How Do You Buy A Bed And Mattress?
Do you really have a bad back–or just a bad bed? Buying a new mattress set can be confusing and expensive–a queen set can cost $400 or $4,000. Most of us spend one-third of our lives in bed, though, so it’s worth it to find one that’s just right for your body. Step 1 Look at construction, not price. A $400 mattress and box spring may be as good as a $700 set. In more-expensive pocket-spring mattresses, each spring rests in its own fabric pocket and responds independently to the weight above. In less-expensive continuous-spring mattresses, a single length of wire forms the springs. Step 2 Test mattress support by lying beside your sleeping partner; you shouldn’t roll toward each other and one person shouldn’t feel motion as the other leaves the bed. Step 3 Consider coil count and the gauge of the wire in the coils as indicators of firmness (and often quality). Generally, the more coils, the firmer the mattress, although thicker wires can compensate for fewer coils. Lower gauge means t
