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The Tempur-Pedic mattress was the original viscoelastic mattress and it's claimed to be still the best. But now that all the major brands are producing their own versions, does it still hold true that the Tempur is the best memory foam mattress?
There's no such thing as the best memory foam mattress, rather the best one is one that best suits your requirements. It's true that there are cheap versions out there that are pretty useless and won't give you the support you need and that aren't going to last more than 5 minutes.
But if there's one determining factor that separates the good from the bad it's density. All quality mattresses will have a density of 5 lbs or more. In case you don't know about foam density, it means how much 1 cubic foot of foam weighs; so a quality piece of memory foam that is 1 foot high by 1 foot wide and 1 foot in depth will weigh at least 5 lbs. Some manufacturers may tell you that their 'special' formula means that their 4lb density mattress is a good as more dense mattresses, but don't believe a word of it. All it means is that their product has more air and less foam and cost a lot less to make.
But now let's talk about specific brands. The original memory foam mattress was by Tempur-Pedic and it still remains the market leader. At first only one version was made but now the company makes several, each offers different finishes, memory foam thickness, base foam thickness etc. The Tempur-Pedic OriginalBed is more or less the original version and in my opinion is still their best model. It comes with 5.3 lbs density foam and comes with a no-fuss terry cloth cover that is dust mite resistant and hypoallergenic. At the other end of the scale there's the GrandBed. With this bed mattress there is a pillow top using a softer version of memory foam called Tempur HD. It comes encased in a very plush, blended silk cover. This model costs several times more than the OriginalBed. However, if you want a luxurious memory foam mattress take a look at the Simmons ComforPedic instead.
The Simmons ComforPedic Mystere is probably the best memory foam mattress in the high-end, luxurious category. The look of it is very appealing; there's a washable, velour cover on top that is attached to a beautiful suede side cover, about 3" down the side of it. The mattress sits on top of a suede foundation. The top layer of memory foam is less dense than the secondary layer that has a density of 5.9 lbs. The nice thing about this mattress is the base layer of latex foam that helps to give it a certain 'springiness' - a characteristic missing in other viscoelastic mattresses.
Many complain of sleeping hot in a viscoelastic mattress. To address this problem just about all manufacturers have introduced an additional layer of convoluted high density foam to help improve air circulation. I doubt the efficacy of this convoluted layer and believe it's more of a sales pitch than effective solution. However, another manufacturer has taken a more intelligent approach. The Restonic SensiSleep mattress incorporates 'phase change materials'. The company has worked in partnership with a company called Outlast Technology. This company has patent rights for ground breaking temperature-regulating technology; its fabrics are used in many items including comforters/duvets and clothing. If you want a cool viscoelastic bed mattress, the Restonic is definitely worth considering.
Sealy are the world's largest mattress manufacturer so it's not surprising it has its own version of memory foam bed sets. There are three mattresses to choose from; the 8, 9 and 11 series. The 8 and 9 series sleep 'firmish', while the 11 series (the number denotes the thickness of the mattress) contains an additional comfort core. Its mattresses represent good value for money; no fancy silk coverings, pillow top and such like. If you want a no-nonsense, good mattress the Sealy is worth considering.
Finding the best memory foam mattress is about finding the one that best suits your sleep requirement, aesthetic requirement and budget constraints. If possible test as many out as possible and compare. My recommendation is the original and, in my opinion, still the best Tempur-Pedic mattress (OriginalBed).
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