A mattress is easier to choose once you know what you're comparing. Here are the kinds, how firmness works, the sizes, and how to try one.
The kinds of mattress
Innerspring mattresses rest on coils, with layers of padding on top. Foam mattresses are made of layers of foam, with no coils. Hybrids combine the two: coils below, and foam or other comfort layers above. Each feels different, so lie on all three before you decide.
Firmness is personal
Makers describe how their mattresses feel in their own words, like firm, medium or plush, and one maker's medium can feel different from another's. Think about how you usually lie, on your side, your back or your front, and try each mattress that way.
Try it the way you sleep
Lie on each mattress for several minutes, not just a moment. Bring your own pillow if you can. Turn over a few times, and sit on the edge too: you'll sit there every morning, and edges differ from one mattress to the next. If you share a bed, try it together, and notice how much you feel the other person move.
Pillows and what goes on top
A mattress can feel different with a protector or a topper on it, and the pillow that suits you depends on how you lie and how firm the mattress is. If you can, choose them together, and try the mattress with the kind of protector you'll use.
As it settles
Every mattress softens a little in its first months, as its layers settle. The maker's care instructions say how to rotate it so that it wears evenly, and a mattress protector keeps it clean.
Choose the size
Measure the room and the bed frame you'll use. A twin is 38 by 75 inches, a twin XL 38 by 80, a full 54 by 75 and a queen 60 by 80. A king is 76 by 80; a California king is narrower and longer, at 72 by 84.
What goes underneath
A mattress needs the right support under it: a foundation, a platform bed or an adjustable base. Check what the maker says your mattress needs, since its warranty can depend on it.
Before you buy
Ask how delivery works, and whether your old mattress can be taken away. Once it's delivered, a mattress can't be returned, as our Store policies explain, so take your time choosing in the gallery, where our mattresses are there to lie on.
