Buying a mattress can be challenging, but if you break the process down ino smple steps, you ca get a good deal and keep your sanity. First, you need to know the main types of mattresses. Then you must decide the particular make and model you want. Last but not least, you can follow the sales and determine when to pounce based on the time when a good deal is offered. Yes, you can get a good deal on a mattress if you know what a good price is!
Mattress shopping is not for wimps. Picking out the right mattress can be a real challenge, particularly when you confront all of the many types (not to mention brands and models) of mattresses on the market. It's no wonder all those mattress commercial pitchmen sound nuts Here is some basic information to help you before you sprawl out on your first show room mattress.
Mattresses are not cheap. Even a relatively low-end product is still going to cost you hundreds of dollars. Before you start comparing prices, figure out what you will need. Delivery of the new mattress, and removal and disposal of your old mattress are not necessarily included in the price. Always ask. (And if you can arrange to transport the mattress yourself and deal with your old mattress on your own, you may be able to get a better deal.)
Next, narrow down the type of mattress you want. There are four main types of mattresses: the inner-spring mattress, waterbeds, foam, and air.
Airbeds are starting to gain in popularity and they definitely are a smart choice for a guest room or to be a store-away mattress you only need a few times a year. Don't think of the old air mattress. Some airbeds are regular height and can be made up to look just like a regular bed. They also inflate quickly and easily. But most people don't want to make an airbed a permanent bed, so this is not likely the choice you'll make if you're shopping for you main new mattress.
Foam mattresses, including the famous TempurPedic® mattresses, are made of a dense foam material. They conform to the weight of the body, don't transfer motion, and are usually good choices for allergy sufferers since they do not harbor dust mites or other allergens. If you've never tried a foam mattress, you need to sprawl out on a couple in some show rooms to see what the fuss is about.
Of course, there are some downsides to the foam mattress. Some people say they are hot, which is probably not a problem if you live anywhere outside the sun belt. They are also fairly heavy, which makes transporting them yourself a bit of a hassle. (They're not the best mattress to pick if you move constantly.) And they're expensive.
Back in their original heyday, waterbeds were really just giant vinyl water balloons. If that's what you think a waterbed today is like, you need to take another look. Waterbeds today look like regular beds but do require some special framing. They use an inner system of baffles and chambers to reduce transfer of motion (you know, that old tsunami-like effect when two people were in a waterbed and one got up). Waterbeds are worth a second look, especially if you haven't seen one in the past decade or so.
Waterbeds are a bit of an evangelist thing; some people love them in a fanatical way, others don't care that much. They are good for people with allergies and can be a bit more adjustable than regular innerspring mattresses. The downside is that they are very heavy when they're set up. If you plan on setting up a mattress in an upstairs room or loft, check to be sure it's strong enough to support a waterbed.
By far the most common mattress sold in the U.S. is the inner-spring. Invented over a hundred years ago, it's a popular and practical design. The mattress contains a network of coils (springs) that are designed to provide push-pull support. The coils are designed to provide give and cushion when weight is brought on them, but they also have enough spring to resist and provide some support. This support-with-cushion is what makes the inner-spring so popular. An inner-spring is the top mattress which is meant to work with a box spring. The box spring (bottom mattress) also contains coils that work on the same cushion-and-support principle as the inner-spring mattress.
The inner-spring mattress is usually available in many tiers, from economy to top luxury models. As a general rule of thumb, you need to buy a better grade of mattress if you plan on using the mattress heavily (and that means sleeping on it every night, having more than one person in bed, and how much weight these people will put on the mattress). However, the very top-of-the-line mattresses may be more about luxury (pillow-tops, padding, cover material) than durability.
If you are buying a mattress for a child's room or guest room, an economy grade is probably more than sufficient. A mid-range mattress is better for daily use by a single sleeper (it will last longer) and top grades may be needed if two people will use the bed, particularly if they have some extra poundage.
Once you've picked out the type of mattress you want, start to shop sales circulars and online before venturing into a store. Mattresses go on sale periodically, so you may be able to pick up a good buy if you're patient and study what's available for a while.
Shopping for a mattress means testing the mattress and (if you're a serious shopper) taking some notes. Note that sometimes department stores will offer their own line of mattresses which, in reality, are made by the major manufacturers and may even correspond to a mattress you could buy at a discount house. If you shop for mattresses at furniture stores or department stores, you will probably see higher-priced merchandise. The salesperson may be able to tell you who manufactures the house brand of mattress; you can then pick up the same or similar mattress at a discount outlet.
Mattress stores, some discount furniture stores, and other discount houses carry mattresses and often at good prices. The problem with discount houses is that they may have a very limited selection and a here-today-gone-tomorrow policy (that is, they may stock one type of mattress for a while but when that inventory is sold, they may replenish it with an entirely different mattress).
The best approach is to figure out the type of mattress you want and keep narrowing it down until you know a size, brand, and model. This will let you do some research into prices. Once you know more or less what the going rate is, good deals will become obvious to you. (Many casual mattress shoppers also run into good deals but don't always recognize them!)
Why Queen Esther of the Bible Remains a Controversial Figure
Esther is one of the most unusual books of the Bible, but it is not often studied. Esther reads more like a novel than a Bible story--with suspenseful twists and turns and reversals of fortune--that make traditional verse-by-verse study difficult. Esther is overlooked sometimes because it is not an overtly religious book at all--yet it is clearly one of the most important books of Scripture, in fact, one of the most important books ever written.
What Pacemaker Patients Must Know about iPods
Pacemaker patients who love portable music devices should not wear or carry their earbuds in such a way that they are near the implant site. That can interfere with their pacemaker's ability to function! Interference can affect your pacemaker, but there are a few simple steps to perform to prevent it or--if it happens--to get things back to normal quickly.
The Vanity Press in the Electronic Era
The world used to look down on self-publishing, but it's more popular than ever. An even greater opportunity for writers to produce (and profit from) their own works involves Internet publishing. It's not an easy field--it requires some learning--but it allows writers a way to economically produce, market, distribute, and make money from their own products--without benefit of publisher!
