Mattress Confusion

I have been very happy with a mattress that I bought 15 years ago. I think it is a Sealy Posturpedic. It cost something like $1500 then at Macy's in New York. But now I am moving to a new apartment and while it is still in good shape, it is time for me to get something else. FYI I have an upholstered headboard but no bed frame.

I went to Bloomingdale's and tried its array of mattresses without pillow tops (I didn't think I would want the pillow top or latex or memory foam). The one I seemed to favor was the Kluft Royal Sovereign Overture Firm, which costs about $3500 for a queen set at the current sale level. There was also a Shifman ReViens Cannes for slightly more that I liked but didn't like as much as the Kluft.

No doubt there has been inflation in 15 years (despite most furniture's being made in China now), and though I had hoped not to spend more than about $2000, I realize that it is important to pick something comfortable. I have not ventured to other stores yet.

I have a few questions: Do I need to replace my box spring? People seem to differ on that point.

I also read that Kluft mattresses cannot be turned over, only rotated. If true, does that make it a bad decision? I typically rotate or flip the mattress every 6 months.

There seem to be a lot of Royal-Pedic fans. What company makes its mattresses? Are they available in New York?

Last, what is negotiable - price? delivery cost?

The spring lines we sell (Sealy and Laura Ashley) have nice mattresses for under $2000. I really like the Laura Ashley line.

You should match the foundation to the mattress. Many are designed to go a rigid foundation, yours probably has coil springs. The foundation is a small part of the price of a set, you'll save very little by just getting the mattress.

Most mattresses are single sided so they can't be flipped, but can be rotated. Has not been a problem for us.

Duane can pipe in on Royal-Pedic.

What's negotiable depends on the store and the product.

At 15 years of use I can guarantee you that your existing set is used up. Beds degrade internally at a slow rate, so slow that most people don't realize their bed is shot until they happen to stay at a nice hotel on a trip and discover the hotel bed is firm and comfortable!

Its important not to confuse a bed warranty with a bed lifespan. The two have nothing to do with one another. In most cases, the bed "warranty" outlasts the service life of the bed. When a bed breaks down internally, its not a manufacturing defect, its simply worn out. Manufacturers know that a strong warranty creates an image of longevity.

The average lifespan of most bedding before degrading is appx. seven years. Some of the better makes can go ten. After that the bed is well past its prime but most folks push them many years beyond that.

Do you need a new box spring? As Steve says they are designed to work as integrated units for the best comfort and support. I always replace my box spring when I replace the matt. In most cases, warranties are void if you don't use the pieces as a set, but warrranties are rarely used anyway.

A lot of bedding sold these days is not designed to be flipped top-to-bottom. In my opinion, this is a trend driven entirely by customer feedback. Most people loathe to rotate and flip their mattresses, so how does the industry respond? The NO FLIP mattress! Ta-da!! Give 'em what they want. Just live with the settling and sell more bedding faster is what I'm guessing will happen.

I'm a one-brand store and only sell Royal-Pedic, but thats what I wanted to have in my house, so I got the dealership mainly for that reason. I used to carry King Koil many years ago (awful), and then Shifman after that (good bed, but Bloomies has a lock on the account), and not am R-P.

I know ABC Carpet and Home in Manhattan is a R-P dealer, but you might get sticker shock from them. Still, you can try out the bedding there and see if it works for you.