Consumer Reports 2014 Mattress Tests & Review Comparison
A few months ago, we covered the release of Consumer Reports’ 2014 mattress guide, and the review publication just recently announced a new round of testing.
See what Consumer Reports has in store for their next round of reviews, and see how CR’s Picks compare in Mattress Journal’s own reviews as well.
Consumer Reports Announces Next Round of Mattress Tests
Consumer Reports announced their latest round of testing July 10, 2014, with results expected by the end of summer. See what beds they’ll be examining soon, and recap their previous mattress picks from this Spring.
Consumer Reports’ March 2014 Mattress Reviews
Previously, in their March 2014 issue, Consumer Reports’ announced the results of tests covering 24 different models. They used electronic sensor testing to measure support, a roller test to measure durability, and compared firmness claims.
While the full rankings were only available to paid CR subscribers, their media releases reported their top-rated picks as including the Novaform Serafina 14” memory foam mattress ($800), and the Serta Perfect Day iSeries Applause spring mattress ($1075).
The models CR rated lowest among the group were the Ashley Sleep Ellis Bay 15” memory foam ($1200) and IKEA Sultan Holmsta spring mattress ($580), which earned low support scores; the Spa Sensations 10” memory foam mattress ($360) which earned low durability scores; and the Duxiana Dux 100 spring mattress ($4800), which lacked back support, motion isolation and comparative value.
Consumer Reports’ Summer 2014 Mattress Tests
In this latest round of testing, the publication announced they will be comparing several budget beds to higher-end mattresses.
They will also be adding tests of the Original Mattress Factory’s Orthopedic Luxury Firm mattress ($540) based on positive consumer surveys, and comparing this lower-priced bed to March’s more expensive options.
Consumer Reports will be testing two more mattresses-in-a-box from Costco, including the Novaform Altabella ($1300) and the Spring Air Natalie Back Supporter latex hybrid ($1200).
Mattress Journal’s 2014 Mattress Reviews
We collected specification information and online consumer reviews for the mattresses Consumer Reports tested in March and models they are currently testing to see how they compared. We’ve also included information on other fairly popular models in each category (not addressed by CR) to offer perspective.
Innersprings
|
Model |
Specs |
Reviews |
Price |
Where to Buy |
| Serta iSeries Vantage (replaces Applause) | 12” high 3/4” memory foam 1” regular foam 1008 pocket coil in coil |
78%+ | $1100-1299 | Serta.com, Many nat’l retailers |
| Duxiana Dux 101 | 12-3/4” high 2” removable latex topper Wood frame 1776 interlocking coils |
74%* | $4800 | Duxiana stores |
| IKEA Sultan Holmsta | 12.6” high 1.5” synthetic latex 484 pocket coils |
67%* | $549 | IKEA stores |
| Original Mattress Factory Orthopedic Luxury Firm | 12.5” high 3.5” foam 2-sided design 486 offset coils |
96%^ | $540 | OMF website/stores |
| Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Cushion Firm | 12-14” high 0.5-1” gel memory foam 825 pocket coils |
74%+ | $1299-2500 | Many nat’l retailers |
| Simmons Beautyrest Recharge World Class Alexandria/Phillipsburg | 11-14” high 1-2” gel memory foam 1-2” memory foam 1000 pocket coils |
80%+^ | $899-1699 | Many nat’l retailers |
| Denver Mattress Madison Plush | 12” high 5” regular foam 567 pocket coils |
85%+^ | $599 | Furniture Row website/stores |
The latest round of Consumer Reports tests will include the Original Mattress Factory Orthopedic Luxury Firm, which will be compared against previous tests of Serta, Duxiana, and IKEA models.
The Serta iSeries Applause (now replaced by the Vantage model) scored highest in previous Consumer Reports tests. It does indeed earn reviews considerably higher than average for an innerspring. The Dux 101 and Sultan Holmsta models are also above average as well, however the Dux 101 is a whopping $4800, while the Holmsta is only $549.
Compared to the similarly priced IKEA Sultan Holmsta, the Original Mattress Factory Orthopedic Luxury Firm has similar coil counts, but uses regular foam rather than latex and features a two-sided design. The OMF model also shows strong reviews in the small sample on the OMF website, so it just may impress the CR researchers.
Other popular models we compared also have good ratings for spring mattresses. The Denver Mattress Madison is also in the lower price range, and has several positive reports online.
The Simmons Beautyrest Recharge World Class Alexandria (aka Phillipsburg) also has many good reviews, and some models are available under $1000. However, the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Cushion Firm series costs more, and also has less favorable (but still above-average) reviews.
Memory Foam
|
Model |
Specs |
Reviews |
Price |
Where to Buy |
| Novaform Serafina | 14” high 3” gel memory foam (3.5lb) |
84%+* | $800 | Costco and others |
| Novaform Altabella | 14” high 1” memory foam (3lb) 2” gel memory foam (3lb) |
80%+^ | $1300 | Costco and others |
| Ashley Sleep St. George Shores (replaces Ellis Bay) | 15” high 4.5” memory foam (3.5lb) 3” TorsoTec foam (?lb) |
? (old model 65%) |
$1100-1700 | Ashley Furniture retailers |
| Spa Sensations MyGel 10″ | 10” high 1.5” gel memory foam (3.0lb) 1.5” memory foam (3.0lb) |
80%*+ | $360 | Walmart, Amazon, others |
| Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme | 11” high 1.2” memory foam (4.1lb) 1.6” memory foam (5.3lb) |
80%*+ | $2399 | Tempurpedic.com, Several nat’l retailers |
| Amerisleep Revere | 12” high 3” memory foam (4.5lb) |
91%+^ | $1299 | Amerisleep.com |
| Sealy Posturepedic Optimum 2.0 Destiny Gold | 10” high 2” gel memory foam (4lb) 1” gel memory foam (4lb) |
81%+* | $1400 | Several nat’l retailers |
| Serta iComfort Savant Everfeel Plush | 11.5” high 2” memory foam (3.0lb) 1.5” gel memory foam (4.0lb) |
81%+* | $1574 | Serta.com, Several nat’l retailers |
As memory foam beds continue gaining popularity, Consumer Reports has included more models into their tests. The Novaform Serafina has been a CR favorite for awhile, but the new tests will also look at the Novaform Altabella.
In specifications, the Altabella appears quite similar to the Serafina. However, the Altabella has slightly less positive reviews on Costco.com and costs 40% more for no apparent reason.
Consumer Reports’ previous tests didn’t reflect favorably on the Ashley Sleep Ellis Bay or the Spa Sensations MyGel 10 inch models. The Ashley St. George Shores appears to have replaced the Ellis Bay with similar specs, but there are no online ratings currently. The Spa Sensations MyGel 10-inch continues earning average reviews online, despite the poor durability ratings from CR.
Other popular mattresses we compared included the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme, which earns average to below-average ratings on Tempurpedic.com and retailer websites, but costs more than most other brands.
The Amerisleep Revere earns consistent above-average ratings, and has a lower price point than most other major brands. The Sealy Optimum Destiny Gold and Serta iComfort Savant Everfeel both earn similar average ratings but the Destiny costs a little less and uses higher density memory foam.
Latex
|
Model |
Specs |
Reviews |
Price |
Where to Buy |
| Spring Air Natalie Latex Hybrid | 10.5” high 2.25” quilt foam 3/8” gel memory foam 1” gel latex 7” poly foam core |
74%+ | $1099 | Costco |
| IKEA MORGONGAVA | 7.8” high 7.8” blended latex |
83%* | $999 | IKEA stores |
| Astrabeds Serenity Bed | 8” high 8” natural talalay latex |
92%^+ | $1999 | Astrabeds.com |
| Savvy Rest Serenity | 10” high 1” wool 9” natural dunlop/talalay latex |
82%*^ | $2899-3699 | Savvyrest.com, select retailers |
In the past rankings Consumer Reports released, they haven’t reviewed many latex mattresses. And, despite being called a “latex hybrid” there is not much latex in the Spring Air Natalie that the publication is currently testing. The mattress also earns reviews below average on Costco’s website (74% vs 80% average).
Compared to other options, the Spring Air also may not offer the best overall value. For example, the IKEA MORGONGAVA contains almost 8” of blended latex, costs less, and rates a little better according to SLTD.
As far as natural latex mattresses go, two brands we’ve previously compared offer 100% natural beds with organic fabrics and 100% latex constructions. The Astrabeds Serenity Bed receives well above-average consumer reviews, and contains 8 inches of latex. The Savvy Rest Serenity contains 9 inches of latex and earns slightly above-average ratings, but costs 45-85% more.
As Consumer Reports and the above comparisons show, brand and price alone don’t tell you the full story. Expensive beds are not always the most durable or most comfortable, and sometimes cheaper or lesser known brands can deliver good values.
Overall, if you are looking for a new mattress, Consumer Reports offers helpful insight into support potential, value and durability. However, it is important to keep in mind that they only review a small subset of available beds, and that their testing won’t necessarily tell you everything you need to know to choose a comfortable mattress.
Doing your own research, knowing what to compare, and understanding your needs are still important parts of the equation. Online reviews can provide helpful insight into durability, satisfaction and potential issues. Taking a close look at specifications like foam density, coil gauge/type, and layer compositions can also give you insight into potential durability and value.
We will issue an update once Consumer Reports releases their latest mattress test results, but in the meantime, feel free to browse our other guides or leave questions below!
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