Image courtesy of Tuft & Needle.
Buying a mattress is no longer like buying a car, requiring showroom visits that put us at the mercy of unctuous sales agents and an SUV-sized investment. The advent of “bed-in-a-box” disruptors changed the game (and your new mattress may very well arrive in a bafflingly small box). But this new era has brought so many options that it’s impossible to comparison shop. Articles and sites that attempt to evaluate the contenders use criteria as diverse as sleeping style (back, side, etc), weight, softness, heat, bounce, and durability. But there’s no perfect formula, and it really comes down to personal preference–which isn’t always easy to put into words. While we can’t tell you which mattress is perfect for you, below is a roundup of the current important entries in the mattress field, and why they’re so popular.