Which mattress to choose
Buying a mattress can be hard work. There is so much choice nowadays, memory foam, latex, pocket sprung, etc, etc….
I am often asked to advise on the best choice and tend to have a standard spiel which I almost recite automatically after many years of selling beds and mattresses. This is an attempt to put this on paper (well, your screen anyway) so you can make your own informed choices and, hopefully, get the right mattress for you.
Before I start, one thing is certain, with mattresses, you get what you pay for. Buy a cheap or low quality mattress and while initially it might be comfortable, it won’t last. Therefore, buy the best you can afford. The mattress may not be visible, and you may be tempted to buy a fancy bed frame or base but you sleep on the mattress, not the base!
Generally mattresses are in 3 categories (there are variations within these but let’s not get too complicated).
1) Open Coil. This is the traditional type, where the springs are wired together. The spring unit may or may not have an edge support wire, designed to keep the mattress in shape and help prevent people rolling off the edge. Generally, cheaper ones don’t have this edge wire.
Open coil mattresses are generally the cheapest sort, and some are very good. Fillings are then laid over the top of the springs, and the whole thing is then wrapped in the covering. These coverings vary, some have stitch bond cotton covers, and some have a smooth damask cover. Damask covers are generally more hardwearing as they are not prone to bobbling (like you’ll find on a jumper). The fillings are generally held in place by either stitches (often referred to as quilted) or buttons that go right through the mattress (often referred to as tufted or hand tufted).
The firmness of the mattress depends primarily on the gauge of the springs within. Thicker wire makes stiffer springs, which are less giving, making the mattress feel firmer.
2) Pocket Sprung. My personal favourite. With a pocket sprung mattress (otherwise called Pocket Spring) each spring is wrapped in its own individual cloth pocket, which means it is affected less by its neighbour. So where you lie will depress the springs, but the adjoining springs will not depress (or depress less). This produces a nice supportive feel because the springs keep supporting where needed and ‘give’ where your body presses more into the mattress. These springs are again covered in fillings and wrapped in the mattress covering (usually damask).
These mattresses usually have the edge support wire too, which helps keep the mattress in shape. As for open-coil mattresses, the firmness is altered by using stiffer springs, although with pocket sprung mattresses, the idea of having individual support with each spring should reduce the need to go to for too stiff a spring where extra support is required.
Pocket sprung mattresses are ideal when there is a significant difference between two people sleeping on the mattress, as they reduce the ‘roll-together’ associated with many open coil mattresses. To view a range of pocket sprung beds click here.
3) Foam mattresses - Foam mattresses vary significantly. They include reflex foam, memory foam and latex foam. I will briefly cover each below, but most foam mattresses (except some reflex foam) will be made of a combination of the primary foam and some other sleep system. This may be springs (both open coil and pocket sprung), or another type of foam.
- Reflex foam - Generally used where a firmer feel is needed, often used on electric beds, or when a thinner mattress is required. This is often used underneath other types of foam to give additional support (eg. Memory Foam).
- Memory foam - Often referred to as visco-elastic foam, this type of foam was initially developed by NASA for space exploration as it moulds itself to the body shape. Reacting to your weight as well as body heat, memory foam mattresses are very comfortable, but one word of warning – they are hot! I used to have one of these mattresses but had to get rid of it as I regularly woke smelling like a packet of salt and vinegar crisps!
Memory foam mattresses do not dissipate your body heat like traditional mattresses, therefore, if you’re prone to being hot in bed (for want of a better phrase) then consider this problem. As is often the case with couples, one is often hot, and the other not, so reducing the tog rating of your duvet may lead to a new love of flannelette nighties!
There have been developments over recent years to reduce this problem. Coolmax® covers help. COOLMAX® fabric is the performance fabric that includes an effective fibre-based moisture management system. The system can move perspiration away from the body, and through the fabric, where it can evaporate quickly, allowing the wearer to feel cooler and more comfortable. I don’t quite understand the science behind it, but I am told it works quite well. To view some Coolmax® beds click here.
Memory foam mattresses are always made using some other system underneath it. This can be reflex foam, which makes the overall feel a bit stiffer (although memory foam mattresses will never feel as firm as sprung mattresses), open coil springs, or pocket sprung. Pocket sprung systems produce the best general support, but some people find this a little soft, click here for examples. One very popular combination is using a heavy gauge very stiff open coil spring under memory foam, which produces the perfect combination for back-ache sufferers.
- Latex Foam – One of the more recent developments in mattress technology, Latex is a natural material, which carries many of the benefits of memory foam without the heat problem mentioned above. Latex beds and mattresses give a more comfortable night’s sleep. Latex is a natural product with many unique properties. It has a resilient feel with excellent durability; it is hypo-allergenic and has microbial properties. It conforms to your body contours, is breathable so your body won’t overheat which is the case with memory foam.
Latex mattresses are at the top end of mattresses for cost (I’m told because of the increased use of condoms, although this has not been proven to me!), but they are also, perhaps, the most comfortable. Click here for examples of latex mattresses and beds.
