Is it possible to choose a mattress?

[wildfellhall]

Every time I start to research them - I'm completely baffled by the choice.
Ours is really old and needs to be replaced.
I can't have any wool at all as I'm a bit sensitive to it.
Someone said John Lewis don't collect your old one any more.
I don't want a sweaty mattress.
I know some you can return after 30 days - but who wants that level of palaver?
I'm suspicious of something so plastic it unfurls out of a box - but it does sound convenient.
I want supportive firmness but not bruising.
The toppers confuse me.
I'll never getting him indoors to come and lie on one in a shop.
How did you choose?

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I bought one online. Which was a mistake, it wasn't right. Thankfully able to return.

Ended up in a shop which was great. If he won't go can you make a solo choice or does he care?

I went and tried a few in the shop, then chose. If DH won’t go to try them, he doesn’t get a say. The people in the shop are very helpful, I thought they were being typical salespeople, but they do know the beds.

Thank you! That's what I need to do.

I don't think you can without going to a shop!
We have just bought one. Went to Bensons then Dreams than back to Bensons and then ordered online as got more discount that way!
You can't know from an online description how it's going to feel.

We have bought an Emma before just online and it was crap.

The one on order has a 60 night guarantee and would be a faff but I would use it if needed. Hopefully we have got it right first time!

I would go on your own if needed. If he won't go with you he doesn't seem that bothered!

I went to The Bed Shop and was happy. My sister has used Dreams and was happy.

I find the padding and the springs make a difference you need the right support from the springs for good spine position etc but without good padding my shoulder still feels squashed (side sleeper).

Dreams , they have a machine thingy you lay on first which works out which mattress type would be best for you . Then you let them know personal preferences, eg you get hot in bed and don’t want memory foam . Then they guide you to the top few matches. They also take the old mattress away ( extra charge) . If husband won’t come , you just get to pick your perfect mattress.

Loaf mattresses are amazing

loaf.com/all-beds/mattresses

Agree.
If husband won't come, at least you've tried it.

If you buy online, neither of you have tried it.

You will only get half the length of time you had with your old mattress if you buy a mattress that can't be flipped over.
I don't know when the decision was made by mattress manufacturers that mattresses can be used on one side only but it was financial genius for the mattress manufacturers
We bought a new mattress in the past couple of years for almost €1000 and I just presumed that I could turn the mattress upside down as I had always done.
I didn't know things had changed.
I would usually have flipped over a mattress every fortnight or so.
I wouldn't have purchased that particular mattress if I had known, I would have bought one that could be turned upside down not just rotated from head to toe.
Do check.

We bought ours from Eve when we got fed up with indecision and crappy mattress. They have 365 days return so we thought we had nothing to lose. We fell in love with it the first night we slept on it.
I got council to collect the old mattress

John Lewis will take your old mattress. There is a charge for it, but I think most places charge for removal now. They also have a 90 day try it out policy as long as you also buy and use a mattress protector at the same time.

I went to Dreams. Tried a few. They took away my old mattress and bed. (You pay extra for them to take it away but it's worth it)

We got an Emma mattress on brand alley recently which was a bargain

We last went to Dreams where they do some kind of assessment on you both to work out what's your type (was surprised to come out medium, not firm!), then you go lie on a bunch to choose. Bought ours 4 years ago, it's divine.

We went to a shop and tried them out. Only problem is it's very comfortable but really heavy to change the bedding.

I would avoid Bensons we had multiple problems and customer service were zero help.

Thank you so much for all this advice it's much appreciated.

We have a Dreams not far away so I think I will try there and see if I can persuade him to come.

Once you get your perfect mattress do you need a mattress topper on top of that?
I can't work out what they're for.

I work in a mattress shop. Go there and pick your top few. Go back to the shop at different times of the day as the mattress feel will change depending on how your body feels. Speak to the staff as well, they will be able to guide you.

You spend a third of your life in bed. Go to a shop and spend at least 800 quid on a decent one. This will last 15 years

We went to Bensons. First time we went we didn't use the machine & my husband preferred the firm mattress. My hips didn't so we returned it & used the machine & swapped it for a medium one instead. It did end up costing us a bit but very happy with the second mattress.

@Charmander6 you say you work in a mattress shop - Can you still buy mattresses that can be flipped over rather than just rotated ?

You can, loads are available. I've just bought one and there was plenty of choice

We knew absolutely nothing about beds so we went to Bensons for Beds (not sure if this is a national chain) and just tried loads, lying down on each one.
People swear by memory foam but we didn't like them at all. Felt weird to us. We went for a mattress with over two thousand springs (which is apparently a lot). It's sooo comfortable. Firm and supportive but not hard. We didn't get a mattress topper. There was no need as it was so comfortable anyway. We just have a mattress protector sheet to keep it clean.

I've got a mattress that can be flipped and I only got it a year or so back. I got mine from Dreams and I used the machine to help decide the mattress type that suits the way I sleep. Ie I like sleeping on my tummy. The mattress I ended up choosing is very comfy and I have been happy with it.