5 Questions to Ask When Buying a Mattress

There are some questions to ask when buying a mattress. They are not necessarily connected with the mattress itself, though some can be. Sure, if you have back pain or you are particularly light or heavy in weight you want to be sure the mattress you purchase is suitable for you.



Young couples might want to know if it is bouncy, and the elderly may ask about resistance to fluids and 'spillages.' If you get hay fever you may ask if the mattress is hypoallergenic or how to prevent an accumulation of dust mites.

Different people will have different questions to ask, but what are the questions you should ask. What are the questions that are unrelated to the properties of your mattress? Questions that have little to do with its bounciness, hardness, softness or even whether or not it's made from memory foam, Dunlop or Talalay latex or any other question regarding the physical form and properties of the mattress?

Here are 5 questions to ask when buying a mattress that may have little connection with the properties of that mattress. Different people will have different questions to ask, but what are the questions you should ask? Here are 5 questions to ask when buying a mattress:

1. What's the Level of Motion Separation?

Motion separation, also referred to as motion isolation, refers to the way the movement of one partner in a bed upsets the sleep of another. If this is important to you then you should ask the question. "How does this mattress separate the motion of my partner when he or she moves about in the night?" This can be very important to someone whose partner tends to toss and turn during the night. Some mattresses are better in this respect than others.

2. Does the Mattress Help Keep Me Cool at Night?

Many people can get hot during the night, particularly in the hot summer months. They need a mattress that helps to wick away the heat and help keep them cool. It's a reasonable question to ask. Some do and some don't. Gel memory foams can help in this respect.

The gel absorbs heat as you go to sleep, enabling you to sleep quicker because you are not heating up. However, it doesn't last all night and you may feel hot when you wake in the morning – in which case just get up! If this is a problem for you, then look for a mattress where the gel layer is right at the top, and separating you from the main foam layer of the mattress.

Some companies use carbon-infused foams, or even copper or titanium to absorb and conduct the heat away from your body. If you tend to sleep too hot, then look for a cooling mattress that contains gel, carbon, copper or even titanium – many of these do work!

3. What Type of Mattress Foundation Will I Need?

One very important question is whether or not the mattress needs a foundation, and if so, what type. You will usually find that an innerspring mattress is recommended to be laid on a box spring foundation to even out the wear on the springs.

A foam mattress will likely not need a foundation, although it would help to keep the mattress higher up off the floor. Many people find that when their mattress is too near the floor, they find it difficult to get out and stand up in the morning, particularly the elderly.

4. Is the Mattress Non-Toxic?

This can be one of the most important questions to ask when buying a mattress. Particularly so if you tend to get allergies, are particularly sensitive to certain types of chemicals, or you have children in the house. Ask if your mattress is Certi-PUR certified. This signifies that your mattress does not contain foams that breach the Certi-PUR standards. In the US this is referred to as CertiPUR-US, but the standard is the same worldwide.

5. Is There a Sleep Trial and What's the Warranty Conditions

Mattress Sleep Trial: If a mattress manufacturer is confident of the quality of its products, then it may offer a sleep trial. That may be for 30, 100 or in some cases even 200 nights. The sleep trial enables you to test the mattress for the stated period. If you don't like it, then return it. You will generally have to pay the return transport cost - and in some cases also a restocking cost. The restocking cost relates to the work needed to make the mattress look new again and returned to the vendor's stock.
Mattress Warranty: The warranty covers you for any manufacturing defects or poor workmanship. You must read your warranty conditions carefully, not just for its expiry period. Many warranties apply only under certain conditions: for example, indentations in the mattress of a specified depth, no evidence of pets using the mattress and no obvious evidence of misuse.

5 Questions to Ask When Buying a Mattress: Summary

These are likely five of the most important questions to ask when buying a mattress. They are generally the questions you will ask once you have a good idea of the mattress you want. They are all important questions, even if they have little to do with the design or make of the mattress you choose. Keep them in mind when you begin your mattress shopping, and never part with any money until you are satisfied with the answers given.

Share this: