Monday, January 16, 2017

Best Budget Mattresses On Amazon, All Under $300


There is that old saying "You Get What You Pay For," which is generally true in the world of
mattresses, too. However, sometimes you just can't afford a $700+ mattress. Whatever your reason (maybe for a college student, guest room, or you're just on a limited budget), if you need an inexpensive mattress, here are four of the best I found on this MLK day 2017, considering price, reviews, and other info.Some of these prices may (should?) last beyond today but I found these as discounted items today.I feel these are the best mattresses under $300 on Amazon. (The mattresses in this blog post are under $300 [based on queen size] as of 01/16/2017, the date of the original posting. Of course, prices can, and will, change.)

Below I will also list a topper that I would pair with any of the Mattresses (esp. #2), as well as a few items in the "bed and mattress" realm at the very end of the post that are worth  considering just because they're on such a good sale!

Please note that although I have personally researched all of these options, I have NOT personally
tried any of these products.

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"Best Price" Brand  8-Inch Memory Foam Mattress
1. Best Price Mattress 8-Inch Memory Foam Mattress
(4 1/2 star average)
Note: "Best Price" is the name of the brand. I'm not necessarily saying it is the "best price." :)




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Sleep Master Pocketed Spring (Coil) 8-Inch Classic Mattress
by Zinus
2. Sleep Master Pocketed Spring 8 Inch Classic Mattress (by Zinus)
(4 1/2 star average)





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LinnenSpa 8-Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress
3. LINENSPA 8 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress - Dual-Layered - Medium Firm - 25 Year Warranty
(4 1/2 star average)




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Classic Brands "Decker" 10.5-Inch Hybrid Mattress
4. Classic Brands Decker 10.5 Inch Hybrid
(4 star average)




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For any budget-friendly mattress, I would strongly consider getting a mattress topper to improve comfort.

If I were going the "build your bed" route (ie, choose a sturdy-yet-cheap mattress then add a topper from the beginning), I would choose #2 above -- the SleepMaster pocketed spring, then add a topper like this one below. I like it because not only is it well reviewed, it also has a built-in cover and straps to prevents sliding around. Couple this with a nice mattress protector and sheets, and you have "built" a decent hybrid mattress.


The ViscoSoft 3-Inch Gel Mattress Topper can help a
Budget-Friendly mattress feel even more "friendly!"


ViscoSoft 3" Gel-Infused Memory Foam Topper
 (4+ star average)
Multiple sizes avialable


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Thus ends the section on mattresses. Below are a few additional items that I would consider just because they're such a good deal.(Again, remember that prices can and will change frequently.)

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Simpli Home Dover Rectangular Storage Ottoman Bench (Multiple Colors)
(4 1/2 star average with lots of reviews)

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Simmons Beautyrest Curv 3-inch Flat Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper

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Essence of Bamboo Gel Fiber Pillow - Down Alternative, Hypoallergenic .9 Micro Denier Filled Pillows with Bamboo Derived Rayon / Poly Cover


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Balichun Waterproof Mattress Pad Protector Cover
(Twin, Twin XL, and Full size only available as of 01/16/2017)

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Sleep Calm Mattress Protector with Stain and Dust Mite Defense
(4 star average)


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If you appreciate this review, would you consider using the above links to support my blog and YouTube channel? This post contains affiliate links, and Amazon will reward me with a very small referral fee if you use the link and subsequently buy the product. Please note that I paid full price for my Zinus BoxSpring through Amazon; all opinions are my personal reviews and preferences. Thanks for your consideration.

Monday, January 9, 2017

Zinus 4-inch Low Profile Bi-Fold BoxSpring (Foundation) Review

When we got rid of our old mattress, we got rid of the box springs as well. They were over 15 years old, and it was time for them to go. When we did the 75-day trial period of the Saatva Mattress, we used their matching foundation, but now we need something for our Sapira (as it did not come with a matching foundation).


My YouTube Review of the Zinus Low-Profile BoxSpring

With most modern mattresses, our bed-height was a little too low without a foundation or box spring, but a little too high with a traditional 8-10 inch box spring.

Enter the Zinus 4-inch Low Profile Bi-Fold BoxSpring! 

This handy product is one where the title pretty much says it all (except for the "Spring" part -- read on). It's great for when you need just a little more height for your mattress, which makes getting in and out of bed easier. Additionally, I feel that it just makes things look nicer -- a low mattress just looks a bit out of place. We ordered it though Amazon (click here to see it on Amazon), and it was eligible for Prime shipping.

This low-profile foundation does exactly what it says it is supposed to do, and does it very well. Our goal was to raise out mattress up about 4-5 inches with ease, little assembly, and no squeaking or sagging. It comes in a fairly large box and is a bit heavy, so an elderly or frail person would likely need help. However, once it is unboxed, there is no assembly needed, just unfold it, flip it over, and zip it up. It would be very easy to take with you in a move.

This is not a "Box of Springs" - there are no springs inside. 95% of modern mattresses do not need a true "box spring" anyhow so that's fine. The purpose is just to raise up your mattress. It does not soften the mattress, nor is it designed to. "Foundation" is the better name.

The Zinus 4-inch Low Profile BoxSpring on a basic base.
The bars are about 1/4 inch thick, and almost exactly 3 inches apart. The Foundation (as I measured it) was about 4 1/4" high (no big deal for me, but just noteworthy if you need "exactly" 4 inches). I was a bit Leary at first about using this with my Hybrid mattress since I was afraid that (because the bottom is foam) it would sink through. However, I emailed the mattress company and they assured me that this foundation is fine to use (I have a Sapira mattress). Most of the reviews I have read said it's OK for almost any type of mattress, but if in doubt, check with the manufacturer.

About 3 1/2 weeks of use so far, it's holding up fine, and the mattress works very well with it. It is very sturdy, no sagging. No noise, no squeaking. The bars have not sunk into the mattress. The sides are a nice patterned white cloth. Nice enough that we have not felt the need to cover it with a sheet like with did with our old one! I would recommend this foundation if 4 inches is the best height for your bed setup.

The Zinus Bi-Folding!


We have a queen and it supports two grown adults just fine. According to the paperwork that came with the Zinus, it has a 5-year limited warranty (though it didn't specify what that covers), The flyer that comes with it also says that it can support up to 2,400 lbs. for the queen size or larger -- which seems a bit ridiculous, but I think the point is that it is very sturdy!

So far this is perfect. I will update my post if things change as we use it more and more. Really, I see no drawbacks, so all I can do is wholeheartedly recommend it!

                                                                     
Click this box to view on Amazon

Clicking this box does not commit you to buy; it merely shows you the product. Why not place it in your cart and think it over?

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

- The Zinus 4" Foundation on Amazon: Click HERE

- Ordering 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).

If you have Amazon Prime, the shipping from Amazon is 2 day, whereas the link from Zinus 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.

The above links are affiliate links; please see the disclosure at the bottom of this web page. Note that I paid full price for all products unless noted otherwise; all opinions are my personal reviews and preferences. Thanks for your consideration.

Monday, January 2, 2017

Sapira Mattress Review - 1 Month Impressions

UPDATE: I posted a full & final review of the Sapira on 02/18/2017 after 70 days of sleeping on it. CLICK HERE to see the full, written review.


For our second attempt at a new mattress (see prior review here), we decided to try out the Sapira Mattress.
My full Sapira video review

My video of the Sapira Unboxing

The Sapira Mattress was created by the Leesa company, and is their offering in the hybrid category. The word "hybrid" can mean many different things in the mattress world, but in this case it is essentially a cross between a memory foam mattress and an innerspring, offering the best features of each, and mitigating some of the drawbacks of all-foam or all-coil mattresses.


Sapria Construction Layers
I won't go into loads of detail on the construction as you can read all about it on the Sapira web site, but I'll hit the highlights. The top layer is called the "Cooling Performance Layer" and is punched with a bunch of little holes for breath-ability. It's pretty dense and responsive, has good bounce, and is not at all like a traditional memory foam feel. Just very nice and very smooth.

The next layer is the "Pressure Relieving Memory Foam Layer." This is more like traditional memory foam and is slow to respond, provides pressure point relief, and creates a moderate degree of contouring. However, since it's not the top layer, and it's only 1.5 inches thick, there's no feeling of being enveloped.

The base is a sandwich of pocketed coils and stabilizing foams. (The blue foam in the picture is really just to provide stability and to hold the springs in place it seems.) The pocketed coils provide the support.

My impressions:

We're about a month in to the no-risk trial period, which is 100 days. So far so good! This is definitely a better fit for us than the Saatva was. The biggest problem we had before was due to a large weight disparity between my wife and I (she is significantly lighter than I am). No problem there with Sapira. It holds me in place nicely, but my body impression doesn't go out more than a couple inches from me, so Debbi has her side nice & level and all to herself.

I would rate the firmness right around 7 (where 10 is the most firm).

Regarding the feel, it's kind of a luxurious feel. I know that sounds rather generic, so I'll try to elaborate more. It's a tight top, IE, not tufted. It's totally flat before you lay on it. Once you lay on it, it is forgiving yet somewhat firm. In a very general sense, it's what I'm looking for. The top two layers work together very nicely. It creates full and complete support under my lower back (locally) without bending the whole mattress (globally).

Regarding back pain relief, it helps some. For years I have had some lower and mid back pain, and general aches and pains when I wake up in the morning. I have a bad back, which is something I've had since high school. It's not terrible, just more of an annoyance. I know some have it far worse. With that in mind, most mornings when I wake up from the Sapira, I feel "decent" in the back pain department -- I don't know that I can ever feel amazing, so I'm pretty happy with "decent." Lately I've only been taking one ibuprofen every morning instead of two (update, 05/16/2017: I'm happy to report that I've decreased my ibuprofen intake even further as my body has adjusted more and more!).

I want to sleep on my back more, but I do still flip onto my side quite a bit. I'm trying to adjust to this style of mattress and am still experimenting with how thick of a pillow to use, if I want a pillow under my knees, and just generally trying to figure out the best way to sleep in my Sapira. Fortunately, they provide a good long trial period to figure that out.

We also just bought the Purple Mattress Protector a few days ago, and that makes the Sapira feel even nicer! I think a thin, flexible mattress protector is best for this kind of flat-topped mattress. (I made a YouTube video of that, and you can see it being used on my Sapira here.)

The coils of the Sapira Mattress. Notice
how the edge coils are smaller and
more densely packed.
The edges of the Sapira are WAY more supportive than our old Wal-Mart hybrid mattress. You can sit
on the edge and it's virtually as good as a traditional all-spring mattress. I think that's because they use more dense, smaller pocketed coils near the edges. See the picture at the right.

So far, I'm liking the Sapira but I feel like I'm still in the adjustment period. I will keep you posted and update my review once I'm ready to make more detailed observations!

From what I've been seeing lately, Sapira will give you a $200 coupon pretty much automatically, all the time. I can't say they will be doing the discount indefinitely, but that's what I've been seeing. (Note: Please use discount code "Dugroz" at checkout to be sure to get the $200 discount!)

Sapira bills itself as a Luxuy Mattress, and rightly so. It's one of the more expensive online-only mattresses, as you can see below, coming in at $1,475 for the queen ($1,325 "net cost" - including the Amazon gift card). Even though it's not cheap, it still looks to be around $500-$1,000 less than traditional in-store competitors, based on my quick searching. (For example, I would compare the overall feel to the Beautyrest Black Series, which I tried in-store.)

There is a risk-free in home trial period of 100 days, and you can return it during that trial period for a full refund. Shipping is free if you set it up yourself (it comes compressed in a box). If you want white-glove delivery and setup, that's $99.

Prices: (these are the prices BEFORE the $200 discount)

Twin: $975
Twin XL: $1,075
Full: $1,125
Queen: $1,475
King or Cal King: $1,775

Thinking about possibly buying a Sapira? CLICK HERE to go to their web site!
You can now also view or buy a Sapira on Amazon!



Stay tuned for my updated review!

The Sapira Mattress, Uncovered.
(Looking for a mattress but can't quite afford the Sapira? Check out my recent post HERE of 4 great budget mattresses, all under $300!)



I paid full price for my Sapira. We bought our Sapira because we wanted to try it out just like anyone else, but, several months later I was offered a chance to participate in their affiliate program. I will earn a referral fee if you buy (and keep!) a Sapira. Other links on this blog are considered to be "affiliate links" as well (such as the links to products through Amazon) and I am paid a 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.