Harder than a Rock and Hotter than an Oven
Written: Mar 16 '08 (Updated Mar 16 '08)
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Pros: sheets don't slide up and off, I didn't have to pay for it
Cons: I wouldn't sleep on this if someone paid me
The Bottom Line: I don't like any of englander's beds. They're extremely expensive and the quality is terrible. Sertas are much better.
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| moonlitmagik's Full Review: Englander Nature's Finest |
This was hubs and my first bed... he had it in his old apartment and we didn't really have the money to splurge on a new mattress and box. I thought I would share with everybody my "experiences" (or lack thereof) on this bed.
I hear that it's discontinued now, by the way.
Size Does Matter
We had this in a queen size, and yes it is a complete slab of rubber. He had to put a memory foam topper on it just to make the bed comfortable after only owning it for 6 months. It has a sag trench in it from where he used to lay. And it was plainly visible when the bed was made. The salesman told him that you didn't need to flip this bed. Probably because even if you wanted to, you couldn't because it was that heavy. It was really hard to move too. We needed six people to lift it. To it's credit, you didn't have to also move a box spring, just flop it on a platform and you're done. It's a deep pocketed mattress so it fits those nice deep pocket sheets nicely. And they don't slide off as much as they would on a coiled bed.
And that's it for the nice comments
On first impressions, you would expect the bed to have some bounce, or "give" to it when you lay on it. Unmade, it looks like any normal mattress. Looks are obviously decieving in this case. When you lay on it all you hear is "thud", and if you're heavy like me you will not be able to move or roll over. You will literally have to SIT UP and "flip" yourself over. And despite the advertisments stating that this bed will eliminate "movement" well that's a bunch of baloney. My hubs is a serial shaker / kicker / snorer / chewer of teeth and king of talking in his sleep. If none of the above woke me up, his whole body going into convulsions usually did the trick. And this bed did not diminish that at all, in fact it made it worse and more frequent. After my first night of laying on this brick...er....bed... I got a VERY stiff neck. And the night after. It's not very comfortable, in fact it's very hard. I hear he got the less firm version, but you could have fooled me. It's almost like laying on the floor, except the bed will contour to your body, making it that much more uncomfortable than the floor. You feel the hardness everywhere.
Ugh, the SMELL!
It's true, latex is NOT more breathable than your standard coil mattress. And this is the only bed that hubs and I have ever sweated on. I mean, c'mon people, we're talking about your body laying on a slab of RUBBER. Air cannot pass through a solid last time I checked. That would totally defy the laws of Physics and Natural Science. As you sleep, even though your body temperature drops, the latex used in this mattress is actually going to make it RISE because there's nowhere for your trapped body heat between the sheets and blankets and mattress to go. After a while that mattress is gonna start smelling like funk, and you're going to need to start showering in the morning before you go to work to avoid smelling like..... I'm not even going there. But trust me it will start to smell, and when it does, it ain't gonna be pretty.
How much did it set you back?
I can't believe he spent over $1500 for this thing new, especially after he admitted to having to then spend another $200 on a mattress topper just to be able to sleep on it (which made the bed even hotter). Overall he threw about 2 grand into the bed (platform, mattress, sheets, foam topper) and it's a shame my $30 air mattress is more comfortable.
I know you got rid of it, right?
Actually yes we did. We gave it to his mother who was in desperate need of a mattress and grateful for anything. She swears this bed is the most comfortable thing she's ever owned, mainly because she's used to sleeping on a 20 year old mattress with springs poking her in the back. She says it still looks like it's in great shape despite the body grooves and feels and sleeps like a new mattress. So I guess it will last through the 3rd world war, or until you decide to get rid of it whichever comes first.
In conclusion...
Honestly, I wouldn't buy a latex mattress, a latex over coil mattress, or any other mattress involving foam. You can't roll over in your sleep, which is something human beings do naturally (not because they're uncomfortable, I've watched my 6 month old son do it), and when it gets old it can keep germs and bacteria and it's not easily cleanable like your standard coil mattress. I would get a regular serta mattress with a lifetime warranty and a memory foam topper over this crappy bed any day.
Recommended:
No
Mattress Size: Queen
Mattress Firmness: Somewhat firm
Amount Paid (US$): 1500
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Epinions.com ID:
moonlitmagik
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Member: Robyn
Location: Home, Home On The Range
Reviews written: 39
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
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