Your mattress significantly impacts sleep. A bad mattress and firmness level can ruin your night.
Mattress type impacts feel, construction, durability, and cost. Memory foam, innerspring, latex, and hybrid mattresses are the most common, with waterbeds and airbeds occasionally.
Know what kind of mattress you want before buying. We’ve outlined the mattress types to help you choose.
Memory Foam
Viscoelastic foam makes memory foam. Memory foam mattresses mold to your curves. After moving or getting out of bed, memory foam cushions “remember” your body and slowly return to shape.
Memory foam is popular for pressure relief and weight distribution. Joint and body pain sufferers should try it. Memory foam beds come in many firmness levels, making it easy to choose.
Heating and off-gassing are common complaints about petroleum-based memory foam. Memory foam softens with heat and traps body heat due to its density.
Copper, graphite, or gel in memory foam reduces heat retention. CertiPUR-US®-certified memory foam mattresses don’t off-gas or contain harsh chemicals.
Most $500–$1500 memory foam beds last 7–10 years.
Hybrid
Pocketed coils and three inches of comfort foam are standard in latex and memory foam hybrid mattresses. Coil layers improve mattress airflow and cushioning comfort layers relieve pressure points.
Spring mattresses have continuous coils; hybrids have pocketed steel. Unconnected coils help edge support, motion isolation, and support. Covering springs in fabric reduces noise and mattress damage.
Comfort layers of foam reduce motion transfer and pain better than cotton or wool pillow tops. Foam lasts longer and doesn’t flatten.
The most expensive hybrid mattresses cost $750–$2500. The average hybrid mattress lasts 6–7 years.
Innerspring
Innerspring mattresses remain popular after 1800. A continuous steel coil support system connects all coils, and the pillow top or Euro top is made of foam, cotton, wool, or down. Coil-layered innerspring mattresses are cool and responsive but sag quickly.
Innerspring mattresses are popular but unsatisfactory. Coils cause motion transfer and sagging, and thin comfort layer doesn’t relieve pressure. Innersprings are cheap but wear out quickly, costing more.
In quality, memory foam, hybrid, and latex mattresses outperform innerspring mattresses.
Innerspring mattresses cost $100–$1000, depending on bed size. Innerspring beds last 5–7 years.
When it comes to buying a new bed, it’s important to make sure you get the right one. There are so many beds on the market that it can be hard to choose one that is comfortable, durable and easy to maintain. That’s why it’s worth considering a better bed company.
Latex
Latex foam mattresses are made from rubber tree sap. Floating, breathable, and pressure-relieving bed.As with memory foam, latex contours to relieve pressure.
Safer for your home, natural mattresses don’t contain allergen-causing chemicals. Talalay and Dunlop natural latex are made differently. Since it’s cheap, firm, and durable, Dunlop is used as latex mattress support foam. Soft, breathable Talalay makes great comfort foam.
Natural Dunlop and Talalay latex are home-safe. Synthetic and blended latex mattresses are weaker and contain harmful chemicals.
Natural latex mattresses cost $700–$5000. Natural latex mattresses cost but last 12–15 years.
Poly-Foam
Polyurethane foam is a common synthetic foam. Many mattress companies make affordable, high-quality mattresses with proprietary poly-foam blends. These proprietary foams are cool, pressure-relieving, and supportive like latex or memory foam.
Many mattresses only use poly-foam for the base or transition. Latex or memory foam comfort layers are common in those mattresses.
Poly-foam may contain unsafe chemicals. A la memory foam beds.
Poly-foam mattresses cost $100–1200. Poly-foam mattresses last 6–7 years, but modern ones last longer.
Airbed
Not all inflatable airbeds are low-quality. Filling PVC bags creates air mattresses. Good air beds have foam layers for support and look like mattresses.
Simply fill the mattress with air when needed and deflate and store it when not in use, making airbeds popular. Affordable airbeds are great for traveling and hosting, but high-quality ones are better for daily use.
Air mattresses cost $50–$450, depending on quality and size. A basic air pump costs $10–100, but air beds usually come with one. Air beds last 5–10 years with proper care.
Conclusion
When buying a mattress, consider your needs and budget. Each mattress has unique features and firmness.
Innerspring mattresses are cool and bouncy, but latex and hybrid mattresses provide better cushioning and pressure relief. Non-springy memory foam and poly-foam mattresses conform to your body. Air and waterbeds are unique and cheap, but not the best mattresses.
Most mattresses offer sleep trials so you can try one at home and return it if not satisfied. If you’re unsure of your bed, try sleep trials.
