Mattress type (material or construction) comparisons

On OrthopedicMattress.netyou will find a lot of information about different types of mattresses and the materials used to fill and construct them. On the pages listed below we take this information one stage further by giving you some direct comparisons between the different types of bed and mattress that may be described as orthopedic, e.g. memory foam, pocket springs, latex etc. Hopefully this will enable you to compare the features of all of the orthopedic mattress variations that are available and to get an idea of what will suit you best.

Below are the comparisons that you can look at and evaluate (click on the one or ones that interests you) -

• Memory foam v springs
• Pocket springs v standard coil springs
• Memory foam v latex foam
• Memory foam v regular foam
• Composite v memory foam
• Composite v springs

Each of the pages above uses a straightforward approach to compare the various features of each mattress type against its opposite number. The comparisons are of course based upon our opinion and perception of these products, however we have tried to make these comparisons without bias or prejudice.

In the interests of consistency, the criteria that we have used in comparing these different mattresses include the following important considerations -

• Retail price - how the mattress models in question compare
• Springiness - does the mattress feel springy, bouncy or is it slow recovery (e.g. memory foam)
• Cool or warm feel - does the mattress sleep warm, cool or neutral
• Ability to mould - does the mattress contour, shape and mould around the body
• Mattress displacement - the affect of a sleeper's movements on the adjacent areas of the bed
• Spring count versus foam density - foams have a density or firmness rating and springs have a spring count
• Hypoallergenic properties - a definition for materials that do not cause allergies or reactions
• Life expectancy - how long will it last and what (if any) warranty should you look for
• Turn or none turn - can the mattress be flipped over or does it have a top surface
• Cleaning and maintenance - any special requirements
• Sales popularity - how popular is each mattress comparatively
• New or old technology - is the material or design tried and tested or a new technology
• Packing and delivery - how are they packaged and delivered
• Weight - is the mattress "comparatively" light or heavy
• Our verdi

  Whether a mattress is orthopedic or not is one about which opinions will always vary. However we will, where possible, give our view of whether or not we think a particular material or construction has good orthopedic sleeping properties.

  In all cases you need to be aware that each material, e.g. memory foam, comes in a wide range of qualities (densities) and standards of production. For this reason it is highly possible that whilst a medium priced or expensive mattress may exhibit certain properties and characteristics, a cheap or budget version may not. Essentially these two mattresses may be made from a similar material, however the quality of the material will be the distinguishing factor.

  In simple terms a cheap budget memory foam mattress will not offer the same quality of support that a more expensive memory foam mattress will. This means that a cheap memory foam bed may actually be inferior to a high quality (non memory) foam bed in some instances. Remember, there is always a degree to which you will get what you pay for. Buy cheap and get cheap.