Our Mattress Rating Guide

Find Out More About Our Review Process

OurSleepGuide.com came to be to help you make the mattress purchasing process a little easier. We decided to do this by providing valuable information as well as an unbiased, honest opinion from not just one, but two people, on each mattress we review. When creating our mattress rating guide we wanted to make sure that there was a consistency and well planned structure. This way we are sure to provide clear, concise information that would make it easy for you to compare several mattresses at once. We use this structure for both our written reviews as well as our video reviews.

When going through our reviews you will notice that we use a five star rating system to rank several aspects of the mattresses. These ratings are good way to give you a quick glance at what we think of specific areas of the mattress. The review itself breaks down each of these sections and gives you more in depth information for that topic. We wanted to create this mattress rating guide to make sure that you understand what we are looking at and rating during each review.

Below we explain our review process for each category we rank. These include off gassing, comfort, motion transfer, edge support, sleeps cool, materials, value, trial period and warranty. Each of these areas is critical to a thorough review and will help you narrow down which mattress will work best for you.

Delivery & Off Gassing:

To start out the first thing we typically notice and review is OFF GASSING. This is something that you may notice during the unboxing and set-up process when you get your new mattress. Off gassing refers to any noxious odors that are emitted from the mattress. They typically will be at their strongest when the mattress is taken out of the box and plastic for the first time. Like most new items, there is a bit of a “new” scent associated with it, some stronger than others. We rank the off gassing based on how strong the odor is as well as how long is takes to fully dissipate.

Our Mattress Rating Guide – Comfort:

Next we focus on COMFORT. Comfort is a topic that is very subjective and tends to be unique for everyone. However there are certain aspects of a mattress that will help determine if it will be comfortable for you. A key way to decipher if a mattress will be comfortable for you is by how firm it is.

Comfort – Sleeping Position: 

Most times the optimal firmness of a mattress coincides with what sleeping position you prefer. Side sleepers tend to prefer a slightly softer mattress, or at least a soft top.  This will allow your shoulder and your hip to sink into the mattress and be supported yet cradled. If you are a back sleeper you tend to like a medium to a medium firm feeling mattress.

This allows for plenty of lumbar support but still has a little bit of softness for optimal comfort. A stomach sleeper is going to benefit most from a firm mattress. Having a firmer mattress will give you the support necessary to keep you back from bowing.

If you have a tendency to sleep in several positions or share a mattress with a  person who has a different sleeping position preference then a medium to medium firm mattress is probably going to be the best compromise. We rank the the comfort of each mattress on how well it works and how comfortable it is for each of these sleeping positions.

When reviewing mattresses if there is more than one comfort option available we review the the most popular option. This is usually a medium to medium firm option and this helps create a more controlled way of ranking the comfort of each one.

Another thing we try to make note of is how comfortable the mattress will be for a heavier person as well. Typically more weight on a mattress will change the feel to be softer. Sometimes it can even make the mattress too soft and not have the longevity necessary.

Motion Transfer:

ISOLATING MOTION is another topic that we review because it can vary depending on the quality of the bed and the materials used. Motion transfer is basically the amount of vibrations that transfer through the bed when there is movement on the surface.

Many people tend to think of the old commercial where a full wine glass is put on the bed and then someone jumps on it to show that you won’t disturb another person if you are getting in and out of the bed. When we rate the motion transfer on a mattress we are looking at two variations of movement. The more abrupt strong bouncing and moving feelings. As well as the more subtle, and typical in and out, rolling from side to side movements.

Sleeping Cool:

Whether a not a mattress SLEEPS COOL can be a deciding factor if a mattress will be the right fit for you too. Many people can overheat while sleeping and having a mattress that doesn’t contribute to this is important. Many aspects of a mattress can work for or against the temperature comfort of a mattress.

The foams and quality of the foams, the firmness that allows you to be comfortable but not sink in too much and the materials in the cover. When we review each mattress we observe how well the mattress retains as well as dissipates heat to make a educated rating on how well it sleeps cool. If you are a warmer sleeper make sure to check out our best mattresses for warm sleepers. 

Edge Support:

EDGE SUPPORT is a topic that some people may tend to overlook but really shouldn’t. Perimeter structure and is a good indication of the quality of the bed. As well as the probability of its longevity. This also ensures that you will be able to comfortably use the full surface of the bed. As well as have the same support you feel lying in the middle that you will if you sleep on the edge.

You don’t want to feel like you are rolling out of the bed or you can’t fully use the edge to edge surface. Edge support is also key for anyone who tends to sit on the edge of their bed as well. If the edge doesn’t have enough support it can break down quickly around the edges. And even faster when you sit on it more regularly. When reviewing mattresses we look at the edge support from both of these aspects, sleeping and sitting and rate it accordingly.

Mattress Rating Guide Value:

VALUE, isn’t just about the price tag. When you figure out value you basically take the price and compare it to the quality of the product. Than you see what you are actually getting for what you’re paying. Many people look solely at the price and wanting to stay within a budget, which is very important. However, you want to get the best mattress in your budget. For rating value we look at the price, but we look at what you are getting for that price.

Materials:

One main factor that will typically dictate all the other sections is the MATERIALS. It goes without saying that the higher quality the materials are the overall better ratings should be. Having durable, reliable materials is going to make a big difference for how well a mattress will perform initially as well as over time. When reviewing the materials we try to review each layer individually. And give a breakdown of the benefits and functionality to each. We also like to look at the materials used in the cover and the benefits of that as well. Knowing what you are sleeping, on as well as what you are paying for is important in thoroughly evaluating each mattress.

Trial Period & Warranty:

The last thing we like to look at is the TRIAL PERIODS & WARRANTIES each company implements. With most online mattresses they offer a trial period. Mostly because you don’t get the opportunity to “test drive” the mattress before buying it. However, a few companies don’t offer trial periods. Or have modified options to try and get your mattress to work without returning it. Knowing what your options are as a consumer could save you both time and money. And this is something we feel should be rated up front. We also look at the warranty in place for each mattress. Again this is something that is better to know on the front side instead of having issues down the road.

We hope that our mattress rating guide has helped give you more insight into what we do to make sure you are informed. The more knowledge you have about a product the better choice you can make. To see all our mattress reviews check out the MATTRESS REVIEW section of our website. We also have some of our favorite mattresses featured under BEST MATTRESSES too.

Thanks for reading our mattress rating guide! Please feel free to contact us with any questions during your mattress research and purchase process!

Crystal & Justin