Help me pick a latex mattress!

January 31, 2009 4:02 PM

Mattressfilter: What are your experiences with latex mattresses, particularly with IKEA latex mattresses? For someone with back problems, details inside.

Looked at the past threads on the topic, but would like some up-to-date opinions.

My husband and I went mattress shopping today at a local store. We were looking at Sealy's and decided we definitely preferred the Springfree latex mattresses to the ones with springs. We nearly bought a model called Tranquil Sea today for $1300. We decided to do some comparison shopping first and I'm glad I did because through some googling I've discovered that model only has a 1 inch core of Latex and is mostly poly foam. Which is apparently bad. If I'm going to shell out that kind of money for a mattress, I want to know it's worth it and that it will last. FYI, I've done my share of laying on memory foam beds and don't like the constant sinking feeling.

It looks like the next step up for Sealy latex mattresses (with 8 inches of latex) go for around $2000. I'm looking at the Ikea mattresses that contain 7 inches of latex for $700-800. We're planning on going to Ikea in Houston next weekend to try them out. What have people's experiences with any of these mattresses or similar been?

I have some pretty serious back problems, with three degenerating discs in my lower back and very severe pain at times. I'm usually a side sleeper unless my back just won't allow it. I liked the mattress I tried today because I felt like it allowed me to lay on my side without pressing back up on my hips, which is where I get a lot of pain. Thoughts?

posted by threeturtles to shopping (9 comments total)

I find it's really a personal preference. For myself, I really can't get comfortable on one of these. However, a friend of mine has one, and swears by it.
posted by scarello at 4:20 PM on January 31

I love our memory foam mattresses so much that I cannot stand any other mattress now. It has ruined me for every other bed, ever. Friends come to stay at our house and we give them our bed to sleep in. They love it. This is not a latex mattress but it has similar qualities.

We bought ours at Room and Board. Someone in the furniture business tipped me off to the fact that Room and Board sells excellent mattresses for reasonable prices (for the quality) because, for them, the mattresses are an accessory to the beds that they sell. This has been true for the three mattresses we've purchased from them over the years. They sell memory foam AND latex mattresses. And they sell them in different firmness settings.
posted by jeanmari at 4:31 PM on January 31

Sorry, I meant to add that our FIRM memory foam mattress. It was the only memory foam mattress I found that didn't make me feel like I was sinking. Room and Board sells the firm ones.
posted by jeanmari at 4:34 PM on January 31

It's kind of difficult to compare price-wise but I used to work in store that had (latex) mattresses made to measure which took into account weight, potential back issues, etc. This was 10 years ago (and in Europe) but $700-800 doesn't sound that cheap compared to their rates.

Especially knowing that you do have back issues I'd say it's worth going somewhere like that. These people had a "return unless fully satisfied" policy, you may be able to find something similar.

Aaalso bear in mind that a good slatted frame makes a difference too.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 4:38 PM on January 31

We have the Ikea Erfjord latex mattress in king size and we love it. We've only had it for about a year but both my wife who prefers soft mattresses and myself who prefers very firm mattresses like it.
posted by iamabot at 5:13 PM on January 31

We got a firm latex mattress because our old non-latex mattress was dying and my partner had sever back problems. The combination of those two things meant that she would wake up in pain most days. As for myself, I was quite comfortable on the old mattress, despite its deficiencies, so upgrading wasn't an issue for me beyond helping my partner get more comfortable.

Anyway, as I said, we ended up paying the extra money to get a firm latex mattress because we'd heard it was good for people with back problems and plus my partner loved it in store. We've had it now since November `08 and she's virtually pain-free these days, so she loved it I always preferred something a little softer myself, so it took me some time (and some minor pain) to adjust, but now that I have I don't mind it at all. Plus I do actually think I'm sleeping sounder nowadays.

So anecdotally yes, a firm latex mattress will do wonders for your back problems if our experience is anything to go by.
posted by Effigy2000 at 6:28 PM on January 31

After a lot of angst and some false starts purchasing and then returning crazy-expensive Beautyrest and Seally mattresses, we just bought the Ikea 85% natural latex mattress, king-sized. (SULTAN ERFJORD) We've only had it for 2-3 weeks but it's Love. Love love love. The price was great, the bed is cushy, (we also got an Ikea box spring frame and a lovely non-Ikea featherbed) and the quality is high.

Sleep Like the Dead and Whats the Best Mattress helped us make our decision. Consumer Reports has thrown up their hands and does not review mattresses.

You have to go with what's comfortable for you - but even in the fancy new mall-store beds I wasn't sleeping because I just KNEW how badly we were being ripped off for cruddy long-term product, and I was pissed that I couldn't find a place to get much real input The fact that those other companies change the names of their products every year should be a major warning, they really don't want to be checked up on.

We got our new mattress at the Houston store, too. Ikea charged like $50 for delivery which was well worth it. I think the Ikea mattress and spring box frame, the mattress cover, the feather bed, and the delivery cost less than 1/3 of what we almost paid for a regular bed and box-spring. So I can sleep now, knowing I was relatively responsible with my dollars and I have a bed that will be comfortable for a long time.
posted by pomegranate at 4:33 AM on February 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

I have a Jamison Latex, and it gets really, really hot. I mean it traps heat. It also doesn't have much up and down to it - it is very soft, but sort of firmish, so the jump-up-and-down quality of a spring mattresses just isn't there.

I'd recommend sleeping on one if you can, it pretty difficult to explain how it will feel.
posted by plexi at 9:12 AM on February 1

When I arrived out in the US, I picked up an Ikea Sultan Enebakk (actually, 2 of them, one for the spare room), which are thin (about 5-6") but firm. I don't have back problems, but I do prefer firm mattresses. I'd definitely recommend them.
posted by Nice Guy Mike at 10:37 AM on February 1