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Any mattress recommendations?

245

Comments

  • Oh right,thanks for that!lol
    Right another silly question,are Airsprung and Layazee brand names or Argos own as i've not really heard of them...are they good makes if they're not Argos own?
    I live in the TN17 area and i'm going on a mattress mission tomorrow,any stores you may advise me to check out at all Tim?
  • Tim_Deegan
    Tim_Deegan Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    sillywilly wrote: »
    The reviews of a lot of mattresses on Argos don't really support your statement. Are all the reviews and mattresses just a load of crud?

    What you need to take into account is that most reviews are posted within 7 days of receiving a mattress. This doesn't allow for long term reliability. Many of the mattresses sold by Argos do suffer from serious reliability problems. This is something you get to know by being in the trade.
  • Tim_Deegan
    Tim_Deegan Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    sazzle1109 wrote: »
    Oh right,thanks for that!lol
    Right another silly question,are Airsprung and Layazee brand names or Argos own as i've not really heard of them...are they good makes if they're not Argos own?
    I live in the TN17 area and i'm going on a mattress mission tomorrow,any stores you may advise me to check out at all Tim?

    Layezee are part of the Silentnight group :eek:, as are Rest Assured, Sealy, and The Pocket Sprung Bed Company. Airsprung produce low quality beds (although probably better than the Silentnight group). Also in the Airsprung group are Gainsborough, Hush, and Hush-a-Bye.

    Stay away from stores, and shop on line if you want a good price.
  • BoBoDobie
    BoBoDobie Posts: 288 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Tim_Deegan wrote: »
    I'm afraid I can't recommend anything, as it could be viewed as advertising, sorry.

    Oh that's a shame. Usually I can find my way to the cheapest deals online myself but as I have no clue what I'm looking for it makes it so hard to find the best price!

    OH is now now sure about memory foam so I guess pocket springs with foam on top may be an idea?

    If you can't give a selection of sites are you permitted to say which brands rate highly or indeed models? I'm fairly open to anything as long as it's £300-£400 and kingsize. Would even consider seconds or shop soiled if it gets a good deal.
  • Tim_Deegan
    Tim_Deegan Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    Tye_Bo wrote: »
    Oh that's a shame. Usually I can find my way to the cheapest deals online myself but as I have no clue what I'm looking for it makes it so hard to find the best price!

    OH is now now sure about memory foam so I guess pocket springs with foam on top may be an idea?

    If you can't give a selection of sites are you permitted to say which brands rate highly or indeed models? I'm fairly open to anything as long as it's £300-£400 and kingsize. Would even consider seconds or shop soiled if it gets a good deal.

    I'm afraid I can't, as that could still be viewed as advertising. It's a case of just narrowing it down on google I'm afraid.
  • At £400 for a kingsize I think you'll be looking at the low end of quality for a pocket spring with foam on top. Perhaps it's worth looking at better quality pocket spring only.

    I've been doing a bit of research as looking for a new mattress too. Our current one cost £180 just 2.5 years ago and it's knackered now, we both wake up with backache. We only had 1 day's notice that we'd have to buy it and it was the max we could afford at the time though.

    What I've gathered is that pocket springs are better than open coil. More springs isn't necessarily firmer though. Most beds have 1000-1500 springs and I think doubles have less than kingsize. I'm not sure what zoned support means, more springs where your hips go perhaps. No-turn means the topping is only on one side and they tend to be cheaper. But it's probably cheaper in the long run to pay that bit more for a double-sided one that lasts longer. Apparently hand-stitched sides are stronger than machine-stitched. There are different types of memory foam and different types of latex but I'm at a loss as to what the difference is and which types are better. Tufted means it has those big dips all over it, I think it's a way of tying the springs together. Quilted means it's got a flatter surface.

    There aren't that many online mattress shops so it doesn't take too long to figure out who's cheapest. The hard part is working out the criteria for your mattress and it's even harder to find one that fits it because most shops don't give very much info on how the mattress is constructed.
  • flashnazia
    flashnazia Posts: 2,168 Forumite
    Tim_Deegan wrote: »
    I'm afraid I can't, as that could still be viewed as advertising. It's a case of just narrowing it down on google I'm afraid.

    Er, only if you were advertising your own business and or would benefit personally from it.

    You are allowed to offer opinion.
    "fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." (Bertrand Russell)
  • Pinkypants
    Pinkypants Posts: 1,337 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 3 October 2010 at 2:53PM
    You should be able to buy a pocket sprung mattress with that size budget. Go for 1000 springs or more, spring count is always done on a 5ft mattress. So pro rota, 4ft6 will have less, but thats not a worry. 1000 more on 5ft is what to go for.

    Best advice is to get into the shops and try them out, yes you can buy online and you DO have the right to send it back regradless of their terms and conditions. The distance selling act says that you can inspect the items and if not too your liking you can send them back. But most online companies will make it as hard as possible for you to return.

    So try the products in store, your local indepent shop should give you loads of advice. Take you time and get on the mattresses to make sure you are choosing the correct one for yourself.

    Good luck.
    Helping the country to sleep better....ZZZzzzzzzz
  • Tim_Deegan
    Tim_Deegan Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    At £400 for a kingsize I think you'll be looking at the low end of quality for a pocket spring with foam on top. Perhaps it's worth looking at better quality pocket spring only.

    Actually you can get some very good quality king size pocket sprung and memory foam mattresses for not much more than £400, although you would have to pay nearer £500 for a two sided one. You just have to stay away from big brand names and big retailers, and shop on line.
    I've been doing a bit of research as looking for a new mattress too. Our current one cost £180 just 2.5 years ago and it's knackered now, we both wake up with backache. We only had 1 day's notice that we'd have to buy it and it was the max we could afford at the time though.

    Out of interest what wat the make and model of your old mattress?
    What I've gathered is that pocket springs are better than open coil. More springs isn't necessarily firmer though. Most beds have 1000-1500 springs and I think doubles have less than kingsize.

    With open coil springs all the springs are connected in a sort of cage. So you are laying on a sprung platform.

    With pocket springs all the springs work independently, and so they actually contour to the shape of your body.

    I'm not sure what zoned support means, more springs where your hips go perhaps.

    Zoned support as far as springs go means that there are different tension springs in different parts of the mattress. This is just a bit of a sales gimmick, and can leat to the mattress feeling uneven.

    The term zoned support is also sometimes used with mattresses that contain latex. It sounds like something high tech, but what it usually means is that the mattress only contains a small amount of latex (usually in the middle where your hips would be), and the rest is bulked out with reflex foam

    No-turn means the topping is only on one side and they tend to be cheaper. But it's probably cheaper in the long run to pay that bit more for a double-sided one that lasts longer.

    Absolutely right.

    They will tell you that they are non turn for your convenience, but the truth is that they are made this way only to make the mattress cheaper to manufacture.

    Apparently hand-stitched sides are stronger than machine-stitched.

    Actually it doesn't make any difference to the life of the mattress how the side stitching is done. It is just a load of sales hype to get people to spend more when they hand side stitch a mattress.

    There are different types of memory foam and different types of latex but I'm at a loss as to what the difference is and which types are better.

    Yes there are. To start with stay away from imported mattresses, as there are some low quality foams used on some.

    With memory foam the optimum density is 60 to 70kg per m3. And the optimum depth is 2" to 2.5", although the deeper it is the hotter it can get, so unless you like being hot in bed, the 2" would be better.

    With latex make sure that it is pure natural latex. Not synthetic, and not a blend of graphite and latex, or synthetic and natural. As the properties of synthetic or blends don't even come close to those of natural latex.

    Many manufacturers only use a very thin layer of latex, and as mentioned previously, some only put it in zones. So make sure the mattress has layers covering the whole surface areas, at least 2" deep. Although mattresses with deep layers of natural latex can be expensive.
    Tufted means it has those big dips all over it, I think it's a way of tying the springs together. Quilted means it's got a flatter surface.

    That's right. Hand tufting is still actually done by hand by most manufacturers (excluding the big brands). Once the mattress is assembled it is compressed in a big frame, and then turned vertically. Then using long needles lengths of cord are fed through the mattress, and secured with felt washers on either side. This is part of the structure of the mattress, and helps to hold it all in place (especially with pocket sprung mattresses).

    With deep quilting layers of quilting are sewn onto the mattress ticking (the outer fabric). this does give a flatter appearance to the mattress. Although if the mattress looks very flat, then it doesn't contain much quilting.
    There aren't that many online mattress shops so it doesn't take too long to figure out who's cheapest. The hard part is working out the criteria for your mattress and it's even harder to find one that fits it because most shops don't give very much info on how the mattress is constructed.

    There are actually loads. Don't be fooled by the cheapest, as there may be a good reason why they are the cheapest. It could be that they sell low quality products, or it could be that they don't provide very good service.

    Use all the information you have gained to narrow down your search to companies who sell at a good price, and give good service, and also have a good returns policy. Then actually speak to them, and ask advice, as if they have a good returns policy, then it will be in their interest to make sure you make the right choice the first time, and not pressure you into spending more than you want to.
  • Tim_Deegan
    Tim_Deegan Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    edited 3 October 2010 at 3:07PM
    flashnazia wrote: »
    Er, only if you were advertising your own business and or would benefit personally from it.

    You are allowed to offer opinion.

    I'm in the trade, so I'm not allowed to give my personal opinion. The MSE moderators wouldn't want to sort through my posts to find out which brands or retailers I may have connections with.

    However you can use all the general advice, and then narrow your search down by using google.
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