Mattresses - how on earth do we choose?

[Posey]

All our mattresses need replacing. The children's beds are bunks which came with pretty cheap mattresses which are worn out. My bed is old, we need to replace it.

Where do we start in choosing replacements?

Help please!

with bunks, you have to make sure the top matress isnt too thick. i guess a medium firmness is fine for kids.

for you and dh, well go and jump on a few in shops to see which ones you like best.

Its just they vary so much in price and there are so many types that are sprung, not sprung, mould to your shape, all that...

just go and try some out. thats all you can do.

then you find the one you love so so much is over a grand and you faint in the shop

We did our mattresses a few years ago. I figured that if we went for the top end of the Argos range, we'd end up with a good mid-range product, which is exactly how it worked out.

Unless you're in the market for a really top-end schmanzy mattress, Argos are as good as anywhere, and their customer service is pretty good too ime.

Thanks

Which shop then?!

We managed to buy one that is ridiculously heavy and a PITA to change the sheet, so my top tip is to bear that in mind.

Sorry X-posts Frogs.
Can't try them in Argos can you!

Ikea have decent mattresses. We got one for DD1's bed - v. comfortable.

Also recently got one of their mattress toppers to for our v. expensive Dunlopillo bed which is just too hard (dh did tell me, but I wouldn't listen...).

can recommend a latex type one, very comfy. We bought it from Index a few years back without trying it. Thing is they won't let you send it back if you don't like it

just got back from weekend at my sisters-she had orthapedic(sp?)mattress-felt hard first but amazingly comfy!it moulds to you!now i want one

We went to an independant shop in our town, and the salesman was great.

He explained why they vary so much in price (something to do with the springs??!!) and what is the best type for your bed (ie divan or slated base).

My parents had a chain of bed shops for years before they retired....they used to say the number one thing is to lie down and try the beds out and not to be shy about lying down in the way you normally sleep.

That said I did buy a mattress which came with a bedstead from Argos without trying it - it was awful - really hard but I agree with the other post re mattress toppers - we got a White Company one and it has saved the day - that bed is now amazingly comfy!

Thanks for all the advice.

Hi Posey - coming to this very late, but thought I'd offer my suggestion anyway.

DD got a new bed/mattress for her birthday in February. I went to House of Fraser and Peter Jones for initial search. Spoke to a knowledgeable salesman for a long time about what to look for in a mattress, and advantages of various makes/models. Did alot of lying on different display beds. I then asked when they went on sale, and what the biggest discount offered was. I waited and bought the bed frame/mattress when the sale was on and got 40% off, and free delivery/assembly. (IIRC, the best sales were Nov and Jan, but could be wrong.)

Maybe worth a try, if you haven't already made your purchases....