bed-buying

[seemster]

Hello, just wondering if anyone has ideas/ recommendations for buying new beds? Looking for divan with drawers and decent mattress, and ideally 3 week delivery. Do I go with Dreams/Bensons for Beds or are there better options out there?

TIA!

[Salsaboy]

John Lewis. Bought a mattress a couple of years ago. Not cheap but worth every penny.

[Jules-and-Boo]

you should buy the best mattress you can afford and a mattress protector.

There are lots of websites explain the differences between them so you should have a good read.

Memory foam - for instance - comes in different levels of resistance which indicate the level of support they provide - you would choose based on things like your weight and personal preferences of soft/ medium/ firm

Coil sprung can be a false economy - as you would need to know about the types of coil used and how stable they are.

You can get ones with attached layers of thin foam, which again aren't as good as they look because you can't turn the mattress and can only use one side of it (as well as not being able to replace the foam, which wears out quicker then the main part of the mattress.

The best are pocket sprung, as the pockets are little tubes which keep the springs in place and therefore provide an even distribution of support (so you won't sink into the middle). Then you have to look at how many springs.... some have far too many and sell on the fact of number, which is not actually that relevant. More springs do not equal better quality - you also have to look at the types of springs.

Then you get fabric - you need good quality upholstery and the fabric used is indicative of the quality of the mattress..... the more you spend, the better you get - but beware of the sellers making their mattresses look better than they really are.

So, pocket sprung are best, foam are / can be good - stay away from open coil and the ones with the memory foam layer.

Wow, didn't realize I'd picked up so much info when I bought mine!

[Nigello]

John Lewis, all the way. Go and have a lie down on several of them and get the very good people there to check out the way you are lying: they'll pass their hands under your waist and neck etc. to make sure the mattress is supporting you correctly. I went twice, spending a good thirty minutes there talking and testing each time before I went for a great, own-brand mattress (which I then un-purchased and rebought online as there was a special offer on their website).

[seemster]

Thanks all, v helpful. Will find out which John Lewis has the biggest bed section!

[womanofdulwich]

On the John Lewis front- we found a mattress we liked there- it was ?800 in Croydon, I went to Peter Jones a week later and there was the same one in the sales for ?400- with a slight mark on it. If you are spending that much money its worth keeping an eye out for sales.

[hpsaucey]

Warren Evans v. good. And fairly ethical. Super sturdy beds and great customer service and delivery.

HP

[bawdy-nan]

I would totally recommend Litvinoff and Fawcett http://www.landf.co.uk/

Hand made, very good quality and very good value. Plus an utter joy to visit the showroom.

[seemster]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated

[Rosetta]

There are different types of divans, sprung edge ones, and firm edge ones. The first type will give a softer feel.

What kind nr of bed do you have now?

[ruffers]

Vi-Spring. Cost a fortune, but fantastic mattresses.

[Rosetta]

Have had a vi spring. Bought from Arding and Hobbs in Clapham on a clearance of floor models. Was very comfortable, but impossible to turn the mattress solo. Extremely heavy.