited.

Highlights of the Simmons CURV line-up:

  • Supremely Comfortable – they offer great pressure relief and conformance, for exceptional support and long lasting comfort.
  • Cool Sleeping – the curved memory foam pattern allows for better airflow.  Also, some models have gel infused memory foam for even cooler sleeping.
  • Local – all CURV beds are made in the USA.  They are pretty much the only ones making inexpensive memory foam beds in this country.  Really.
  • Certi-Pur Certified – just like with their Comforpedic line-up, all the components of these mattresses have been certified non-toxic.  They are also low emission, make without ozone depleters, mercury, heavy metals, lead, formaldehyde, PBDEs, and phthalates.  The production process won’t hurt the environment, and the beds won’t hurt you.
  • 10-Year Warranty – Non-prorated.
  • Adjustable Ok – because you never know when you want to put your feet up!

CURV Models

  1. The Latest Thing – This is the start of the line-up – it’s an 8″ thick mattress with a firm feel.  1.5″ of 2lb CURV memory foam is layered over 1″ of Plush Comfort Foam, which sits on the 5.5″ SturdyCore.  The entire mattress is wrapped in an “Integrated FR-Z Cover”, which is soft and breathable.  At a price point of about $699 in a queen set, who couldn’t afford one of these?  Put them in your kid’s rooms, your guest room, your master bedroom, make everyone comfortable!
  2. All The Rage – One step up from the Latest Thing, this is a 9″ Plush Firm, great for all types of sleepers.  It has 2.5″ of 2.5lb CURV memory foam with gel, over a 6.5″ SturdyCore.  Wrapped in the FR-Z cover, and this mattress feels soft and conforming.  The price will let you sleep at night – it’s about $799 in a queen size set.  Again, why wouldn’t you?
  3. Vogue – 10.5″ of memory foam bed, for under $1000!  There is 1.5″ of 2.5lb CURV memory foam with gel, then 2.5″ of 3lb memory foam, over a 7″ SturdyCore.  This mattress has a firmer feel, while still maintaining it’s conforming feel.  A great option, it’s only about $999 in a queen set.

Mattresses of this caliber by other manufacturers are usually made internationally, prone to sags, or are made by no-name manufacturers.  Simmons CURV beds fill a need for everyone…now you can make sure that your guests, your kids, and that you yourself are comfortable and supported, all night long.

Keep an eye out for these beds online, we’re getting them up and running as soon as possible!

Need a Special Size Mattress?

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I get some strange requests from customers – an odd size for an RV, a mattress with a notch out of it for one reason or another, even round mattress sets.  What is possible, and what’s not?

With all of the mattress manufacturers out there, really anything is possible.  Many companies will custom make a special size mattress for you, but they will definitely charge you accordingly.

Special Size Mattresses from National Manufacturers

You’re pretty much out of luck if you want a recognizable name on your special size mattress.  Most of the major brands (Sealy, Simmons, Serta, etc.) do not make custom sizes.  A lot of it has to do with the coil systems, since most companies buy their coil systems from a third party.  If you’re in the market for an odd size, you are limited to smaller manufacturers that can fabricate their own coil systems.

Special Mattress Sizes

The most frequently requested size is a Short Queen.  These mattresses are 60″ x 75″, and are common in RVs and campers.  All of our King Koil mattresses come in a short queen size, for only $100 more than the regular queen size.  These mattresses are special order, and may take an extra week for shipment, but are a great option if you need a Short Queen.

If you have an older hi riser that used 30″ x 75″ mattresses, they are now pretty much obsolete.  Some models from King Koil can be made into 30″ wide beds, give us a call to find out which ones.  These are special order, and are usually priced about $50 more than a twin size.

Desire a round mattress?  Before I ask why, let’s talk about availability.  I know that Ikea makes one, but other than that, you’d better start looking around at local small manufacturers.  And forget about an innerspring bed, it’s going to have to be foam.  And before you go crazy looking for your dream round bed, remember that your feet will probably hang off the end at some point, and you’re going to have to basically make your own sheets.  That’s just crazy talk.

How to get a special size mattress for less?

The simplest way is to make it yourself – or really, change an existing size to the size and shape that you want.  You can do this with any foam mattress.  Just take the cover off, and use an electric knife, electric saw, or other cutting implement to shape it into your ideal mattress size.  Do we really recommend this?  Only if you have no other choice, and don’t mind not having a warranty on your bed, and basically doing irreparable damage to it.  But it is an option…

There are some sizes that are considered “odd”, that are readily available: Twin XL, Full XL, and California King.  If it’s a space issue, think about going one size smaller (such as a full xl instead of a short queen).  All of our brands come in most of these other sizes.

So good luck with your special size mattress search, and remember that you can always call us to see if we can work a miracle for you at 855-377-6669.

 

5 Tips to Comparing Mattresses

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I’ve written blogs and articles on different model names of mattresses before, but I’ve found that the confusion remains.  Therefore, I have created a few tips on how to “beat the system” so to speak, to make sure that you’re comparing the same models.  Remember, no one is trying to trick you, deceive you, or otherwise cheat you.  It’s just one of those things that all manufacturers do, to keep the price integrity of their mattresses. 

So, if you’re interested in comparing the same model in different places, try one of these tips:

  1. Just tell the salesperson what you saw, and where you saw it.  They will usually have comparison sheets, or be able to call a manufacturer’s representative to find out what the comparable mattress is.  Don’t be worried about them trying to sell you a different bed – most salespeople would rather have another associate at a different store do all the heavy lifting of helping you pick out the perfect bed.  It’s much easier to just undercut the price, and write up the order than to try and convince you that a different mattress is the same, or move you to a different model.
  2. Still not convinced?  Ask for the specifications.  Most retailers will have sheets that have all of the layers of the interiors of the mattresses.  If the inner layers of mattresses are EXACTLY the same, in the same order, and of the same quantity, it’s the same bed.
  3. You can always call the manufacturer, and they may be able to help you.  This is a good idea when you cannot seem to find the same bed anywhere else.  The manufacturer can look up the mattress by the model number (which is on the law tag of the bed), and check to make sure that it’s a current year model.  They can also tell you if that store has exclusive rights to that bed, which is why you may not be able to find it anywhere else.
  4. Some stores may have exclusive features on their beds, such as upgraded covers.  Usually, these are superficial additions, and should not factor in to your price comparison.  Sure, a cotton stretch cover in a beautiful weave is great, but is it going to make you sleep $100 better?  Probably not.
  5. There are websites (like this one) that will post as many alternate names for their products as they can find.  It’s usually an attempt to create transparency, and show that their prices are truly the best.  Again, there is no reason to deceive the public on this – retailers want their sales to stay sold, and want to avoid costly exchanges and returns.      

Overall, if you want to compare the same mattresses at different retailers, it is possible with a little help from the retailer themselves.  Most stores are more than willing to help you, if they think that they can earn your business. 

Alternate Mattress Names: A Comprehensive Guide to Beautyrest and Comforpedic

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If you’re a savvy comparison shopper, you’ve probably noticed that the same mattress can have alternative names, depending on the region and store that you’re in.  If you’ve tried shopping on the internet, you’ve seen a whole different set of names there, too.

Many customers have asked me why this is done, and to be perfectly honest, like you, I wish that it was cut and dry, that everyone had the same name.  It would be so much easier for retailers to compete and show that they really had the best price!  Unfortunately, this is not the case, and there will always be different names for the same mattress.  It’s partly to protect the small Mom & Pop local dealers from having to go up against the big retailers and internet resellers, it’s partly to uphold the price integrity of the brand.  Either way, I’m about to blow up everyone’s spot.

Comforpedic Mattress Names

We have compiled a pretty good list of different names for our Simmons beds.  Comforpedic mattresses only go by two names: an in-store name, and an online name.  They are, specification-wise, the SAME mattress.  The only difference is the name on the tag.

 

Beautyrest Mattress Names

Beautyrest Recharge mattresses have many more name variations than Comforpedics.  The chart below contains all of the different names of Beautyrest mattresses that we have compiled.  It is not, however, an exhaustive list.

The easiest way to see if one mattress is the same as another is to compare the specifications.  Many sites (including this one) have the individual layers of the bed listed, in as much detail as possible.  Mattresses that are the same will have the exact same layers, in the same order, in the same amounts.

Don’t be discouraged by the fact that there are many different names for the same product out there.  Once you decipher the different names, you can often use this to your advantage, and get the best deal possible.