Mattress companies will sell you the promise
of a perfect night's sleep, sometimes
for thousands of dollars.
Their offerings-- hybrid mattresses, cooling gels,
and customized sleep settings-- can be confusing to navigate.
To help you pick, Consumer Reports
puts mattresses to the test.
This video is interactive, so click any chapter
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We determine how well a mattress will
support your spine, whether you sleep
on your side or your back.
We simulate eight years of use to see
how a mattress keeps its shape, firmness, and support.
We even cut mattresses open to see what's inside.
This guide will arm you with expert knowledge
to pick the style or model that best suits your needs.
Consumer Reports' online subscribers
can find specific brand and retailer
recommendations as well as product ratings on our website.
While you can find mattresses that
use all sorts of materials, from foams and latex to mostly air,
almost half of those sold are the classic inner spring.
The springs are actually metal, usually steel coils.
In some models, those coils are individually wrapped.
Others are coils within coils.
And some even have an hourglass look to them.
Many inner spring manufacturers are offering hybrid models,
adding several inches of cushioning, foam or padding,
and gel-infused foam layers above the inner springs.
Our tests showed none of these add-ons
truly sets one inner spring mattress apart from another.
One way we figure this out is by measuring the natural curve
of a person's spine and then monitoring
whether those curves are supported on a mattress.
Our tests do find that inner springs overall
are a bit better than other types of mattresses
for side sleepers.
Often, inner springs are easier to move around,
compared to memory foam mattresses, because they
offer more bounce.
But there's a downside.
Some models can transmit bounciness.
So if you've got a restless co-sleeper, you'll feel it.
We drop a weighted ball on each mattress
to see how well it resists that bounciness.
You can get a sense of this when you shop in a store
by lying down with your partner and checking whether you
feel his or her movements.
Memory foam mattresses are steadily gaining in popularity.
They make up 19% of mattress sales.
And a recent Consumer Reports survey
of almost 62,000 subscribers found 75% of memory foam
mattress owners were completely or very satisfied
with their choice.
Memory foam is mostly polyurethane,
a durable plastic substance that response
to the heat and pressure of your body
and is supposed to conform to it.
Some memory foam beds offer dual firmness.
That way, you and your partner can customize how firm or soft
you want your side.
Memory foam also does a great job
of isolating movement so you won't get jostled
when your partner tosses and turns on his or her sleep.
But changing positions on some memory foam
requires effort, because you tend
to think into the mattress.
Some people also say it sleeps hot.
Many manufacturers are infusing the foam with gel
that they claim will reduce surface temperature.
One of the major downsides of some memory foam mattresses
is the plasticky chemical smell.
That's likely the polyurethane-based memory foam.
But other chemicals, like flame retardants and fillers,
which can be used in foam and other beds,
could also lead to obnoxious odors.
Consumer Reports says be sure to error out any memory foam
mattress for at least 24 to 48 hours
before you cover it with sheets and sleep on it.
If you're worried about the smell
but still want the memory foam feel,
you might want to opt for natural latex.
Natural latex is made using serum
from rubber trees that's processed
using one of two methods whose names you may hear--
Dunlop and Talalay.
Dunlop produces a firmer material,
while the more expensive Talalay yields a softer mattress.
Many manufacturers will layer a mattress using both processes
to create a customized feel.
There are also synthetic latex mattresses.
These tend to be less expensive than natural latex
but are blended with other chemicals.
Adjustable air mattresses allow you to control the firmness.
No, we're not talking about the plastic inflatable ones
you throw on the floor for guests or camping.
These are mattresses filled with pockets of air,
called air bladders, surrounded by foam.
Many come with other layers of material,
like foam or gel tops, for added comfort.
In our survey of almost 62,000 subscribers,
people with arthritis, back pain, or neck pain
are most satisfied sleeping on an adjustable air mattress.
Most adjustable air mattresses allow
you to customize half the bed to your desired level of firmness
anytime you want with a remote control, usually
right from the bed.
However, some people find the foam support that
divides the two sides uncomfortable to roll over,
so think about this if you tend to move around a lot.
Try adjusting the firmness up and down at the store.
You want it to respond quickly and relatively quietly.
More companies are selling mattresses marketed as green,
natural, or organic, partly in response
to consumers' questions about chemicals in mattresses.
For example, there are concerns with the use
of certain fire-retardant chemicals--
in particular, polybrominated diphenyl ethers,
known as PBDEs.
PBDEs have been banned in some states, Canada, and Europe
over health issues.
Newer flame retardants have replaced the use of some PBDEs,
but there are worries with those, as well.
Some mattresses can also contain formaldehyde and other fuming
chemicals from certain adhesives,
the materials used in mattress construction.
And harmful pesticides can be used
to grow conventional cotton.
But natural and organic may not mean what you think.
The term "natural" isn't regulated
by the government or any third party, so it's meaningless.
And a mattress can be labeled organic
even if only a portion of its materials
are certified organic.
Consumer Reports says there are two meaningful third-party
certifications to look for--
the Global Organic Textile Standard, or GOTS,
and the Global Organic Latex Standard, or GOLS.
GOTS requires an organic mattress contain at least 95%
certified organic fiber.
And it prohibits the use of harmful processing materials
and chemicals, allergenic dyes, and many other potentially
harmful ingredients.
The GOLS label requires that any latex in a mattress
come from a certified organic source.
Natural latex mattresses may have both the GOLS and GOTS
label.
There are other labels that can help lessen your exposure
to certain chemicals.
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the Greenguard Gold,
and the Greenguard labels all test final products
for potentially harmful chemical emissions
and set limits on volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
The Oeko-Tex takes it a step further
and bans the use of certain flame retardants
and dyes containing carcinogens and allergens.
If you're concerned about chemicals
added to polyurethane, look for the CertiPUR-US label.
It forbids the use of certain flame retardants
and requires testing for other chemical emissions,
such as formaldehyde in polyurethane foam.
Prices for mattresses with green claims
run from as little as $600 to more than $25,000
for luxury versions.
In general, if you're looking for certification,
expect to pay around $2,000 or more
for a queen-sized mattress.
Our Consumer Reports survey data shows
people typically spend about $500 to $1,750
on a new mattress.
And those who successfully haggled over the price
saved a median of around $200.
There are upscale brands charging $30,000
to more than $100,000 for luxury materials
like horse hair and cashmere.
But our tests find you can buy a perfectly good mattress
for under $1,000.
The sweet spot?
It's about $600 to $1,500.
And with more online-only mattress retailers
springing up, pricing is getting more competitive.
We tested many mattresses sold on the internet
and recommend several.
Consumer Reports says look for companies
that offer at least a 30-night trial,
free shipping on returns, and full credit on that return.
Generally, online manufacturers don't rely on sales,
so the advertised price is what you'll pay.
However, at a physical store, aim to pay 50% or more
off of the regular price.
That's sometimes called the MSRP, or Manufacturer's
Suggested Retail Price.
Stores usually list these prices right along
with the sale prices.
Skip extended warranties.
They usually only cover manufacturing defects,
not normal wear and tear.
Consumer Reports says save your money
and buy new sheets instead.
When it's time to give a mattress a test drive,
don't let sexy sales terms like "ultra plush," "super soft,"
or even "firm" sway you.
Consumer Reports independently measures firmness
by applying a slow, steady force to each mattress.
The mattress' response to that force
is recorded, averaged, and assigned a value from 1
through 10.
10 represents a very firm mattress, and 1 is very soft.
Our tests consistently find differences
between what manufacturers claim and our results.
So concentrate on whether it feels right to you.
A few tips.
First, choose the firmest mattress
that's still comfortable.
You want your mattress to support your spine
but still allow it to maintain its natural curve.
Next, bring your pillow from home.
When lying on your back, make sure the mattress meets
the curve of your lower back.
On your side, you don't want your shoulders and hips
taking on too much pressure or sinking
in too far, which can throw your spine
into an uncomfortable shape.
Try to roll into a different position
and note whether it's easy.
After lying on the bed for at least 15 minutes,
if you feel pain at your heaviest points,
the mattress may be too firm.
Aches, numbness, or tingling mean you're
on a mattress that's too soft.
Here are common sizes you'll see.
The largest mattress is the king, at 76 by 80 inches.
California king's aren't as wide as kings, but they are longer--
72 by 84 inches.
A queen is 60 by 80 inches.
Fuller double beds are 53 by 75 inches, and twins, 38
by 75 inches.
Many companies will craft a custom size, too--
for a price.
Now that you've got the basics, visit ConsumerReports.org
to subscribe and find our specific mattress brand ratings
based on our in-depth expert testing.
We're a not-for-profit, and we pay for all of the items we.
test.