Retail Mattresses & Brand Comparison

Last Updated: March, 2024

Purchasing a new mattress is a sizable investment in your home and overall well-being. As you get ready to replace your old and outdated bed, deciding on the best mattress store or online marketplace to visit can be overwhelming. From large retail mattress stores to local businesses, finding the perfect place to buy your mattress depends on your personal needs, preferences, and expectations.

Don’t know where to begin?

This guide will focus on the top 10 mattresses that are sold online, but can also be found in store. We’ll also talk about some of the vital things you need to consider before making a purchase decision.

Top 10 Mattresses Sold in Retail Mattress Stores

Ghostbed Original-small

GhostBed

For a top-of-the-line mattress selection, GhostBed has you covered. With so many high-end and luxury mattress models available in different sizes, there’s something for everyone.

Venus Williams Legend

Venus Williams Mattress

These days, GhostBed is one of the best places to purchase a mattress. Aside from their large selection of GhostBed models, they feature the Venus Williams mattress. This hybrid model has a medium-firm feel to offer excellent pressure relief and a balanced, responsive surface for most sleepers.

Tempur-Pedic LuxeBreeze

Tempur-Pedic

Tempur-Pedic is the brand of choice for most shoppers who prefer memory foam. It boasts a few different model lines, including the Adapt, that has advanced support and pressure relief technology, and their Classic model, a cooling mattress that claims to keep sleepers up to 8x cooler at night.

Sealy Posturpedic Hybrid

Sealy Hybrid Premium

Sealy Hybrid Premium beds are unlike any you’ve seen before. Their top covers are made of the brand’s ChillTech material that allows airflow making this mattress an excellent option for hot sleepers.

Nature's Sleep Willow

Natures Sleep

We should all be more conscious about the products we bring into our homes. Fortunately, Natures Sleep is making that easier, thanks to their non-toxic, organic models made with eco-friendly production practices. Apart from being naturally anti-microbial, their mattresses are well-liked among those who sleep hot for their ability to stay cool.

Serta Mattress

Serta Mattress

The Serta Mattress is a luxury bed with thoughtful construction to match. It has a unique comfort and support system that balances responsiveness, pressure relief, and cooling for back pain sufferers. Shoppers willing to purchase this high-quality mattress may want to check it out at a retail mattress store like Mattress Firm or department stores like Macy’s.

GhostBed Natural Mattress Small

GhostBed Natural

Most of GhostBed’s mattresses feature sustainably sourced components, but the GhostBed Natural is made entirely of materials that are natural, recycled, and certified as organic. These components create an exceptionally comfortable experience for eco-friendly sleepers.

Stearns and Foster Mattress

Stearns and Foster Mattress

If you often sleep on your back or stomach and need a firm surface, Stearns and Foster mattresses are designed with a unique coil system and use dense memory foam for even more support.

Beautyrest

Beautyrest

The feel of the Beautyrest mattress strikes a perfect balance that’s highly captivating for couples, all at a reasonable price point. Its thick comfort layers with memory foam offer motion isolation without sinking or sagging into the bed.

Simmons Mattress

Simmons Mattress

The Simmons mattress is a budget-friendly model that’s suited to back sleepers and shoppers in search of a high-quality, low-profile bed. Their all-foam construction is designed with high-density polyfoam and memory foam that works jointly to provide comfort and support.

Ghostbed Original

What We Like

  • Low motion transfer (perfect for couples)
  • Multi-foam design gives your mattress a supportive and bouncy feel
  • 20+ Year Industry Leading Warranty
  • 101-night sleep trial

What We Don't Like

  • Not the cheapest model but about 30% cheaper to top retail mattress brands. GhostBed offers 0% APR financing for up to 5 years

Overall Thoughts: 

Not the cheapest model but about 30% cheaper to top retail mattress brands. GhostBed offers 0% APR financing for up to 5 years
GhostBed is a well-known brand in the mattress industry for offering high-quality foam mattresses at a competitive price, and their GhostBed Luxe model is no exception. For a mattress made of different foam layers, it’s surprising that most customers report that this bed doesn’t get too hot. This could be thanks to the Ghost Ice Fabric, their proprietary material that’s cool to the touch. In addition to being loved by hot sleepers, GhostBed Luxe mattresses are also great for sleepers who share their beds and don’t want to feel the movement of their companion.

Venus Williams Legend

What We Like

  • Helps improve muscle recovery
  • Keeps you cool
  • Promotes deeper, more rejuvenating sleep
  • Helps boost blood flow and circulation

What We Don't Like

  • Not the cheapest but about 30% cheaper to top retail mattress brands. They offer 0% APR financing for up to 5 years

Overall Thoughts: 

If you're an athlete, you understand the importance of having a restorative sleep. Whether you bike, run, lift weights, or swim, the Venus Williams mattress is specially designed to reduce pressure on your most sensitive parts and help your body recover overnight. Constructed with physically active people in mind, this mattress comes with support materials that won't sink too much, pressure-relieving comfort layers, and innovative covers engineered to alleviate pains and aches even after your tough days at the gym. Thanks to the Venus Williams hybrid design, it feels responsive without sacrificing pressure relief and support. Sleepers should find they can move across the sleep surface easily, which is perfect for combination sleepers as well as couples who value sex performance.

Tempur-Pedic LuxeBreeze

What We Like

  • Pressure-relieving memory foam feel
  • Cooling abilities in its breeze models
  • Mattress firmness profiles that suit all sleeping positions

What We Don't Like

  • Expensive price tag

Overall Thoughts: 

Many mattresses are designed with materials that make them suitable for side sleeping, but the Tempur-Pedic mattresses are one of the only beds on the market specially constructed with these sleepers in mind. Multiple firmness levels also make these mattresses well-suited for various body types. While they carry a luxury price point, Tempur-Pedic beds have high-quality materials and features that make them a worthwhile investment for shoppers who like or sometimes use the side position. You can purchase your mattress online from online retailers, such as Mattress Firm. Tempur-Pedic gives you 90 nights to try out their mattresses and covers them with a 10-year warranty. They're also one of the few online mattress brands to offer free white glove delivery services.

Sealy Posturpedic Hybrid

What We Like

  • Excellent contouring and support
  • Boasts an open-cell memory foam and a cooling cover to help you sleep cool through the night
  • Pocketed coils offer excellent edge support
  • Responsive memory foam delivers strong body support

What We Don't Like

  • Sizable investment
  • Stomach sleepers weighing more than 230lbs may be better off with a firmer mattress

Overall Thoughts: 

Sleepers who share their mattress with their partners have different considerations when selecting a mattress than solo sleepers. The Sealy Hybrid Premium mattress checks many boxes for bed qualities that matter to couples, including above-average motion isolation, excellent temperature control, strong edge support, and good responsiveness for sex. This mattress is a full hybrid bed designed with multiple foam layers over a sturdy pocket coil system. While it's considered a medium-firm mattress, sleepers should enjoy ample cushioning to distribute their body weight evenly and alleviate pressure points in the hips, lower back, and shoulders. A cooling cover made of Sealy's ChillTech UltraStretch material and steady internal airflow also make this mattress a solid choice for hot sleepers.

Nature's Sleep Willow

What We Like

  • Supportive, durable hybrid design
  • Eco-friendly
  • Supportive core encourages spinal alignment
  • Latex hybrid construction retains less body heat and enhances air circulation

What We Don't Like

  • Price tag is expensive for a natural mattress but competitive in retail stores nationwide

Overall Thoughts: 

If you're in the market for eco-friendly mattresses that are bouncy and supportive, you may want to check out the Natures Sleep mattress. Made with naturally breathable materials, the Natures Sleep bed will also help you sleep cool all night long. As a memory foam mattress, it offers memory foam's pressure relief and exceptional contouring without the traditional issue of trapping heat. Overall, eco-conscious sleepers who experience painful pressure buildup during sleep should find relief and comfort on the well-cushioned sleep surface of this innovative, all-natural mattress.

What We Like

  • Quality foams and materials
  • Innerspring, Hybrid, or All-Foam available
  • Plush surface reduces pressure buildup
  • Robust coil system offers strong support and improves airflow

What We Don't Like

  • Different Perfect Sleeper names at various mattress retailers make it quite challenging to compare

Overall Thoughts: 

Sleepers with back pain often require a more supportive bed to support the hip region and prevent spinal misalignment. The Serta Mattress provides a nice balance of cushioning and support to help alleviate back pain. It features a Perfect Sleeper Support System that helps minimize sinkage and evenly distribute weight, while the TempActive Gel Memory Foam is meant to absorb excess body heat and dissipate it. It also comes with a Hybrid Support Coil System zoned along the perimeter to support your bed's edges and in the midsection to offer extra pushback. Serta mattresses are available at Denver Mattress. You can also purchase them at department mattress stores like Macy's, mattress stores like Mattress Firm, and select furniture stores. They come with a 90-night risk-free trial, 10-year warranty, and free white glove delivery services.

What We Like

  • 20 years of sourcing natural materials
  • Contouring surface feel reduces pressure
  • Breathable cover materials and steady air circulation through the coil layer
  • Coil-reinforced perimeter enhances edge support
  • Latex hybrid construction balances contouring and body support

What We Don't Like

  • It’s a few hundred dollars more than its similar GhostBed Flex, but it’s a worthwhile investment if you want to upgrade to a natural bed. Plus, GhostBed offers 0% APR for up to 5 years

Overall Thoughts: 

GhostBed produces an array of mattresses that vary in design and performance features. The GhostBed Natural is a hybrid model for eco-conscious shoppers looking for a mattress made with organic and natural materials. This eco-friendly mattress is a solid choice for consumers in the market for a bed with solid edge support. The Natural model earns high marks for edge support thanks to its coils along the bed's perimeters. It also excels in temperature neutrality thanks to the natural cooling properties of latex, moisture-wicking wool, and ample airflow through the coil system. Plus, it boasts an even balance of contouring and support, making it suitable for a wide range of weight groups and sleepers, but it's primarily a perfect fit for back sleepers. GhostBed Natural mattress comes with a with a 20+ years warranty and a 101-night sleep trial. Shipping is free for consumers within the contiguous U.S.and Canada.

8.Stearns and Foster Mattress

Stearns and Foster Mattress

What We Like

  • Feature high-quality comfort materials
  • Dual-stage coils provide adaptive support

What We Don't Like

  • May require deep-pocketed sheets
  • Budget shoppers may want to opt for cheaper alternatives

Overall Thoughts: 

The Stearns and Foster mattress is a well-rounded bed that successfully blends pressure relief, responsiveness, and support. Its comfort system is composed of Indulge HD Memory Foam that conforms closely to the body and enhances cushioning. Generally, the Stearns and Foster mattresses excel at cradling parts of high-pressure buildup due to their foam construction. Back and side sleepers weighing up to 230lbs tend to exert much pressure on the spine, hips, and shoulders, so this bed's pressure relief should benefit these positions. Sleepers weighing over 230lbs will sink much deeper into the sleep surface and are less likely to get adequate support. Also, Stearns and Foster mattresses' foam layers absorb motion efficiently, making it an excellent choice for co-sleepers who can't stand nighttime movements.

Beautyrest2

What We Like

  • Established brand
  • 100-night risk-free sleep trial with a full refund
  • Available at many third-party retailers

What We Don't Like

  • Some shoppers complain of durability issues
  • Sleepers over 230 lbs may find that this mattress isn't firm enough

Overall Thoughts: 

The Beautyrest mattress is a flagship bed for the Simmons mattress company. As a hybrid mattress, it uses a combination of foam layers and metal coils to create a comfortable and long-lasting design. The T3 pocketed coils offer the underlying base layer, while three unique foam layers improve comfort and responsiveness. Simmons uses cooling gel in their foam layers to help improve your mattress' ability to retain a cool temperature. Lastly, a BlackICE cooling cover tops the bed, protecting it from damage. While most Simmons mattresses are still available in traditional mattress stores a few models are now sold online. The Beautyrest Hybrid mattresses are one of the few mattress models available for consumers who prefer shopping online. Sold at American Freight Furniture, these mattresses have a 100-night in-home sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

simmons

What We Like

  • Memory foam provides deeo pressure relief
  • Foam comfort system effectively isolates motion
  • Gel-infused memory foam offers enhanced temperature control

What We Don't Like

  • Strictly side sleepers may want to opt for a pillow top mattress as the thin comfort layers in Simmons mattresses might put some pressure on their shoulders and joints

Overall Thoughts: 

If you're looking for an affordable foam bed that's also quite comfortable, you may check out the Simmons Foam mattress. It combines polyfoam and gel memory foam to give you a medium-firm feel. When you lie down on it, you should feel yourself sinking in slowly (slow-moving memory foam feel). Simmons mattress features a thin breathable cover designed to help you sleep cool. The comfort layer consists of gel-infused memory foam that offers some excellent pressure relief and helps with heat dissipation. Lastly, this mattress has a base layer of high-density polyfoam that supports the entire mattress. Simmons allows shoppers to try out this bed for 100 nights. The mattress also comes with a 10-year limited warranty, and shipping is free to all 50 states.

Buyer's Guide: Important Considerations When Purchasing a Mattress

Weighing your own preferences and needs as a sleeper is vital to finding the best mattress brand. We recommend focusing on the following factors when comparing different brands and models:

Firmness Level

This is a good starting point when you want to buy a mattress. If you sleep on your side, weigh about 130lbs, or experience pressure points along the spine, you'll likely feel more comfortable on softer mattresses. On the other hand, sleepers weighing over 230lbs and sleep on their stomach or back may prefer firmer beds instead, while shoppers in the range of 130 - 230lbs often enjoy medium to medium-firm mattresses.

Mattress Type

Each mattress is uniquely designed and offers distinct benefits. For instance, innerspring and hybrid beds are very supportive and breathable. However, they provide limited motion isolation and pressure relief. All-foam and all-latex mattresses, on the other hand, alleviate pressure very well, but most of them lack strong edge support. And while Airbeds offer the best customization, they're the most expensive models on average.

Temperature Regulation

The best mattresses for temperature regulation are often innerspring and hybrid beds, thanks to their open coil systems that promote strong air circulation. Beds with thick foam layers usually absorb and trap excess heat, causing sleepers to feel excessively warm. Most latex mattresses sleep cool, especially those aerated with tiny perforations to promote airflow to the sleep surface.

Closing Thoughts

Whether you choose to scour the internet for some of the best online mattress deals or shop in a brick and mortar store, finding the perfect mattress will always depend on your personal preferences and needs. Independent mattress reviews can help you narrow down your options once you settle on the mattress type, features, and firmness options you want from a bed.

Of course, it's possible that the mattress you opt for may not be an ideal fit, even if it's otherwise well designed. Luckily, most online mattress companies offer money-back trials for this very reason. So, always double-check the terms of your bed's sleep trial period before purchasing, especially if you're nervous about settling for the right mattress.

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