The background: My wife and I bought our first king size bed in April 2005. Three years later the thing was already sagging down the middle. We lived with it for a year and then finally made a warranty claim. The company stripped the bed down to the springs and rebuilt a new mattress. It lasted 8 months before terrible again.
So I read Consumer Reports and lo and behold, besides the fact that it states that mattresses are the number one inquired about review next to cars, they don't actually rate any mattresses. I guess it is b/c the companies give each store their own model so it is impossible to compare. Consumer Reports did, however, give satisfaction survey numbers on the different manufacturers. It was amazing. All but one were 50% or lower (the question, I believe, was would you buy another mattress of this brand). Most were much lower than 50% (Serta was 35%). I mean WOW. It is disheartening to think that the vast majority of people are unhappy with their beds. And yes, this includes those Sleep Number, outrageously priced people (I can buy an inflatable queen mattress at Wal-Mart for $15. Why does putting a case around it make it worth $3,000?)
Well, the ONE COMPANY that had higher than 50% was Tempur Pedic (around 60%, not great, but better than the rest). Problem is, even though I could afford it, there is no way I am paying $3,300 for a 12" king size mattress. My first thought is, "China makes everything for 1/100th of the cost", so I started Googling memory foam mattresses. To my pleasant surprise the good ol' USA came through with Sleep Innovations.
I read all, and I mean all the reviews. I initially thought the Amazon Vine reviews (which are a lot) were bogus, purposely placed customer reviews. I have since learned (from a negative comment) that just means the company gave a bunch of free beds to get Amazon Vine reviews. But even discounting the Vines' reviews, you could see that nearly all people were happy with it. I was still concerned though because I read horror stories from customer reviews on another off-brand memory mattress at Amazon. Stuff like the corners not ever flattening out and the company saying it could only be returned in the original box (which is absolutely impossible - the thing is vacuum sealed in there).
So I called the company. I am expecting terrible service and it was the complete opposite. I got someone right away. A very nice, non-outsourced woman said that the company had been in business for 12 years; yes I could return the mattress within the 20 year warranty and no I would not have to use the same box (which when I asked that question, she stated flatly, "that would be impossible").
The product: I took the dive and bought it. The real test is how it will feel in 5 years, but I can't fast forward five years to give you a final verdict. And to that end, I figured I could get six of these for the price of a Tempur Pedic. But I can say that two weeks into it and I love this bed. A couple bullet points:
1. No problem with the hotness issue you read about, but it is not summer. I figure worst case scenario, I will add an egg crate on top to have some separation from my body and the foam mattress if I have a heat issue. I should note that we had an 80 degree day recently and I had no heat issues that night.
UPDATE: Have had 99 degree weather days and no problems (of course we use the A/C (keep it on 78), but I thought I should add that).
2. Foam smell went away. Again, if it hadn't, I would have bought an egg crate so my nose wasn't right on it.
3. It is a firm mattress. You would never believe it if you sat on the side but when your whole body is stretched out, it is firm. It is a good firm though. I always thought I was a soft mattress guy, but after sleeping 4 years on a pillow top and a bad back to show it, I am making the switch. I figured if I needed it softer, I could buy an egg crate (see a pattern here?).
4. DO NOT TAKE OFF THE WHITE COTTON COVER. This is apparently the equivalent of the do not remove for penalty of jail tag. If you read the brochure that comes with the mattress it tells you that the warranty is void if you do that. So put some other cover over that if you must.
5. My wife has a memory foam pillow and it contours big time to your head and if you move your head, it is like you are squishing down Mount Everest again. This mattress is not like that. Very mild contouring which I think is a real plus.
6. As other reviews say, it is heavy as Hades. I got it upstairs with me pushing it up with my back and my wife getting it over each stair hump. I would NOT recommend this if you have a bad back, etc. Get a couple guys to do it READ MORE
Sleep Innovations 12-Inch SureTemp Memory Foam Mattress 20-Year Warranty
