CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG FEBRUARY 2016 MAKE YOUR OWN BED … AND LIE IN IT Ignore the ads. Here’s how to get the right mattress at the price you want to pay. when you buy a new mattress, a bad starting at $4,800, are claimed to align ask for a particular mattress, such as decision can literally keep you up nights. your spine “through dynamic contour- one featured in one of those alluring And the industry doesn’t make it easy ing support.” But in our tests, all of ads, you’ll often be told it was replaced to sort the good models from the so-so those were just average at best for back by another the store just happens to from the downright awful. With their support. have that’s “exactly the same.” Don’t flowery and pseudo-scientific language, To help you shop wisely, our labs believe it; the ad was meant to get you manufacturers’ marketing messages are evaluate every mattress in our Ratings — into the store. Also, many model names crafted to persuade you that the bridge currently 45 models—not only on how you see at major retailers such as Macy’s, between you and a great night’s sleep is it supports the spine but also on how it Sears, and Sleepy’s are exclusive to only a few thousand bucks. For instance, endures years of use, absorbs vibration, them—so you won’t be able to compari- Serta’s $1,100 (queen size) Fitzpatrick allows easy movement, and more. son shop. Pillow Top is claimed to deliver “excel- Before you go shopping, arm yourself Expect the hard sell. Sales reps can lent body-hugging conformability to with our expert reviews and these tips: get incentives for pushing certain mod- each sleep partner.” Ads for Tempur- Start in the back of the store. Stores els. Extras such as mattress protectors Pedic’s Tempur-Flex, $2,600, proclaim usually keep the priciest models in front. may also add to commissions, so you that it’s “a bed that transforms your So head to the back, and if you don’t find might hear claims that using one is a sleep” with a “dynamic support layer anything you like, work your way toward condition of the warranty. It’s not. that moves with you.” the front of the store, and up in cost. Take your time. Comfort is an indi- And the two Duxianas we tested, Be hip to bait and switch. When you vidual decision. So make sure you lie on PRINTED COPY FOR PERSONAL READING ONLY. NOT| FEBRUARY FOR 2016 DISTRIBUTION. | WATCH, COMMENT, SHARE & MORE at ConsumerReports.org PAGE 1 OF 4 the mattress for 10 to 15 minutes, spend- before deciding to return or exchange IfWhat you Organic do return means a mattress, you may pay ing time on each side, on your back, and it, but be sure to get the policy in writing. a 15 to 25 percent restocking fee. n on your stomach if that’s how you sleep. (Consider bringing your own pillow.) In a survey of subscribers, about 80 percent of those who took the time to do that told us they were satisfied with their pur- chase. But you usually can’t do that in warehouse clubs or with online retailers, so make sure the return policy lets you send it back if it doesn’t satisfy. Consider keeping your box spring. WHAT ‘ORGANIC’ LABELS MEAN If you’re switching from an innerspring to a foam or air bed, you might need a new foundation with no springs. Oth- CONCERNED ABOUT off-gassing and (Global Organic Latex Standard) erwise, if the box spring you have isn’t harmful chemicals in your mattress? certification is truly organic, meaning that sagging or damaged, it should suffice— Manufacturers of organic mattresses it has at least 95 percent organic and save you money. (Though mattresses suggest that their products are safer, materials and doesn’t use potentially and box springs are usually sold in pairs, and this product category—though still harmful chemicals in processing. niche—is growing. But labels can be you can opt to buy them singly; box confusing. And some certifications GOOD Oeko-Tex Standard 100 springs alone usually cost $150 to $300.) matter more than others. The term The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 doesn’t Haggle. Some businesses, such as ‘natural’ on a mattress, for instance, is ensure that a mattress’s fiber is organic, warehouse clubs, won’t budge on price. meaningless, with no standards behind it but it sets limits for the emission of potentially harmful chemicals such as But when shopping at specialty chains and no required verification. If you’re in the market for a mattress formaldehyde and other volatile organic and other stores, be sure to negotiate. made without potentially harmful compounds (VOCs). It also forbids the Markups are huge—that’s why retailers chemicals, look for the label claims use of certain flame retardants and dyes. can lower prices by 50 percent or more below. And look for a more in-depth SOME VALUE CertiPUR, Greenguard, during their frequent sales. So even if report on organic bedding from us soon. Greenguard Gold, Organic, Organic there’s no sale, insist on a “sale” price. No Content Standard 100 BEST GOTS and GOLS These certifications are somewhat deal? Start to walk out. Chances are, you A mattress bearing a GOTS (Global meaningful, but their requirements are won’t get far before the sales rep gives in. Organic Textile Standard) or GOLS narrower in scope than those above. Check the terms. Most companies will let you sleep on a mattress for anywhere from two weeks to 120 days OUR TESTS OVER TIME We first tested mattresses in 1938. Though our equipment has changed, our goals have not: to see how much support a mattress provides and how well it will hold up over time. 1 2 3 1. SIDE SHOW Today we measure Today we measure dura bility with a spinal support by giant 308-pound hooking up our roller. testers to sensors that send readings 3. SPRING-LOADED to a computer. We cut open mattresses to see 2. BOUNCE TEST whether what’s We used to pound inside is what this “buttocks manufacturers claim. simulator” against We still count each mattress springs, as this 125,000 times. tester did in 1958. PRINTED COPY FOR PERSONAL READING ONLY. PAGE 2 OF 4 WATCH, COMMENT, SHARE & MORE at ConsumerNOTReports FOR. | DISTRIBUTION. FEBRUARY 2016 | Ratings: The Mattress of Your Dreams Scores in context: Of the 45 queen-size mattresses we tested, the highest scored 74; PICK THE RIGHT the lowest, 32. All models are listed in order of performance, within types. Recommended models MATTRESS scored especially well; of these, CR Best Buys represent the best values. c CR Best Buy d Recommended Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor BEST FOR $800 OR LESS BRAND & MODEL PRICE SCORE TEST RESULTS FEATURES A4 Denver Mattress $500 CR Best Buy Rec. Rank B1 Novaform $800 CR Best Buy Eases Resists Resists Claimed Firmness Firmness Durability Measured Measured C2 Sleep Number $800 CR Best Buy Movement Bounciness Stabilization Side Sleeping All were impressive overall, especially Sleeping Back Retains Warmth Retains given their lower prices. Choose A4 if you want a soft innerspring mattress A. INNERSPRING without extras such as a latex-foam layer Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Trust or infused gel. The foam B1 offers top- c 1 Cushion ⁄ $1,275 71 X C ZX Firm Soft •• notch back and side support plus easy Charles P. Rogers Powercore movement. C2 scored almost as well as d 2 Estate 5000 € $1,500 71 C ZZX Firm Medium •• its pricier brandmate, C1, but has a much Charles P. Rogers St. Regis thinner foam layer on top. c 3 Pillowtop $1,100 68 C XZX NA Medium ••• BEST FOR HOTTIES c 4 Denver Mattress Doctor’s Choice $500 67 XXZ C Plush Soft •• A1 Sealy Posturepedic $1,275 CR Best Buy Sealy Posturepedic Grant Park A2 Charles P. Rogers $1,500 d 5 Cushion Firm Euro Pillow Top $775 67 C ZXX Firm Medium •• B1 Novaform $800 CR Best Buy Stearns & Foster Estate B4 Spring Air $1,200 d 6 Scarborough Luxury Firm ⁄ $1,575 66 C XXX Firm Soft •• C2 Sleep Number $800 CR Best Buy These five didn’t retain heat in our tests, 7 Duxiana Dux 515 € $7,595 64 X C Z C Firm Soft •• and we judged them all impressive for back or side support, or both. 8 Serta Fitzpatrick Pillow Top ⁄ $1,100 64 X V XZ Firm Soft •• Night Therapy 12” Euro Box BEST FOR COUPLES 9 $250 64 CV ZX Firm Soft •• A1 Sealy Posturepedic $1,275 CR Best Buy Top Spring $1,100 The Original Mattress Factory A3 Charles P. Rogers CR Best Buy 10 $540 63 X CCC Firm Soft •• B2 Serta $1,575 Orthopedic Luxury Firm C2 Sleep Number $800 CR Best Buy 11 Spring Air Isabella $1,600 62 CC Z C Plush Medium •• If you share your bed, you want a mattress that mutes vibrations from one side of the 12 Duxiana Dux 101 € $4,800 61 X C X V NA Soft •• bed to the other, such as these. C2, with its dual adjustable air bladders, lets you Beautyrest Black Whitten Luxury 13 $2,600 61 X V ZX Firm Soft adjust firmness on half of the bed at a time Firm Pillowtop •• to suit individual preferences. Beautyrest Recharge Medium 14 Shakespeare Collection $830 61 CC XX Soft •• Luxury Pillowtop Firm BEST FOR BACK SUPPORT A2 Charles P.