Memory Foam Mattress-A Longer Lasting-Cheaper Alternative

The average conventional spring mattress has a life span of about five years. After that period, the mattress begins to sag at the center or create divots where you sleep (hammock effect), and this can contribute to back pain, and even more serious health problems. Even when an inner spring mattress is brand new, it can't compete with a memory foam mattress for a healthy night's rest. Many doctors recommend memory foam mattresses for their patients.

A memory foam mattress can easily last twice as long as an old fashioned inner spring mattress. National Memory Foam places a twenty year warranty on our Body Form memory foam mattresses and a ten year warranty on our Celina and Tri-Lux memory foam mattresses. The reason we have so much confidence in our products is because we know that our foam is manufactured to incredibly exacting standards, and will not compress or degrade the way other cheaper brands of foam can.

Find mattresses, pillows, and memory foam toppers at natonalmemoryfoam.com.
Not All Memory Foams are Created Equal

We think it is great that a lot of manufacturers have begun producing memory foam. This has allowed the price of memory foam to come down and finally become an affordable product. And while this has also meant that a good number of quality memory foams have come onto the market, it has also meant that a greater number of low quality, cut rate foams have also appeared.

Memory foam isn't a commodity, and not all memory foams are created equal. As a general rule of thumb, you should avoid the really inexpensive memory foam mattresses you will find on the market. They are generally made of either low density memory foam or layered with other, cheaper foam products. In our experience, these inexpensive memory foam mattresses just won't give the same comfort as higher quality memory foam mattresses and will wear out relatively fast.

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Is A Pillow Top Memory Foam Mattress Right For You?

Pillowtop memory foam mattresses are one of the most popular items on the luxury bedding market today. Thicker comfort layers and base foam layers are added bringing these beds to 14”, 15”, and 16” heights. The comfort layers are made of different density and different firmness foams to provide a dynamic feel, soft to the touch but supportive for a fully restful night of sleep. Understanding how foam beds are put together will help you decide which one is right for you.

There is a common misconception among shoppers looking for a memory foam bed. Many people think that the entire bed is made from memory foam, when in fact it is only the top 2” – 6” that is memory foam and the remainder of the bed is a firmer polyurethane foam base.

The base foam is less dense, usually 1.8 – 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, versus memory foam’s 5lb per cubic foot. But unlike lower density memory foam, the base foam is not less durable. In fact its usable life is usually greater than that of the memory foam it is laminated with. The base foam’s job is to provide deep support for the top layers of memory foam.

A 12” profile king size bed made entirely of 5lb memory foam would weigh 211 pounds. It would be floppy and nearly impossible to move. But if the top 6” were memory foam and the bottom 6” were base foam, then the bed would only weigh 158 pounds. The firmer base foam would provide support, making the bed easier to handle.

Another misconception about memory foam beds is that thicker means more luxurious. The new 12” to 16” pillow top beds are touted to increase in comfort with every added inch. But in fact the amount of comfort memory foam on top of the bed usually stays the same, between 4 and 6 inches. Thicker memory foam mattresses are built up by adding more base foam to the bottom of the bed. Building a memory foam mattress over 12” is more about achieving a luxurious high profile look, rather than increasing comfort.

The same is true of lower profile mattresses between 8” and 12”. There are many 12” profile foam beds on the market with only 2” or 3” of comfort memory foam on the top that claim they are pillow top beds because their profile is in the pillowtop range. And many of these beds are very fine. In fact 3” of memory foam provides optimal comfort for most people.

So, when shopping for a new memory foam mattress, think about the layers that make up the bed. How much comfort foam is on top? How thick is the base layer? This way you will be able to more easily compare one bed to another. Yet despite how the layers are put together and what name the mattress carries, the most important thing is how the bed feels. If you fall in love with a particular bed, and it gives proper support, then throw all how-to-buy-a-mattress tips out the window. Get the best feeling bed you can afford, whether that’s a firm 8” low profile or plush 16” pillow top.

Top 4 Memory Foam Mattress Topper Reviews

For those who do not really want to spend the money on a real memory foam mattress, often going with a memory foam mattress topper is a great choice that is a lot easier on the wallet. Memory foam is a great addition to your bed, and many people today really love the benefits of it, since nothing else works so well with the natural shape of the body as foam does. So, let us take a look at a few of the benefits you will enjoy.

Benefits of Memory Foam Mattress Toppers

There are many great benefits to going with a topper for your bed. Of course one of the main benefits is that they are very affordable, especially for those who do not want to purchase an entire new bedding system. You can get a nice mattress topper made of memory foam for only a fraction of the price you would pay for the entire bedding system. Another benefit is that it provides you with a great night of sleep. You see, it conforms to your natural body shape, allowing your body to get all the support it needs so you can get a great night of sleep.

Sensus 2 Inch Visco Foam Mattress Topper 5lb

The first topper you may want to consider is the Sensus 2 inch Visco Foam mattress topper. This is a 5lb topper that provides great comfort to your bed in a two inch topper. For those who want a thinner topper that provides great comfort, this is an excellent choice. You can also get it with a quilted cover if you prefer to. This topper pad can be purchased for less than $200, so it is a great investment. Sensus is one of the best mattress brands today and it produces quality products.

Sleep Better 2 Inch Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress Topper

This is a special 2" memory foam mattress topper that is made of special visco-elastic foam. It is a 2.5 pound topper that is two inches thick and adds a great deal of comfort to any bed. It is made of material that is hypoallergic and can be purchase for around $100.

Premium Memory Foam 4 Inch Mattress Topper

This four inch topper is an excellent investment. It comes in all sizes, including California King and provides an excellent feel while you are sleeping. It has a 3 pound density and helps make sleeping on a traditional mattress a lot more comfortable for a price that you can afford. For less than $200 you can begin sleeping in comfort again.

Serta Ultimate 4 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper

When it comes to mattresses, one of the biggest manufacturers is Serta. The Serta Ultimate four inch topper is one of the best memory foam mattress toppers out there on the market today. With prices starting out at just under $200, this temperature sensitive foam offers a custom feel that will have you sleeping wonderfully at night.

The Most Commonly Talked About Attribute of a Memory Foam Mattress

Density is the most commonly talked about attribute of a memory foam mattress. In general, higher quality beds are made from higher density foam and shoppers look to density as a way of assessing quality in a mattress. High density memory foam beds are more expensive because they have more foam per bed, but they offer better support and more durability.

Measuring high density foam involves weighing a sample of foam, measuring its dimensions, and using the data to calculate a value expressed in pounds per cubic foot (pcf). Memory foam beds range in density from 2.5pcf to 6.0pcf. It is common in the market place to express density simply as a number of pounds (lb or lbs). For example a 5lb high density foam mattress indicates a foam density of 5 pounds per cubic foot.

Foam density is widely regarded by foam manufacturers as the main factor determining the durability of a high density foam mattress. Durability is the ability of foam to retain its original comfort and support characteristics. In general, higher density beds are more durable. They are also more expensive to produce due to greater material content.

Density and Firmness

The most common misconception about memory foam mattresses is that density is relative to firmness. In fact density is not directly dependant on firmness. For example, a 5 lb density memory foam mattress can be softer than a 3 lb density memory foam mattress.

Foam firmness is expressed as an ILD (Initial Load Deflection) rating. ILD ratings range from 10 - 16, higher numbers being more firm.

The Perfect Density for a Memory Foam Mattress

Foam is made up of thousands of tiny cells. The cells are formed by a polyurethane wall and filled with space (air). Higher density foams have thicker cell walls and less space inside. Lower density foam has thinner walls, greater space. If foam were made too dense, its cell walls would be too thick / stiff. It would be hard to the touch and would not conform to the body properly.

It costs more to make dense foam, and at some point it can be made too dense. So there is a balance that needs to be struck between performance, cost, and durability. The marketplace today has gathered around a 5 lb memory foam mattress as the optimal choice for bedding. While more expensive than lower density foams, it provides better, long term contouring support.

Memory Foam Mattress Base Foam

Many people mistakenly think that memory foam beds are made with all memory foam. But only the top layers are made of memory foam, the base layers are made of traditional closed cell, polyurethane foam. The purpose of the base foam is to add cushioning support to the memory foam layers. Base foam ranges from 1.8lb to 2.5lb, but because it is a different type of foam, it is usually more durable than the memory foam it is paired with. It is less dense than memory foam, yet much firmer, ranging from 20ILD to 40ILD for the various base layers.