The mattress industry is always looking for new gimmicks. Like many other industries, brands want to look like they’re utilizing the latest and greatest technology. While the latest smartphone may get better and better with each generation, we can’t say the same for many mainstream mattresses.
So every few years, they’ll come up with a new feature to justify adding hundreds of dollars to the mattress’ price tag. Unfortunately, these features rarely have any real, direct benefit to the customer. We’re sharing some of these common features without benefits so that you can be better prepared when you go mattress shopping.
Infused foams
Foams infused with everything from gel to copper to graphite are extremely popular in mainstream mattress brands. Each claims to have a different benefit. For example, gel-infused foams claim to help keep you cool. However, there’s no actual evidence to back up that claim. (And honestly, if you saw how little gel is used in them, you’d see why.)
One of the problems with these claims is they simply don’t make sense. You, as the sleeper, do not have any contact with these foams. In fact, they’re often buried several inches into the mattress.
Looking to stay cool? Lower the temperature in your room, wear light clothing to bed, and use a fan to keep air circulating.
Lumbar support zones
Some mattress brands claim to add additional support in the center of your mattress, claiming to better support your lower back. The problem is that everyone is shaped differently. The ideal zone for additional support would be very different for someone who is five feet tall compared to someone who is over six feet tall.
There is no evidence that this zoning feature provides any additional benefits to the sleeper. At OMF, our mattresses feature the best support throughout the entire mattress. So regardless of how tall you are, you can feel confident you’re getting excellent support.
“No flip” designs
This is a marketing term for a one-sided mattress. Because you cannot flip and rotate a one-sided mattress, they may not last as long. One-sided mattresses are not inherently bad — as long as you know that they won’t have the same durability as a two-sided mattress.
What is bad is mattress manufacturers and retailers pretending that it’s a special feature, when in reality, it just means you’ll likely need another mattress sooner.
We stick with what works.
At our test center in our Cleveland, Ohio factory, we rigorously evaluate any new materials or features before we add them into our mattresses. We will never add a material that doesn’t provide a direct benefit that improves the comfort, support, or durability of the mattress. That’s why you’ll only find the highest-quality materials inside of our mattresses.
Check out Mattress Shopping 101.
Ready to start your mattress buying journey? Come to The Original Mattress Factory first. No one knows more about what makes a mattress great than our team. Whether you buy from us or not, you’ll be better prepared to make a smart mattress buying decision. Find a store near you.
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