Mattress Forum

I generally sleep on my back and am of normal height and weight. I am willing to pay up to several thousand, maybe more if I can pay over time, but not more than $10,000 (saw a thread here about a $35,000 mattress!). I would like something that feels incredible and also that I wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and without any back pain (granted, I don't usually have back pain, only the last 2 days after my current cheap mattress). Here are my questions:

1. I have seen a lot of recommendations here for various online companies. How would I know if I am going to like it if I've never tried it? Or are all these recommendations from ppl who have purchased previous mattresses from these companies and already have a sense of what it will feel like when it comes?

2. I went to a Tempurpedic store yesterday and tried out all 12 models over a couple hours including the Cloud Supreme and the Grandbed. Nothing really jumped out at me. I was having some back pain so I wasn't in my usual state of mind and am going to go back after sleeping on the floor for a night or 2. But the salesperson told me that I don't need to think about support -- all tempurpedic mattresses provide a lot of support and so I should just choose firmness based on comfort considerations. Is this true?

              Secondly he mentioned that the mattresses come with a 25-year warranty. If it is going to last that long then I want to make a careful decision. Do mattresses really last that long and if so, I'm confused how ppl buying online would ever get a 2nd mattress and therefore how would they know initially what to buy online?

3. I'm willing to use combinations of things like foam toppers (have not used any accessories in the past), an ergo base, get a waterbed, etc.

I live in the Boston area (apparently sleep number and the original mattress factory are not available over here).

Thanks for any input, I am very grateful for any responses as I have never experienced such back pain and I would like to get a nice mattress!! Maybe I should make a separate thread on most incredible mattresses? I think the ones who find a really great mattress/combination tend to leave the forums and so there are a lot of persons looking.