Best mattress for slat beds

How do you genuinely figure out the best mattress for adjustable beds?

It's actually not much different than picking your ideal mattress for any other unique need.

More specifically, look for a mattress that:

• Adjustable Compatible: not all mattresses can be used with adjustable beds. Our top 10 list is completely compatible with an adjusting base.

• Firmness: has the right firmness for your sleep position (soft-medium if you're a side sleeper and medium firm-firm if you primarily sleep on your back or stomach). About 70% of people pick a medium-firm comfort level because it accommodates the widest range of sleep positions (side, back and stomach).

• Temperature, Materials and REM: sleeps cool (so you stay in REM longer), and has quality materials (avoid brands that don't have transparent specs on their site or refuse to answer basic construction questions like (a) foam densities, (b) ILDs), and (c) where they manufacture).

Deciding which materials your next mattress should have depends on the following:

a. Price: price range/budget.
b. Type: mattress type you prefer (spring, foam, latex or hybrid).
c. Motion Transfer: do you have a partner and need less motion transfer?
d. Temperature: do you sleep hot and need a cool mattress?
e. Eco-Friendly: do you have allergies and want a vegan or all-natural mattress?

Note: make sure you focus on brands that provide detailed information on their internal mattress construction and specs.

Ask about densities and ILDs (even if you don't fully understand what they are) to see how a brand responds. If they pivot and ignore your question - that's a big red flag and likely indicates their specifications aren't good (hence they're avoiding a direct answer).

INNERSPRING

If you're considering a pocket coil hybrid, make sure the steel gauge is at least 13 (lower = thicker). Don't worry so much about coil count. It's a somewhat gimmicky specification that contributes less to support than overall steel thickness.

a. Price: $200-$2500.
c. Motion Transfer: some motion transfer.
d. Temperature: sleeps cool.
e. Eco-Friendly: partially eco-friendly.

See the Saatva Classic for an incredibly durable and long-lasting pocket-coil hybrid. Imagine the most comfortable, luxury hotel you've ever slept in. That's the Saatva Classic.

MEMORY FOAM

For memory foam, ensure it has at least a 4.5 lb. density foam core (higher density = higher quality = lasts longer).

a. Price: $200-$3500.
c. Motion Transfer: no motion transfer.
d. Temperature: sleeps hot.
e. Eco-Friendly: not eco-friendly.

See Loom and Leaf mattress if you want the best memory foam mattress available today. They use an extremely comfortable gel memory foam ( with a 5 lb. dense core).

LATEX

Look for a mattress that clearly outlines what type of latex they use, which can either be: (a) talalay (higher quality/more expensive and relatively soft) or (b) dunlop (a little lower quality/cheaper to make and a little firmer).

Talalay is used primarily as a top layer (for comfort), while dunlop should be used for a firmer base core (for longevity).

If a latex mattress brand refuses to disclose what type of latex they use (and only says 'blend') = skip them and pick a transparent brand that won't hassle you about answering basic questions (imagine how much more difficult a return or warranty conversation goes).

a. Price: $800-$5000+.
c. Motion Transfer: minimal motion transfer.
d. Temperature: sleeps cool.
e. Eco-Friendly: completely eco-friendly.

See Zenhaven. They're the best example of a brand that's extremely transparent (+ they use ultra-premium materials), and they're 100% talalay.

If you're thinking about buying a mattress in a physical store, get rid of that idea.

Buying a mattress in a store is perhaps the worst decision you can make when picking out your next mattress.

Why? 4 primary reasons to be exact:

• Bad Policies: Stores typically have horrific return and warranty policies that are (a) unbelievably unforgiving and (b) extremely costly (if you decide to return).
• Misleading Comfort: Trying a mattress in-store won't tell you how it feels in the comfort of your own home. It's misleading at best.
• Impossible to Compare: Stores make it impossible to comparison shop in real-time.
• Intentionally Misleading: Store models are often much different (and often times lower quality) than similar alternatives online.

Buying a mattress online removes all the negatives of an in-store experience.

Brands that sell online (a) have no overhead and (b) face much stiffer competition, which means their policies and overall experience is vastly superior than your local store (it's not even close).