Other Postings

Memory Foam Mattress

    Memory foam Mattress  has been a hot topic lately, so I set out to examine this phenomenon in more detail and to discern the differences between some of the different brands.

    Here is some additional reading on Memory Foam Bed Benefits

    Originally developed by NASA for use in the space shuttle, memory foam was first brought commercially to market by Tempurpedic in the early 1990’s. When you would compare the foam used in pillowtop mattresses and then compare that to the Tempurpedic foam, you can tell that the Tempur foam is about 10 times heavier and much more expensive.

    In the passed four or five years a number of competitors have surfaced in the memory foam mattress market. These include Serta, Sealy, Select Foam, and King Koil among others. While I've seen these beds and know them to be very high quality and reputable, we have heard stories about companies marketing very low density foams (2.0lb) as 5.3lb foams. 

Density is the measure of how much a product weighs per given volume. Memory foams weigh between 1.5lb/cubic foot to 6.0lb/cubic feet. The quality foams are between 5.0lb and 5.3lb. They will last the longest and provide the highest amount of conforming comfort and relief.

    The other major aspect to take into consideration is firmness. Firmness should be between 10 and 16 ILD, with 10 being very plush, and 16 being very firm. Many beds will come with multiple layers with a different firmness in each density, so make sure to ask.

    Check out one of the companies I tested their Memory Foam and liked it.

    Also remember that the quality of the cover counts for something too. Some people want all the bells and whistles like cashmere and micro suede covers. These can be nice, but aren’t an absolute necessity. Most memory foam mattresses come  with a stretch cotton cover.

    In closing, I would say that while Tempurpedic is the best known, I do not think by any means that it is the only option or even the best. Other companies offer great alternatives. The bed we saw from SelectFoam.com, was barely discernible from the Tempurpedic, with the only difference being that it was a bit more soft. Not to mention it was about $500 less. So many times, with the Tempurpedic you are almost looking at the difference between the $6.00 bottled water you will find at exclusive clubs around the world and a bottle of Evian. Nearly indistinguishable, but very different prices. That being said, if someone is selling a $200 bed on Craigslist new, there is a very good chance that it is not a good product. The adjustable bed that they had looked good but seemed as if it may have been a bit too expensive and bulky.

    You are going to be spending a lot of time on this mattress, so make sure you take that into consideration when you are thinking about what you are willing to spend. The benefits can truly make up for the added cost. Check out the sleep associations for more general sleep info: www.sleepfoundation.org