<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Ten Mattress Myths from Consumer Reports.com: </span>
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<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Firmer is better</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The best bed is the one that’s most comfortable to you. Medical experts we interviewed say there have been no well-controlled studies to indicate the best firmness overall. </span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Coil count is critical</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Any number above 390 in a queen-size mattress should be plenty. Our consultants concluded that coils in all but the cheapest mattresses—less than about $800 list price for a queen-size—are “overdesigned for their function” and ought to provide years of service for most people. </span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Silk, cashmere, and wool make a bed more comfortable</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The small amounts usually used in the upper padding only make a bed more expensive. When you cover your mattress with a pad and sheets, you can’t directly feel the surface anyway. </span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">4. A higher price guarantees a better bed</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Anything but the cheapest mattresses can be a fine choice.</span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">5. If you move in your sleep, the bed is to blame</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Turning is normal; it’s a problem only if it disrupts your sleep. The mattress may or may not be at fault.</span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">6. A mattress should be used until it sags</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Changes in the human body tend to make a mattress less comfortable long before it wears out.</span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">7. You must include a box spring, to save the warranty</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite sales pressure to buy both mattress and foundation, it’s not always required. Check with the store or company. You may be able to keep your old box spring, if it’s in good shape. </span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">8. Warranties cover a sagging mattress</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Manufacturers say a mattress can compress by as much as 1 1/2 inches before it’s considered defective.</span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">9. Stores sell the same mattress under different names</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Retailers often claim that their mattress A is comparable to a competitor’s mattress B. Though you may find beds that are truly alike, most “comparables” we bought had little in common. </span>
<h4><span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">10. Salespeople are always objective</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Manufacturers dangle financial incentives known as SPIFs (for “sales person incentive funds”) to push various brands and models. Commissions can amount to about $100 a bed. </span>