Cheap beds – are they any good?

Of all the different products that you can buy, the bed is probably the one with the greatest discrepancy of price range for any given size. In both the UK and USA it is possible to get a basic double bed for as little as £100 or $150 dollars, whilst at the other end of the scale the price can run into thousands.

So the big questions must be

• Are cheap beds any good?
• What differentiates a cheap bed (or mattress) from a more expensive one?
• Do you really get what you pay for in the bed and mattress industry?

Not surprisingly there is not a categorical "yes" or "no" answer to any of the questions above, however there are some general responses that can give you an idea of the choices that you should make.

Are cheap beds any good?

Firstly, nearly all “very cheap” beds are cheap because they are made of cut-price materials with low standards of assembly and a manufacturing cost of only a few pounds or dollars. They will also be made in countries that will not have the quality controls and manufacturing standards in place that exist in your country. This alone is not a good start.

These beds and mattresses will be made from either poor quality foams or fine gauge open coil springs with a low spring count. The fabrics and stitching and all of the other materials used in the bed will be selected based upon price rather than quality and the workmanship and finish of the bed will be determined by a cost saving approach.

Beds of this type are certainly usable, but they can start to deflect and develop lumps and bumps in a very short period of time and, if the bed needs to be replaced within a couple of years, it becomes a false economy.

What differentiates a cheap bed (or mattress) from a more expensive one?

There are many things that differentiate a cheap bed from a more expensive one and there are also some very expensive beds that “may not” justify their price tag. However, the big things to look for are the build of the bed frame and the quality of the mattress.

The bed frame should be strong and sturdy. It should have a substantial construction and it should not rock, feel loose, or show any signs of movement. Look for weaknesses at any joints and try to ascertain the quality of the materials from which it is made.

The mattress should be of a good thickness. A mattress with little depth cannot accommodate an adequate length of spring or an appropriate depth of foam for real comfort, so this is an important guide.

Pressing a hand into the mattress should result in the immediate area, where the pressure is applied, depressing. However, the surrounding area should not follow suit. With pocket springs or a good visco elastic memory foam the deflection will be limited to the area where the pressure is applied.

Do you really get what you pay for in the bed and mattress industry?

As a general rule, if you buy a very cheap bed you will get a product that represents your expenditure, there are very few exceptions to this rule.

Most expensive beds are of a high quality, however, you can pay for technology which may not always result in a better bed.

As an example, there are many composite mattress beds on the market where different bed technologies are combined into a single mattress. This could be a bed combining different layers of foam with pocket springs or even gel or latex. The benefits of mixing all of these different mattress constructions is questionable in terms of the actual sleeping experience that you get, however the price will be a high one.