Mattress Buying Guide

King Mattress

King sized mattresses may be the ultimate in luxury. If you love to have plenty of space, these huge mattresses are the thing for you. Sleep together with your partner, but don't disturb one another at all, on a mattress the same size as two twin beds. It's amazing how much more comfortable a king mattress can be if you've been feeling cramped and close on a smaller one. Of course, king mattresses aren't for everyone. They're expensive and heavy, and can be harder to move and maneuver than smaller double mattresses. They also require special box springs in many cases, and can't easily be lofted. Let's take a look at the king mattress, and a few facts you should know before you make that purchase.

In North America, most king size mattresses are seventy-six inches wide by eighty inches long. However, there are some other sizes. For instance, the California king mattress is only seventy-two inches wide, but an extra four inches longer, for a total of eighty-four inches of length. Grand king is a size made by Select Comfort air beds, and is mostly regarded as a novelty. It comes in at eighty inches in width by ninety-eight inches long, and is probably the largest mattress you'll ever see. That's a lot of bed to sleep on.

Other regions of the world have different standards for king mattresses. For instance, in the UK, you'll find that king mattresses are a lot smaller, at sixty inches wide by seventy-eight inches long - closer to the size of a North American queen size mattress. In continental Europe, king mattresses are about seventy-one inches wide by seventy-nine inches long, and in most of Asia, this size comes in at about seventy-two inches wide, by seventy-eight inches long. The size of your king mattress will have a lot to do with where you buy it.

King mattresses are great for people who need a lot of space to "roam" while they're asleep, and couples who want to sleep together, but have trouble getting good rest when there's someone else close by in the bed. They require special sheets, and take up a lot of space in a room, however. This nearly square mattress can also be extremely tricky to move up and down stairs - it's often a good idea to have an expert do the moving and maneuvering. King mattresses can be extremely heavy.

One thing is definitely true - if you'd like to sleep like a king, this is the mattress for you. This mattress size includes large portions of the luxury mattress market, so you'll be able to get all the best features and design options. Take a little time to check out the king mattresses that are available to you. The result is a luxurious bed and a great night's sleep.