I've been researching Bed in a Box for about a month now. I've come across some seemingly honest reviews (check out Grumble Bunny's review). I also went to BBB and they rate the company an A- and they're BBB-accredited. They've had no consumer complaints in the last 36 months (the same cannot be said for Tempurpedic or other memory foam retailers). I also went to several sites offering buying guides for memory foam mattresses. BIAB offers a quality bed at a very affordable price. The only thing I haven't been able to find is reviews older than a few years. We bought a $2000. Mattress 3 years ago and it's junk (pillowtop basically failed and is very lumpy and the mattress cannot be flipped - In pain every morning for at least an hour). BIAB offers a 10-yr warranty - I just need to research that more. But honestly, I haven't found anything glaring to dissuade me from buying from them - esp at 1/3 the price of Tempurpedic.
I've researched mattresses, specifically memory foam and air, for nearly 3 weeks straight. I ruled out an "air" mattress rather quickly considering the number of problems down the road I read about and don't EVER want to deal with, with a bed. So, with memory foam, I've looked at everything from Wal-mart brands to Tempurpedic. While helpful, I must be honest reading online reviews just doesn't do justice for these beds and the quality they entail until you get on the mattress for yourself for yourself. One thing I must say, if you have to "inflate" the foam and it comes "compressed," try to stay away from it, memory foams and visco is drastically different. Additionally, I must say, if you can't get on the mattress at the store, you run the risk of "sending" it back multiple times, which in the end is going to cost you more, $100+ for shipping, than going with the higher-end models in the first place. That's the catch with most online mattress companies, they give you free shipping and set up, but if you're not happy you have to "box" and return the mattress with "ALL" original packing, not to mention pay for shipping back. A few companies will come and pick the mattress up, but will refund all money less the "original" shipping and set-up cost they didn't charge when you placed the order. And you thought you were getting a good deal on the mattress over other companies and a "risk-free" trial. Do yourself a favor and call and speak to a person about the mattress and their policies, specifically about returning and warranties. Most companies are friendly and personable "mom and pop" types of customer service and are well trained on their products. When it comes to returns though, the Bed-in-a-Box people seem like the one company to truly refund ALL cost to the consumer if they aren't happy, including shipping both ways. When I took all this into account and decided I really needed to go and lay on some beds, I very QUICKLY learned that not all memory foam feels and supports the same way. A matter of fact, even the various models feel completely different, and to be completely honest, the more expensive models didn't actually feel better, just squishier and less supportive in the lumbar area. In models with an "HD" foam, these tended to be more firm and less contouring to the back. The more "stuff" and higher density layers on top of what Tempurpedic calls their "Tempur support layer," which can be used for a base comparison as you continue looking, the less I felt I sank into and was supported by the "support layer," and the more I felt like I was laying on a mattress that was either too hard/firm or too soft/pillow top-like. The way it went, too hard/soft depended on the density of the layers above this "support layer." For me, the base models of nearly every brand "contoured" better than their higher-end models after laying on them for a while. I found that Tempurpedic had a near perfect density and thickness in their "supporting layer" as compared to other models, but I must say that If you can't find what you're looking for in store for what ever reason, try to write down the density used in the layers of the various models you liked this way you know what you're looking for in the construction of comparable mattresses online. Another thing you should do when in store and a salesman is quick to dismiss any Tempurpedic alternatives the store sells by showing you how bad they are, ask to see the production date of the floor model mattress. The older the production date the more you will know what to expect in the mattress down the road. But if you are comparing mattresses, you should compare production dates too. Most mattress stores keep the older mattresses on the floor for older, cheaper, and less popular mattresses, which is good when you consider you want to know what a mattress feels like years down the road, but that should also raise questions as to why they are selling their newer, costlier, and more popular mattresses as floor models. Here is a site I found helpful: Www.sleeplikethedead.com. This is a helpful site that analyzes blogs and reviews of mattresses and created a comprehensive database on various models of mattresses. The manufacture that makes the "most comparable" product to the Tempurpedic that I have found based on online research is www.angelbeds.com. I settled for a Tempurpedic in the end. I went into a store and the salesman made me a deal I couldn't refuse after everything I researched, and I felt comfortable paying up for the mattress. In the end, get to a store and don't settle for just reading reviews; you really need to test out the mattress and find a construction that you like. Then search online for comparable mattresses and make a decision that is not based on "cost" but fit and comfort. Remember it's an investment that you're going to spend a lot of years on, more so than your car, couch, recliner, and carpet, yet we repeatedly spend far more for something we actually use far less. Restoration is key.
There's some good comments here, so I thought I would go ahead and post my 2 cents. I researched buying a new mattress for a couple months now. Tempurpedics prices are WAY too high, for what they offer. Every time I see one of their commercials on TV, I realize you're paying all that money for their mattress, and it's mostly going to them paying for all that advertising. I ended up going with this BASF foam mattress from Bedinabox because they had a 120 night trial. Realizing that buying a mattress off the internet is a big step, but they make the process as painless as they can, plus watching this mattress swell back into shape from the box it's in is a trip.
Like the person above said. Go to facebook.com/bedinabox and check them out. They are also on viewpoints and eopinions. As for an honest review, I own one myself. I have the pacbamboo 13 inch queen and it is amazing. Hands down that is the best thing I have slept on in a long time. My friend has an older tempurpedic that came apart at the seams and he showed me the construction of the inside and it was horrible. It looked like a cheap topper on top of some egg crate foam and a little bit of hard foam. I feel sorry for him having to spend the money on it when he should have got a good mattress from bedinabox for a decent price.
I decided to go with a pacdown plus from bedinabox.com after reading their reviews from customer on their facebook fan page. Their fan page really convinced me to take the risk. I have to say, the mattress was an excellent purchase, and it's awesome. Very affordable, and as far as the smell, I really didn't mind it.
My brother and his wife bought a memory foam mattress from another company, and they always complain that its hard at first then it gets hot, soft and gooey throughout the night. I have never had any of those problems with my bedinabox.
There are lots of opinions out there. Several companies use BASF technology.I find it a bit confusing because everyone claims theirs is the best. I found quite a bit of information at memory-foam-buyers-guide.org and it seems to give lots of details of what to look for when you're shopping, including questions to ask them.
Why would you keep a bed that smells terrible, past the 120 day return period?? Makes no sence to me...unless you are rich...then I can see how you could easily just waste your money!
The BED-in-box mattress smells terrible. We bought in January after reading all the "good" reviews. However, after more than 5 months, it still smells terrible. We just passed the free-trial period and are considering to sell it or donate it and change it for a simmons.
These days we have enough toxins to deal with we don't need to be inhaling them all night. Common sense should tell you if it smells toxic it is toxic. I would never buy a bed that has to be aired out first.
