A better king size mattress for all sleepers

The “best” mattress should do at least three things

1. Support your back
2. Ease pressure points
3. Last a long time

Obviously, because you spend one third of your life in bed, you want it to be comfortable! And because it’s a big investment, you expect it to last. The best mattress for you depends on your mattress type, comfort level preferences, and budget. And, if you share your mattress with a partner, you have to consider their preferences too!

Before you choose a king size bed, consider the pros and cons of each mattress type.

Memory Foam Mattreses

Memory foam isn’t exactly new in the mattress world, but recent innovations have made it more and more popular. The most recent trend to boost memory foam’s availability is the bed in a box revolution, which cuts out the middleman (brick and mortar stores) and ships mattresses directly to customers’ doorsteps. Memory foam mattresses are easy to compress and ship in a box, so they go hand in hand with this new delivery format.

A basic memory foam mattress model has 2-3 layers of foam with some variation depending on the firmness (firmer mattresses have fewer layers, softer mattresses have more). A true memory foam mattress has memory foam in its comfort layers and then a firmer, stiffer foam as the bottom layer (usually poly foam).

Memory foam is dense and soft— two characteristics that lend themselves well to a silent, pressure-relieving sleeping surface. However, this same high-density foam is known to trap heat. Manufacturers of this popular foam infuse it with cooling gel, green tea, charcoal, graphite, or copper to dissipate some of the heat.

Amerisleep’s memory foam, known as Bio-Pur®, is partially plant-based, making it more responsive and breathable than traditional memory foam.

Innerspring Mattresses

Innerspring mattresses are still the most common, widely available mattress type. They’re bouncy thanks to their coil support cores, but they offer little by way of pressure relief because of their thin Euro or pillow tops (comparable to the comfort layer in a memory foam mattress).

Innersprings have one advantage over memory foam: they sleep cooler because air can easily move through the bottom coils. However, these same coils lead to sagging and deterioration after only a few years. This is probably one reason memory foam is starting to take over as the most popular type of mattress.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses look and feel quite similar to innersprings, but there’s a couple of major differences: first, hybrids contain more foam in their top comfort layers. In fact, a hybrid must have 2-3 inches of foam to even be classified as a “hybrid.” Second, hybrids are often made with individually-wrapped coils, also known as Marshall coils. Each steel coil is wrapped in soft fabric or foam to alleviate motion transfer and noise (two problems common to innersprings).

Latex Mattresses

Latex is popular because it feels similar to memory foam, but it’s not always made with polyurethane like memory foam. For that reason, it appeals to eco-friendly consumers. Dunlop latex is harvested from the sap of a rubber tree, a renewable resource. Dunlop feels firmer than the other latex type, Talalay. Talalay latex also comes from rubber tree sap, but polyurethane fillers are added to give it a softer, bouncier feel.

Latex is not as easy to find as memory foam, nor is it available in a wide range of budget options. However, it’s incredibly durable, so some prefer to invest more money in it because of its longevity.

Some basic mattress sizes are available in a few different iterations, like the Twin XL or the Olympic Queen. When it comes to king size beds, there are really only four variations: the standard king, split king, California king, and split California king.

Many couples like using split mattresses with an adjustable base since that allows for the ultimate customization.

No, two twin size beds are not the same size as a king. However, two twin XL mattresses are almost the same size as a California king size bed. If you’re looking for a mattress both you and your partner can adjust to your preferences, we recommend a split king or California King.

Yes, your body type can change the way your mattress feels. Heavyweight sleepers tend to compress the memory foam layers more deeply, and thus prefer a very soft mattress (like the AS5, which has five layers), or a fairly firm mattress (like the AS2).

Lighter sleepers typically like soft beds since they don’t compress the mattress much at all. Again, your weight and sleeping position both affect which firmness you prefer. No matter your body type, make sure your mattress uses a base that will not sag. A great mattress holds up under lots of pressure without losing support.

When we hear “firmness” associated with a mattress, some of us shy away— we prefer a plush, cradling surface to sleep on. However, others need firm, steady support with very little give. Much of this firmness preference stems from the way we sleep, or our sleeping position.

To avoid confusion here, we suggest familiarizing yourself with the firmness scale. Many online mattress brands use it to classify each mattress model they sell. The scale is easy enough to decipher— it goes from 1-10, with 1 being plush and 10 being extra firm. Most mattresses do not fall at the extreme ends of this scale because if they did, they wouldn’t be usable.

We classify each Amerisleep mattress by firmness and use this same scale to help customers differentiate between each model.

Firm (firmness scale: 8-9, AS1)

We classify each Amerisleep mattress by firmness and use this same scale to help customers differentiate between each model.

Medium-Firm (firmness scale: 6-8, AS2)

Medium-firm mattresses have been proven to alleviate back pain better than any other firmness. It used to be that most people assumed soft mattresses were best the best mattresses for back pain, but we now know that beds with too much soft cushioning can cause the back to sink down, putting pressure on it and leading to pain.

Medium (firmness scale: 5-7, AS3)

Medium mattresses tend to be the bestsellers for most mattress brands— maybe that’s because they appeal to side sleepers, who make up the majority of the population. Medium mattresses have that perfect “Goldilocks” feel; they’re not too soft or too firm. Medium beds are widely recommended for side and combination sleepers because they alleviate pressure points and provide enough spinal support.

Medium-Soft (firmness scale: 4-5, AS4)

Medium-soft mattresses are often constructed with the same amount of support and transitional foams as medium beds, but their comfort layers are thicker. You’ll probably enjoy a medium-soft mattress if you’re a dedicated side sleeper or you just like a bit more cushioning under your weary joints.

Soft (firmness scale 2-3, AS5)

Soft mattresses have the thickest comfort layers, but they should be reinforced with transitional or support layers to ensure they won’t sag. Even the softest mattress can still keep the spine aligned as long as it has high-quality support foams in its middle and foundation layers.

Your mattress’s lifespan depends on the quality of materials and how well you take care of it. With that said, some mattress types tend to last longer (or not as long) as others.

We recommend using a mattress protector to ensure your mattress lasts as long as it’s supposed to and is protected from stains or spills, which usually void the warranty.

Your mattress should come with a warranty; in the mattress industry, a 10-year warranty is standard. Almost all mattress warranties come with the same provisions, with some variation based on the brand and mattress type. In general, your mattress warranty should cover the following manufacturing defects:

• Sags below a certain depth (usually 1 inch or more)
• Bunched or torn foam
• Burst or bent coils
• Broken zippers
• Torn covers

Memory foam is made with polyurethane, a petroleum byproduct that creates a plush mattress. The EPA has declared memory foam to be safe, but some notice an off-gassing smell when they open their new memory foam beds. If you do experience this, open your windows and air out the bed for a day or two. The smell should dissolve within a few days.

You can adjust your mattress firmness using a topper. While they are a temporary solution, they do work nicely to change the feel of a bed if you need a little something extra but don’t want to go out and buy a new mattress already.

Read mattress reviews and customer feedback to ensure the mattress you choose will complement your firmness preferences; that way, you won’t need to invest in a topper later on.

A 30-90 night sleep trial is typical for most online mattress brands. The trial should last at least 30 days so you can adjust to the mattress and a healthier sleeping position. Sometimes our bodies get so used to sleeping a certain way on an unsupportive mattress, we hardly notice the mattress is causing us pain! Check to see if the mattress you’re considering comes with a generous sleep trial and an easy way to return the mattress if it ends up not working out.