🛏️ Buying a mattress checklist

A mattress feels right for the ten minutes you lie on it in a showroom and wrong for the two weeks after — the trial period matters more than the first impression.

14 items

1. Sleeping position considered before firmnessSide, back or front sleeping wants a different amount of give — test lying the way you actually sleep, not standing at the edge.
2. Current mattress's problems written down firstToo soft, too hot, sagging in the middle — a specific complaint is easier to fix than a vague sense something's wrong.
3. Size checked against the room and the bed frameMeasured, not estimated — a mattress that's a size too big for the frame is a return before it's even been slept on.
4. Trial period length confirmed before buyingTwo to four weeks is typical — enough time to know, since a showroom test tells you almost nothing.
5. Return and collection process confirmed, not assumedAsk exactly how a return works before you need it — a mattress is not something you can post back in the box it came in.
6. Price compared across a few retailers, not just the one showroomRRPs are often inflated before a 'sale' — check the actual price elsewhere before trusting a percentage off.
7. Warranty length and what it actually coversSagging past a certain depth is usually covered; ordinary wear generally isn't — read what's excluded.
8. Delivery date and access checkedStairs, doorways and lift size, checked before delivery day, not discovered by the delivery team on it.
9. Old mattress removal arrangedSome retailers take the old one away for a fee — cheaper and easier than arranging separate disposal yourself.
10. A protector bought for the new mattressFitted before the first night, since most trial periods and warranties expect the mattress to arrive back in usable condition.
11. Partner's preference tested too, if sharingA mattress bought around one person's preference and slept on by two is half a decision.
12. Allergies or temperature preference considered in the materialMemory foam runs warmer than a sprung mattress for most people — worth knowing before a hot summer, not during one.
13. Base or divan checked for compatibilitySome mattress types need a specific base to be supported properly, and to keep the warranty valid.
14. Reviews checked for the specific model, not just the brandThe same brand makes mattresses that feel nothing alike — a review of the range isn't a review of the one you're buying.