King Size Mattress

DigForVictory

We have the bed - no divan but a thing of lumps of oak, with a closely slatted base. So dimensions are non-negotiable, but price is definitely open.
It needs to be reasonably firm. Both of us are folk of Size, as the Americans kindly put it. If we feel the need for extra padding, we can always go down the "mattress topper" route. (The medics would be unhappy if we were to just up the mashed spud intake.)
Can anyone explain why you bother with a mattress topper other than for extra padding? I'm a complete mattress buying rookie!
What else have I seen offered - oh yes "mattress protector" - what is this? Would this be something discreetly waterproof for the definitely infirm? Or, given the amount of water we're supposed to secrete anyway (yikes!), something else? In which case, what?

Is it worth Buying A Brand? Or are they just the easiest to go test in stores? How do you test a mattress anyway? Squeeze for succulence? Bounce (raw hypocrisy on the part of the parents)? Try to lift & turn, on a need to know basis? (A joy to turn but hell to sleep on...?!) Who can honestly say they managed to stay prone on a mattress for 15 minutes in a shop trying it out & then going on to repeat the test to make a more informed choice? As whilst I'd love to spend half an hour sprawled flat, I seriously doubt the offspring view that idea with anything like my enthusiasm. Market niche for the bed stores - offer a child distraction service...

What is all this "band"/"zone" lark? Differential springing? So how do you rotate the mattress for its wellbeing & longevity then? Or do you just learn to sleep with your ankles in the dint left by your shoulders?

Will it lead to needing new sheets? I read that the downside of the super-plush posturepedic mattresses is that they are So Deep that the fitted sheets didn't fit anymore!

Is this a try in shop, buy online item? I have a very high respect for Consumer Rights online, but I am very uncertain about buying a mattress "blind" (which is where the brand element kicks in.) On the other hand, there is a bed & mattress maker in a local town who made both bed & mattress for my firstborn, at half the price the high street bed shops were suggesting was the minimum I should be spending. And a part of me is saying, if they are still trading, go right back there & ask "how much", as that way we get a locally made mattress, likely they'll deliver (a must - my car is not kingsized inside!) and the whole palaver is done with. I can even plead for it to be absolutely wool free - as Mr.Dig is allergic to wool dust. Just what if we don't learn to sleep on it? Or it ceases to be a functioning happy mattress within two years & we have to find the money all over again? (What is a reasonable price for a mattress, anyway?)

Over to the collective wisdom that are MSE posters! :A

Orrin

A mattress is a very personal thing and while you can get an idea from trying it out in a shop you'll never know for sure until you've slept on it for a few nights at least.

There are retailers, both online and bricks and mortar who offer trials or satisfaction guarantees where you can exchange or return a mattress if it's not suitable so if you're one of those people who is very particular about their mattress then this could be worth looking out for. Check the small print carefully though.

There are different types of mattress protectors, including waterproof, and they can help to prevent damage to the mattress from spills, or provide a bit of protection for the fabric and in some cases extra padding or heat regulation.

If you have a local manufacturer that you're happy with then personally I'd stick with them. My experience of big chains has been mixed and you may find a better service at a local independent shop.

There are people who spend a fortune on a mattress and aren't happy so it's difficult to say how much you should be spending. We have a king size memory foam mattress that cost £150 and most 'experts' would tell you it's terrible, yet it's the most comfortable thing I've slept on in years.