Which mattress? (merged threads)

Tim_Deegan

e102gamma wrote: »

Back to bed questions:

Does the number of turns in a spring make a difference? I read something about it in this mattress guide (rather American centric and mostly about open sprung mattresses, so a lot doesn't apply). Is it even realistic to expect to find that out for most beds?

That seems like a bit of propoganda for Leggett & Platt (obviously an American company). It even says that continuous springs are better than Bonnell open coil. They may give better support but are very unreliable and noisey. The independent springs they refer to are pocket springs when encased in a fabric pocket. As for the number of coils, you would struggle to find that out, and most are pretty much standard.

steeveecee

Great thread - I'm close to buying my first mattress!

Whilst on one of my google travels I stumbled across this post:

Mattresses – High in PBDEs, antimony, and formaldehyde. PBDEs, which have been banned in Canada, Europe and several states, build up in your body over time, and what you absorb or inhale does not go away. This is of great concern, since you spend as much as a third of your life in bed, on a potentially toxic mattress!

The health problems associated with PBDE exposure include brain and reproductive damage, decreased sperm quality, thyroid problems and even cancer at high levels. Boric acid, another agent found in many mattresses, is a toxic respiratory irritant used to kill roaches. Antimony, a metal that may be more toxic than mercury, and formaldehyde, which causes cancer, are both used in mattresses for flame retardant purposes.

A person sleeping on a chemically treated mattress will absorb 0.8 mg of antimony every night; an amount that is 27 times more than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says is safe. Five-year-old children, meanwhile, will absorb 0.5 mg of antimony every night, according to CPSC, which is 63 times more than the EPA’s safety limit.

Shopping for a safe mattress is not an easy task. Mattress manufacturers are not required to label or disclose which chemicals their mattresses contain. However, there are now a few manufacturers that make 100% wool, toxin-free mattresses. Another option that seems reliable is finding a mattress that uses a Kevlar, bullet-proof type of material in lieu of chemicals for fire-proofing. These are available in most big stores, and will help you to avoid some of the toxicity.

I recently purchased a Stearns and Foster mattress that has Kevlar fibers woven into the mattress covering. I am very happy with this mattress; it’s FAR more comfortable than a number of the organic mattresses I had purchased in the past.

Dr.Mercola

Is this something to be concerned about or is it nothing to lose sleep over?

Tim_Deegan

steeveecee wrote: »

Great thread - I'm close to buying my first mattress!

Whilst on one of my google travels I stumbled across this post:

Mattresses – High in PBDEs, antimony, and formaldehyde. PBDEs, which have been banned in Canada, Europe and several states, build up in your body over time, and what you absorb or inhale does not go away. This is of great concern, since you spend as much as a third of your life in bed, on a potentially toxic mattress!


Is this something to be concerned about or is it nothing to lose sleep over?

No, they were banned years ago.

zebedee01

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

No, they were banned years ago.

Thank goodness for that, i was panicking a bit then as i ordered a mattress yesterday! Got a silent night one from argos, half price, hope its nice!! It should be though as it was originaly nearly £800 :eek:

e102gamma

I doubt anyone ever saw it at that price.

Ignoring Miracoil and other such abominations, what normally goes wrong with a mattress? Is it just the springs that go or do you need to worry about the filling too? Anything else? How can you tell (if you can) that a mattress will last, just from looking at it?

markp1960

zebedee01 wrote: »

Thank goodness for that, i was panicking a bit then as i ordered a mattress yesterday! Got a silent night one from argos, half price, hope its nice!! It should be though as it was originaly nearly £800 :eek:

Oh dear oh dear, you haven't fallen for the 'half price' gag, and you 'hope' it's good. What happens if it isn't? Did you try one before you bought?

e102gamma

Do you have any manufacturer recommendations mark? :whistle:

markp1960

e102gamma wrote: »

I doubt anyone ever saw it at that price.

Ignoring Miracoil and other such abominations, what normally goes wrong with a mattress? Is it just the springs that go or do you need to worry about the filling too? Anything else? How can you tell (if you can) that a mattress will last, just from looking at it?

There isn't a simple answer to that one. Mattresses are a recipie of different fillings and how long any particular one will last depends on a variety of reasons including the initial quality of the product, the person(s) using it, and the general care & maintainence of it. The vast majority of mattresses are problem free, most peoples satisfaction will be based on its comfort and if it's helping them get a good nights sleep. But be aware that even expensive mattresses don't last forever but generally better quality ones will have a longer lifespan because the quality of the fillings will be superior.
On a personal note unless its memory foam (or poss latex) view 'no turn' mattresses with caution. Most mattresses will begin to show signs of 'settlement' but because you can't turn a 'no turn' to even out the wear historically from experience this type has a higher issue rate.

As far as recommending any particular makes I gather this may be a grey area on here. All I would say is if you are in the market to buy a mattress/bed it is absoloutely vital that you try some out before you buy and take your time over it. Mattresses are a 'touchy feely' product and the comfort of which cannot be established from a photo or a description or for that matter even a recommendation because there is not one mattress that will suit everybody.

Smaller less well known makes do often give better value compared to 'big brands' but I wouldn't ignore the latter for that reason alone.

Nile

e102gamma wrote: »

Do you have any manufacturer recommendations mark? :whistle:

Post reported to [Removed by Forum Team]

Please don't try to encourage members to advertise or promote their goods or website, whether by posting on the site or via private messages.

Nile

e102gamma

I wasn't aware I had done that. I thought it went without saying that you couldn't recommend brands that you personally sold/made etc.

markp1960 wrote: »

...

Thanks, you've reassured me somewhat. I've had visions of buying a mattress and it being knackered in 2 years time. I guess I don't really need to worry quite so much. Just find one I like from a decent enough brand for a good price and I should be more or less OK (although I'll run it by people here first just in case).