Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Costco Bed in a box. The mattress comes in a cardboard box, - yes. Photograph of actual unappealing floor display. There is no display of the product. How could a consumer know what is inside the box when none are displayed on the floor? The Serta memory foam three layer in a Queen size is cheaper than the king size of this same product. Costco price $899.00

The box might be lighter than the packed other product to carry home, therefore avoiding the borrowing your cousin's pick up truck to then later find your new Sealy or Serta or Simmons mattress strewn on the freeway as a foam bed for the cars behind you.

Stopping to fix the mattress from falling out of truck bed.

Is a Costco Sealy Mattress Really a Deal?

photograph Costco
Costco Sells the Sealy Ivory Forest Mattress in King for $899.00
How can a loyal Costco buyer determine if this is the same specifications as one in a store on one purchased from Amazon?

Costco makes the display impossible to even see if the mattress is nine inches. After some study, I learned the mattress is supposed to have 14 coils inside; however there is no way to even touch the bed to check.

After I put it on a flat bed trolley, lug it home in my brother in law's pickup truck and set it up will I like the bed? I trust Costco's reliable return policies; but by the time I get help bringing it upstairs, the idea of bringing it back to the store and not getting it dirty in the process seems daunting.  Amazon sells one with box springs included for an additional $225.  including delivery to my home.

In comparing a local retailer, Sit 'N Sleep- they do not sell any Sealy beds in the $ 899. price range. They have Powder Sand and Rose Sorbet that are firm beds from $1249. -$1399. How in the world can a consumer compare apples to apples when custom names are attributed to same manufacturer?

For new firm mattress they appear unappealing-

Mattress Labor Day

Labor Day is coming and what does that mean? Sales, commercials, hype about buying a new mattress.

With these few things to keep in mind you should be able to make a deal.

The most important things to consider in buying a new mattress:

1.       Research. Most brands make a variety of labels and pricing is not commensurate with label or materials cost. Shopping online will give you some target prices but you will need to physical go to stores with your cell phone camera and a note pad to recall the similarities and differences.

       One mattress may look similar, but the devil is in the details

2.       Personal taste of soft verses firm is only determined by your body in the positions you sleep. You can not get an accurate feel of a mattress in a plastic bag on leaning on its edge.

3.       Negotiate for price. There is huge markup in mattress prices on the retail floor.

4.       Warranty does not mean a great deal if the retail store you purchase from is bankrupt in six years. Shopping at a solid retail store is going to give you the security of making a telephone call on year five. Most warranties are null and void if the mattress is stained or damaged visibly by yourself. Purchase a mattress cover that is waterproof and comfortable.

5.       If you are shopping with a partner or friend have some key word to be able to leave politely if you feel over encouraged by a pushy salesperson.

6.       After you made your deal ask for a little more, free delivery, free removal of old mattress or perhaps some pillows.

Good luck and happy sleeping



A Happy Bed

I am a terrible sleeper. I know what works but find trends in my insomnia. The harder I work the more likely I am to wake up unable to return to sleep, or jump from a nightmare and not want to go back to bed.

Rules that I know work for sleep health. Sleep is proven to have consequences for health.

1.              Have the same routine daily with regard to bed time, and the rituals you follow

2.              Do not watch the news or disturbing movies right before bedtime

3.              Do not drink excessive alcohol

4.              Have a cool and comfortable bed and calming bedroom where work and television are not in the mix

5.              Exercise early in the day

6.              Allow yourself to let go of worries, even keep a notepad bedside where you might write down in the dark the things that are making you jump up to complete in the middle of the night

7.              Sing that song : don’t worry be happy with a joyful heart

Sealy a Little Saggy

Stayed in the New York Hyatt in July. The bed was not comfortable. I only weigh 114 pounds and the mattress sagged rather than supported. The brand is a Sealy Posturpedic built for hotel trade, and appears very new. A big dissapointment to be smothered in a bed when one needs sleep.

The room was large and the bed made up appears inviting, but after a couple long days working was a disheartening. I moved to Waldorf to find better rest.

Laura Ashley King Koil

   In the mattress business, as in other durable goods and retail trends, there is the desire to affiliate branding with a big name. The celebrity brand might be a designer, a movie star, or some "expert".
Laura Ashley brand was something women desired ten years ago. Twenty years ago her bright scarves were fresh and lovely. Today the brand has evaporated the flowery English countryside it once came to represent.

   King Koil's Laura Ashley brand has nothing that relates to Laura Ashley style. I wish they would have used her bright fabrics on the quilting or even the rails. Instead, there is dulled down prints and plastic feeling fabrics. The name sounds nice, and King Koil is kind enough to the consumer to keep the label titles simple. There is Laura Ashley Luxury and Laura Ashley Elite with slight differences in the amount of materials used in construction, but large jumps in price.

Steel, latex, foam, wood, cotton are the commodity components in the mattress industry. The rising price of oil correlates to all the component costs (besides the cost of delivery and utilities). This creates a struggle to keep the cost of the final product to a certain price point. Manufacturers are searching for solutions in cheaper materials and efficiencies.  Unfortunately in these troubled economic times consumers do not want to pay more for their new mattress.

How does a consumer know what is the difference between an Elite and a Luxury?  A customer can visit a store and rest upon a bed for minutes, but often they are uncomfortable doing this with a sales person hovering over them.

A consumer should wear comfortable clothing, take time to feel and roll over on the beds, take notes and ask questions. Avoid purchasing for the designer name, find a bed in your price range that has a warranty you will trust and take your time.

Magniflex Lavendar Mattress

I have been toying with the idea of creating a mattress cover that has a renewable lavendar insert.
Soy based foam mixed with actual lavendar oil and flowers.
I found a company that uses laverdar oil in their cover but the essential oil does not last more than a month.

Magniflex Lavendar Mattress

Maginflex manufatcures for Italian market and has limited United State distribution.
The style of mattress is a thinner very soft bed, similar to a futon.
It does not provide enough support for my taste.

They are very low to reasonable cost.
Overall rating 1 -10 Ten being highest
4

Mattress