I can't sleep on anything else now
Written: Jul 12 '04 (Updated Jul 19 '04)
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Pros: 20 years of good sleep. Local store makes a deal, delivers free. No mold/mildew.
Cons: Needs to warm up to you. NOT 100% conforming to all contours.
The Bottom Line: I recommend this mattress to all my friends and co-workers. Get the 10" mattress and try to find a reputable local retailer.
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| gambyt13's Full Review: Tempur-Pedic Swedish Sleep System |
UPDATE:
Additional benefits of this bed that I left out. It is virtually zero maintenance. You never need to flip or even rotate the bed. In fact, you are not supposed to flip it. The foam springs back every time. After 7 months the surface still delivers uniform support. Frankly, I can't even tell which side of the bed I am on unless my eyes are open or I reach out with my arm.
It also prevents dust mites, which are a huge problem for me. I am allergic to dust, but the bed is treated to prevent mildew, mold, and dust mites. The foam is covered with a cheesecloth, which in turn is covered by a terry-cloth all-around cover with a zipper. Every so often, you need to remove the terrycloth cover and wash it in the machine and electric dryer on low setting. This is no more difficult than washing a mattress cover. The stitching is good quality and there are no loose threads hanging out anywhere.
You should only put your fitted sheets over it. You do NOT need to go buy more fitted sheets if you buy the same bed size. Standard sheets fit perfectly.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I scanned a lot of the existing reviews out there but I didn't see any that had my particular angle on it. I am a side sleeper and I happen to have a bad shoulder. I desperately needed to replace an 8-year-old spring mattress. But I was _absolutely reluctant_ to blow $2000 on a piece of furniture that I might have to pay to ship back.
I spent the better part of a year toying with the idea of getting a Tempur-Pedic. It IS an expensive item.
The Queen size, 10" thick mattress which I purchased retails at around $1900. There is an 8" thickness that I tried out in the showroom but I wanted to get the best and most durable option.
I was really skittish about ordering something that entailed SHIPPING costs up the ying-yang. What if I didn't LIKE this thing and I had to send it back? I'm not made of money!
I tried several different avenues during my comparison search. I went to several bed stores, talked with friends who had purchased new mattresses, and I even made the HUGE mistake of inviting the the CRAFT-MATIC adjustable ripoff system to come to my house. What a waste of time that was. Their top of the line product is *gasp* $6000, but I digress.
Then in December of 2003 I was out on furniture row in Lake Forest/Laguna Hills on the frontage road. Sit'n'Sleep is a local chain that is probably the biggest brand in So Cal. They had a store on this road and I wanted to see if they had something OTHER than beds (they do not).
I discovered, to my pleasant surprise, that this retail chain carried the Tempur-Pedic. This took care of my inconvenience objection. I need to be able to deal face-to-face with a live person if I want to. This also took care of the delivery cost objection. Sit'n'Sleep would deliver the whole thing free and take away the old mattress free.
What's left? The cost objection. I dealt with the store rep. He offered a 3% discount on a cash purchase. Done. I said I would write him a check on the spot if he gave me one of the $140 queen size pillows. Deal. One thing that Tempur-pedic doesn't get very clear on is that you can continue to use your existing boxspring - you do not need to spend another $200 on a new boxspring so long as your old one is intact.
So I got the price, delivery and service I needed. NOW to try the bed!!
The bed STUNK to high heaven for about two weeks. I had to remember to keep my bedroom door open all day for ventilation. WARNING: This is NOT a bed for people who have a latex allergy!!
My room was sometimes chilly and this made the bed seem hard when I got into bed. But by the time I would wake up in the morning, I was toasty and sometimes sweaty.
I have seen many reviews griping about the heat of the Tempur-Pedic bed. Why, you may ask, do so many people vehemently hate this feature of the bed? I don't know. Since getting the bed, I have simply used less bed coverings, I do not use a mattress pad (per company's recommendations) and frankly, if your body is normal, you don't drink alcohol regularly and you aren't taking medications that screw with your circadian rhythms, you body will normally be at its coldest at about 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. This is the time of night where having an insulating mattress is very comfortable and enables you to remain asleep, instead of waking up shivering - as I used to do.
You may also read reviews about poor customer service. This is unfortunate for those people who did not buy from a retail location. I recommend that you avoid purchasing heavy durable goods like beds unless you are comfortable with the prospect of dealing with strangers on the phone and can absorb the cost of multiple back-and-forth shipping events. I cannot comment for the company's (or Brookstone's) customer service, sorry! Just remember that the quality of a product has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of its CSRs, so don't mistake a crappy purchase and service experience with it being a crappy product.
Complaints about the coldness and challenges with shifting position are valid. Here's a little advice: think of the T-P mattress like a very thick wrestling mat that can absorb impact, but not from a high altitude. Don't jump into it like it's a trampoline, because you'll break your $#@% arm. It's a grown-up's piece of furniture, not your first twin bed after you graduate from the crib. :)
Shifting position is a little hard to do once you've warmed up your corner. It takes a few minutes for the bed to re-shape itself into your new position. This however is less noticeable once the whole bed is warmed up and the entire surface becomes very malleable to any shift.
As with any mattress, you may find it helpful to slide a pillow under your legs. The material is heat, weight and humidity-sensitive. If your legs are proportionately skinny compared to the rest of your body, you might find that they don't sink into the material very much. The T-P mattress won't shine your shoes and walk the dog, you may need to supplement it especially if you have poor circulation to start with, varicose veins, muscular problems, or you work on your feet all day. You might even extend the usability of your current mattress a while longer if you just do this one simple thing!
WARNING. Don't use any electrical devices that create heat. It will void the warranty. This includes your laptop computer, boom box, electric blanket, basically anything you plug in. Also there's always that risk of fire that sensible people naturally are aware of - man-made plastics and electricity don't mix.
It has been SEVEN MONTHS since my purchase of the bed and I can only say my ownership experience is stellar. The T-P is not PERFECT but it is the best bed I have ever slept in, in my life.
My shoulder pains from a bad rotator cuff have vanished, only to reappear when I spend a couple nights in a hotel or visiting out of town. I have become spoiled and I really cannot sleep deeply on anything else. My significant other marvels about this bed anytime she sleeps on it.
So to summarize: best bed I've ever owned, great purchase and service experience, no problems, and I feel like I got a good deal going local. Including tax, when you think about the long warranty (which no other mattress maker can offer), this sleep experience will cost me about $100 per year for the next 20 years. WORTH IT.
Recommended:
Yes
Mattress Size: Queen
Mattress Firmness: Somewhat firm
Amount Paid (US$): 2100
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Epinions.com ID:
gambyt13
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Location: Orange County, CA
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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