| Cheap mattress retailers have a reputation for using | | | | Sagging in mattresses is caused by the padding, not |
| questionable sales practices. It is therefore a good | | | | the coils. Therefore, when comparing mattresses look |
| idea to arm yourself with information before you go | | | | at for thicker, higher quality padding. |
| shopping. Learn what matters and doesn't matter in | | | | Now, where do you go for a cheap mattress? |
| mattress construction. Learn to recognize common | | | | 1. Brick-and-Mortar Stores - includes department |
| sales techniques. | | | | stores, chains, and boutiques. Allow you to test the |
| In terms of mattress construction, there have been | | | | mattress out, but require a significant time |
| significant improvements over the last ten years. As | | | | investment to comparison shop. |
| long as you don't go into the low end of the market, | | | | 2. Cheap mattress by phone companies - more |
| durability should not be significantly different among | | | | convenient than brick-and-mortar stores, but can be |
| brands and models. Major attributes to consider are | | | | slippery on pricing and returns. Many offer different |
| firmness, and construction. | | | | prices each time they're called. The upside, however, |
| 1. Firmness - test out the mattress to make sure it | | | | is you can likely negotiate over the phone by quoting |
| feels comfortable. Also make sure that the firmness | | | | competitor prices. An additional area to be wary is |
| is consistent across all areas of the mattress. | | | | with returns. Be sure that you can return or |
| 2. Construction - learn about how the mattress is | | | | exchange the mattress without paying fees or being |
| made. More expensive mattresses typically have | | | | forced to pay full retail on the exchange. |
| damask ticking, thicker padding, higher coil counts, | | | | 3. Internet - offer low prices, but you can't test the |
| and a cushion sewn into the mattress. Coil count and | | | | mattress before you buy. You may have difficulty |
| configuration seem to have little effect on durability. | | | | returning if something goes wrong. |