I'm looking for a cheap new queen-sized mattress - preferably the firm kind… I'm probably going to buy an Ikea bed, but Ikea mattresses are pretty expensive for what they are, and I would prefer not to buy a second hand mattress.
What is a good solution?
I recently bought a mattress from Graysonline after doing a bit of research and laying on a few beds at Harvey Norman to gauge comfort. For me the pocket spring mattresses were well worth paying more for and I ended up getting one from Grays for $200. Add on $30 buyers premium and $80 for a rental truck and it works out at just over $300 but you'll be hard pressed to find one for under $1k in stores.
I have had an IKEA mattress in the past and there is a world of difference in quality.
The one I got wasn't this exact model but similar. See here. Pick up in Acacia Ridge.
Is there a BedsR Us store near you? Last time I was in there they had queen sized mattresses from around $229 or there abouts. You could also check Hardly Normal - they have a budget range as well as the more expensive ones.