Counting sheep....
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BostonTeaParty · 08-29-2003, 04:59 PM

I'm having more fun with Consumer Reports online than I imagined I would!!

Next survey:

What kind of mattress do you have? Do you recommend it?

AKLRULZ · 08-29-2003, 05:03 PM

I'm digging these posts, too.

We've got a Simmons Beautyrest pillow top that is comfy! I'd be curious how that rated.

GoofyMom · 08-29-2003, 10:51 PM

Oooh, I hope you'll share their findings with us. Our mattress from Sears is about 15 years old and we're starting to notice that we're both stiff and sore when we wake up. I'm not sure if that's got anything to do with the mattress' age or our age! I certainly would have recommended it up until a couple years ago.

**Colexis Mom** · 08-29-2003, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dad2jbj:
We've got a Simmons Beautyrest pillow top that is comfy! I'd be curious how that rated.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Same here [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I love my mattress, best one I've ever had [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

iloverags2 · 08-29-2003, 11:24 PM

We have Serta PerfectSleepers around the house, even in the guest bedroom. Four guests have now told us they've slept better on that mattress then they've slept in years, so I'm guessing it's a pretty good mattress.

iloverags2 · 08-29-2003, 11:25 PM

We have Serta PerfectSleepers around the house, even in the guest bedroom. Four guests have now told us they've slept better on that mattress then they've slept in years, so I'm guessing it's a pretty good mattress.

BostonTeaParty · 08-30-2003, 09:18 AM

Here's what I learned:
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A good mattress will gently support your body at all points. Although we could find no published scientific data on which type of mattress is best, orthopedic experts generally recommend the firmest mattress that you find comfortable.

Sealy, Serta, and Simmons account for nearly three out of every four mattresses sold, but there are more than 35 other brands. The big makers offer no-frills models, but most people are more familiar with their flagship lines: Sealy Posturepedic, Serta Perfect Sleeper, and Simmons Beautyrest.

A firmer mattress won't resist permanent sagging better than a softer mattress. A thicker mattress sags more than a thinner mattress. And because all the permanent compression is within the padding layers, not the springs, more padding equals more potential for sagging.
+++++

But you also have to buy sheets for these bad boys.

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Sheets made of cotton-polyester blends are renowned for easy care--less shrinkage, fading, and wrinkling. Some all-cotton sheets claim to be wrinkle-free, but we've found that they typically emerge from the dryer somewhat wrinkled, no better than a number of regular cottons and not as good as any of the blends.

In theory, the long fibers found in premium cottons should make a sturdier yarn that feels smooth and is less likely to pill. In our tests, however, we have found that this doesn't necessarily hold true.

Sheets with a higher thread count have a tighter weave, finer yarns, a softer "hand," or feel, and a higher price. But we've found that above 180 or 200 threads per square inch, it's hard to detect any difference in softness.

Most sheets are made of woven fabric with plain weaves (muslin, percale, and variants) making up more than 80 percent of all sheet sales. Don't think your eyesight is failing if you can't discern the differences in the various weaves--the detail is difficult to see without a magnifying glass.

The woven sheets we've tested are definitely not cut from the same cloth. We've found differences in softness, strength, and appearance, generally related to fiber content and weave. Fit varied as well. Advertising hype notwithstanding, a higher thread count and the use of premium cotton do not guarantee quality--but they do up the price.

If sateens are the gold standard of bed linens, status European brands like Frette, D. Porthault, and Praetesi are the platinum level. The Porthault sheets we tested cost as much as some people pay for a bed and mattress together--$1,100 for a queen-size set. They were lovely sheets with elegant hem-stitched borders, but they didn't test out as well as $45 sheets.

Pressed for detail, a saleswoman in a New York City store told us they're Egyptian cotton with a 330 thread count. When we asked for laundering advice, she recommended cold-water washing plus ironing for do-it-yourselfers. We can't say how the sheets would fare if professionally laundered, but when we washed (and even ironed) them, they didn't seem as extraordinary as their price would lead you to expect.
+++++

What shall we look at next? If anybody has a topic they are interested in, just let me know. I'll look it up and post it here.

AKLRULZ · 08-30-2003, 09:23 AM

Who studies this stuff? I want a cool job like that! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Quote:

Originally posted by NancyW:
What shall we look at next? If anybody has a topic they are interested in, just let me know. I'll look it up and post it here.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">How about automobiles?? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]