1.  Comfort

Many people think that a hard feeling mattress is required for proper back support.  This is generally not true.

There is the right kind of soft and the wrong kind.  The wrong kind of soft is in an old mattress where the coils are worn out and you many wake up with back problems, as a result of your bed.  The right kind of soft is when you have a new mattress with a strong coil unit for support and padding built into the top for comfort.  There are two types of firmness…the support firmness and the comfort firmness.  The support firmness comes mostly from the coil unit and the comfort firmness comes mostly from the padding.

We always try to mention that you can get some padding built into your bed for comfort and still get support.  However, if anyone is unsure about their comfort preference, we recommend to go with something a little harder, since they usually soften up eventually over the years and you can always make your bed softer with separate convoluted egg crate foam pads or feather pads.  You can always make your bed softer but not harder.

2.  Support

Most of the support from a bed comes from the coil unit in the mattress.  It is very important to look for a mattress with the strongest coil unit possible.  The coils are what wear out over time creating a greater risk of backaches, as a result of your bed.

A strong boxspring or foundation is also important, as well as a strong frame with the proper center supports in queen and king sizes.

3.  Durability

It is not cut and dry that one manufacturer makes beds that last the longest.  Most manufacturers have low, mid and high level mattress sets.  Generally, the higher level mattress sets last longer and retain their new feel the longest.

The generic brand sets usually provide the best models from the low to mid range.

The big name brands usually provide the best models at the upper mid to high range.  Most people prefer a big name brand at the upper mid to high range.  They inspire more confidence and are more likely to be around longer.

4.  Price

A bed is one of the most important items in the house.  Most people spend approximately 8 hours per night in bed, which is almost 3000 hours per year.  Your mattress set can also affect your days as well as your nights.  Very few items give you so much value considering how much beds cost compared to how long they usually last.  It costs more in the beginning to purchase a higher level mattress set, but in the long run you usually end up better off because it usually lasts longer and you get a better bed to sleep on.

5.  Selection

A large selection is often necessary to fill the needs of a diversified public.  It is a good idea to shop at a large store.  It is also a good idea to shop where more than one mattress store is close to each other to insure good prices through competition and give you an even larger selection.  We recommend that you go to the store that you think has the best prices last.  Of course, we recommend Mattress Market.

6.  Service

Everyone deserves professional service at all times and everyone should be treated well regardless of their budget.

7.  Size

Know what size you need if possible.  Twin = 38″ X 75″, Full = 54″ X 75″, Queen = 60″ X 80″ and King = 76″ X 80″.  These are all approximations which often run approximately 1″ less on all dimensions.  Custom and semi-custom sizes are also available.

Check measurements in hallways and doorways if you are buying a larger size bed than you previously had.  Keep in mind that a queen box will occasionally not fit, so split boxes must be ordered at an additional charge.  This can also happen in full size although this is rare.

8.  Alternatives

Waterbeds, air beds, foam only beds, sofa beds and futons are alternative mattresses.  Whenever you sleep on a mattress without strong coils or without any coils at all, you are taking an extra chance with your back.  You may not get back problems, but you may be more likely to.

Some alternative mattresses offer extra strong centers for support, but these are usually expensive.

9.  Accuracy

Make sure all of the information on your sales slip is correct, including address, phone number, delivery date and any special instructions.