The Qualities of a Good Mattress

Upholstery

• The upholstery layers of a mattress are the most costly component. Quality mattresses will have several thick layers, which provide more comfort and a longer life for the mattress. These mattresses typically use materials like wool, cashmere, and silk in the upholstery layers. Low-quality mattresses may use the same materials but have fewer layers that are thin in comparison.

Foam and Fiber Layers

• Inside the upholstery layers of every mattress are foams and fibers of various materials, which determine its level of comfort. Mattresses typically have between three and eight layers of foam, fibers and upholstery. A lower quality mattress will have around three layers, while a good quality mattress will have more than six layers. Each of these layers is different, alternating between upholstery, foam, and fibers. Several layers of foam and fibers work to ease pressure points along your body, which reduces the amount of tossing and turning required to find a comfortable position. As a result, you get a better night's sleep. Materials such as memory foam and latex foam indicate a better overall quality of mattress.

Innersprings

• Innersprings are the steel coils within the mattress that provide support, while the coil count refers to the number of coils. Coil counts will vary according to the size of the mattress. Twin mattresses, for example, will have fewer coils than queen sized mattresses, but they may still be of the same quality. Typically, a full-size mattress has at least 300 coils. Queen size mattresses have around 400 coils and king size mattresses contain about 480 coils. If you find a mattress with less than this amount, it's likely to be low quality. Coils should support your back at all points along the spine, while allowing your body to maintain its natural curve. When determining the quality of the innersprings, you should examine the thickness of the coil wire along with the number of coils. Higher gauge wires make a firmer, more durable coil. In any quality mattress, the coils should be made of at least 18 gauge wire and evenly distributed so that your entire body is supported and there are no weak points where the mattress may sag or dip.

Warranty

• Quality mattresses usually come with a warranty against manufacturer defects. This means the manufacturer will cover replacement should the mattress not perform as it is supposed to, or if any of the elements are damaged. The average warranty for a quality mattress is around 10 years. Look for clauses in the warranty such as requiring the mattress to be flipped in order to prolong the life of the mattress. A good mattress warranty covers manufacturer defects regardless of whether you remember to turn the mattress regularly.