Best deals don’t necessarily come from stores slashing prices in half. Most are giving away nothing but advice and Monopoly money for savings. The best deals are found by savvy shoppers. Having it together and being organized & educated is how savvy deal getters save the big money. Here are the Top Five Ways To Find A Very Cheap Mattress Price.

1.) What size mattress do you need?

Size matters and it effects prices, so know what fits your sleeping needs and your bedroom space. Commonly mattress shoppers’ attention is redirected away from important information they need to know because they are focusing on something that could have been decided at home like bed size.

2.) How long do you expect this new mattress to last?

Cheap does not necessarily translate into quality or long lasting so be sure that the quality of the “mattress” that you purchase will meet its application of the beds intended use. A person may be able to  get away with a cheaper mattress for smaller light weight child where as a full grown adult will require more steel, higher strength foam etc. if the mattress is to last. Spend less for a spare bedroom mattress than one for the master bedroom; it won’t have to withstand daily use. A way to save twice is consider putting your old mattress in the spare bedroom and purchasing a new one for yourself saving you money over the long haul by only buying one bed.

3.) Do you have a realistic budget in mind?

People commonly see advertisements for prices like listed below and even worse because of such advertisements believe that they can get a mattress of quality, with good comfort, and good back support.
Twin $99.00
Full $150.00
Queen $200.00
King $400.00
Don’t just look at the cheapest prices look at the highest ones too. This gives shoppers a barometer by which to measure quality. Price usually correlates to value, hence the old saying “you get what you pay for”.

4.) Are you looking for a cheap new or used mattress?

Used mattresses
Most mattress stores in the USA only sell new due to sanitary issues and health laws in their states. Some stores will sell mattresses that are used or reconditioned. These should be clearly marked on the law label as having been properly sanitized. Many stores are not honest due to lacks reinforcement so buyers beware. Other money saving avenues include Backpage.com, Craigs List, and Freecycle.com

New mattresses
Have warranty to assist if a defect should arise.
Someone should be able to assist you with all specifications making comparing apples to apples somewhat easier.
Stores & online companies are often aggressively trying to earn your business by beating competitions prices so use this to your advantage.
Dustmites, mold, mildew, and all the things associated with used mattresses are not present in new mattresses.
Better support and comfort
Check out store liquidation centers and floor models for extra savings.

5.) Do you know how to properly compare mattresses?

Have a very good idea what kind of cheap mattress are you looking for. Try them all.

Mattress and Boxsprings
Memory Foam
All Natural Latex
Air Bed
Waterbed

Although this is made complicated by the industry the Internet is making it easier. Seek out informational websites that educate. Make sure they include detailed specifications, pictures of the mattress, and of course price. If mattress prices are as little as the sample prices we listed above there is usually a reason. See to it that somewhere they have disclosed anything and everything that is included  in the meager price. If possible lay on the mattress the old “test rest will tell you a lot. Lay on other mattresses and feel the difference.

Research forums such as www.whatsthebestmattress.com where people are eager and willing to share their information for free, it can be one of the most educational resources a person can utilize while mattress shopping. I use it myself to gain feedback. Utilize knowledgeable sales people and learn from them. On the other hand don’t waste time with sales associates who only push discounts and savings, more often than not they usually do not have your best interest in mind.

At the time of this article we were celebrating the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Years holiday seasons which got me to thinking about family and friends and where we people put them when they come into town or over to stay. It is not uncommon… as a matter of fact it is more the norm. We often see people flocking into stores like mine at the last minute and in need of a new mattress set for the extra bedroom because they have company coming to stay with them. While these people plan for such events important details get overlooked. We all have busy lives and quick hasty last minute bad purchasing decisions bring on the feeling of regret. So today we’re sharing are best Guest Bedroom Mattress Ideas whether you need it tomorrow, this weekend or as some tell me yesterday. We’ll spare you the buyers remorse.

Guest Bedroom Mattress Ideas Click Photo

Tips on how to select the right guest bedroom mattress.

• What size will you need? Know this up front it will save you from making a trip back home or having to call and interrupt someone else to do it for you. Are you trying to fit an existing bed you already have? Are you starting from scratch? If you are starting from scratch we believe you need at least a full size mattress.  A queen size mattress we feel is best for beds that will be accommodating a couple especially in the confines of a smaller guest room where kings are out of the question.
• A smart money saving tip is if you happen to have the same size mattress in your master bedroom and it is getting a little older and worn or perhaps isn’t quite your ideal mattress think about moving it to the spare bedroom. Putting the money toward something you need or want can really benefit you for nights and years to come as a bed for yourself.
• Next you need to find a reputable place to buy. Start by asking family, friends and coworkers. They may have already done this and could save a lot of time, aggravation, and money. The BBB and online reviews can also be helpful to learn of a stores reputation and helpfulness.
• While most people don’t like to dump much money into a guest bed mattress there are a couple reasons that you may need or want to raise your buying budget. Be careful cheap low end mattress models often can and do under perform, sleep bad, or even worse wear out prematurely regardless even if only used rarely.

More tips and questions to consider:

How often will it be used? Mattress sets that just need to take up space and fill up a room for looks and appeal doesn’t have to be high quality saving you time and money. The cheapest price will nearly always get the job done.

Think about who the mattress will be used by children or adults? Beds used by lightweight individuals will cause little wear and tear on mattresses compared to people of size especially when used more frequently. The fact is if small children or tiny adults will be utilizing the bed will offer you more leeway. Know this that people just under and especially over 200 lb usually damage cheep low quality bedding so buy accordingly. Article: The Truth about Cheap Mattresses.

The Starting cost in many stores for Cheap Low Cost spare bedroom mattresses?

• Twin size set $99.00
• Full size set $149.00
• Queen size set$199.00
• King size sets $299.00

Final tips for guest bedroom mattress ideas may also need to include an inexpensive air mattress . Something like used for camping or perhaps good upgrade to something similar to that of the AeroBed® air mattresses advertised widely. Roll away beds can be another fairly cheap solution and they also store easily like AeroBed type mattresses. Our favorite low cost solution comes in the form of a Mattress Topper which should only be used on existing mattresses that are excessively firm or that are not worn with deep body impressions.

Packing too Much for College By SwingBabyDoll

The mattress stores know your getting ready to go back to school or off college for your first year, if you are and you’re shopping for back to school mattress sales here’s why you’ll want to check out STL Beds. While other stores yell “sale sale sale” in loud expensive TV commercials giving away monopoly money for savings, STL beds offers you the very best quality mattresses, for the lowest prices, and these beds sleep great. But here is a question for you. Would you know a great back to school mattress sale if you saw one? If you are like most back to school mattress shoppers you don’t do this every day and chances are you wouldn’t. The mattress industry is notorious for it’s trickery like “ The Mattress Industry Name Game ” and deceptive advertising touting huge savings and a long mattress warranty.

A Big Mistake Mattress Shoppers Make

If I could put my finger on one of the biggest mistake shoppers make when buying a mattress I would have to say they buy based on the amount of  money that they are able to save vs. how much bed they are getting for the money they are about to spend. That’s right we see dollars signs and the more of those we’re told we’re saving the better deal we seem to think were getting. When in reality we need to be comparing apples to apples. Mattresses that have similar, like, or exact construction should be compared by their specifications or makeup, then and only then do you compare prices.

Example: Comparing 2 Mattresses for Back To School Sales

Comparing 2 similar beds:
Store A                                             Store B
Simmons                                           Sealy
Full Size                                             Full Size
416 coils                                           416 coils
13 gauge                                           13 gauge
3 layers 1″ foam                             3 layers 1″ foam
Foam Densities Same                  Foam Densities Same
(EDLP) $399.00                            Regular Price $799.00
(EDLP) $399.00                            Back To School Sale    $429.00

While these are obviously not from the same company they are definitely comparable mattresses. Store A is selling their Simmons (EDLP) Every Day Low Price for $399.00 While the other is claiming theirs is regularly $799.00 and during the   big sale. The reality is you are over paying by $30.00 at store B who is suposed saving you $370.00.

These marketing practices are common. Such practices put all of the emphasis on the monies saved vs. quality or product received for those monies.  Why put the money in the pockets of retailers and manufactures when with a little savvy shopping you can come out on top, save money, get a great product and a great deal.

Examples of Everyday Low Mattress Pricing Below:

Lux Pillow Top Mattress
Twin Mattress $138.00
Full Mattress $160.00
Queen Mattress $198.00
Acadia Plush Mattress
•    Twin Mattress $189.00
•    Full Mattress $220.00
•    Queen Mattress $242.00
•    King Mattress $331.00
Denali Plush Mattress or Denali Firm Mattress
•    Twin Mattress $273.00
•    Full Mattress $320.00
•    Queen Mattress $346.00
•    King Mattress $531.00
Denali Euro Top Mattresss
•    Twin Mattress $278.00
•    Full Mattress $344.00
•    Queen Mattress $382.00
•    King Mattress $537.00

You can see these every day low priced beds by simply clicking on their names for more details. Tell us some of your shopping experiences that you were less than thrilled about.

A. Before you start mattress shopping determine your needs first.

Change By Busy-Pochi

Think about your lifestyle. Why it’s true we all have a routine we don’t have to continue sleeping on an uncomfortable, nonsupportive, possibly even unhealthy mattress. Unfortunately change is tough and many of us just simply settle for that old mattress not realizing the affects it can have on your daily life.

While lack of support can be  painful or even worse aggravating ongoing issues for people with bad backs, soreness, painful muscle pressure. We now know more than ever that getting a good night of healthy sleep has a direct impact on our daily way of life.

What kinds of changes have taken place since the last time you bought a mattress and how might that affect your purchase?

The truth is changes in the bedding industry come almost daily and if you haven’t bought a bed in recent years here’s a few of the things you can expect and should be prepared to research.

• Mattress durability- Due to less steel springs and more foam padding mattresses don’t last as long
• Mattress Selection- There are many many kinds of different mattresses to choose from each can feel very unique, wear very differently, and vary dramatically in cost. Some of those bed types to consider include memory foam, latex, air, waterbeds, mattresses and boxsprings, gel, and hybrids of the previously mentioned.
• Has your body changed and how might that affect what you buy today and will like tomorrow. Time changes us all and what we liked at age 18 we probably won’t like at 38 or 58. Beds that offer versatility such as air beds, bed kits, softsides, and replaceable layers offer such convenience are a great solution. Again consider your specific support comfort preferences. A great way to do this is to visit showrooms and test rest beds.
• Do you sleep with another person? Consider the space needs that will be required if you have a partner with you. Our suggestion is if you do to make sure you shop for a mattress with them test resting the bed together for adequate sleeping space. Take your time a mattress is a big purchase it is important to select a bed that meet both your comfort preferences and support needs.

Will the bed fit?

Houses and bedroom have been getting bigger for years and people are buying more stuff to fit in those bedrooms. There is a down side to these bigger sleeping spaces often times people have visions of grandeur and decide to increase the size of their bed without measuring first.  Having already filled the room with more furniture we need to measure our space allowing enough room to open doors, drawers, and move around the room freely.

Consider mattress thickness

Mattress thickness is one of the most shocking and underestimated parts of a new mattress purchase. Mattresses’ thickness can range up to 20 inches thick hiding headboards, and making old sheet sets virtually obsolete. This can be a costly mistake if you hadn’t counted on purchasing all new bedding such as sheets, mattress pads and protectors, even a taller headboard.  What is the Normal Thickness for a Mattress and Boxspring?

Mattress thickness translates into taller beds

Be prepared to climb in or out of the bed. Lower profile frames and low profile boxsprings can have you sitting on the edge of the bed with your feet touching the floor while making the process of getting in and out the mattress a better experience.  How To Lower a Tall Mattress and Boxspring

Tell us about the things that have changed since the last time you bought a new mattress.

Sleeping on the Rocks By Neither Fanboy

, are you sure your getting what you asked for? Do you really know what the words firm mattress mean in the mattress industry? Hang tight this article is going to make you second guess your selection. For those of you that have not read my regular blog I often just call it like I see it and this one is one that needs to be called out from the roof tops and I quote “I’m looking for a firm mattress” or better yet check out a recent mattress add “Firm Mattress On Sale Now”. Those two words firm and mattress may very well be the most over used words in the bedding industry.

Firm Is Over Used as a Mattress Description

While the words firm mattress are all to often used together far too often I would only add that many other descriptions are thrown around like pillows on a little kids sleep over. As they say in the industry test out these; Extra Firm, Super Firm, Cushion Firm, Plush Firm, and Firm Pillow Top. By now I hope you can see where I am going with this. Each of these words while descriptive is not specific to what the mattress actually feels like.

No Consistency in the Mattress Industry for Mattress Firmness

While somewhat helpful these descriptions are not clear and precise as to what the bed might feel like. A mattress shopper could and probably will visit several stores. Each will sell their very own versions of what they call a firm mattress even if each bed was built exactly the same and was exactly the same firmness salespeople would describe them as differently as the words I shared above and some I may not have thought of off the top of my head. Why, because there is no standard firmness measurement within the entire bedding industry to define and determine a hardness or softness scale for customers to use for a basis of comparison.

The Misleading Firm Mattress Ad

I remember a couple who brought in an ad while I worked for a competitor Sleep Station in St. Louis MO and the customer asked me to see the $199.00 queen size firm mattress we had advertised. I took the couple back to see the mattress located in the far corner of the store and asked them to lie down to see if it met their comfort and support needs. The customer then asked me if I was kidding him. I said no why? He responded this is a piece of S*#t and it isn’t even firm. I told him I had firmer mattresses and he asked to see them. I showed him the other firm mattresses and he agreed that they were firmer than the one at $199.00 he’d just tried. I explained that extra firmness would come at additional cost and the one he ultimately chose  was $400.00 more. He replied that he wasn’t going to pay that and that the company’s newspaper ad was misleading in by calling the $199.00 mattress firm. While I agreed that it was ridiculous to call the $199.00 mattress firm especially when comparing it to more the expensive and better built bed it was without a doubt very firm when compared to other $199.00 beds both in our store and at the competitions stores.

How Is Mattress Firmness Measured

The bottom line is at this time a 1 to 10 scale does not exist. While firmness of foam can be measured with polyurethane foam, memory foam, land latex rubber by using ILD or IFD it is rarely ever marketed and is only one measurement. Coil springs to my knowledge market no such measurement. I say give the shoppers all the information available so that they may compare mattresses on a level field that is easy to understand with no confusion. After all even doctors and chiropractors don’t agree on the proper mattress firmness.

Hype - for a future blog post

Mattresses come in a variety of price ranges, brands, and kinds which makes bargain hunting confusing and nearly impossible.  Misleading marketing and sales tactics confuse and frustrate unknowing shoppers just looking for the best deal. Our hope is to share with you some of the most Common Pitfalls Of  Buying A Mattress  or in other words the most used marketing gimmicks used to pedal mattresses sets out the door.

Watch out for Puffery

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines Puffery. Mattress Puffery, Sometimes you know when you’re being a fed a line of bull and sometimes you don’t and in the case of the mattress industry their methods of selling and advertising very well may be one of the best examples of Puffery.  Example: While I feel that I sell the best products in the business how do you know that I do? If I were to exaggerate or promote a subjective view “hype” of my product  rather than an objective one concerning the features  and the benefits of my product  that is puff. Protect yourself against mattress puffery and educate yourself about mattress construction, pricing, and tactics.

Comparing Mattresses

The Mattress Name Game one of the most deceptive forms of marketing I have seen. Same brand, same or similar components, different pricing. Manufacturers make subtle changes in the fabric color and name with a tweak difference here and slight change there and retailer have a mattress model they can call their own and since no one else carries this exact model they don’t have to price match.

One sided vs. Two Sided

While this is a very debatable topic it is my feeling that if you can get two sides on a mattress and comparable inner components for nearly or exactly the same price which is why we suggest buying  a two sided mattress . 1-sided versions are cunningly described as the newest technology that can reduce the need for constant or hard to do customer care by means of improved materials, which in my humble opinion is a farce. These one sided can’t flip mattresses use less steel and more foam and padding that compresses and break down.  Not turning and flipping your mattress is as silly as not rotating the tires on your car.

Mattress manufacturer’s tout features…

such as seat edge supports, very thin layers of memory foam or latex. Some add cashmere, silk, and wool with a content level that is so low it’s barely measurable. The more coils you have must be better right? Kinds of coils and their unique patented designs. These puffed up features make the product look good and worth the inflated price that retailers ask for them.

“Firm” Possibly the most over used word in the mattress industry

Wait I’ll add a few others; extra firm, super firm, cushion firm, etc. While there seems to be a standard way to use them in puffing up or describing a mattress’ feel there is no standard definition of measurement that would allow them to be easily compared to one another being used by the industry.  Since mattress firmness is subjective let the buyer beware.

Promises of Savings by Way of a Sale

Just turn on your TV, open up your newspaper, direct mailer, or visit website mattress sales you will find they are as common as the nose on our faces. While big savings as much as 50, 60, even 70 percent off are common, tactics used to create excitement such as final days,  3 days only, or sale ends Saturday are used to create the immediate urgency to buy now to get the deal.  Be leery of special “sales,” that only happen once a year or certain holidays. The truth is these stores sell mattresses all year; they have to pay mortgage, rent, utilities, and salaries why can’t they do it all the time? They can and they will approach them with a competitor’s better price and watch the cost go down.Also be careful of advertisements featuring low almost too good to be true pricing. The old saying still applies you get what you pay for a low-end poorly constructed bed that will be uncomfortable from day one.

So forget the Puffery and Hype. Most importantly remember our mattress shopping tips outlined above. Print them out, remember them, they are some of the most basic and important things you need to know in order to be an educated and informed shopper.

We all do it and hands down it is one of the most damaging things you can do to your bed, sitting on the mattress edge.The mattress has become our place to watch TV, sit and put on your slippers or shoes on, work, and yes we even play. The fact is we just don’t sleep in our mattresses anymore and due to all of these extra activities that we throw at our mattress on a daily basis. The reality is we could construct the mattress edge of concrete but would that really be the best and most comfortable mattress.

How Supportive Should My Mattress Edges Be?

A mattress should give total and even support all the way up to the edge and most importantly you should never feel like you are rolling off or falling out or in to the bed’s edge due to poor construction and weakness.

Kinds of Mattress Edges

What kind of sleeping edge has the best highly is debatable. The inside edges of a mattress come in various configurations and designs.

• Wire tied coil springs
• Heavy duty boarder rods or border wires
• Foam encasement that encloses an innerspring coil unit
• Closed cell foam: this can either run the length of the mattress edge or wraps certain coils on the mattress edge.
• Heavier wire gauge coil springs

About mattress edges

Wire tied coil springs rely on each other and collectively offer additional strength and mattress life. Each spring is connected by a spiral wire called a helical wire looks like the same as a notebook of paper used by students. The difference is the helical wire is much heavier and  built to support body weight for many many years.

Border rods range in thickness and enclose the perimeter of the coil springs. Better border rods tend to be thicker or of heavier gauge often ranging from 6-9 gauge.  Complaints with this design are inconsistent firmness on the sleeping surface and additional pressure on the back of the legs when sitting on the edge.

Some beds consist of heavier duty coil springs. Coils springs may consist of one or two rows with a higher coil count or concentration of coils adding a firmer feel and additional seat edge strength. Steel gauge is important so consider systems that include a lower number gauge which will offer additional strength. Complaints include loss of shape because most systems are designed with coils encased in fabric or material and take on the shape of a whiskey barrel over time. Varying firmess for both sleeping and seating.

Closed Cell Foam reinforced sides. This edge strengthening system is made of semi-rigid closed cell foam and typically runs the length of the mattress sides. Some brands wrap every other coil or every third coil to give the mattress edges needed strength.

Foam encased models vary slightly but the overall gist is an edge support system that surrounds the coils typically make up the mattress perimeter. The coils are replaced with 4 inches of foam all the way around your mattress. The polyurethane foam can differ in thickness, density, and IFD or ILD. Foam replaces steel making the bed lighter and arguably weaker. Foam encasements often have a more comfortable edge to edge for sleeping and additionally when sitting on the mattress side. Complaints include premature failure.

No Flipping By Cyanocorax

You were not asked, you were not given a choice, and you were told after all that most people don’t flip their mattresses anyway.  You were never asked your opinion; they just took the two sided mattresses away, and gave you what many call an inferior product. A customer once said to me that the “No Flip Mattress should be called the Can’t Flip Mattress” after having replaced three in just as many years and having loved the name the “Can’t Flip Mattresses”  I have used borrowed it every since.

Two Sided Mattresses Going Extinct?

While two may not yet be extinct they’re not in every mattress showroom and while they can be found here and there, it is rare to find them making their way into to your homes’ bedrooms. Once the primary way mattresses were made, today flippable mattresses are all but a memory. We thought we’d share a short list of companies that still build two sided mattresses. Although their retail distribution and selection is often very limited contacting one of these mattress manufacturers will get you heading the right direction.

• King Koil
• Symbol Mattress
• Corsicana
• Englander
• Serta
• Campbell Mattress
• The Original Mattress Factory
• Eclipse-Therapedic
• Fox Mattress
• Shifman

The Truth About Why Can’t You Flip New Mattresses?

The industry says you won’t turn the mattress over anyway, they say the beds are improved, and they believe one sided mattresses are safer but is all of this true? Only you can answer the first question but wouldn’t you at least like to have the option?

Quality One Sided Beds Really?

This seems like a stretch for many to call one sided mattresses better than their predecessors but why? The fact is foam encased mattress perimeters have replaced high quality heavy gauge steel border rods and in some cases heavier gauge steel wire coil springs. Something else that seems to have gone the way of the Doo Doo Bird is heavy duty insulation. Insulation is used to protect padding from the coil chaffing and foam shredding and most importantly to stop foam and other padding from sagging into coils springs.

Marketing, it’s all about the marketing. Today mattresses are thicker and more impressive visually, but the coil heights are still basically the same 6 inches they have always been with few exceptions. Let’s face it, piling up layer upon layer of foam till you have a mattress that is 12 inches an in many cases taller not only makes it hard to find sheets to fit but it is a recipe for body impressions, all you need to do is add the body.

Mattresses Have Gone On A Diet?

While many of us could afford to lose a few pounds that is something we cannot afford for our mattresses to do. While giving up pounds in a mattress may seem like a good thing for those that have problems flipping or may not be able to turn a mattress over the new diet one sided mattresses have gone on means losing steel one of the strongest building materials in the world. Mattress builders have opted to replace quality steel with cheaper polyurethane foam and since we’re talking about foam it’s important to note that mattress companies have compromised the quality of the foam used in your mattress by injecting more air making the foam less dense, weaker, more light weight and oh yeah cheaper.

Mattresses Meet Federal Fire Laws For Safety

While it is true they may pass burn tests can we survive the chemicals that are often being used to help meet the new federal safety requirements it is a very debatable decide for yourself in an article we wrote a while back called Afraid of your mattress?

So Is The Can’t Flip Mattress A Must Buy?

While no mattress is perfect including the two sided variety we think the Can’t Flip Mattress could stand to beef up and bulk up. Lets face it giving up just  one of the above mention constructional features is a more than enough to significantly compromise mattress quality and many have all but abandoned these quality building techniques. As you can see the fact is most all of these things are now part of today’s “Can’t Flip Mattress”

First some basics. Every coil spring mattress is made of up of 3 basic components that work in conjunction with one another:

1. Innerspring core or coil springs
2. Foundation or box spring
3. Upholstery layers or comfort layers

Spring mattress core

Today we are talking about the inner most core of a mattress which is also called the innerspring unit and is maybe “the” most important part of the mattress set. Mattresses that use a coil spring mattress core are some of the most popular beds being slept on these days and while finding beds to choose from isn’t hard to do, most people will agree that comparing them can be quite challenging at the least. This is because ultimately coils are what mold and contours and support the person sleeping in the mattress and manufactures know this. Each believes theirs is the best and most will challenge you to find better or comparable models to theirs. One of those ways they do this is by asking you to compare the steel gauge of the spring.

What is Coil Spring or Innerspring Wire Gauge?

DSC_0403 By Wbaiv

While it is debatable that coil spring wire gauge is a “spot-on” or only real measure of support and mattress firmness so we’ll try to explain. In the industry there are a series of numbers that usually correlate to the steel wire’s thickness.  This measure is called gauge and the lesser the number the thicker the wire used to manufacture the coil spring, the greater the number the thinner the wire used for building a coil. Numbers start at 12.5-gauge (1.94 mm) coils, and is the firmest, while higher  gauge spring systems range up to 15.5-gauge (1.37 mm). Gauge often increases or decreases in ¼ increments. Another thing to consider is that mattresses with more coils of the exact same gauge wire will feel firmer. While we do believe that a mattresses wire gauge is very important, this is but only one of many important factors for comparing and measuring up mattresses to one another and again should not be used alone to judge a mattresses overall quality.

About other mattress comparison methods
Types of coils are another comparison factor such as Bonnel Coils, Independent Pocketed Coils /Marshall Coils or Encased Coils, Offset Coils, and Continuous Coils all offer various advantages and disadvantages to their design. Check out this link http://www.stlbeds.com/articles/2011/06/03/explain-coil-counts-mattresses/

Coil count: one more comparison method used to shop mattresses against one another. This link explains Coil Counts on Mattresses in great detail.

Coil Connections: this is how the coils help the mattress retain its shape and are connect to one another. The majority of coils springs are linked by interconnecting wires called a helical; encased coils or Marshall Coils or Independent Pocketed Coils are not joined with a helical, but instead are encased or wrapped in man-made materials or fabric encasement usually called pockets which have pros and cons to their design.

Continuous Wire Coil Count

Remember the old saying he who dies with the most toys wins? What if we applied that same thinking to the number of wire coils found inside the typical mattress? Would having more coils make up a better quality inner mattress core? You might be surprised to learn that the old way of comparing beds does not necessarily apply to today’s mattresses. As matter of fact one bed can hardly be compared to another by coil count alone, this is due to the various coil systems available.

How to compare coil counts

There used to be  a time when coils were basically all built the same. These mattresses usually used a bonnel  or offset designed coil. The difference ended up being one of a couple things steel thickness, coil shape, number of turns in a coil and how many were used in a industry standard full size bed. Today comparing coils can be tricky at best and nearly impossible at worst. Tricks include playing games knowing that people rarely ask what size the count is based on. Problem is quoting coil counts for larger mattresses means inflated coil counts due to its bigger sizes.

Today we know that more coils actually affect the beds feel more so than affecting the mattresses overall quality something that was also mentioned in Consumer Reports Magazine. The number of coils being increased usually necessitates a smaller coil in addition to thinner steel wire referred to as the gauge or thickness. All must fit inside of a mattress adding to one of the numerous factors used to measure and compare beds in addition to coil count.

Coil type or kind can affect mattress coil counts?

Bonnell Coil Count Comparison

Most people haven’t a clue what type of coil is in their mattress. Problems arise comparing coils. Example: pocketed coils, Marshall coils, fabric encased coils, encapsulated coils etc. All similar coils that are very comparable coils, yet as similar as they are, each is different. Some are taller, some are shorter. Others have been heated tempered once maybe even  double tempered to ensure coils shape over time through heat treating and cooling. Others claim such a process is unnecessary if you use significantly more wire to make the coil.

Continuous wire coils have been known to quote their coils systems by the number of inches, coil counts, while putting no focus on the number of turns a coil has from top to bottom a once widely used comparison method. Being made from one piece of wire, one coil flows  for stability into the next positioning coils closer or further apart for less or more support where needed.

Tall coil springs: Coil height may be one of the biggest factors to determine mattress life and today they’re thick. The trick being cheaper shorter steel coils can replace taller ones by using less expensive foam to make up the height.

Compare Individual Pocked Coil Counts

Foam encasement vs. border rods: Many of today’s mattresses use foam in place of a heavy duty steel border rod made of generally 6-8 gauge steel.  This race track edge eliminates nearly two full rows of metal coil springs and 1 or 2 border rods around the entire mattress perimeter making it hard to compare foam encased versions to traditionally built beds.

These are really just the tip of the iceberg considering all the various kinds of coils being made but know this, Leggett and Platt makes the majority of all the steel coils that go into all mattresses today. Consumer Reports has said “On the Whole Coil Count Doesn’t Matter”. What fails is the layers of cheap foam and padding. Personally I have not had a coil fail in too many years to remember and offer this advice. There are just too many better ways to compare mattress quality than the number of coils it contains.