There are plenty of small purchases we can make without giving them much thought. When it comes to mattresses, it’s worth doing a bit of research. Sleep is a crucial aspect of health and well-being.

What one person finds uncomfortable, another might love. Before you shell out your hard-earned cash on a mattress, make sure it will meet your needs.

Innerspring Mattresses

An innerspring is the tried-and-true mattress type found in most homes over the last few decades. Although other types, such as memory foam, are rising in popularity, innerspring is still the most common.

The name “innerspring” is representative of the design of the mattress. Metal springs form the core of the mattress. These springs are layered with foam or other materials to increase comfort.

Most innerspring also have an additional layer of padding on top of the comfort layer. This ensures the user won’t feel the coils while sleeping. While offering plenty of support, innerspring mattresses can often create painful pressure points, especially as the cushion layer between the coils and the sleeper wears down.  

Coil Gauges Explained

If you decide to buy an innerspring, you’ll probably come across the term “coil gauge” while looking at various options. The lower the number, the thicker the coil. A mattress made with thicker coils tends to be firmer and more durable. Thinner coils will make the mattress softer.

However, many factors aside from the coil gauge determine the comfort level. The type of spring and the overall design also plays a significant role.

Types of Innerspring Mattresses

Bonnell

When innerspring mattresses were first created in the early 1900s, Bonnell coils were common. These coils have an hourglass shape. Prior to their use in mattresses, they were also used in seat cushions for buggies.

Although other coil styles are often used, you can still find plenty of mattresses made with Bonnell coils on the market today.

Offset

This type of coil is similar to the Bonnell coil, but it has flattened edges on the top and bottom. This helps the coils better conform to your shape. The coils also tend to squeak less than the Bonnell variety.

Continuous

These coils feature a single wire that curves in an S-shape to form the structure of the bed. The continuous wire is more durable than the individual coils.

Pocketed/Marshall

This type of mattress uses independent, barrel-shaped coils. These coils are encased in fabric, which helps them conform to the sleeper. It also reduces motion transfer, which is helpful for people who share a bed. These are the coils found in Nest Bedding Hybrid mattresses.

Pros and Cons of Innerspring Mattresses

Positives

• Can last more than a decade if quality made
• Offer more firmness than some options
• A wide range of options available
• Various price points ranging from budget to luxury
• Good airflow within the mattress which prevents overheating

Negatives

• May be too firm for those who prefer softness
• Some varieties aren’t compatible with adjustable beds
• Can create painful pressure points
• Cheaper options wear out quickly

While Nest Bedding doesn’t carry any pure innerspring mattresses, if you like the feel of innerspring you will love our Hybrid Mattresses!

 

Foam Mattresses

Memory Foam

This type of mattress has become much more popular over the last decade. NASA created memory foam back in the 1960s. It was initially intended for use in aircraft cushions. These days, it’s found in mattresses and a variety of other products.

Memory foam is an excellent mattress material. Traditional memory foam is a visco-elastic foam that forms to anything that presses against it. Once the pressure is removed, the foam returns to its former shape. Memory foam mattresses are excellent for people with chronic pain. 

Memory foam provides superior pressure point relief but lacks general support as sleepers tend to sink into it. Because it tends to be form-hugging, it can trap body heat as well. These mattresses are ideal for anyone who prefers a softer mattress.

Specialty Foams:

There are many variations on traditional visco-elastic foam. These variations modify traditional memory foam to enhance memory foam's positive characteristics and counter its negative characteristics.

Gel Memory Foam

This type of memory foam has small beads of cooling gel blended in. It offers all the benefits of traditional memory foam, but it has the added effect of helping you remain cool.

Some gel mattresses offer more cooling effects than others. Gel memory foam is used in a variety of mattress types, including in the top layer of some of Nest Bedding’s Hybrid mattresses.

Copper-infused gel foam

Similar to gel memory foam, but with its cooling properties amped up even further by adding copper into the gel. Copper is an excellent conductor of energy, and as such, draws heat and diffuses it away from the body to help prevent overheating.

Nest Bedding uses this foam in our Signature Series Flippable all-foam mattress. 

TitanFlex Foam: 

This hyper-elastic foam features immediate response technology that adjusts to your body each time you move. It is designed to contour the human body, much like visco-elastic memory foam but mimics the higher responsiveness of latex. This makes for a livelier mattress that won’t create the sinking sensation or “stuck in the mud” feeling of traditional visco-elastic memory foam.

TitanFlex foam also contains titanium particles, used to conduct thermal energy. As your body compresses the foam, the titanium particles group together, creating a pathway for the heat to escape and disperse. Titanflex foam is also more durable than memory foam. Nest Bedding uses this proprietary foam for the comfort layer in our Alexander Signature Hybrid mattress.

Energex Foam 

Energex has similar properties to the TitanFlex foam. It provides an alternative to conventional visco-elastic foam that retains the pressure point relieving advantages of visco-elastic foam without the slow recovery.

Typically, consumers seeking an alternative to springs who do not want the dead feel of visco-elastic foam have turned to latex. While this meets the criteria for a livelier mattress, they may miss some of the pressure point relieving qualities of memory foam.

Energex foam is a good middle ground between visco-elastic and latex. It is a cooler and responsive foam designed to offer a nice alternative to latex or springs while providing excellent pressure relief properties. Nest Bedding uses Energex foam in our Love & Sleep all-foam mattress.

Polyurethane Foam

Polyurethane is a cheaper option that somewhat compares to memory foam. It doesn’t form to the body like memory foam does, and it doesn’t offer the same level of durability or comfort when used as the primary foam comfort layer.

However, it is a lot more “springy” and “bouncy,” and it is hypoallergenic and spill-resistant. It’s a good option for someone who wants to save money. Keep in mind that you’ll need to replace a mattress with a Polyurethane comfort layer much sooner than you would a memory foam or innerspring mattress.

Nest Bedding uses a small amount of proprietary polyfoam designed to mimic the feel of down feathers in a thin top layer in some of our Hybrid mattresses. This gives the top of the mattress, a plush pillow top feel, without becoming flat and compressed the way down will over time. 

Base/Support Foam:

This foam is not like memory foam at all. It is dense and firm and would not be comfortable to sleep on directly. However, its structure and durability make it the ideal base for all-foam mattresses.

A mattress made entirely of memory foam would not hold it’s form well and would not provide sufficient support for the sleeper. This foam forms the foundation of Nest Bedding’s all-foam mattresses to ensure your mattress is durable and supports your body.

This foam, coupled with our specialty foams, allows us to create all-foam mattresses that are pressure point relieving but still supportive and responsive. 

Latex Foam

There are natural and synthetic latex options. Natural latex comes from a byproduct of the rubber tree. Synthetic latex is made from a blend of natural latex and various filler materials. Latex is a naturally occurring material and, as such, is more environmentally friendly than other mattress materials. 

Latex foam mattresses offer some of the benefits of memory foam and offer some perks that memory foam mattresses don’t. They are more responsive and have more bounce than memory foam, which gives the mattress a livelier feel and makes you feel less “stuck.” This also means that your body will perceive Latex foam as being firmer. 

While not as pressure point relieving as visco foam, Latex foam still offers good pressure point relief.

Latex foam is also considered “temperature neutral,” meaning it does not trap heat. Coupled with the fact that Latex does not contour to your body and “hug” you the way memory foam does, Latex is an excellent choice for sleepers who tend to overheat easily. If sleeping cool is important to you, latex is a good option.

Latex doesn’t have a scent like memory foam and is also naturally antimicrobial. You don’t have to worry about things like mold accumulating in the latex foam if it gets wet.

The cell structure of Latex foam also prevents dust mites from living and accumulating in the foam. Using a mattress protector is always advisable, but if you don’t like mattress protectors, a latex foam mattress is an excellent option to prevent microbial nasties from accumulating in your mattress. 

Finally, latex is naturally more durable than traditional memory foam. 

Latex foam mattresses are a good middle ground option between pure innerspring and memory foam mattresses. 

Talalay Mattresses

Manufacturers create this type of latex mattress by pouring the latex into a mold and then using a vacuum to suck out all the remaining air. From there, they freeze the mattress to set and stabilize its form. This creates a more consistent feel throughout the mattress. Talalay latex, as a rule, feels softer than Dunlop but is also less durable and will deteriorate faster.

Dunlop Mattresses

The Dunlop latex mattress is created using a similar process, but there is no vacuuming or freezing. The latex goes into the mold and remains there. This results in a denser bottom and softer top, which some people prefer. 

Nest Bedding uses continuous pour Dunlop Latex. This method creates consistency in the latex foam from top to bottom as opposed to traditional Dunlop latex, but still retains the durability that Dunlop Latex is known for. 

Pros and Cons of Memory Foam Mattresses

Positives

• Good for couples or pet owners because of the reduced motion transfer
• Ideal comfort
• Minimizes pressure points, which is good for anyone with chronic pain

Negatives

• Too soft for some
• Can hold heat
• High-quality styles can sometimes be costly
• Many companies use low-quality foams

Pros and Cons of Latex Foam Mattresses

Positives

• Good for couples or pet owners because of the reduced motion transfer
• Naturally Antimicrobial
• Good Pressure point relief
• More responsive than memory foam
• Sleeps Cooler
• Naturally durable
• More environmentally friendly than other mattress materials

Negatives

• Too firm for some
• Less pressure point relieving
• Latex is costly
• Not suitable for those with Latex Allergies

Check out these Nest Foam Mattresses

Love & Sleep

Alexander Signature Series Flippable

Natural All Latex

Certified Organic All Latex

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses are relatively new to the mattress world. Created in 2008, they combine the best features of innerspring and foam mattresses.

A hybrid mattress is made with a base layer, a coil support structure, and a comfort layer. The comfort layer is usually made from memory foam or latex. Some hybrid mattresses also include a polyurethane transition layer between the comfort layer and the coils. This adds more durability.

The coil support layer creates the structure of the mattress. A hybrid mattress may feature any of the coil types we mentioned in the innerspring section. Beneath that, there will be a base layer made from high-density polyurethane.

Hybrids are ideal for anyone who loves a coil mattress’s springiness and the comfort of a foam mattress.

A Hybrid mattress really is the best of both worlds. The foam provides pressure point relief and reduced motion transfer. The coils provide support and responsiveness to counterbalance the memory foam’s sinking qualities. The coils also increase the airflow within the mattress, reducing trapped heat. 

Pros and Cons of Hybrid Mattresses

Positives

• Comfortable and usually high quality
• Offers the benefits of both innerspring and memory foam
• Good for couples because of the reduction in motion transfer

Negatives

• Can be on the expensive side
• Low-quality mattresses are sometimes labeled “hybrid” when they’re not

Check out these Nest Hybrid Mattresses

Flip Hybrid

Alexander Signature Hybrid

Natural Hybrid Latex

Certified Organic Hybrid Latex

Now that you know a little more about the various types, you should be able to pick the perfect mattress for you!                                              

Quality Foam Matters   

At Nest Bedding, it is important to us that our mattresses be comfortable but also be healthy. To that endeavor, we use only high quality, certified foams. This ensures you are comfortable and that your mattress lasts for many years, but also keeps you healthy by eliminating or reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals. 

Our foams are all CertiPUR-US or GreenGuard Gold certified: 

The CertiPUR-US foam certification program, administered by a nonprofit organization, was established in 2008 to combat substandard foams imported from other countries.

In some cases, these substandard foams contained substances that had been banned in the U.S. or were listed by chemical watch groups as potentially being harmful.

A group of foam manufacturers, in conjunction with environmentalists, academics, industry and consumer groups, and chemists developed a testing, analysis, and certification program specifically for these uses of flexible polyurethane foam.

Now considered the industry’s most rigorous certification program for foam used in bedding and upholstered furniture, certified foams are:

• Made without ozone depleters
• Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants
• Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
• Made without formaldehyde
• Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million

The GREENGUARD Gold seal certifies that our furniture has been independently tested and verified to meet rigorous standards for chemical emissions and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde or phthalates.

GREENGUARD Gold offers some of the world's most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low emissions of VOCs into indoor air which can be a major source of indoor air pollution and may contribute to health problems in children such as asthma and allergies.

Products carrying the seal have been tested for over 10,000 chemicals and more than 360 VOCs and certified as low-emitting by this independent, trusted 3rd party.