Brand Name Mattresses vs No-Name Mattresses?
Everyone has to buy a mattress at some point in their life, usually multiple times. However, there are a lot of questions surrounding mattress purchases since it's not something that you do every day or even very often. Due to the higher cost of mattresses most people like to do a lot of research prior to purchasing. You may have noticed that there are name brand mattresses and no name mattresses.
Name brand mattresses are those that are made by a big, often well-known manufacturing company such as Simmons, Sealy, Stearns and Foster, or Serta. No name mattresses are often found and purchased online or in some department stores. But is there really a difference between the two? Are mattress stores just trying to sell you the more expensive product for profit? Following are some differences between name brand and no name mattresses to help you make an educated decision that is best for you.
Materials
The most common assumption is that name brand and no name mattresses are made from the same materials. In general, this is true however the materials are not exactly the same. Name brand mattresses are typically made with higher quality materials that are less toxic, a big deal since you will spend about one third of your life in bed. Additionally, the arrangement of materials may be different between the two. For instance, if you are buying an innerspring mattress the coils may be placed differently which can really alter the comfort of the mattress.
Brand Longevity
A major difference between name brand and no name mattresses is that the name brand has been around for many years. For instance, Stearns & Foster was established in 1846. With this amount of time around, brands have had a long time to perfect their product and build their reputation. With a no name mattress you often can't be sure where it came from or how much research went into the design.
Trademarked Features
The older brand name mattresses have their own trademarked features that cannot be duplicated in any other mattress. Englander mattresses are made with more steel springs and thicker fibers which produces a heavier mattress that is longer lasting than most competitors. Additionally, Simmons Beautyrest has trademarked the "Do Not Disturb" mattress which is produced with a pocketed coil to reduce motion and avoid waking partners since 1925.
Warranty
Most mattress warranties cover the same defects such as sagging or sinking. While both name brand and no name mattresses may come with a warranty, with a no name brand mattress you can't be certain that it is backed by a reputable company that will uphold the warranty. When you purchase a name brand mattress you can rest assured that the company will be more motivated to uphold the warranty as their name is on the line.
Mattress Longevity
In most cases you will get more use out of a name brand mattress than a no name mattress for several reasons. Not only because the brand name mattresses are made with better materials but also because should you need to open a warranty claim you will have that option more easily available to you. In this sense, name brand mattresses can actually be cheaper than their no name counterparts.
While there are notable differences between name brand and no name brand mattresses ultimately the decision is yours. No name brand mattresses may be a good choice for you if you're looking for a cheaper option that won't see much use or won't be used for a long time. However, if you're looking for a mattress that will last longer and potentially be more comfortable then a name brand mattress is the way to go.
