Buying an orthopedic mattress in the UK (Great Britain)

Buying an orthopedic mattress can be an expensive and challenging task. The good news is that there is a lot to choose from and, in the UK, you will find every type of mattress material and filler imaginable.

Modern foam type mattresses like visco elastic memory foam and latex are popular and spring and coil based mattress systems remain big sellers.

The overall picture is therefore a good one, at least in terms of options and choice. However getting good mattress buying advice remains the big issue, especially in bedroom showrooms.

How to start

Start with some general research so that you have an idea what the different mattress types are and how the performance and “feel” characteristics vary between them.

The quickest and easiest way to do this is by reading the information on the following pages - spring mattress, visco elastic memory foam mattress, and latex foam mattress. These pages will tell you about the different mattress fillings and how they work. This will help you decide on the kind of mattress that you want to consider. If you have an interest in some of the other mattress filling materials, take a look at this mattress overview page, types of orthopedic mattress, it provides you with a brief summary of what is available.

In buying an orthopedic mattress or bed, always remember that advanced knowledge will help you see through a sales pitch or the bargain of the month to what actually counts – how good the bed really is. This means that the more that you know about beds and mattresses, the greater will be your ability to select and buy the best one.

What to do in the salesroom

One of the distractions that you face when trying to obtain good and relevant information about a mattress is the salesperson out to make a sale. His or her job is not to help you find the best orthopedic bed for you, but rather to make a sale and preferably one on a high price bed. This is a salesperson’s job, so never forget it. If you keep this in mind and remember that the salesperson may also have information that will help you, you will start off on a sound footing.

These days many people buy a bed online, even so it is still a good idea to visit a bedroom showroom. By doing this you get to physically see what is on offer. You also get the opportunity to ask some questions and try a bed (or multiple beds) out.

Things to be aware of

All too often salespeople know very little about the products that they sell. Furthermore, the information that they offer is not always useful or even correct. Simply being aware of these facts will help you in your decision and, if you happen to encounter a good and knowledgeable salesperson, they can be of course be of great assistance.

Ask questions

Always take advantage of your time in a bedroom showroom to try out the beds and to ask questions about them. If you want to ascertain how knowledgeable a salesperson is you can ask them what an orthopedic bed is and how it could benefit you. If you get a good answer, then ask more. If you get nonsense, then move on.

Always go into a showroom having some idea of what you want. No knowledge is a dangerous thing in any situation and mattresses and beds can get very expensive. When it comes to talking to a salesperson try to keep your questions to facts and specifications, this way you know they will answer accurately and that the sales pitch will be kept to a minimum. By doing this you also gain the maximum amount of information about the mattresses or beds that you are considering.

Test the mattress

Always test any mattress or bed that you are interested in, the store or showroom will expect this.

Lie on the mattress, move around on it, if there are two of you, both test it and get an idea of how it feels and what it would be like to sleep on.

Always check out a few different showrooms, they all have different suppliers and manufacturers and you want to keep your choice as broad as possible.

Finally, find out about any guarantees or warranties that apply to a bed or mattress. With orthopedic mattresses these extended warranties may last for 3, 5 or even 10 years.