Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Oct 4, 2009 10:31 PM
Joined: Oct 4, 2009
Points: 8
I've been reading this site for a couple of days and have done several searches.  It seems that Flobed and Sleep Ez come out on top for clearly stating what goes into their latex beds, using quality products and having prices better than the name brands.  I'm looking for opinions to confirm that or other recommendations.  My preference would be to purchase local, but it seems that the consensus is that most name brands use inferior foam in their latex mattresses. 

Thanks, JohnS

Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #1 Oct 4, 2009 11:22 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
John: I just purchased a FloBeds mattress, I like it fine. They have the best return and exchange policy that I know of. There prices are a little higher than some, but I just considered that the cost of an insurance policy for the best return and exchange.

Very good people to do business with also.
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #2 Oct 5, 2009 8:30 PM
Joined: Oct 4, 2009
Points: 8
Thanks for the note on Flobeds.  I also came across Savvy and then seem to have high quality and a good price.
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #3 Oct 5, 2009 9:20 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
JohnS wrote:
Thanks for the note on Flobeds.  I also came across Savvy and then seem to have high quality and a good price.

John I agree with you that Savvy Rest has high-quality products, as far as I know since I have never purchased from them, and their price is competitive with the other people in this niche market doing business as they do.

The difference between FloBeds and everybody else, as far as I know, is the fact that they offer not only unlimited exchange of cores during the 90 day trial period, but also a 100% refund within the 90 day trial period, you just pay the return shiping cost if you want your money back. They also have the best shipping cost of exchanges. There may be others that offer this same configuration but I am not aware of it.

Another thing I liked about doing business with FloBeds was the fact that I was dealing directly with the owner of the company, or his son. David Turner has been in business for 30 years. He is something of an inventor. He cares a great deal about his customers being satisfied with their comfort. His son Dewey, the heir apparent to the business, is an excellent young man, he seems just as caring as his father. You do not get this kind of personal relationship with any other company that I know about.

FloBeds, Savvy Rest, Sleep EZ, and Habitat, seem like the best companies to do business with that I ran across during my sojourn into the mattress wilderness. I started out looking at Stearns and Foster. And gradually worked my way around the Internet to wind up with FloBeds. So far I have not been sorry, rather extremely gratified that I wound up where I did.

Good luck in your quest.
This message was modified Oct 5, 2009 by eagle2
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #4 Oct 8, 2009 11:48 PM
Joined: Oct 4, 2009
Points: 8
Thanks Eagle2, that's great information.  It seems Sleep EZ is 300-500 less expensive than Flobeds, but Flobeds runs sales that can cancel out that difference (although it's not clear how often they run the sales).

JohnS
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #5 Oct 9, 2009 6:56 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
JohnS wrote:
Thanks Eagle2, that's great information.  It seems Sleep EZ is 300-500 less expensive than Flobeds, but Flobeds runs sales that can cancel out that difference (although it's not clear how often they run the sales).

JohnS

John: FloBeds is running a sale now on their blended Talalay mattresses. You can save between $100 and $300 on these selected mattresses.
This message was modified Oct 9, 2009 by eagle2
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #6 Oct 12, 2009 11:49 PM
Joined: Oct 4, 2009
Points: 8
Well, this current deal from Sleep EZ seems hard to beat.

Three layer 8" latex mattress for $995 with free shipping.

The core consists of two 3" layers of Dunlop from Laytex Green.  The top layer is 2" of Talalay from Latex International at 22-24 ILD.  This seems like a good quality mattressat a great price. 

The biggest drawback is that it only comes with a cotton zipper cover.  However, I thought I'd get a slim wool mattress pad.  This one from llbean looked good.  Here is the web address, but could not get the link to work.



http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=61804&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&parentCategory=4103&feat=4103-tn&cat4=1161

JohnS
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #7 Oct 13, 2009 12:34 AM
Joined: Sep 27, 2009
Points: 51
JohnS wrote:
Thanks for the note on Flobeds.  I also came across Savvy and then seem to have high quality and a good price.

Hi John-
After researching for about 4 weeks, I finally ordered our bed on Saturday from Savvy Rest. I felt we really needed Dunlop, and if it turns out to be too firm, we can exchange for Talalay because they sell both. (Flobeds doesn't).

It costs more than SleepEZ, but after talking, at length, to both companies, my gut said to go with Savvy Rest. (although $600 more for our king w/foundation)

Savvy's owner, Michael Penny, is  helpful/ friendly, and he really seems to care about his products. And all his customer reps are informed as well. Everyone is helpful/friendly.

Because we need firm support for a bad back, we went with Dunlop as companies that sell both Dunlop & Talalay seem to say Dunlop has a more supportive feel. (all that air in the Talalay process just doesn't add up to support in my mind) This probably isn't much of a factor, unless you are over 220 lbs or have a bad back. There is a newer blended Talalay with higher ILD ratings, but I prefer taking my chances with natural dunlop (unblended). It  seems to me that to get the higher ILD with Talalaly, the process would simply eliminate air which means it almost becomes a dunlop process anyway...

If you need firm, please speak to people who sell both Talalay and Dunlop processed latex. JR Hernandez of Sleep Comp has been in the latex business forever, and he sleeps on Dunlop for his bad back. He is one of the largest US distributors of both dunlop & talalay, and represents several manufacturers. I would certainly speak to him if you have latex questions (technical/processing/firmness/talalay/dunlop etc)

We found a shop that had a Savvy Rest dunlop set-up. The organic quilted cotton/wool cover is very well made. I prefer this type over damask, which might look prettier, but I think the Savvy cover will hold up longer, and more important - I believe it will hold the latex layers together better than damask which has a different feel. I also liked the sturdy brass zipper that Savvy has chosen to use, unlike the others who use either nylon, or a small metal zipper. This may seem like a little detail, but it just proves to me that Mr. Penny is all about quality. FInally, the dunlop felt very supportive. Firm, but not like concrete.

We hope we won't have to do an exchange, but if we do, I'm almost sure it will be for a softer layer for my hubby. (we went with a split king with S/M/F on my side, and F/F/M on hubby's side.) If it wasn't for the need for firm support, we'd be fine with either Talalay or Dunlop.

All that being said, we don't have our mattress yet...if you can hold out for a week, I'll be reporting back once it's set up!

Good luck with your decision-making! It can drive you crazy, but you'll get there eventually.
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #8 Oct 13, 2009 1:54 AM
Joined: Aug 21, 2009
Points: 486
Someone was saying in another thread that the Latex Green dunlop was not as good as some dunlop latex coming out of . . . India?  I have no idea, I don't know much about Dunlop, but it's something to look into if you're planning on going Dunlop.  Maybe one of the Dunlop fans can speak up on this issue.
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #9 Oct 13, 2009 7:31 AM
Joined: Aug 21, 2009
Points: 486
John,

Have you been able to get out and actually try any latex mattresses?  If you can, I'd suggest you do a net search for local companies selling latex mattresses and try them out.  I was able to find two within driving distance and tried both a Dunlop and a Talalay latex mattress.  IMO they have quite a different feel from each other, and I did not like the feel of the Dunlop processed latex, although obviously some people do.

I just ordered a Flobed, which is arriving Thursday, and although the current sale is on blended Talalay latex beds, they are having a sale on the 100% natural Talalay latex beds in a few weeks and will honor the sale price now.  When I ordered mine, I waffled a bit on this but then just told Dewey to go ahead and send me the blended.

Whatever you do, just be sure you order from a company that has a good policy for exchanging layers as well as a good return policy!
Re: Best combination of quality and price for Latex
Reply #10 Oct 13, 2009 10:33 AM
Joined: Oct 4, 2009
Points: 8
thanks, for the responses.  I actually did try a couple at a Jordan's furniture store in Nashua, NH.  They were by nature's rest and Natura.  Both were nice.  I posted on them in another thread.  I read the other thread about dunlop quality and it seemd that selelrs of latex Green said it was best and sellers who got it from the other manufacturer said theirs was best and the other was junk.  Not really a scientific or even unbiased comparison. 

Savvy sells locally (Milford, NH) through a chiropractor's office, but they don't even answer their phone, just tell you to leave a message.   

JohnS

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