Labor Day sales are coming soon and mattresses are one of the items often discounted at this time of year. However, a low-priced mattress may cost you more in the long run.
Rushing to take advantage of a sale could result in buying before determining mattress preferences. Focusing mostly on price can mean compromising on quality or comfort. Figuring out what you want, and then buying the right mattress, is important for avoiding a waste of natural and financial resources.
Start with the most basic decision about mattress preferences: firm versus soft
The degree of firmness is a matter of personal preference, and trying several in a store provides a big advantage over buying a mattress online. Many online retailers compensate by offering long trial periods and free returns, but the return process can be cumbersome and might not be entirely free, so an online purchase can add to the possibility of discontent and a shorter mattress life.
Even when the imminent end of a sale period is not at stake, buying a cheaper mattress may cost more in the long run. For foam mattresses, the quality, density and cooling properties of material matter, so customer reviews are important for determining longevity. For spring mattresses, durability is easier to measure. The gauge of the steel and number of springs make a difference. Counterintuitively, lower gauge steel results in a firmer bed, which also lasts longer, provided the bed is soft enough to match the preference of the customer.
"All-foam mattresses have not been around long enough to know if they are more or less durable than inner springs," according to Mike O'Donnell, chief operating officer of the Mattress Recycling Council, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the mattress industry that manages California's statewide mattress recycling program.
A 2022 study by the council determined the average age of discarded mattresses at recycling facilities across the state was 13.9 years. Distribution ranged from 1 to 49 years, so durability is important.
Sometimes, paying just a little more can make a big difference. Richard Zurawik, manager of Mattress Warehouse in Oxnard, explained, "Our lowest-cost twin mattress is a $149 standard coil, but for just $179, a customer could move up to memory foam, or for $199, to pocketed coils, and add three to five years of mattress life."
Pocketed coils are harder to recycle, but they may prevent premature discard because they provide an advantage in larger beds. They reduce "motion transfer," the phenomenon of one person's movements disturbing another sharing a mattress. A split California King bed, made of two separate mattresses placed side-by-side, is an even better solution to motion transfer, and also a way to give each member of a couple their preferred firmness and materials.
Refurbished mattresses offer high-quality materials at a low price.
"Buying a quality refurbished mattress made by a licensed, reputable refurbisher gives the consumer more for their money," according to Don Franco Jr., vice president of Gateway Mattress Co. He added, "Any mattress manufacturer can make a thick mattress by using cheap foam that looks good on the outside, but it's what's inside that counts."
As for the outside layers, refurbishers replace the textiles when they rewrap the reusable core, providing a major difference between a refurbished mattress and one that is simply reused.
Longer warranties may correlate to quality, but beware of proration, expiration and limitations. Web sites such as mattressclarity.com and sleepadvisor.com provide evaluations of durability based on quality of materials and multi-night sleep tests. Consumer Reports tests beds with a 308-pound wood roller, measuring resulting sagging or "change in support."
When you buy a new mattress, retailers delivering it are required to offer free pickup for your old one. If picking up and discarding with your own vehicle, four drop off locations in Ventura County can be found through www.byebyemattress.com, and once-per-year free bulky item collection is provided through most curbside collection programs.
Eco-Tip is written by David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst for the Ventura County Public Works Agency. This column was not written in his capacity as a member of the California Mattress Recycling Advisory Committee. He can be reached at 805-658-4312 or [email protected].