Buying A Bed: What Do You Know About Those No-Flip One-Sided Mattresses?

[arwalden]

So, we've finally decided on what *type* of bed to purchase--a traditional inner-spring mattress. (Thanks, all, for the earlier advice and suggestions about solid-foam and air/hybrid mattresses.)

Now that we're ready to pick out our mattress, it seems that the ONLY thing that's available are the "one-sided" "no-flip" mattresses that only have padding on ONE SIDE.

The salesman proudly tells me that the reason manufacturers are doing this is because of recent "technological advancements" in the inner springs that eliminate the need for flipping. Also they were concerned that "too many people were injuring themselves" when trying to flip a mattress over. (Sounds like sales-BS to me.)

Suspicious Me: I'm thinking it's cheaper for the manufacturer to only put padding and upholstery on ONE side of the mattress. If that's true, then I would expect to see some sort of savings on my end, but I don't. Hmmm.

My main concern about the non-flip mattress has nothing to do with the inner springs... my biggest concern is with the foam padding/upholstery and how well it ages. Over time, the padding will compress and flatten and the bed will develop "body-gullies". By not being able to turn the mattress over, the foam padding with the gullies never has a chance to "relax" and "re-inflate" itself.

Right now we're "thi-i-is close" to purchasing the one-sided bed from Costco. I want to make an informed choice, but there's just not much information on the web about these no-flips. I hope that I can find out something (good or bad). I'd hate to be the one who gets to warn people away from them based on MY unwise decision.

-- Allen

[Lars39]

1. Sounds like they've found a way to get people to buy mattresses

more often. If you can't flip and use the other side, extending the life of the mattress, wouldn't you have to buy a mattress sooner?
I didn't know there was such a thing as a no-flip mattress. :shrug:
We're going to be looking for mattresses soon and I dread it.

[RobertSeattle]

2. My two bits on no-flips

My wife and I bought a high end "no flip" pillowtop mattress last summer. My two bits:

1. I think they are somewhat marketting hype - my "no flip" has a slight depression (didn't know it was called a body gully!) where I tend to sleep - the springs are remembering me a little too much!

2. I don't like pillowtop - it maintains too much contact with the skin (no airflow) and can get hot unless the room is cool.

[arwalden]

6. Thanks Robert... I'm Not Wild About PILLOW Tops, But I Like PLUSH Tops

One of the mattress stores had a pillow top mattress that looked to be 18" thick. Put that on top of equally thick box springs and frame... then the whole thing appeared to be 4 feet off the ground!!

Does it come with a LADDER too?

-- Allen

[BR_Parkway]

3. We own a B&B

and get the commercially rated mattresses - they have a longer warranty. Sealy, Serta and all the other major brands are still making plenty of the type that are padded on both sides.

Sam's club, Costco and BJ's all have contracts with major manufacturers (furniture, tires, etc.) to make items specifically for their warehouse club to sell. They do not always meet the same standards and specifications, so these companies pay much less for it! It's not always comparing apples to apples. In fact, very few bedding products are made the same way, so you can't compare very easily. Serta, for instance, also makes "store brand labels" for something like 42 other stores - and since they are all made to different standards, these stores can absolutely guarantee you that you can't find the same product for less or they will buy it for you, give you a couple thousand buck, or whatever the latest hype is. Simply put, the only place on earth you could find the same exact product is in one of their stores.

All in all, buy the one you feel most comfortable on, all the other comparison points are almost impossible to fairly compare.

[Lars39]

4. Where do you go to find commercially rated mattresses? eom

[LTR]

8. One-sided

All Simmons and Sealy product are one-sided (no-flip).

Serta makes both types.

I have a higher-end Sealy ultra-thick pillowtop that is two sided. Have owned it for two years. Still going strong.

Serta's warranty no longer requires flipping the mattress, but it is suggested. I usually flip mine the first day of every season.

A two-sided mattress allows you to 'freshen' up the feel of the mattress, as you would a sofa cushion.

One-sided works well for some mattresses, such as Sealy's (all foam encased) and Simmons' designs (Beautyrest has pocketed coils). You may feel less motion transfer in a one-sided, depending on the softness.

I still like two-sided, but the most important thing is to go with what is most comfortable.

Me? I still prefer two sides, but I guess I'm old fashioned.

[GOPisEvil]

5. I've had my Serta no-flip for a year now.

I do turn it from back to front periodically, but so far, no depression has developed.

I have the Morgan Bay, firm.

[arwalden]

7. Thanks!

Did you get it from a department store, mattress store or warehouse club?

-- Allen

[GOPisEvil]

9. Furniture store.

They were having a big sale. I think I paid $650 or so.

[Beaker]

10. I've actually never heard of "no-flip" mattresses...

We have a Sealy that we've had for 8 or 9 years, and it's still in like new shape.

We have a unique bedding "situation":

we have a 'normal' queen-sized box spring and mattress set- the aforementioned Sealy that we purchased about 9 years ago.
It's not a 'pillow-top', BUT- we have a 4-inch futon mattress that we have on top of the Sealy mattress, and on top of the futon we have a 3-inch Tempurpedic mattress 'topper'.
and we sleep on flannel sheets all year-round.
it's super comfortable, and we're both happy with it.
we hope to sell our house this year and move to a place where we can have a king-size bed...when we do we're buying a full-on Tempurpedic mattress.