Why Consumer Reports doesn't rate specific models of mattresses

We test mattresses in our labs and with panelists but we don’t have Ratings for specific models. Here’s why.

Unlike refrigerators, cars, or other big-ticket items with specific models that you can easily compare at different stores and dealers, mattress are sold in a way that might give you nightmares.

The model names from the top mattress brands such as Sealy, Serta, Simmons, and others change from store to store, so there's no way to truly compare models. What's more, our research has revealed that even for mattresses that retailers claim are similar, significant differences exist in important characteristics, including quilting, padding, and springs, all of which affect comfort and firmness.

"It's difficult to compare mattresses unless you cut them open," says Eugene Schayer, who worked in the mattress industry for 46 years, including stints in the marketing department of two major mattress makers. "The retailers demand exclusivity of the cover and label. They don't want their product shopped." Even the Better Sleep Council, which is paid for by the mattress industry, says that buying a bed can be confusing because "it's not easy to see what's inside."

Our testers do delve inside to analyze mattresses. What you Gain for Twice the Price looks at the difference in padding, quilting, and springs between a $700 Sealy Posturepedic Sapphire LX Firm and $1,400 Sealy Posturepedic Ruby LX Cushion Firm mattress.

We've also had couples run month-long tests of alternatives to conventional innerspring mattresses, such as Duxiana, Select Comfort and Tempur-Pedic. Couples slept at home on the three different mattresses for a month at a time, while about five dozen panelists tried them out in our lab as they would when shopping.

We found that when retailers claimed they were selling mattresses similar to those found in other stores, the mattresses often differed. We've also found in past mattress studies that except for the cheapest models, all mattresses are likely to be sturdy.

Given this lack of consistency—Brand A's ultra-premium firm queen-size mattress sold at one national retail chain will have a model name and composition that are different from Brand A's ultra-premium firm queen-size mattress sold at another retailer—it's impossible for us to be able to make an apples-to-apples comparison that will be useful to you. And that's why we don't publish Ratings of specific models of mattresses, as we do for the hundreds of products we test each year.

But we have tried to collect our subscribers experiences into more valuable inforation. Our Mattress Buying Guide includes the results of our latest survey, where 17,444 Consumer Reports readers rated mattress brands and retailers. You'll find reports on 10 Mattress Myths and interactive look at The Anatomy of a Mattress along with healthy sleep tips and Eight Ways to Get More Sleep for Less Money.

Based on the findings of our panel tests, we concluded there's no best mattress for everyone—sleep comfort is very personal. So take time to find the mattress that's the most comfortable to you.