Mattress Buying Guide - Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Mattress
Buying Mattresses Online – A Paradigm Shift and Things to Remember
The last few years have been an exciting time in terms of how the buying experiences have changed for the consumers. Whether you are buying clothes or groceries or even medicines, all things that were mandatory to be touched and held before buying, each of these is now available for sale online. Not just available, people prefer to buy them online thanks to the convenience and better prices. Even a commodity like a mattress is not immune to this phenomenon of online buying, anymore.
While ordering a mattress online and having it delivered to your doorstep has its own set of advantages, it also has increased the number of things you should look for when making the purchase. The typical advantages of buying a mattress online like the increased variety and choice in the types of mattresses available, lower prices, and easy comparison with alternatives gives you flexibility and power as a buyer.
On the other hand, this may even increase the confusion as to how to choose a mattress online? What are the best type of mattress and which one of them is fit for you? This mattress buying guide has been put together, keeping in mind all these questions and others that you need answers to while making the purchase decision.
Before setting out for choosing a mattress, there is one point that must be absolutely clear to you. What to look for when buying a mattress online, or even offline, there is no ‘one size fits all’. What works best for other people, may not work for you! Hence, it is extremely crucial that you know what your expectations, as well as requirements, are. Here are some things to know before buying a mattress:
- What is the size of mattress you are looking for?
- What kind of firmness do you want?
- What is your budget for the mattress?
- Are there any specific needs like back trouble you should watch out for?
- Where to buy a mattress – is online the right option for you?
Only after you have an answer to each of these questions, should you start looking for options to buy from. The generic options available with respect to the above parameters are what constitutes this mattress buying guide and it will be beneficial for you, only when you know what you need. This guide can help you with the options that are available to you and what is the impact each has, whereas your answer to the above questions will help you make the choice from the online catalogue.
Shall we begin taking a look at these factors that impact your choice of a mattress?
Size Matters
A mattress is the first thing to consider when buying a mattress, you feel when you get up in the morning and the last when you go to sleep. And the first emotion in the day should be a positive one. Imagine getting up all fresh and rested versus getting up cramped and tired, since your mattress was too small for you to sleep comfortably. The second option can completely ruin your day, isn’t it? That is the impact the size of the mattress can have.
So the solution is simple – go for the biggest size, right? And have your entire room occupied with a mattress so big that you don’t use it completely and have no room to move about as well! That’s something worth considering right? This is why there are a number of standard sizes available in the market. Some of the sizes available are
It is essential to understand each of these sizes to make the best choice for your needs.
Firmness for Comfort
Once you have decided the right size that fits your room and requirements, the next and very important factor is to understand how firm you want your mattress to be. But why does it matter?
As we are aware, our back has a natural arch shape that helps us to maintain the right posture. Any impact on this will have a direct help on the posture, comfort, and health. This becomes even more important while sleeping since the weight distribution defines how well-rested you are when you get up.
A mattress that is too firm can hurt your back and cause discomfort by exerting extra pressure on the back. On the other hand, too plush mattress can cause even more trouble by disturbing your posture and causing back trouble. There are a number of things that define the firmness of the mattress you should be using. These include your weight, sleeping position (on the side or on your back or stomach) and whether or not you have any existing back-related trouble.
Your sleeping position matters because your body weight will be distributed based on your sleeping position. If you like to sleep on your back or stomach, and you are wondering which mattress should I buy, the answer is straightforward. Go for a firm mattress. This helps keep your hips from sinking too deep and in turn relieves your back pain by keeping your spine aligned. On the other hand, if you prefer sleeping on your side, a plush mattress is better to keep your shoulder and hip contoured, supporting your back.
What Lies Inside?
As important the size and firmness of the mattress is, the material that goes inside as a filling is also equally important. In fact, it is this material that can directly affect the firmness and comfort that differentiates the different types of mattresses. Some of the most commonly used materials these days in making mattresses are:
i. Innerspring Mattresses – The most common variant with coils or springs embedded in the soft foam.
ii. Memory Foam Mattresses – The newer technology that allows the mattress to take the shape of your body as you sleep.
iii. Eco-friendly Memory Foam Mattresses – An improved version of Memory Foam Mattress, made from natural materials improving the air circulation and cooling.
iv. Latex Mattresses – Specially designed latex that springs back immediately giving proper support to the user’s body weight.
Next time when you are wondering how to buy a mattress, these pointers will surely help you to identify the ones that fit your needs. But identifying the properties you need in your mattress is only the first step. The next and equally important one is to find the best place to buy a mattress.
A traditional retailer is a good starting point as you can touch, feel and test the mattress before buying. However, this option comes with the overhead of costs (for stocking up the inventory) and restricted choice (only the brands and options available in the shop).
This is one of the primary reasons, the customers are turning to websites for buying mattresses online. This helps in a number of ways.
- The options available are much more varied
- You can check out the best mattress reviews before making a decision
- You can explore different company websites to match your specifications.
All of these factors contribute to the paradigm shift happening in the mattress market, with more and more customers preferring to shop online.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What to ask when buying a mattress?
- Here are a few questions to ask when buying a mattress:
- What sort of mattress is ideal for my sleeping requirements? • What is the firmness level of the mattress (e.g., memory foam, innerspring, latex, hybrid)?
- Can I try the mattress before purchasing it? Is a trial period available?
- What material is the mattress composed of?
- How long is the mattress warranty? What exactly does it cover?
- Are there any other features or technology in the mattress that could be useful to me? (For example, cooling technology, motion isolation)
- Is there a return policy if I am dissatisfied with the mattress?
- How long is the mattress predicted to last?
By asking these questions, you can gather the information you need to make an informed decision about which mattress is best for you.
Q. What all are to be measured before buying a mattress?
- Before buying a mattress, it's important to measure the following:
- Room size
- Bed frame size
- Mattress size
- Thickness
By taking these measurements into account, you can ensure that the mattress you choose will fit properly in your space and provide the comfort and support you need for a good night's sleep.
Q. How long should a mattress last?
- A decent-quality mattress should last between 7 to 10 years, depending on the type of mattress, how it is used, and how well it is maintained.