Reddit mentions of DreamFoam Bedding 10" Ultimate Dreams Medium Comoft Latex Mattress, Queen

Recently I was in the market for a mattress ($600-900 range) I wanted to get the most for my money and I don't know much about mattresses so I did some research.

Heres what I learned:

Brand Names

Brand names add cost not necessarily quality. When it comes to mattresses the mark up is crazy so that's why you see these sales at the major mattress stores. They wan't you to feel like you are getting a good deal. Usually you can find a mattress made of better quality materials for cheaper from a "no name" brand.

Basically what I found out is that there are independent mattress makers all over the country that use high quality materials and are more transparent with what they use (some even custom pour your mattress [latex] to your firmness specifications for about a third of the cost of the name brands while using better materials at the same time).

Materials and "You get what you pay for"

Basically mattresses are made up of 2 parts that are of concern to you. The support layer and the comfort layer.

The Support Layer

The support layer is underneath the part you lay (lie?) on. It is often made of springs, but it can be latex or air or water it is one of the major factors in how far your body sinks down into the mattress.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is the part your body touches and material determines how much it conforms to your body.

The Materials and Construction

So there are three materials that you will see most often. Poly-foam, memory foam and latex. Each has different properties and usually you will see some kind of combo of both. For example usually a mattress with a latex comfort layer will have a poly-foam support core to make it cheaper. There are all latex mattresses though too. Here is a quick break down of the materials:

Latex: Most expensive, but holds up the best. I think of it as a balance between memory foam and HD or HR poly-foam meaning it is conforming, but also springy. It also does not get a hot as memory foam. And it is resistent to bed bugs. Try to get at least 2" in your comfort layer. Talaylay natural latex is preferable.

Memory Foam: Conforms to your body. Comes in different qualities, weights and thicknesses. I personally don't like memory foam, because it get too hot and when it's cold it gets hard. It also makes me feel trapped. But some people swear by it.

Poly-foam: Usually springier than latex or memory foam. Used in both comfort and support layers. Rule of thumb is to ask about the density. High density foam is 1.8 lbs and High resiliency is 2.5 lbs. Do not buy if it is under 1.8 lbs. that is when you get those permanent impressions.

So is it true that you get what you pay for? Sort of. For a 100% percent latex mattress custom poured by a independent mattress maker you will pay around $1500-2200 because you are paying for high quality materials. A name brand version will likely cost $3000+
You will get much more for your money going "no-name"

Going to the Store

Another thing I learned is that if you go into a chain mattress store it is unlikely that the sales person will know what you are talking about when you start asking about foam densities and latex types or they won't have the answer.

Find a store that sells no-name or local brands and make sure that they will tell you what each layer is made of and what the quality of the materials are or if they don't know they are willing to find out for you.

The better quality of the materials the longer your mattress will last and be comfortable for.

Trying the mattress out is important, but remember even a mattress with cheap materials will be comfortable for a little while until it starts to break down.

Buying Online

Initially I was going to buy a mattress from http://www.brooklynbedding.com/ The guy custom makes latex mattresses for reasonable prices. When I buy a king size 100% latex it will probably be from there. He also sells on Amazon (under Dreamfoam Bedding) and gets excellent reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Dreams-Latex-Mattress-Comfort/dp/B00CP85RXK/ref=sr_1_2?m=APCUWEOU23BHI&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1370627773&sr=1-2&keywords=latex

Ultimately, I went to a local store and I didn't have to ask about materials because all of the densities were printed on the label. I ended up getting a mattress for $600 that if it was a name brand with the same materials it would have cost around $1000 or so.

The Coolest Thing I Learned

All the info I learned I got from this site:

http://www.themattressunderground.com/

The guy who runs the site and is the go to guy in the forums is named Phoenix and is insanely knowledgeable about mattresses. Seriously, his mattress knowledge is PhD level.

There is way more info on that site then I could ever remember.

TL;DR

No name mattresses are usually higher quality and cheaper than name brand mattresses. It's all about materials.

I bought a DreamFoam Latex Mattress, they're not super expensive and you can customize to the exact firmness you want. I got a 3.5, which is pretty firm (think Ikea mattress firmness) on their scale. The top of it is super soft/cool bamboo fiber, and its definitely the most comfortable mattress I've ever slept on.

So far its been great. I bought this one in a "7" out of 10, 10 being most soft. Latex is a fast-acting foam so it has a similar feel to the way an innerspring would react, rather than slow-acting memory foam. Like I said its only been a week, but so far I am pleased and would buy again.

Oh and if you decide to go with this mattress buy it from their website where you can get a 10% discount amazon doesn't give.