Friday, December 8, 2017

TUCK Mattress Review

NOTE: On March 7th, 2018, I received an email notification that the TUCK mattress affiliate program has ended. I don't yet know if TUCK will be available for purchase after this date or not. Until this matter is resolved, I can't recommend a purchase of this mattress. Please consider this review to be for informational purposes only. Thanks.



The TUCK mattress is a true-hybrid mattress that is custom built just for you. How will it stack up? I tried it out for over 10 nights. Here are my thoughts!



My Tuck mattress review video! Watch this, and/or
read on for full details . . .

Tuck is a hybrid . . . and you likely know I'm a big fan of the hybrid mattresses! But, so far, and as far as I'm aware, Tuck is the only mattress that is a true hybrid AND is customized to fit you perfectly! If you head on over to the Tuck website, you will see that you can give lots of inputs which will output a mattress that's just right for you. It will include some kind of copper-infused gel foam, micro coils, poly foam, and/or latex. Of course, every model has the pocketed coils that hybrids are known for.

Tuck Mattress with Mr. Bowling Ball
In addition, for queen size or larger, you have two options for how to handle the preferences of you and your sleeping partner. One option is to have the "Tuck computers" balance out the two preferences and make one blended mattress (ie, the same feel all the way across). The other option is to "split" the preference -- this is what we did. We got two sides with to different compositions! (See the video or the pictures at the bottom of this post for how that works.)

Well, I slept on our Tuck for over 10 nights (I stopped keeping track after that, I think it was actualy 12 or 13 nights . . .) and my wife joined me for part of that time. How did it do? . . .






Time for the rankings!!!




 HOW MANY STARS???

I will rate each category on a 5-Star Scale, where 5
is the best.

Construction: 4.75 stars

We found the construction to be very nice. There were no noticeable flaws. The edge support was very good, too. The only thing holding me back from giving a perfect 5 star rating here was that if you sat right on the corner, it did kind of collapse on me --- but, keep in mind, (a) I'm around 200 pounds, and (b) no one really sits right on the corner of their mattress, do they? :)



Noise: 5 stars

There is no noise. None.

Smell: 4 stars

There was no off-gassing or chemical smell, but the "new mattress smell" did last about 2 days after the unboxing. After that, there was no smell. That's normal for almost all bed-in-a-box style mattresses.

Feel: 4 stars

The feel is quite nice. The top of the cover has a very nice, cottony feel. I also understand that a portion of the cover is made from recycled bottles! That's kinda cool. I like a mattress with a flat top.

The side that was designed for me felt really good when laying on my back. It had just the right amount of sinkage -- a bit, but not a lot.

This is as good of a place as any to mention that the side designed for my wife, Debbi, didn't turn out quite like she was hoping. She prefers a firm mattress, and to accomplish that, it appears that the Tuck "system" put in a 2 or 3 inch thick layer of fairly bouncy latex. This made it a bit too bouncy for her preference, and she actually ended up liking my side better! In hindsight, I think we should have gone with the blended setup instead of splitting the feel down the middle so that we wouldn't fight over the "preferred side." Of course, there's no way to know in advance that something like that could happen, so we both spent a little time on the other person's side.

The top layer, which was a copper-infused gel memory foam, felt really good!

Note with the Tuck you should be using a thin, flexible mattress protector. If you use a quilted protector, you are actually taking away from one of the best aspects of what this type of mattress brings to the table.

Motion Transfer: 4.25 stars

There is some motion transfer across the surface of the mattress, but not all that much. I change positions frequently, and my wife, Debbi, said I didn't bother much her during our time on our Tuck.

Support: 4 stars

"Support" does not mean the same thing as firmness. This gets into tricky-to-describe territory, but means things like keeping your spine in alignment. Does the firmness feel even, as opposed to lumpy or firm in spots without being firm in other spots? This is always subjective. I am a back sleeper primarily but also sleep on my side some.

When I slept on my back, it was great! No complaints at all. When I slept on my side, I felt like there wasn't quite enough give. Now, I feel that way on a lot of different mattresses. This is the curse of being built like me -- if it's supportive enough to take care of me on my back, sometimes it's a little too "push backy" on my hip. I'm still not complaining, because I think it was good overall.

Of course, this is an area where different people will feel things differently.


Pressure Point Relief: 4.25 stars

You can sink a little, but not too much!
I need my hips and shoulders to sink in some, but not too much. Tuck did a good job with this, and was comparable to many other hybrid mattresses. I would say it's most comparable to the Voila mattress, among those I've already tried.

Conformity: 4.5 stars

What am I looking for in conformity? I want something that feels firm where it's supposed to feel firm, and soft where it's supposed to feel soft. That's a tall order (or a $5,000+ mattress), but let's at least get as close as we can. I want something that conforms to my body locally, but not globally. In other words, I want to sink into my mattress just a bit -- maybe an inch or two, but I don't want a giant valley to be formed while the mattress tries to accommodate my whole body. The goal is a happy medium between sinking in and floating on top.

This is a big deal for us because I weigh quite a lot more than Debbi.

I can't complain here either. We were both satisfied with how we felt and how we "stayed put" in our places during the night. We didn't roll into each other, so I would say the top layer (that wonderful layer of copper-infused gel memory foam ... man can I just buy that!!!) held us where we were meant to be.

Customer Service: 5.0 stars

I have only had a little bit of interaction with a representative from Tuck, and that interaction was fully positive. I've also not seen any horror stories online or tales of bad service, so I'll give the benefit of the doubt here and give 5 stars.

Shipping:

I don't give a star-rating to shipping, but shipping is free. It is delivered by UPS or FedEx, it only took 3 full days to arrive in my case.  It comes in a box, compressed, like almost all direct-to-consumer mattresses nowadays. There is no cost to you if you decide to return it during the trial period.

Other info worth mentioning:

Tuck Mattress has a nifty side panel design.
Tuck gives each mattress they sell an 11 year, 1 month, and 1 day warranty. (Yep, their website actually says that!) The warranty protects against indentations of 1 inch or greater, which is good. (The industry standard in 1.5 inches, so Tuck is a bit better than the average in this department.)

In addition, like any mattress worth trying, Tuck has a risk-free trial period. In their case, it's 145 days, 12 hours, and 53 seconds. (Again, that's what it actually is! I wonder if they track that from the second the order is placed, or the second it's shipped out . . . hmmmm....) Give it a try! If you don't like it, you get all your money back, and there's no cost for return shipping, so you're out nothing! Well, only a little time.

There is no proprietary foundation, you can place it on any solid surface, a sturdy foundation, or a bed that comes with slats like a platform bed. We used ours on the Zinus Quicksnap Platform bed -- which I reviewed separately here.

Tuck is made in the USA in Tupelo, Mississippi. It's right on the tag.

OVERALL SCORE:

4.5 stars
(out of 5)

A quick disclaimer . . . 

I feel like I need to state that this review is different and harder than most, because this mattress was customized just for us! Most Tuck mattresses are going to be around a 5-7 on the firmness scale, based on the inputs you provide (ours was, I'd say, about 7 for me and 7.5 for Debbi). You may experience a different feel, different level of support, or . . . it may seem completely different! That's what makes this review difficult. Having said that, I doubt the variety is gigantic, so I feel you can still glean something from this review.

Summary:

PROS:
- The "hybrid feel"
- A good choice for someone who doesn't really know what they want, but want to start somewhere.    Start here!
- A good choice for couples with different preferences.
- It's very sturdy -- I feel like it could handle large individuals.
- 145 (plus) night no-risk trial period with free shipping


CONS:
- You don't know exactly what you're getting. This could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. In other words, you control the input but not the output. (As an aside, it would be cool if someday, there was a company that let you "build" your own mattress before ordering -- ie, put a layer of coils here, a layer of latex here, a layer of gel foam here . . . :) I think it would be awesome, but I have no idea if it would be a viable business model or not) If you want to control the exact composition of your mattress in advance, this won't work.
- I don't think this would be a good choice for someone that wants no bounce at all. I like my mattress to have a little bounce, and this one does. If you want next-to-no bounce, try the Nectar Mattress.

Final Thoughts:

I had a lot of fun trying out out Tuck mattress! I think it's a company with a bright future, and they make a quality mattress. They get it right by offering fast & free shipping, a very generous 145 days sleep trial, and a good 11 year warranty. Their materials are sturdy and of good quality (see my video for details). Give it a try!


Prices & Discount Info:

If you decide to try Tuck (hey! that's the name of their website!) please use my link and you will get an automatic $75 discount at checkout. If you do, not only will you benefit by getting a discount, it also helps out my blog and YouTube channel just a bit!

The first number below is the "raw price" and the number in brackets is the net price after the $75 discount:


Twin: $600 [net $525]
Twin XL: $725 [net $650]
Full: $850 [net $775]
Queen: $990 [net $915]
King: $1,200 [net $1,125]
Cal King: $1,200 [net $1,125]

(Note: Prices were proper as of 12/08/2017. Always check prices on the manufacturer's web site as prices can change.)

What do you think? Feel free to share any comments! If you have questions, feel free to ask and I will try my best to answer.

Maybe you don't think this one is for you? Don't worry, there are a bunch of companies out there that sell direct-to-consumer mattresses that have a risk-free trial period of at least 75 days, and a warranty of at least 10 years . . . see my "master list" here and check some others out!


"my side"


"Debbi's side"

I was provided with a Tuck mattress in exchange for my review. 

This information applies prior to March 7th, 2018: If you use my link, and subsequently buy - and keep- a Tuck, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel.

As of March 7th, 2018, I have no affiliate relationship with Tuck.

 In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.

Gopher Tuna, bring more tuna, statue of big dog with fleas.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

SafeRest Mattress Protector Review & Waterproof Test

Let's check out the SafeRest Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector! I bought one and did a waterproof test by pouring water on it. Watch the video (below) to see how it went!



 . . . As you can see, it passed my simulated "accident" testing with flying colors!

The SafeRest can be machine washed (just follow the care instructions carefully!) and machine dried on the lowest setting (like dedicates).

B for comfort - it conforms nicely, and doesn't change the feel of the mattress, but the surface is just
a hair more "woolly" than my ideal - some people like that!

Testing Out the SafeRest Mattress Protector
A for fit - It's just fine, and should work on very thick mattresses.

It passed both the basic and
 advanced waterproof tests!



Where you can buy it:

Amazon.com -- CLICK HERE

(there may be other places -- This list is not exhaustive. Check around as prices can and will vary.)
The SafeRest Protector is available in all standard sizes and has a 10 year warranty.

This is a perfectly good mattress protector, but I liked the Lucid Mattress Protector slightly better -- but only very slightly. My favorite is still the Purple Mattress Protector, but it costs a fair bit more.



I paid full price for my SafeRest Mattress Protector. The above links are affiliate links. Please see the disclosure a the bottom of this web page.

Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Best Black Friday Mattress Sales (2017)

Thanksgiving Week (including the famous day after -- "Black Friday") may be the 2nd best time of year to buy a mattress, after labor day. Now, really, with the advent of web-based companies who ship directly to the buyer, the deals are year-round, but there are some significant savings to be found this week if you look in the right places! Fortunately, I've done the work for you here!

(NOTE: These deals are accurate as of 11/19/2017. I've done my best to verify, but, terms can change, check each link for details.)

(Every mattress in this post has free-shipping to your home, and offers a risk-free trial period of at least 75 days or more. This list is in no particular order.)


SAPIRA

Sapira is the hybrid-mattress cousin to the very popular Leesa mattress. My wife and I sleep on a
Sapira as our "every night mattress" (when not testing out something else!) and we love it.

Right now, you can take $250 off plus a free pillow CLICK HERE! This is the best discount I've ever seen on Sapira (they usually offer $150 off, and occasionally $200 off). This brings the queen size to $1,225 (regularly $1475).

You can see my full Sapira review here!






LEESA

Speaking of Leesa, this all-memory foam mattress is one of the most popular out there. Currently, you can take $125 off plus a $25 Amazon gift card & a free pillow. CLICK HERE. Since there is often a $100 discount, this is a little better (if you think of the Amazon card as "cash," a net of $150 off . . . more if you count the pillow!). This brings the queen size "net cost" to $790.









PLUSHBEDS

Plushbeds has multiple models, and they are listing their latex mattresses as 60% off through December 5th. Now, they always have a big discount, but this comes out to $100 less than their usual price, bringing the price for the Botanical Bliss (the most popular model) in queen size to $1799. CLICK HERE!









BROOKLYN BEDDING

Brooklyn Bedding's signature mattress -- not surprisingly called the "Brooklyn Signature," is $50 less than usual this week. This brings the queen size to $700, plus they throw in a free pillow and a free sheet set! CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS! Their top-of-the line model, the Aurora, is also on sale for $300 off (bringing the queen size to $1399).





AMORE BEDS

Amore offers multiple options, including three firmness levels and a "split option" (ie, you could go soft on one side, and firm on the other side!) CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS! Amore is a hybrid mattress. Right now they are offering a $150 discount -- they normally offer $100 of, so this is still a "limited time" savings of $50. This brings the end price for a queen to $825. (note: you have to get their "code" with the email offer that pops up).







PANGEABED

Pangeabed is a luxurious copper-infused latex mattress. For the next week (or so), they are offering $200 off any mattress - this is greater than their last discount of $175. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS! They also throw in two free pillows to boot! This brings the end price to $695 for a queen.





NOLAH



The Nolah mattress is a high-quality "airfoam" mattress (something akin to memory foam, but not quite -- it offers more cooling and pressure point relief!). They are an environmentally friendly company, and each purchase supports endangered wildlife -- you can even pick which animal you want to support! Right now they are offering $125 off any mattress, which is $50 better than their most recent deal. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!



HELIX

Helix is one of the few few mattresses you can get that is highly customizable -- when you order one, you get to input several factors that will influence the outcome (firmness, etc.) For queen or larger, you can even do a "split" firmness! Right now, they are offering $100 off for a mattress+protector or mattress+foundation. This would essentially get you the matching mattress protector for free (net $990 for a queen). CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!






 



Still not seeing something you want? Here is my master list of at least 40 mattresses, all of which offer a direct-to-you delivery and a trial period of at least 75 days. Surely you can find something you like!



Some of the  links on this blog are for mattress companies with which I have a referral arrangement; that is, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel if you visit one of these websites and subsequently make (and keep!) a purchase. This costs you nothing. In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This also costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.

Monday, October 9, 2017

NECTAR Mattress Review

In Greek Mythology, "Nectar" referred to a drink that gave you energy, life . . . perhaps even immortality! Does that mean that if you sleep on a NECTAR mattress you will be filled with life and energy? Read on to find out!!!

Watch my video review here, or read on for more details!
Mobile user? Click Here to watch the video directly on YouTube.

I was glad to be able to review the Nectar Mattress recently! If you Google the Nectar mattress (see their web site here; you can also check it out on Amazon), you will see several references to "The most comfortable mattress" -- it is in their marketing material, after all. Well, is it? Let's find out.

A queen-size Nectar Mattress
First, the Nectar has a very nice cover that's made from a mix of cotton and tencel. It has a pattern of
several squares (approximately one foot square each). It's flat, and by now you likely know that I prefer a mattress with a flat top! (It lets the layers do what they are supposed to do). The cover has a welcoming feel and is removable. There is an inch of gel memory foam right below this (it's kinda sorta attached to the cover).

Below that is a gel memory foam layer that is a 1" thick layer of lush gel foam, then a "hi-core" memory foam layer 3" thick that seems to give it a bit of that traditional memory-foam feel. (Note: I have seen other reviews where they state that the 1" layer and the 3" layer were swapped, but on mine I'm pretty sure that the 1" layer was above the 3" layer.)

Lastly is a layer of base foam that's mainly just to provide stability and something for the other layers to rest on. The total thickness is 11" regardless of the size (Twin, Queen, King, etc).

The Nectar only comes in one firmness level, there is no "soft, medium, firm" to choose from. On their web site, they describe it as "medium firm," with a chart showing that it is in the range of 5.5 to 7.5 (on a 10 point scale of firmness, with 10 being the most firm). While I would generally concur with this description, I think that if you sleep on your side mainly, it would feel to be about a 6, andif you sleep on your back, more like a 7.

I slept on a queen-size Nectar for 10 nights. Having said that . . .



HOW MANY STARS?


I will rate each category on a 5-Star Scale, where 5 is the best.


Construction: 4.5 stars

No complaints on the construction (see unboxing video HERE). Everything seemed to be in the right place, and no loose threads. It comes shipped in a big roll -- like a large tent might come in -- with handles, unlike the traditional cardboard box that most direct-to-consumer mattresses come in. Maybe this is a good place to mention something that I found to be funny -- the web site says it will come in a "reusable bag" -- what exactly am I supposed to reuse it for? Definitely not getting the mattress back in there! I suppose you could use it for putting leaves in, a bag for playing Santa, etc. It doesn't hurt anything, but seems odd to mention the bag's "reusability" on their site. :)

Noise: 5 stars


There is no noise. None.


Smell: 4.25 stars


Like most mattresses that come compressed and rolled up, there was a little bit of odor that I refer to as "new mattress smell." It wasn't excessive, and I slept on it the first night no problem. The smell was gone around day 3 or 4. I was fine with it.


Feel: 3.5 stars

The cover has a nice, soft, feel.
Soft & Pliable on top

Feel is so subjective -- I feel kind of bad giving a less-than-great score here because I know other people might love the feel. Having said that, this mattress is so non-bouncy that it actually takes some getting used to. If you've slept on a bed before with a 100% memory-foam feel before, this will probably not be an issue. But for me, but as someone who (historically) has slept on hybrid or innerspring mattresses, it took some getting used to. As you can see in my video, there is a "thud" if you fall into the mattress -- I'm not commenting on firmness at this moment (there is some give) -- just on responsiveness.

The best way I can describe it is that it feels like the top layer is a soft bag of sand.

It does conform to your body (nicely), but it's kind of like a stress ball. I didn't sink in too much, I didn't get stuck, it's just a unique feeling. Soft, nice, but somewhat "sand-like." Not quick sand, but like laying on a white-sand beach sand.



Motion Transfer: 5 stars


I can't imagine a better mattress for motion transfer. There might be one, but I don't know what it is.

I would strongly recommend the mattress if you share your bed with someone who disturbs your sleep (or maybe you are the "disturber!") Looking only at this one aspect, the Nectar dominates here. Even with a large weight disparity, I think you'd be OK here. I weight quite a bit more than my wife, and we didn't disturb each other.


Support: 4.0 stars


"Support" does not mean the same thing as firmness. This gets into tricky-to-describe territory, but means things like keeping your spine in alignment; does the firmness feel even, as opposed to lumpy or firm in spots without being firm in other spots? Do you sink in too much and "overcome" the top couple inches? This is always subjective. I am a back sleeper primarily but also sleep on my side some.

I had a real hard time judging and describing support for the Nectar. In some ways I liked it, and in some ways I didn't like it. I liked the initial feel of support when I first get in bed. The only perceived drawback was that it wasn't quite responsive enough to handle my butt differently than my shoulders. I think my butt should sink in a little more than the shoulders (like many adult men, I'm heaviest around the middle), but it doesn't seem it did. I think that's because the top 2 layers (both a type of gel memory foam) are not quite thick enough to allow a "deep response" and then the transition foam is pushing up preventing the butt from sinking in. I only noticed this on my back, and not my side. I also think a lighter sleeper wouldn't even notice this. This is only a theory, but it's partially supported by the fact that my wife didn't notice this.

Nectar might be a little better for side sleepers than back sleepers, and a little better for those under 200 lbs rather than those over 200 pounds -- that's not to say it can't handle 200+ pound back sleepers; it sure can. Their web site describes it as "the support of a firm mattress with the comfort of a pillow-top" -- that's an apt description.

The edge support when sitting on the edge is "OK," but not great (see my video). However, I don't expect great edge support with an all-foam mattress.



Pressure Point Relief: 4.5 stars


Very good! Nothing felt pinched or ouchy. It filled the space in the small of my back nicely. If you are very lightweight (ie, under 110 pounds) you may not experience as much pressure point relief.


Conformity: 4.25 stars


What am I looking for in conformity? I want something that feels firm where it's supposed to feel firm, and soft where it's supposed to feel soft. That's a tall order (or a $5,000+ mattress), but let's at least get as close as we can. I want something that conforms to my body locally, but not globally. In other words, I want to sink into my mattress just a bit -- maybe an inch or two, but I don't want a giant valley to be formed while the mattress tries to accommodate my whole body.


As I mentioned in the "support" section above, my mid-section didn't sink in quite as much as I would I would have preferred, but that's me splinting hairs. There was no giant valley, and there was enough "localness" to the sink as to not reach all the way over to my wife's side.


Customer Service: 3.5 stars

This is a hard one to grade, because I have only 2nd hand or 3rd hand reports to go off of. Nectar is in very high demand, so it must be doing something right! Along with that, however, are some major shipping delays. Their web site (as of the date of this publishing) is stating about a 5 day time frame from when the order is placed until the mattress is shipped. However, I've read many reports that some people are getting their Nectar more like 2-3 weeks after the order date (not everyone). I would not order Nectar if your have a hard-and-fast requirement to have your bed in less than a week. If you know this going in, it should not be an issue.

I'm also aware that their mattress is manufactured in China (it says so right on the tag), but warehoused in the USA (Washington state). That's not an issue to me, but I'm aware that it is for some. I just wanted to be up front about that. This might be part of the reason for the shipping delays, when they get a lot of demand (and they do!) they have to wait for the next boat from China.

If I hear reports of the shipping time improving, I would revise my rating.

Shipping:


I don't give a star-rating to shipping, but shipping is free. It is delivered by UPS, FedEx, etc. It comes in a large roll, compressed. There is no cost to you if you decide to return it during the trial period.


Other info worth mentioning:

Let's talk about the warranty -- it's a "Forever" Warranty. You can read the details on the Nectar web site, but I'll summarize here -- for the first 10 years, if there is a material / workmanship defect, they will replace the mattress (this includes indentations of 1.5 inches or more -- which is very standard in the mattress industry). For years 10+, they will either replace OR repair the mattress at the company's discretion.

There is also an option in years 10+ to simply choose a new mattress at 50% of the price of a new Nectar is there is a dispute.

OK, so the "Forever Warranty" has some limits, but it's still pretty good!!!

Even more impressive is the 365 day trial period! To me, this is the biggest selling point. If you don't like it 11 months in, you can get your money back!!!



OVERALL SCORE:



4.27 stars

(out of 5)




Summary:


PROS:

- Very good pressure point relief

- Almost no motion transfer

- Would be good for couples who tend to disturb each other

- Good feel to the cover

- 365 night no-risk trial period with free shipping

- A very reasonable price point


CONS:

- If you are over 200 pounds, have a big butt, and sleep mostly on your back, it may not be the best fit

- If you want a "bouncy" feel, you won't like it

- Shipping times (at current) seem to be running 2-3 weeks.


Final Thoughts:


This is the ultimate "low risk" mattress. If you try it out and don't like it . . . who cares?!? You're not out anything as long as you turn it in within the first YEAR! (I mean, as long as you don't destroy it, of course! Use a good mattress protector!). While it is an all-foam mattress, it's not something you're going to get "stuck" in. One of the most compelling choices in the world of all-foam direct-to-consumer mattresses.

Click here if you are considering a purchase of the Nectar! -- You can also look it up and/or buy it on Amazon.com!

Prices & Info:

If you decide to try out a Nectar, I would really appreciate it if you use one of the links on this page, as it helps out my blog and YouTube channel just a bit!


Nectar has been offering the two free pillows and $125 discount for a while now (I've seen it for at least the last several months). There is no code needed, it's automatically included at checkout.

The prices below first list the "raw price," and then the net price after the discount.


Twin: $524 [$399]

Twin XL: $594 [$469]

Full: $724 [$599]

Queen: $824 [$699]

King or Cal King: $1024 [$899]


(Note: Prices were updated as of 01/02/2019. Always check prices on the manufacturer's web site as prices can change.)


What do you think? Feel free to share any comments! If you have questions, feel free to ask and I will try my best to answer.

I really like the way the Nectar Mattress looks from this angle.



I was provided with a Nectar mattress in exchange for my review. If you use one of my links to get to the Nectar website, and subsequently buy (and keep!) the mattress, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel. In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.


Sunday, September 3, 2017

4 Great Labor Day Mattress Sales, 2017


Traditionally, Labor day is one of the best times to buy a mattress -- or, at least, that is when the most
highly advertised sales appear!

Below are some of the best sales I've spotted. Note that I only focus on mattress companies that ship direct to consumer (no middle man), have free shipping, and a no-risk trial period.

These are listed in no particular order.


Aviya -- A high-density foam & individually wrapped coil hybrid mattress; currently offering $100 off any mattress and $50 off any foundation for labor day.



Helix -- $100 off if you purchase a mattress plus any other item on their site. Helix is one of the few companies that offers a customizable mattress, and (for queen and up) you can split the firmness between the sides!




PlushBeds -- Up to $1200 off their latex mattresses (normally they always offer $1100 off, so this is a little bit better)




Nolah -- A multi-layered foam mattress; they are currently offering $100 off for Labor Day (thru Sept 5th).

Nolah Mattress Best Mattress For Side Sleepers


The above links are for mattress companies with which I have a referral arrangement; that is, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel if you visit one of these websites and subsequently make a purchase. In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

My Master Mattress List

The Master List -- all Mattress Companies (that I know of) that offer Direct-to-Consumer purchases with a risk-free trial period of at least 75 days, a warranty of at least 10 years, and free shipping. Hopefully some day I can try them all, but for now, let's just acknowledge that they exist!

Each listing is in the following format: Name (clickable for web site)  /  type  /  price for a Queen [some have a discount code on a regular basis, which would produce the net price in brackets if applicable] /  comments (optional)

I have tried my best to keep the prices up-to-date and the information accurate; however, this list is intended to provide general information only, and is not guaranteed to be up-to-date. Prices, discounts, and deals can - and do - frequently change. Where there are multiple price points for a queen mattress that vary by model or firmness level, I have tried to shoot for the "middle option" as much as possible. Please check each mattress company's web site for details. Thanks.

Mattresses are grouped by type, but otherwise, are in no particular order.
  • Nuvanna  /  Foam  /  $890  /  Tencel Cover
  • Freedom Sleep  /  Foam  /  $599
  • Nectar  /  Foam  /  $824 [$699 net]  /  2 free pillows; 365 night trial period - see my review
  • Muse  /  Foam  /  $950 [$800 net]  /  Three Firmness Options
  • Bear  /  Foam   /  $840 [net $790]
  • Casper  /  Foam  /  $950
  • Pacific Mattress Co.  /  Foam  /  $999
  • Kutson  /  Foam  /  $995  /  Interchangeable customized layers
  • Tuft & Needle  /  Foam  /  $595  /  see my review
  • Loom & Leaf  /  Foam  /  $1099
  • Wright  /  Foam  /  $1795
  • Brooklyn Bedding  /  Foam  /  $750 [net $700]  /  Three firmness options; 2 free pillows
  • Leesa  /  Foam  /  $940 [net $840]
  • Live and Sleep  / Foam  /  $649 [net $549]  /  Price varies with firmness; Three firmness options
  • Ghostbed  /  Foam  /  $795 [net $695]
  • Nolah  /  Foam  /  $849  /  $849 [$774 net]  /  Purchase supports endangered wildlife
  • Alexander by Nest  /  Foam  /  $1199 [$999 net] /  Three firmness options
  • Cocoon by Sealy  /  Foam  /  $949 [net $874]
  • Layla Sleep  /  Foam  /  $899 [net $849]  /  Dual Firmness (flipable)
  • Eve  /  Foam  /  $749 [net $549]  /  see my review
  • Performa  /  Foam  /  $875
  • Linebacker  /  Gel Foam  /  $2000  /  Has an internal core support system
  • 4Sleep  /  Gel Foam  /  $899 [net $824]
  • Nomad  /  Gel Foam  /  $800  /  8" or 10" (price varies by thickness); Veteran owned
  • Doze  /  Gel Foam  /  $750 [$675 net]
  • Sweet Zzz  /  Gel Foam  /  $1099  /  Price & composition vary by model
  • Puffy  /  Gel Foam  /  $1150 [net $950]  /  Lifetime Warranty
  • Helix  /  Foam & Mini Coils  /  $995  /  Customized design; split firmness available
  • Plushbeds  /  Latex  /  $2999 [net $1899]  /  Price varies with multiple models; Four Firmness Options
  • My Green Mattress  /  Latex  /  $1099  /  Price varies by model
  • PangeaBed  /  Latex  /  $895 [$820 net]  /  Copper infused top layer
  • Spindle  /  Latex  /  $1350  /  365 day "Comfort Adjustment" period
  • Dromma  /  Latex  /  $924 [net $774]  /  Two Firmness Options
  • Avocado  /  Latex-Hybrid  /  $1399 [$1299 net]  /  Optional Pillow-Top for extra $300
  • Eco Terra  /  Latex-Hybrid  /  $999  /  Two Firmness Options
  • Leesa Hybrid (Sapira)  /  Hybrid  /  $1695 [net $1440]  /  Use discount code "DUGROZ" - see my review
  • Amore Bed  /  Hybrid  /  $975 [$875 net]  /  Three Firmness Levels; Options: Split firmness, Copper-ion cover, two free pillows
  • Tomorrow  /  Hybrid  /  $990 [net $940]
  • Voila  /  Hybrid  /  $1199 [$1079 net]  /  Coupon code "Dugroz10" - see my review - Three Firmness Levels
  • Alexander Hybrid by Nest  /  Hybrid  /  $1199 [net $999]  / Two Firmness Options
  • Aviya  /  Hybrid  /  $999 [net $899]
  • DreamCloud  /  Hybrid  /  $1499 [net $1299]  /  365 night sleep trial - see my review
  • Saatva  /  Innerspring  /  $999  /  see my review
  • SleepOvation  /  Hybrid  / $1749 [net $1349] /  700 tiny mattresses in one
  • Purple  /  Hyper-Elastic Polymer  /  $999

Some (but not all) of the above links are for mattress companies with which I have an affiliate relationship; that is, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel if you visit one of these websites and subsequently make a purchase. In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Eve Mattress Review

UPDATE, JULY 2019: It appears that Eve no long sells mattresses that are shipped to USA directly from their website. If you have any questions on this, feel free to reach out to me via the contact info at the bottom of my blog, or leave a comment here. Thanks.


We're on the Eve of a new mattress review, here . . .

I was pleased to be able to review the EVE Mattress recently! Eve gives the tagline of a mattress that is "beautifully simple, simply beautiful." So how will it stack up? Let's find out.

Click above to watch my video review, or read on for the
full, written review!

As you can see on the Eve website, the mattress is comprised of 3 foam layers surrounded by a fabric cover.

First, the cover -- the cover is a thin, flexible, polyester cover with good elasticity. It is a flat top mattress, there is no tufting or deep ridges in the top to contend with (I'm a fan of mattresses that keep the top nice and flat). In that regard, I say it's a good thing -- just let the top layer do what it's supposed to do. There is also a rope-like "ribbing" that goes around the top edge, which is a nice touch. The cover is removable, but they don't recommend machine washing (spot washing only). Of course, always use a mattress protector!

Next, the top layer of foam is a 2 inch layer of contouring memory foam. This is to provide pressure point relief and minimize motion transfer.

Next, the "middle layer" is a 1 inch reactive layer called the "active response layer." This has a little more bounce to it.

Last, the bottom layer is 6.5 inches of base foam. Total mattress thickness is 9.5 inches, maybe add fraction more to account for the cover, and they advertise it as 10 inches thick.

In terms of firmness, Eve only offers one build. They don't explicitly state their intended firmness level (x out of 10, for example) on their web site, but just state that it's not too soft and not too firm. They also say that it has the comfortable and supportive qualities of memory foam, but with an added feeling of "bounce." After testing it out, I would say this is an apt description. Although firmness is highly subjective, and can be perceived differently based on an individuals weight and build, I would say it comes in at a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale -- right in the middle.



I slept on a twin-size Eve mattress for 10 nights so that I could bring you this review. With that in mind . . .

HOW MANY STARS?

I will rate each category on a 5-Star Scale, where 5 is the best.

Construction: 3.5 stars

The construction was just fine, and unboxing was easy (see unboxing video HERE). I would rate it 4 stars based on build alone, but I found a couple loose threads over an inch long after I unboxed it, which isn't a big deal but does dock a 1/4 point.

Although I understand the marketing with the bright, cheerful yellow color, I'm not a fan of the yellow side-panels. If you use a thin, white protector and a thin, white sheet, it still shows through just a bit. Plain white, subdued gray, or another neutral color would have been better, but that's just one guy's opinion. I docked another 1/4 point for that.

I do like the cover, thin and breathable.

It's worth noting that my Eve took about 3-4 hours to fully expand after unboxing; but this was right in the description from the company, so no surprise there.

Noise: 5 stars

There is no noise. None.

Smell: 4.75 stars

Although the sample size isn't huge, of all the mattresses I've tried so far, Eve had the least amount of "new mattress smell" after it was unboxed. There was no "off-gassing." After leaving it to expand for a few hours, by the time I slept on it the first night the smell was completely gone. That's pretty impressive, considering that I'm both allergic to a lot of stuff and asthmatic. Needless to say, I have a moderately sensitive sniffer.

Feel: 4.25 stars

The feel is pretty nice. The cover is comforting and feels good through the sheet.

I felt a bit like I was sinking "down" but not sinking "in." (For reference, I weigh in the neighborhood of 200+ pounds). There is a bit of "hug" but not a lot. It's not a full-on tempurpedic memory-foam feel, but it does feel squishier than a hybrid mattress or fully innerspring mattress. It's something of a middle ground.


Motion Transfer: 4 stars

Since I tested out a twin, I was not able to gauge motion transfer with a real-live person in the bed with me, but had to rely on other methods like the bowling ball drop, sledgehammer of discernment, push-n-feel, etc. (see the video review). It feels like the motion transfer would be minimal, but not completely eliminated.

Support: 3.0 stars

"Support" does not mean the same thing as firmness. This gets into tricky-to-describe territory, but means things like keeping your spine in alignment; does the firmness feel even, as opposed to lumpy or firm in spots without being firm in other spots? Do you sink in too much and "overcome" the top couple inches? This is always subjective. I am a back sleeper primarily but also sleep on my side some.

In the FAQ section of the Eve website, they say that the mattress is suitable for sleepers weighing up to 252 pounds (not sure how they came up with 252, as opposed to "just" 250!), or a combined weight of 504 pounds. Recall that I weigh a bit over 200 pounds, so I felt like I was right on the edge of what was acceptable, so this statement is probably valid. When I slept on my back, I felt like my butt compressed down the top 2 layers enough that I was starting to feel the base support layer. Now, I have most of my weight in my middle, and I don't have the world's most athletic build (ahem . . .), so that's undoubtedly a contributing factor. There is no zoned support or anything like that, so just bear in mind that this mattress isn't designed for the heaviest sleepers.

I'm not saying that those over 252 pounds couldn't sleep on Eve, I just don't think it would be ideal. My personal thought is that if you are primarily a back sleeper, and you weigh over 225 to 230 pounds or so, this isn't the mattress for you. If you're a side or front sleeper who never or rarely sleeps on your back, you might be OK up to 250 pounds. (I very rarely sleep on my front, but I did a couple times on Eve, and it was fairly comfortable).

Also, note that this mattress is "fair" in the area of edge support, but when I sat on the extreme edge, I did collapse it down quite a bit. Don't expect to be able to sit on the edge and have it bounce you right back up unless you are pretty lightweight. Since it's not exactly ideal for heavy sleepers (both on edge support and in back sleeping), I don't feel comfortable giving more than a 3.0 in support.


Pressure Point Relief: 4.5 stars

Eve gets a hearty and healthy showing here! I felt like there were no pinch-points or anything like that. All-foam mattresses tend to do best here, so this isn't a surprise. If you are very lightweight (ie, under 110 pounds) you may not experience as much pressure point relief.

Conformity: 3.5 stars

What am I looking for in conformity? I want something that feels firm where it's supposed to feel firm, and soft where it's supposed to feel soft. That's a tall order (or a $5,000+ mattress), but let's at least get as close as we can. I want something that conforms to my body locally, but not globally. In other words, I want to sink into my mattress just a bit -- maybe an inch or two, but I don't want a giant valley to be formed while the mattress tries to accommodate my whole body.

As I mentioned in the "support" section above, my mid-section did sink in quite a bit, just a tiny bit more than I would have preferred, but it wasn't too bad. Therefore, the top of the mattress formed a bit of a valley extending out from my body enough that I would have a concern if I was sleeping in the bed with my wife. If you have a large weight disparity (for example, if one person weighs 70 pounds more than the other) I would have a little bit of a concern as it relates to this. Sleeping alone, no problem, sleeping with another person who weighs roughly the same as you, no problem. Again, see my video for an illustration.

Customer Service: 5.0 stars

My interactions with the folks at Eve where completely positive. Their website is easy to navigate, too, and has all the info you need, without feeling crowded.

It might be interesting to note that Eve is a U.K. based company, but they do business in the US, too. They must have warehouses in the states, because mine arrived only about 3 days after being shipped!

Shipping:

I don't give a star-rating to shipping, but shipping is free. It is delivered by UPS, FedEx, etc, and they say it should arrive within 5-7 business days (mine only took about 3 days!) As of the date of this post, they don't offer expedited shipping. It comes in a box, compressed. There is no cost to you if you decide to return it during the trial period.

Other info worth mentioning:

Eve has a 10 year warranty. The warranty kicks in with 1 inch or more of sinkage or indentations. This is pretty good (most warranties only kick in with 1.5 inches or more).

There is no proprietary foundation, you can place it on any solid surface, a sturdy foundation, or a bed that comes with slats like a platform bed. It's not recommended to be used with old-fashioned box springs (the kind with actual springs in a box - which are becoming quite rare). They have some recommendations of types on their web site, but don't recommend a specific brand. Might I recommend this platform bed?


OVERALL SCORE:

4.2 stars
(out of 5)
Eve has a distinctive yellow side panel.

Summary:

PROS:
- Good pressure point relief
- Light; easy to move around/transport
- Ideal for solo sleepers
- Ideal for sleepers under 200 lbs.
- Good cover feel
- 100 night no-risk trial period with free shipping
- A very reasonable price point

CONS:
- May lack support for sleepers over 225 lbs.
- Not ideal for couples with a large weight disparity (more than 70 lb. weight difference)

Final Thoughts:

Eve would be a great mattress choice for a college student, young couple, or really anyone who wants a mattress that is slightly fluffy and slightly bouncy, but who doesn't want to go with a hybrid mattress. With the 100 night in-home trial, you're not out anything but time if you decide you don't like it. 100 days is more than enough to make that determination. While it is an all-foam mattress, it's not something you're going to get "stuck" in and it doesn't sleep hot.


Prices & Info:
If you decide to try out Eve, I would really appreciate it if you use one of the links on this page, as it helps out my blog and YouTube channel just a bit!

As of 04/17/2018, Eve offers a $300 discount on all mattresses with coupon code SLEEP300. The gross price is listed first, with the "net" (after discount) price in brackets:

Twin: $549 [net $249]
Twin XL: $599 [net $299]
Full: $799 [net $499]
Queen: $899 [net $599]
King or Cal King: $1099 [net $799]

(Note: Prices were updated as of 04/17/2018. Always check prices on the manufacturer's web site as prices can change.)

What do you think? Feel free to share any comments! If you have questions, feel free to ask and I will try my best to answer.




I was provided with an Eve mattress in exchange for my review. If you use one of my links to get to the Eve website, and subsequently buy (and keep!) the mattress, I earn a small referral fee which helps to support this blog and my YouTube channel. In addition, other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a small referral fee if you click one of these links and subsequently make a purchase. This costs you nothing. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences, and do not represent the opinion of any particular company. Thanks for your consideration.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Lucid Mattress Protector Review & Waterproof Test

I recently bought the LUCID Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector to use on a mattress I was testing out. Watch the video (below) to see how it went!




 . . . As you can see, it passed my simulated "accident" testing with flying colors!

It can be machine washed (just follow the care instructions carefully!) and machine dried on the lowest setting (like dedicates).

Water (with blue food coloring) on top of the Lucid.
A for comfort - it conforms nicely, and doesn't change the feel of the mattress.

A- for fit - It's just fine, and should work on very thick mattresses.

It passed both the basic and advanced waterproof tests!

Where you can buy it:

Amazon.com -- CLICK HERE

Jet.com -- CLICK HERE

WalMart.com -- CLICK HERE

This list is not exhaustive. Check around as prices can and will vary.

The Lucid Protector is available in all standard sizes and has a 15 year warranty.

Considering that it is generally one of the least expensive mattress protectors out there, I'm not sure it can be beat! I highly recommend it!

I paid full price for my Lucid Mattress Protector. The above links are affiliate links. Please see the disclosure a the bottom of this web page.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Zinus Folding Guest Bed Review


See my video review here, or read on for the full written review!


Last week I got the Zinus Guest Bed. (Sometimes called the "Zinus Sleep Master Traveler Premier
The Guest Bed comes folded up.
Folding Twin Guest Bed" -- if you're into long titles!) I also slept on it for three nights to try it out and share my impressions. Here's a quick review & my observations.

First Observation: It's an actual Twin-Size mattress! A lot of roll-away or temporary beds are more "cot" sized and are not quite as wide as an actual twin mattress, but this one is. So feel free to use your twin-size sheets, blankets, mattress protectors, etc. They will all work just fine! Also, you could use the frame with a twin-size mattress of your choosing. Say Aunt Esther is coming for a visit, and you want her to have a slightly better bed? You could take your child's mattress and put it on this platform, and have your kid sleep on the 4" mattress that comes with the guest bed. Lots of options.


Second Observation: It's rather firm. Maybe a better way of saying that is it doesn't offer lots of pressure point relief. I'm not saying it's horrible, just don't expect it to be as nice as a quality bed if you sleep in one of those every night. That's OK . . . the company doesn't advising using it as your all-night-every-night sleeper. But, in my 3 days of sleeping on it, I would describe it as "fairly good." To help out, I added a 2" thick gel memory foam topper, also from Zinus. That made a big difference! With the topper, I can say it's better than some motel mattresses I've been on.

Third Observation: What it's intended for, it does really well. The purpose is to use it for when you have a guest coming and you need a place for them to sleep for a couple days, maybe a week. It's not too hard to set up and tear down, and having it's own storage bag is a big plus. (Watch my video for how to set it up . . . there is a flipping over component. It would be fine for most people, but it is heavy enough that a frail person might have difficulty.) I suppose it could be a long-term bed in a pinch, but really, it's purpose is to be a better alternative than a sleeping bag on the floor or spending the night in a recliner. It would be great for those who live in a small home (such as an apartment), going camping/RVing, or if you had a rental home/cabin situation. As long as your expectations are for such a use, and not as a luxury every-night-mattress, it's well worth the price.
It comes with a storage bag which
has a zipper and handles.

Summary: The Zinus Guest Bed is a great guest bed! This may sound intuitive, and it is! When you're not using it, you can fold it up and put it away in it's own bag (with a zipper) that's about 40 inches by 40 inches, and 11 inches thick -- approximately. It rests on a frame that is a metal grid, not springs, so there is no noise or squeaking. I can recommend it.

Places to buy: (this is not exhaustive, I encourage you to shop around!)

- The Zinus Guest Bed on Amazon: Click HERE

- Order Direct from Zinus, the manufacturer: Click HERE -- there will be a 10% discount that's applied automatically if you follow this link (you won't see the discount until you get to the cart).

- Order from Walmart.com: Click HERE -- on the date I posted this, there was a very small discount if you shipped it site-to-store for pickup in a local Wal-Mart.

If you have Amazon Prime, the shipping from Amazon is 2 days, whereas the link from Zinus or Wal-Mart.com is about 5-6 days, at least where I live. Prices, discounts, and conditions vary, so click on the links. Since prices change frequently, I suggest looking around and finding what works best for you.


1 Year Warranty

Side view. Supportive enough for a "full size guy!"


I'd love to hear your comments and questions! Thanks for reading!


I won a gift card from Zinus as part of a "refer-a-friend" promotion, and I used that to buy my Zinus Guest Bed at a significant discount. The above links are affiliate links; please see the disclosure at the bottom of this web page. All opinions are my personal reviews and preferences. Thanks for your consideration.