Mattress Buying Tips: Know the Basics Before You Buy

A while back, the Chicago Tribune ran a helpful guide to buying a mattress. Its core advice still applies. So here are our favorite mattress buying tips from that article, plus what we’ve learned in more than 50 years of making beds.

Your Mattress Is a Health Purchase

The article made a simple point. We spend about a third of our lives in bed, yet most people put little thought into what they sleep on. Meanwhile, poor sleep affects everything from focus and mood to how your body manages weight. In short, a mattress deserves the same care as any other health decision.

What Owners Said About Each Mattress Type

The Tribune drew on thousands of owner reviews compiled by the consumer site Sleep Like the Dead. Here’s the gist of what owners reported at the time:

Memory foam: Conforms to your body and limits motion transfer. However, some owners noticed odor and heat.
Latex: All-natural latex earned top marks, with good durability. Beds with Talalay on top felt softer. The trade-offs were weight and price. FloBeds was among the latex brands the article named.
Air beds: Adjustable, but pumps and parts can wear out.
Innerspring: Familiar and easy to find in stores, yet it had the lowest owner satisfaction.

These ratings date from 2013, so check the site for current numbers.

Our Top Mattress Buying Tips

Try it, or get a real trial. Comfort is personal. If you buy online, choose a company with a generous return window.
Don’t trust the model name. Makers often rename the same bed for different stores, which makes comparison shopping hard.
Check what’s inside. Some “latex” beds are mostly synthetic foam. Ask whether the latex is 100% natural.
Think long term. Ask whether you can replace one part later instead of the whole bed.

At FloBeds, we built our beds around those tips. Every FloBed uses 100% natural Talalay latex in separate layers you can swap. In addition, we back it with a 100-night guarantee. See our natural latex mattress to get started.