Many consumer mattress ratings are very favorable towards Stearns and Foster mattresses. The problem however, is that the name of the mattress the consumer is referring to can't be found in a store, either because it's been discontinued or was a 'store exclusive mattress'. All mattress companies seem to obfuscate matters by constantly changing the names of their mattresses. Most do this simply to stop consumers being able to compare one mattress against another and to prevent mattress comparison and ratings between different brands.
Best advice is to completely ignore 'collection' names and concentrate instead on the actual mattress in the store and determine why it costs what it does and how it compares to another ones and finally, if it offers good value for money.
Stearns and Foster makes 2 types of mattress; the innerspring and latex. For such a large brand it's strange that it doesn't make the increasingly popular memory foam mattress. It's parent company, Sealy, makes a version, so perhaps it will inevitably make one sometime in the future. It should be noted though that the company does use memory foam in some of its mattresses, just not a complete, genuine memory foam mattress.
The company 'loves' to sell mattress sets. Mattress sets are comprised of 4 parts; Mattress Style, Comfort Layers, Core Support and Boxspring. The first 3 comprise the mattress and we'll discuss them first.
The Mattress Style denotes what fabric used to cover the mattress top. It can be anything from synthetic fiber, to Damask, Silk, Cashmere and so forth. The type of fabric used can dramatically increase the cost of the mattress; it doesn't make it any better or more durable but some do like a 'beautiful' mattress. The Mattress Style also refers to the finishing of the top. S and F offers 5 styles; Tight Top, Pillow Top, Euro Pillow Top, Euro Top and Box Top.
The Tight Top is the basic mattress we all know. The Pillow Top is an additional layer of comfort materials that has been stitched on top and has gusseted corners, giving it the look of a flat, large pillow on top of the mattress. The Euro Pillow Top is exactly the same as a Pillow Top but contains even more comfort materials. The Euro Top is a layer of comfort materials but this time, it is attached directly - it looks like two mattresses that have been sewn together; a thick base one with a thin one on top. The Box Top is a thicker version of the Euro Top.
Again, the different types affect the cost. The cost going up in the order mentioned above. These Tops are becoming increasingly fashionable as many seem to like the soft feel of this top layer. However, it should be borne in mind that these Tops increase the cost and are always the first part of the mattress to wear out. There are numerous reports of them developing craters in only a few months of use and when this happens you have to replace the whole mattress to fix the problem. These reports are from all mattress brands.
The next component of the mattress is the Comfort layer. This is the part of the mattress that makes it feel comfortable, obviously. The materials used can range from wool, cotton, foam, latex and memory foam. Whichever is the better material is a personal matter, but obviously things like latex and memory foam are going to add significantly to the cost.
Now, the engine room of any mattress is its Core Support. With a Stearns and Foster mattress you can at least rest assured that you'll be getting the best. The coils of its innerspring models are 12 3/4" gauge made from high-carbon steel, making them very durable. Also, the coils are twice tempered which makes them keep their shape for longer.
The company stresses that when you purchase a mattress you should always purchase the boxspring that accompanies it. If you agree then fine but many are of the opinion - and I'm one of them - that boxsprings are a complete waste of money and the only reason mattress companies promote them so heavily is to maximize profits. If I were to buy a mattress that was over 12" thick and cost thousands of dollars I would sure want it to give me the support I needed without any additional boxspring.
In conclusion, don't be guided too much by the names of the collections; you'll get confused and by the time you understand what's what, the names will have all changed. Instead, concentrate more on how the Stearns and Foster mattress has been made and what materials were used. That way you can decide what you want and then be able to judge for yourself whether it represents value for money. And, if you've never thought about buying a memory foam mattress before, try one out and see how it compares.
by Robin OBrien
