Need help to pick a mattress. I'm looking for:
Found Valmori Spring Mattress recommend on Choice. It seems a small brand, but the reviews are allright. Otherwise Emma Comfort got the highest score with Choice. but it's a form one.
Any suggestions?
I have a slumberland Cornwall from snooze and 10 years later it's still going strong.
Great firmness as well
Hi, As I have started and currently operate a D2C mattress factory and I think the ozbargain forum is a goldmine for finding good product information, I thought I'd make an account and give my opinion. Hopefully, it can help shine some light on the complex world of mattresses for some people.
Mattresses are actually kind of straightforward, it's just all of the marketing terms that make it difficult for a consumer. I just break mattresses down into their components. And to be honest, there are not many different components that matter.
There's plastic foam also called polyfoam and memory foam (plastic with bubbles) and latex (tree sap with bubbles), and there are springs. The latex is a bit of an issue as there is plenty of fake stuff. Everything else is less important. Just focus on the above components. Don't fall for the ridiculous names they give springs and foam. It's pure diversion.
At your price point, there is going to be some compromise. The Emma mattress is an all-foam mattress. An all-foam mattress could work for you depending on your weight and sleeping preferences. If you like a firm mattress and you are below 70kgs, then an all-foam mattress may work.
Doesn't really matter which one, they are all quite similar. They are a block of polyfoam.
Every time you see a dipped mattress it will be the polyfoam that's dipping. The springs will be perfect. Maybe 5% of the time it could be the springs but I'm being generous here as I've never actually seen springs that have sagged. Only plastic foam. I'm not for or against any brand I'm just someone who has been able to observe the characteristics of mattress materials over a long period of time. I've also pulled apart a lot of my old mattresses that my customers sent back to me. It was always the plastic foam that dipped. It doesn't matter which brand, we're all able to access the same components.
For all-foam mattresses, the cons are usually that they won't conform to your body. This is probably because the people that sell them have learnt that they will have fewer returns if they make them firmer. If the customer complains it's too firm they'll sell or send a topper.
Another con to all-foam is that foam holds heat. Think of the foam in a mattress as a heat storage device, the more of it there is, the more heat it will hold. Springs are 99% air. Air doesn't hold heat very well. Less foam on top of good springs to me is the way forward.
However, there are pitfalls here as well. If you are too heavy for the springs you'll think your mattress is sagging pretty quickly because the springs won't be able to support you. If the springs are too firm for your body weight, your spine will not align and you'll have pressure points on your hips and shoulders.
This is why most reviews won't work, bodyweight plays the biggest role in mattress feel. If everyone wrote their body weight on their review it would help immensely.
The mattresses I make are out of your price range, so I'll answer it this way. If I were to pick a mattress from the internet (and it wasn't from my company) based on the information that I can see, it would be the sleep republic mattress. I don't know the people that sell it but it has a high spring count and not too much foam on top. High spring counts give what's called "high point elasticity". This is the ability for the mattress to absorb your hip bone while pushing up your torso. The more it can do this the better, This directs pressure away from the pressure points.
The less foam is good too as it will hold less heat. It does use memory foam which is hotter than normal polyfoam and natural latex, however, it doesn't look too thick. Should hold a lot less heat than an all-foam mattress I'd say.
I'm not saying this will be the one, I'm just saying if I had to choose off the internet, this is what I'd try first. I haven't actually seen or tried it, I'm just educated guessing.
Otherwise, I'd find a small mattress factory near and buy from them, although that's getting harder and harder to find these days.
Amazing, thanks for taking the time to explain the info from an industry insider. Very much appreciated!
That was fantastic, thanks for taking the time. So with an unlimited budget, are we just looking for MORE springs and thin foam?
My wife and I are in the 60-80kg range.
Not really, I was just giving advice for a smaller budget. Mattresses are a balancing act.
More expensive natural latex would be the material of choice for a bigger budget. I'm not aware of better material. There is lots of Chinese latex that is only 40% tree sap and 60% plastic. This stuff isn't going to be much different from normal polyfoam.
In order of importance, what you are looking for is
correct springs tension to body weight. That means the springs actually function. Many makers just use the one tension of pocket spring. This is bad because it's usually a very firm pocketspring. If the pocketspring doesn't yield to your body then you've already lost the war in my opinion. Imagine putting a marshmallow on the table, feels soft to touch with your hand, but push through and you'll hit a hard surface. That's what a badly designed mattress feels like. You don't want to notice a hard layer when you lay on the mattress. A well-designed mattress that matches your body weight will let your butt and hips just kind of hang there without much pressure. That's the actual goal. Move the pressure away from this area. This area should have weightlessness to it.
high-quality foam on top. If you like memory foam, get it on top but be prepared for more heat. Although nothing beats it for partner disturbance. Every material has pros and cons. Real latex will be cooler than the other foams, (when used the same way). Probably the reason why people think latex is hot is that so many latex mattresses have no springs. This causes lots of heat storage. If you compare latex on springs to other foams on springs the difference is clear. Latex is a cooler sleep. Latex has more partner disturbance than memory foam. You just need to decide what's most important for you, there's no right or wrong. Memory foam will be a lot stronger smelling at the start also. Very chemical smell. Latex hardly has a smell even when it's new. I would say only 1 person mentions the smell per year with latex. I think very few people are sensitive to the smell of latex.
That's it. Get the right springs, get the right foam. Buying a one size fits all pocketspring mattress off the internet may work if you are younger and your connective tissue in your joints has a better ability to hold you in a good position while you sleep. But as we age we need more and more help from our mattress.
Also, For 60-80 kgs, you'll want softish springs. most springs will be too firm for lighter people.
thanks or sharing! that was really helpful!
Thankyou very much!
Does this mean you might recommend the Peacelilly mattress? Its all latex and no springs though. I'm about 60kg and husband is about 90kg.
@Rayan Ferdous: I just had a look at peacelily, They have quite a high percentage of negative reviews. I'm a bit sceptical of the quality of the latex due to these reviews. Aside from that, it is basically a one size fits all mattress. In my opinion, one size doesn't fit all with mattresses. If you are looking at all latex quokka beds look like better people to buy from. For starters, they have a 3 layer setup with a zip of cover. This is a really good system. I do the same thing except I use springs for the support. They use latex for support.
Judging by the reviews the latex is of high quality.
This is such a good write up. My wife and I are front sleepers. 75-100kg. We got an Emma bed (foam, not hybrid) and we hate it. Have tried with and without the topper and regularly have shoulder and lower back pain. A couple of years back we tried a firm spring mattress. I thought firm would be good for us but even a topper couldn’t recover this mattress. Based on the excellent info here we’re are going to go back to a spring mattress.
QUESTION: for front sleepers, do we select a mattress on the soft/plus side?
Yeah definitely steer clear of all foam mattresses. A stomach sleeper's main priority is to ensure your belly doesn't sink into the mattress. I always guide stomach sleepers to a firmer spring unit for this reason. Stay away from thick foam above the springs as this will also cause your belly to sink in. When your belly sinks in, your vertebrae bend in a bad way. You probably know what I mean.
This is just plain uncomfy, If you let me know which city you are in I may be able to guide you to a suitable manufacturer if you like. Because getting the feel right is one thing, but the only way to know if it's good quality is knowing exactly what its made of.
edit - Also, it sounds like the old mattress you had was far too firm. It's just not as simple as soft, medium, or firm. Ordering a firm pocketspring for stomach sleeping for example is like throwing darts in the dark. My advice is to turn the light on before you throw the dart. That means going to a quality manufacturer (not a retailer) and laying down. This advice is just for you, as I think some people just require this. It sounds like you've had this problem for a long time, it's worth putting a bit of effort in the right place. It's definitely possible to get this right. I can help.
Thanks again Karl. I’m in Sydney and if you are too I’d love to visit your place. Tried messaging you but you need it turned on. Can you share your store details if Sydney based or recommendations if you’re not.
@yomamayomama: You're in luck then, I operate a factory in Marrickville. I have a scale of firmnesses in my factory, I always guide stomach sleepers in your weight range to the "9". It's always a winner.
Here is the exact model I would recommend, it comes in 3 price ranges with different materials in each. Take a look at the comfort layers and springs in the diagrams. https://www.ausbeds.com.au/mattress-firmness/firm-2/
I've built the mattresses so that I can replace any of those components when the mattress is inside the customer's house. This way I can easily make adjustments after delivery. Change springs, change foam, anything.
Come say hi, I'll be in the shop every opening day from Thursday onwards. I'm just having a few days off this week. Feel free to call ahead to double check I'll be on-site. karl..
Whats the name of your mattress company?
We really like the Noa mattress https://www.noahome.com/au-en/product/noa-mattress/
About $800 on sale
Pocket springs, 7/10 firmness
Free delivery
120 day trial and if uncomfortable then free return and refund
avoid eva mattresses as they have changed the internals of the mattress. grandson has an emma & loves it (although it is a foam mattress as you have pointed out). have you looked at https://bedbuyer.com.au/?
We just bought the Quokka 16cm latex queen for just over $1300. 100% organic Dunlopillo latex and you can customise firmness. Well reviewed.
I just got the Valmori spring mattress as I'm a really hot sleeper and Choice reviewed it as being good for hot sleepers. I've had 3 nights on it. Meets all your criteria by the look of it. If you have any Qs, ask away :)
Hi Dammit, I'm just on the hunt for a new mattress anf the Valmori has caught my eye. How have you found it? Good support?
I'm 100kg & suffer from lower back pain and this seems to be one of the most firm mattresses on the market from I what I've seen.
Has anybody used the Koala mattresses? Are these good ?
This looks like a good deal for a Sealy spring mattress but can’t vouch for quality
https://www.freedom.com.au/product/24326636?