Stearns and Foster have established a reputation as a manufacturer of the premium innerspring mattresses in America. Though it is true, you should be sure about your purchase, that it is suitable for you.
A good quality mattress is very expensive and a Stearns and Foster mattress is even more. So, if you want to spend that much money, you should be confident you have made the best selection of mattress. Don’t fall into trap made by the marketers. By avoiding the optional extras, you can actually save a lot of money.
What are these optional ‘extras’? Here is what you should know about any innerspring mattress and the things to avoid.
The term ‘mattress set’ is most common when you start your search. A mattress set can be divided into two crucial parts; the mattress and the boxspring. The mattress can then be divided further into 3 parts. Let us take a look at it.
An innerspring mattress has an upper layer usually called the ‘mattress style’. Primarily, there are many surface fabrics starting from artificial nylon, to Damask, wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca etc. Costlier the material, costlier the mattress. So actually you are paying for the mattress looks; one with a synthetic cover is as good and as durable as the one with the best silk. Ask yourself if it is worth it to pay for the looks of the mattress when it will always be covered.
The upper layer of a mattress is available in 5 styles. The first one is the elementary Tight Top; the simplest one. Next is the Pillow Top; a layer of luxurious materials is put above the Tight Top. It’s fixed with gusseted corners to give it a pillow shape. Third, there is the Euro Pillow Top; just like Pillow Top but with higher filling. Fourth, a Euro Top just like a Euro Pillow Top but not gusseted instead tied directly on to the mattress. Finally, the Box Top is very thick and also directly tied to the mattress.
The last 4 styles are growing in popularity as many liked the additional layer of comfort and so today many tops today use materials like latex and memory foam. The decision to buy one is entirely up to you but many customers say that these tops sag quickly. In this case, you will have to throw away the entire mattress although the innerspring may be completely fine.
Under the surface, there is the Comfort Layer. It comprises various kinds of material to give the mattress a comfy feel. These materials can consist of wool, foam, latex and memory foam.
The last layer offers the support. As of now, a Stearns and Foster mattress provides 2 kinds of support:; innerspring and latex. Whichever option you go for, you will get the best. The innerspring model has 504 Progressive Support Coils that are double offset with 12 3/4 gauge high-carbon steel. They are also tempered twice that allows them to keep their shape better for longer time. Latex has again regained its popularity as it is hypoallergenic and matches the sleeper’s body shape.
The type you go for is entirely up to you. Many prefer the body matching properties of a latex or memory foam mattress while others like the traditional inner spring system.
Lastly, there is the boxspring. Stearns and Foster claim they still sincerely believe that they should purchase a ‘complete sleep set’, implying you should purchase not only the mattress but also the boxspring along with it. They say it will provide much better support and make the mattress more durable.
But this is not true. In Europe, boxsprings are not used at all, yet there are no complaints there. Moreover, a mattress like a Stearns and Foster with over 12″ thick and requires 2 people to carry it, should be good enough to provide support to the sleeper. Other companies, who sell latex and memory foam mattresses, don’t advise a boxspring, so the reason for Stearns and Foster recommending it for its innerspring and latex models is questionable. It may be just a trick to earn more money by luring customers to believe they require this additional support.
So the best thing is to buy a Stearns and Foster mattress, but don’t go for the boxspring.
Stearns and Foster definitely make the best innerspring mattress. But before purchasing, consider the covering fabric and ask yourself if you actually want the silk, think about the mattress style and whether a pillow top makes a good sense for long term and ask if you actually require a boxspring.