Bed2U

Aero began in 1992. The method of inflating and deflating mattresses that Aero used was so new that it had only been patented shortly before the company’s inception. Designers and engineers at Aero incorporated this advanced technique and it has been a hallmark of their product line ever since. They’ve gotten so good at it, current Aero air mattresses can be filled in less than a minute and drained in 15 seconds.

The Aero Aerobed Premier Intelliwarmth is one of Aero’s flagship inflatables and sports a flat panel profile pump. Basically, the pump is in the mattress, you just plug it in. No wonder that when tested together, consumers found Aero air mattresses easier to set up than the Simmons product.

The Intelliwarmth model employs a washable mattress cover than contains what they call “heating fibers”. These fibers are controlled by a handheld remote (wired). You can adjust the temperature to offset a varied degree of chill. The remote and heating system works fine and received no complaints from consumers.

The Intelliwarmth, offered in twin, full and queen sizes, is made from 18 guage PVC. In short, it’s pretty durable, unless you stab it with a fork. However, one consumer did complain that their mattress only lasted a few days and began developing holes and seam tears, which the buyer was hopelessly unable to patch. This said, numbers show that Aero’s default rate runs at less than 5% and yes, while it possible to come across a lemon, the product line in general lives up to the Aero’s fairly strict guidelines.

If you’re concerned about all this ’strength’ making the Intelliwarmth hard as a brick, the Aerobed mattresses were preferred for comfort by a sizable number of consumers in testing lead by independent researchers.

The Intelliwarmth is a luxury mattress and with prices ranging from $200 to $300. Not in the price range of some buyers. Again there are cheaper options that will serve almost as well. If you’re in the mood for a bargain, you may want to go online. www.sparebed.com is well-liked by its customers for its ease of ordering, reasonable prices and timely shipment.

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Returning crusaders brought with them cushions which they threw on the floor and slept on. A novel idea in medieval Europe, but it soon caught on and Europeans absorbed enough Aramaic to put together the word we still use today – mattress.

‘Mattress’ has been in our vocabulary for almost one thousand years and the image of it is nearly universally understood, yet most consumers have no idea what goes into them. Without this knowledge of material and function, it is impossible to make an informed buying decision.

In the beginning, Europeans stuffed mattresses with natural materials such as straw and feathers. As time went by and technology changed, mattress interiors became more synthetically complex. Today, we use things such as latex, viscoelastic, or other polyurethane-type foams to compliment or replace innerspring cores.

Although water and air mattresses have evolved over time, it’s pretty well a no-brainer as to what they contain, so the following breakdown will be of a conventional mattress:

Anatomy of a mattress

Ticking – This is the layer that you actually see. Generally ticking is made from polyester or cotton-polyester and is stitched to the top padding in that familar criss-cross pattern. Ticking can vary in ’softness’. The tighter its stitching pattern, the firmer it is.

Quilt Package – This is what gives the ticking its pillowy bounce. Quilt packages are commonly made from polyurethane foam. With some mattresses, manufacturers add polyester batting. Don’t let thickness fool you, anything more than an inch could result in your quilt package developing those unsightly and uncomfortable sag points.

Padding – This separates the springs from the ticking. Consumer Reports recommends that you search out mattress padding made from latex and/or visco-elastic (known to you and me as ‘memory foam’). Latex’s pillowy firmness and ability to bounce back combined with memory foam’s ability to shape to your body helps to increase movement isolation. ‘Movement Isolation’ is a fancy phrase. Basically, the better the movement isolation of a mattress, the better chance you have of getting out of bed without waking your partner.

Coils – These give your mattress its real support. From their position beneath the padding, they determine how firm your mattress is. Manufacturers attempt to tell potential customers that their coil system is vastly superior to their competitors, but among the most popular types used, all were found capable of providing the same degree of support. The real difference between coils is their guage. The thicker the spring, the stiffer it is. This, of course, relates directly to the firmness of the mattress.

Extra Support – Some mattresses are given a little more than others. Such support might include specific areas packed with more springs, stiff foam reinforcing the edges, stiff foam laced between the coils and increased thickness of the springs.

Foundation – This keeps your mattress from rolling together like a hammock. Its sole purpose is support and therefore has no spring. Rather ironic that it is referred to as a ‘box spring’. The only real difference in foundations, is their height. Something you may want to consider, if you’re thinking of purchasing a thicker-than-standard mattress.

So now that you know what’s inside of it and underneath it, you’ll enjoy yourself more when you’re on top of it.

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Simmons Bedding Company has been manufacturing mattresses for over 125 years. Zalmon G. Simmons opened his first factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1870 with a total of nine employees. In the following years the company grew well beyond it’s humble beginnings and topped $250 million dollars in net sales in the second quarter of 2007…that’s a lot of mattresses.

Somewhere in that mountain is the Simmons BackCare Mattress. Following the established trend of thicker mattresses the Simmons BackCare Mattress set comes in at height of 21″ using the low profile foundation. This means that if you buy a bed frame that’s 4″ off the floor, you have a bed that’s 25″ off the floor. Consumers going from older narrower mattresses found that it took some time to get used to this height difference.

Simmons had some difficulties with their Beautyrest line a few years ago that resulted in many of those mattresses being returned to Simmons. Apparently the mattresses were prone to forming permanent body impressions. Simmons combatted this issue by making the Beautyrest line no-flip. ‘No-flip’ of course refers to not having to flip your mattress – a task we all loathe.

Simmons BackCare Mattresses are also no-flip and have good support due to the thicker springs used. Even with the firmer support however, movement isolation has been reported as effective.

For comfort, the BackCare Mattress can be ordered with a Plushtop or Pillowtop surface. Pillowtop surfaces have had a history of packing and losing their softness. Although this problem hasn’t been reported regarding the BackCare Mattress, it may be prudent to get the Plushtop.

Consumers have found, however, that the edge support on these mattresses is less than satisfactory and could contribute to a shorter wear-life. Considering most mattress manufacturers have the same weak edge support and don’t toughen up the edges with foam until you drop a small fortune, it is a relatively small negative, but a negative none-the-less.

All-in-all, with queen sizes going for the average whopping price of $900 USD, the Simmons BackCare Mattress offers good value for your sleeping dollar if you have a lot of dollars to spend. If you are budget-minded like me, you may want to peruse some online retailers for more economical options. www.sleepingsolutions.co.uk is a reputable company in the UK that provides online service for its region and keeps the budgeted consumer in mind.

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We have all heard of thread count and seen those mysterious numbers labeling the linen on our store shelves, but what do those numbers mean?

Basically, thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads in one square inch of fabric. Thread counts range from 80 to 700, but most linen is sold in counts from 180 to 320. But what does this mean to you?

In many circles, higher thread counts are supposed to increase the “softness” quality of linen, but contrary to popular belief, they don’t necessarily extend the wear-life of your sheets.

Thread counts are not the be-all and end-all of the linen world however. Many industry professionals believe it is the fiber used and the final finish surface of the linen that contribute to its comfortability and wear life.

It should be noted that thread counts above 380 are a result of an industry dirty secret. Manufacturers will actually twist two threads together in a manner that doubles the thread count.

Also consider the fabric as you choose your thread count. For instance, linen (made from the flax plant), flannel (originally made from carded wool, but now made from wool and cotton, 100% cotton or wool and a synthetic fiber) and jersey (the same fabric used to make t-shirts) all have lower thread counts. If they had higher thread counts, they would lose their uniquely soft qualities.

What fabric do you pick? Well, sheet sets can be made of a long list of fibers, so I’ll list a few of the naturally occurring ones:

Silk – expensive for obvious reasons. Silk sheets require special attention, but promise a luxurious rest. That said, there are people who dislike silk because it feels like sleeping on teflon.

Cotton – expense depends on thread count and designer. 100% cotton is a popular choice as it provides comfort and durability for a reasonable price. Cotton/synthetic blends tend to breath less and, depending on the person, can result in uncomfortably clammy sleepless nights.

Hemp – moderately expensive. Hemp is a sturdy fiber and can have a cotton-like feel. Hemp’s advantages are that it is stronger than cotton and is chemical-free.

Do your research and with the help of qualified professionals, you will obtain a bedding set that is beautiful, durable and soft without sacrificing your ethics.

While online, you may want to visit www.designerlinensoutlet.com. They are one of the largest online linen suppliers in North America. But don’t let their size scare you, they have a staff ready to answer your purchase questions, a satisfaction guarantee and an easily accessible customer service department.

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Last year I renovated and managed to create a spare bedroom. The room itself isn’t that large so I needed to find a single bed that could be turned into a double when I go from ‘guest’ to ‘guests’.

I finally bought the Kyoto Quebec Guest Bed. I was initially attracted to Kyoto Fusion Ltd, because they make hardwood bed frames from sustainable resources.

With some further investigation, I discovered that Kyoto’s hardwood bed frames were not only environmentally friendly, but they also had a great wear life.

Once I took delivery, I was impressed yet again with Kyoto’s attention to design. I’ve had guest beds in the past, but they looked cheap, didn’t last and sagged in all the wrong spots. The Quebec Guest Bed is not only beautiful, but incredibly sturdy. (as demonstrated by my two young nephews)

My bed fits neatly against the wall and with very little effort, I can slide out the ‘extra’ single, release the spring-loaded legs and have a double bed in minutes. I’ve had my guest bed for almost a year and it’s still as easy to set up as it was the first day I got it. Of course, I’m not worried too much about mechanical failure as I got a five-year warranty with the bed. (my nephews will have grown out of their destructive phase by then)

One drawback however, is expense. I had to save for months before I had the near £800 price tag on Kyoto’s Quebec Guest Bed. Admittedly, part of this cost was for a latex mattress set, but I have allergies and latex keeps me from sneezing. I still feel the dent in my pocket book, but in ten years, when my nephews are putting their kids to sleep in the bed that they themselves couldn’t break, I’ll know that my investment in my Kyoto Quebec Guest Bed was wise.

If you’re in the UK and online, you should visit www.sleepingsolutions.co.uk. I found their service to be prompt and courteous. They were especially helpful in directing me to the product that suited me best. Sleepingsolutions carry a wide variety of beds, bedding and accessories from a number of reputable manufacturers.

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