Mattress opinions wanted

[leehljp]

I made the oak bed that we now have - 25 years ago and will be shipping it home in 3 1/2 years (when we return for retirement) without the mattress and box springs. I will be looking to replace the mattress and box springs (are they necessary?)

I am looking at:
1. Select Sleep Comfort
2. Tempur-pedic
3. Beauty Rest.


I like what I read about the Sleep Comfort (Select Sleep Comfort) and the Tempur-pedic. LOML does not like the concept of the Tempur-pedic because she feels she will not be able to "roll over" easily based on the way it "behaves." I am favoring the idea of the Select Comfort because we both like different degrees of hardness/softness.

Does anyone have and sleep on either the Select Sleep Comfort or the Tempur-pedic? What are your opinions?

Thanks

[smorris]

We have the select comfort and love it. I tend to like mine a little softer than the wife who goes for the plywood over concrete setting. Nice to be able to have individual settings and we both find it handy to alter the setting. When my back is bad I stiffen it up some and that helps a lot.

We went through a regular boxspring matress, a waterbed and finally this. We both wish we hadn't thought this was too expensive far sooner.

[atgcpaul]

My parents used the Select Comfort for many years but in their new house,
they moved it into the guest room and have gone back to a traditional
matress. I don't know why. When they bought it, I was a kid and thought it
was the greatest idea. When my wife and I visit, though, we dread having
to sleep on it. Although it's filled with air, there seems to be a dip in the mid
section and we usually wake up with sore backs. We can't seem to pump it
up enough. I think it's the quilted padding on the top of the mattress that
has gotten flat, but all I know is, I don't like it.

Paul

[smorris]

When my wife and I visit, though, we dread having
to sleep on it. Although it's filled with air, there seems to be a dip in the mid
section and we usually wake up with sore backs. We can't seem to pump it
up enough.
Paul

Assuming you are talking about the queen or larger dual mattresses. There is a divider which goes between the mattresses, if that is missing or has slipped out of place you can get the dip in the center like you describe. Unzip the top and check that the divider is in place properly.

[Marv]

Mattress opinions

Select Comfort broke off from Comfortaire several years ago. They added the numbers to the controllers, advertised a lot and upped the price "a whole bunch." My wife and I sleep on Comfortaire mattresses and love them. With ours you adjust the controllers to the firmness you want but you do not have numbers to reference. I can do without the numbers for the large money difference.

[jaybee]

If the bed is big enough, you could fit 2(two) Ikea or equivalent motorized folding bed frames into it. Then, you each choose which mattress suits you the best - out of the ones which work with the folding frames. You then shim the frame that ends up lower - if you get different mattresses. Everybody ends up happy. I cheated and boston bolted two(2) mates beds together - moved the motor on one of the frames - and ended up with lots of under bed storage.

[Russianwolf]

Assuming you are talking about the queen or larger dual mattresses. There is a divider which goes between the mattresses, if that is missing or has slipped out of place you can get the dip in the center like you describe. Unzip the top and check that the divider is in place properly.

If its a standard King, it could be that the mattress is in the wrong orientation. Standard Kings, are almost square so it's easy to get it out of whack and have it set so that your head is on one airbed, and you legs are on the other . The divider would then run accross the bed instead of down the middle.

[Pappy]

With 2 bad discs in my lower back waking up in pain was the norm. Then I switched to the Select Comfort (also pre-numbers) and they are now only as a result of overdoing the day before, and not always then. Wouldn't trade it for anything on the market.

[eccentrictinkerer]

We tried the Select Comfort queen-size for 30 days and took it back. I really wanted it to be the one, but we really didn't get a great night's sleep. Felt a little sway-backed no matter what 'sleep number' we used.

We bought a $500 quilt-top from Sam's Club. Best bed we've owned in 40 years.

[BadeMillsap]

+1 Select Comfort

We've had Select Comfort (pre number) for MANY years ... and I don't expect to every use anything but ... I like sleeping on a HARD surface ... as in concrete is a little soft ... my wife wants something softer ... the ability to have it both ways (king bed two air bladders) is perfect for us ... we bought regular select comfort for our kids when in Jr high and they liked them as well ... and I can vouch for the warranty service ... hassle free.

[poolhound]

I am on my second Tempur-pedic style matress. They are all similar technically and have a solid foam based with a topper of the "memory foam. Our first was like the TP in that it was all memory foam. The one we have now has a slight pillow top.

Amongst other benefits of foam matresses is you do not need to flip them.

Bottom line is we think they are fantastic. They take some getting used to, primarily as with the really soft foam you have to climb out :-)

They are extremely comfortable and 100% supportive without feeling like you are sleeping on the floor.

[jAngiel]

We have a select comfort and really do not like it. I hate the divider down the middle when I want to lay by LOML. Being able to have different comfort levels on each side was a plus but the dividing line is really uncomfortable.

But what I hate most is that it is an extremely light bed. So light that in the winter when you want to pull up the covers there isn't anything down at the foot of the be to hold the end of the top sheet tucked in. I guess if you have extra long sheets or take two and sew them together it would hold but pulling out the sheets in the middle of the night and uncovering my feet really pi$$es me off. I know that sounds a little strange but it's that reason that I will never recommend one and will never buy another.

The foundation is also a joke. It's like those big plastic yard toys for kids, slide and lock. The little tabs that hold it together break off pretty easy.

[jgrobler]

We tried a TP bed for 60 days. My wife loved it, by day 30 her chronic back-pain was completely gone. I, on the other hand developed a back ache after just a few days that I couldn't live with. It stayed with me for about 90 days after we switched back to a simmons beauty rest.

We can't both be pleased, I guess I'm complaining the most. YMMV

[jking]

Select Comfort

We have had a Select Comfort Sleep Number bed for about five years. I had a pretty good inner spring mattress (10 year warranty) and after five years I was to the point where I couldn't get a good nights sleep. I'd wake up with a sore back because we were sleeping in noticeable divots. I even flipped & rotated as recommended.

Our's came with the plastic foundation; a little tough to put together, but no problems with it breaking. You could build your own from plywood; it just provides a rigid surface & acts a spacer. There is also a cover for the foundation that has a slightly tacky (rubbery) surface. This helps keep the sheets & mattress in place. I would not be without the cordless numerical control for the bed. It takes a little bit of time for the air pump to fill the bladder & it's much more convenient to dial in a number and let it adjust.

We really like our bed. My wife credits the bed for allowing her to actually get good nights of sleep both times she was pregnant. She would have her side adjusted as low as possible. She dreaded having to travel towards the end of the pregnancies because she wouldn't have the bed. Normally, we don't adjust ours much; we find a number and set it. She likes her side of the bed noticeably softer than mine. Over time I can see how the foam divider & the foam pieces around the perimeter of the mattress would degrade. If that happens I'll just replace them.

I won't ever buy another inner spring mattress.

[Knottscott]

We spent two nights at a B&B last summer that had a king size Temperpedic.....it was really, really nice. None of the conventional mattesses I've slept on compare.