The Ultimate Mattress Buying Guide: 10 Tips for Choosing a Mattress

When it comes to your mattress, are you getting the support you need?

Over time, mattresses can wear out, losing their support and leaving us tossing and turning. A good night’s sleep is essential for all of us, which means you need to be sleeping on a comfortable mattress.

Otherwise, you risk insomnia, fatigue, and back pain. If your current mattress has worn out its welcome, it’s probably time to invest in a new one.

Are you wondering how to pick out a mattress? To learn more, keep reading for our ultimate mattress buying guide. Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as you may think..

1. Consider Your Budget

Before you start shopping for the perfect mattress, have an idea about your budget and how much you’d like to spend.

The average spend for a new mattress ranges from around $200-$1,500 but can go up into the thousands. You don’t necessarily need to purchase the most expensive one though.

However, a quality mattress is an investment that will last for years to come. Look for the best possible mattress you can afford, within the parameters of your budget.

2. Comfort Matters More Than Looks

When mattress shopping, always go for comfort over looks. We spend about a third of each day sleeping, so you want the best mattress that will provide you with support and help you drift off to sleep with ease.

If you find a mattress you love, but you’re unhappy with its style, color, or brand—buy it anyway! You will hardly ever see your actual mattress, as it’s always covered with sheets and a comforter.

3. Read Customer Reviews

If you’re wondering how to pick a mattress you should always include time for reading online reviews, in addition to comparison posts like this one over on the Sleepify website. Bedding and mattresses are a huge industry, with dozens and dozens of mattress brands to select from. Since we don’t buy mattresses frequently, the market may look very different from the last time you were shopping.

Once you narrowed it down to a few models or brands you like, try to read online reviews from real customers about the products. While the mattress’s website may offer reviews, also consult unbiased review sites such as Consumer Reports, Google Reviews, or Amazon.

For instance, if you are considering the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress, it’s worth looking up a detailed bear elite hybrid review to see what others have experienced. Similarly, if there’s another specific brand or model on your list, look for reviews that highlight its key features and potential drawbacks. This kind of research ensures that you choose a mattress that aligns with your preferences and meets your expectations for a comfortable and restful sleep.

Reviews can give you a better picture of how well the product lasts, if it’s good value for money, any issues with returns, and if the mattress ages well over time.

4. Visit the Store to Test Out

Online shopping is great for most purchases, but when it comes to mattress shopping, you can’t beat an in-store experience.

A visit to the store lets you feel, compare, and sit or rest on each mattress, allowing you to decide if it’s right for you. You can’t replicate those experiences online, so it’s worth making the drive to the mattress store to do some real-life comparisons.

5. Are You Sharing with a Partner?

If you’re sharing a bed with your partner or spouse, then buying a mattress will need to be a joint decision! You’ll both be using it each night, so you need to find a mattress that will make you both happy.

Sometimes, one person prefers softer while another prefers a more firm mattress. If this sounds familiar, you may want to try a split mattress, where each side can be customized to that person’s preferences.

6. Check Return Policies and Warranties

Since you’re likely to be spending at least a few hundred on your mattress, you want to make sure your purchase is protected.

If something goes wrong and your mattress is defective, can you return it? Or, if you take it home and find it’s not as comfortable as you’d hoped for, can you exchange it for another?

When it comes to return policies and warranties, always read the fine print and make sure you know the conditions of the sale. Cheaper mattresses or those marked down may come with limited warranties, so make sure you’re happy with your buy a new mattress.

7. Which Material Is Best for You?

Mattresses can come in a wide range of materials, including memory foam, gel, water beds, and pillow tops, each with pros and cons.

It can help to read mattress reviews to learn more about each mattress type and whether it will suit your needs.

8. Ask Your Doctor for Advice if You Have Back Problems

For those who experience back, neck, or spinal problems, it can be harder to find the right mattress that provides the support you need. In this case, you may want to ask your doctor or physical therapist for recommendations on which mattress is best for you.

In this case, you may want to ask your doctor or physical therapist for recommendations and do some additional research on which mattress is best for back pain.

9. Add New Pillows

When buying a new mattress, it’s a good idea to add on a new set of pillows. Pillows need to be replaced around every six months to two years, but many of us hold on to our favorites for much longer than that.

Pillows absorb oil from our hair and skin and can get weighed down with dead skin cells. They also lose their structure over time, meaning they can no longer provide support to our neck and heads, meaning you may wake up with a sore neck.

10. Check Delivery Costs

You’ve found the perfect mattress and are ready to hand over your credit card—but wait, how are you going to get it home? Most of us can’t fit a mattress in our car or hatchback, so we rely on delivery from the company.

Always check first how much the delivery charge will be before purchasing. Although many companies offer free delivery, a high fee for delivery could be a deal breaker.

Use This Mattress Buying Guide to Sleep Well

If you’re not sleeping as well as you should be, it might be time to invest in a new mattress. Once you start shopping, use this mattress buying guide to ensure you find the right mattress—a perfect blend of comfort, affordability, and back support.

Although it may take some time to find what you’re looking for, you’ll eventually find a mattress that was meant just for you—sweet dreams!

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