Buying a new mattress can be a tall order if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for or where to find it. Many sleepers find themselves facing a lot of questions before they can make a purchase.
This guide is designed to help answer those questions and simplify the mattress buying process.
Before deciding whether or not to buy a mattress, ask yourself the following questions.
- How often should you replace your mattress?
- What are signs that you should replace your mattress?
- What factors are important in buying a new mattress?
- What type of mattress should you buy?
- What size mattress should you buy?
- Where should you buy a new mattress?
1. How often should you replace your mattress?
On average, experts recommend replacing your mattress every 8-10 years. The exact lifespan depends on mattress type, frequency of use, and a number of other personal factors.
Recent studies show that mattresses are being replaced faster than in the past. In 2007, sleepers kept their mattress for an average of 10.3 years, but in 2016 that number had dropped to 8.9 years.
Source: Statista
This could be a byproduct of:
- Declining mattress quality
- Recent declines on mattress prices (due to influx of new online mattress companies)
- Increased performance expectations from younger generations entering adulthood
- Other factors
With the launch of online direct-to-consumer companies, mattress prices have become more competitive over the years, which means more consumers are choosing to upgrade.
2. What are the signs that it is time to replace your mattress?
Depending on your personal preference, there are a number of factors that may come into play when deciding when to get a new mattress.
The most popular reason to replace an old mattress is that the old mattress doesn’t provide a good night’s sleep, which 83% of sleepers agreed with.
Source: Statista
Sagging material, uncomfortable coils, or back pain were also high on the list.
Up to 51% of sleepers upgraded mattresses simply to have a bigger mattress. And 57% of sleepers upgraded a mattress simply because of its age.
3. What factors are most important in a new mattress?
If you used the chart above and decided that it is time for a new mattress, what factors should you look for?
Here are the top 10 factors that were highlighted as the most important. Comfort is king with 86% of sleepers identifying it as a critically important factor.
Source: Statista
Free delivery was a close second, which could apply to in-store purchases or strictly online mattress retailers as well.
For in-store shoppers, non-pushy and knowledgeable sales staff, as well as a clean store, were also important factors.
Online shoppers enjoyed a wide selection of mattress types and sales or discounts applied to their new purchases.
All shoppers agreed that transparency in mattress construction and materials as well as the health benefits of a mattress also played a role in whether or not they felt promoted to buy a mattress.
4. What type of mattress should you buy?
The perfect mattress for you may depend largely on your age. A recent study revealed that 37% of young adults (age 18-29) sleep on a classic spring mattress, but as bodies age, that number declines to only 24%.
Older generations prefer mattresses with boxsprings, 23% of older sleepers (60+) use a boxspring while only 13% of younger sleepers (18-29) use one.
What type of mattress do you sleep on at home?
| Characteristics | Total | 18-29 Yrs Old | 30-59 Years Old | 60 Years and Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring mattress | 32% | 37% | 34% | 24% |
| Memory foam mattress | 22% | 24% | 22% | 18% |
| Box spring | 17% | 13% | 16% | 23% |
| Cold-foam mattress | 4% | 6% | 5% | 3% |
| Latex mattress | 2% | 3% | 3% | 1% |
| Sofa bed | 2% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 12% | 11% | 19% |
| Other | 7% | 3% | 7% | 10% |
Source: Statista
And a little bit surprising was the fact that 13% of sleepers don’t even know what kind of mattress they sleep on.
Only 2% of sleepers opted for less traditional options like a latex mattress or a sofa bed.
5. What size mattress should you buy?
After you’ve selected your ideal mattress, the question still remains, what size mattress should you buy?
Exact sizes may vary based on retailer, but the 7 most common sizes include:
- Crib
- Twin
- Twin XL
- Full
- Queen
- King
- California King
RV mattresses: If you’re specifically looking for mattresses for RVs, check out Brooklyn Bedding, which offers a wide assortment of common RV mattress sizes. (eg. Short Queen, RV King, and RV Bunk)
How wide is the bed you mainly sleep on at home?
According to the study below, 47% of sleepers opt for a Queen mattress, which is the most popular size among all ages.
| Bed Size | Total | 18-29 Years Old | 30-59 Years Old | 60 Years and Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen | 47% | 42% | 49% | 48% |
| King | 19% | 12% | 22% | 19% |
| Full | 14% | 17% | 12% | 16% |
| Twin | 6% | 12% | 3% | 5% |
| California King | 6% | 4% | 6% | 7% |
| Don’t Know | 3% | 2% | 4% | 2% |
| Twin XL | 3% | 6% | 2% | 2% |
| Full XL | 3% | 5% | 2% | 1% |
King mattresses are 2nd most popular, with 22% of 30-59-year-olds opting for this size.
Only 12% of 18-29-year-olds have a king mattress. For this larger-size mattress, it’s likely that having a partner or kids in the bed is a contributing factor to wanting the extra space.
The least popular mattress sizes include XL sizes like the Twin XL and the Full XL, which are just extended versions of the original Twin and Full mattresses.
Bedding and foundations for the Full XL can be more difficult to find. As a result, if you’re considering the Full XL it’s generally better to simply go with a Queen instead.
The Twin XL is more common and easier to find standard bedding and foundations for.
Source: Statista
6. Where should you buy a new mattress?
After going through the questions above, the last thing to decide is where you should buy your new mattress. Mattresses can be purchased through a number of different avenues including traditional brick-and-mortar stores, outlet stores, online retailers, or online-direct-to-consumer websites.
Which of the following stores would you consider buying your new mattress from?
The table below highlights the different types of stores where sleepers may consider shopping for a new mattress, listed from most popular to least popular.
| Characteristic | Total | 18-29 Years Old | 30-59 Years Old | 60 Years and Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattress / bed store | 68% | 73% | 69% | 63% |
| Mattress outlet store | 44% | 46% | 45% | 41% |
| Furniture store | 42% | 45% | 41% | 41% |
| IKEA | 19% | 33% | 18% | 8% |
| Online direct-to-consumer (eg. Nectar) | 18% | 19% | 22% | 10% |
| Mail order / online retailer (e.g. Amazon) | 15% | 14% | 17% | 10% |
| Other | 4% | 1% | 3% | 9% |
Source: Statista
Among these options, consumers are most likely to consider buying from a mattress / bed store. This option is the traditional way to buy a mattress and remains the most popular option regardless of age group.
Outlet options and IKEA were more popular for the younger generation (18-29 years old) than older age groups.
The 30-59-year-old age group was more likely to shop from online direct-to-consumer options (22%). This is over twice as likely that 60-year-old sleepers and above.
Summary
In summary, ask yourself the following 6 questions before buying a new mattress.
- How often should you replace your mattress?
- What are signs that you should replace your mattress?
- What factors are important in buying a new mattress?
- What type of mattress should you buy?
- What size mattress should you buy?
- Where should you buy a new mattress?
Once you have the answers here you can be better equipped to make the right decision regarding which mattress is best for you.
If you need more help on choosing a mattress take a look at our mattress & sleep education center or send us a request for a personalized recommendation. We’d be happy to help.
