I need a bed. First time shopping for one, and all my previous beds were provided.
I’m a mix of side/back sleeper, 6’3" 220ish lbs. I don’t have any issues with pain or what not. I tried out various mattresses at Mattress Firm over the weekend and can’t really tell the difference between the different types.
I anticipate moving in about a year, and there’s a better than good chance that I won’t be able to take any furniture with me. With this in mind, I don’t want to spend too much on something. I’ve been inundated with ads for the various online companies as well, and some have a tempting price point. Any advice?
I was also going to just put the mattress on the floor, but realized it would be quite low. Thinking about getting something from https://linsyliving.com/collections/deals?tags=Bed%20Frame&page_num=1 (because of ads). But someone from the office said the had a full size bed frame they can give me. I can sleep diagonally so size isn’t the end of the world
Hi. I’m just passing through as I wait for the experts to answer my questions. If you really don’t care and plan on moving soon I’d probably get a cheap open coil mattress. Here’s one for $100 that would get you through.
I’d stay away from pocket coils and most 'bed in a bag’s. A large number, especially on the cheap side, are crappy foam (feels good for 3 months or so then breaks down). Given your size the one provided should feel pretty soft. Isn’t a long term solution and if it’s too firm/you bottom out grab a mattress topper (I’d say medium latex). There’s also a queen size variant of the bed linked with more padding. It’ll break down too (~8 months?) but just change sleeping positions a lot and you might be fine.
Hey there bigtalltree,
Welcome to the Mattress UnderGround. Since this is likely to be a short term mattress, we dont want to skip all of the conventional wisdom on mattress buying and selection, but it seems that you would like to keep the costs as low as possible for this short term engagement.
Shopping for your first bed can be overwhelming, but with a few key considerations, you can make a well-informed decision. Since you’ve tried various mattresses at Mattress Firm and didn’t feel a significant difference, it’s useful to know that mattresses generally fall into categories like memory foam, innerspring, hybrid (a mix of foam and coils), and latex. Memory foam contours well to the body but can trap heat, while innerspring mattresses offer a bouncier feel with less contouring. Hybrids combine both foam and coils, providing balanced support and comfort, while latex mattresses are durable, responsive, and naturally cooling. Given that you sleep on your side and back, a medium-firm hybrid mattress would likely offer the best of both worlds—enough support for back sleeping but soft enough to relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips when you sleep on your side.
Depending on the size of the room and space available something like this bargain mattress may do the trick. I actually purchased one a few years ago for our guest room. I am 6’ 220, but was 250lb at the time. I bought a firm - full sized mattress. I viewed it as sort of a test. The same company had a mattress advertised as “the firmest mattress on the market” which is what I was aiming for. I had narrowed my choices down to a couple of conventional mattress, with this “firm” mattress as the wildcard. I really wanted to determine the quality of this “brooklyn bedding for walmart” mattress was all about after extensive research on the company. As it turns out, the mattress, despite the value play cost, became a favorite for our guests, my wife when she wanted a moment to read her amazon fire, and it even stood up to my body profile. It is still going strong, albeit with modest guest usage.
The mattress is made in the USA from reliable company at a price others might snub their nose at, thinking “how good could it be.” I was impressed enough to put a 14k mattress on pause and buy the company’s $1400 ultra firm mattress. That ultra firm mattress is still going strong, as if it were brand new after two years, and it is the mattress we cant wait to come home to after our backs are in pain from our luxury hotel mattresses we sleep on when on vacation.
While I dont doubt there are a hundred mattresses out there that might serve the purpose for the next year of sleep, you dont want to experience a year in pain, either.
Regardless, at this level mattress and even with premium mattresses, you should be rotating the mattress every 3 months to ensure even wear, and be certain your foundation is solid and sound. If it is a slatted platform, the slats should be less than 3" spaced. A mattress is only as good as its weakest layer. This includes the foundation to the mattress cover.
Hopefully, this offers a little perspective on buying a mattress for the short term, perhaps even longer. I tend to be partial to Brooklyn Bedding in this scenario as they have a proven track record in the BiB online genre, made in the USA and a budget mattress can be had for a price that not many smaller local or regional companies can offer.
Throughout the USA there are said local manufactures that have some offerings at a similarly low price, they just may not be able to compress, roll, box and ship them nationwide. One example that comes to mind is Jamestown Mattress, they have entries at 199, but can only ship locally. Or in Texas someone like this, or if in WI or IL something like this.
Hope this gives you some food for thought.
Maverick