Get the mattress you want at the price you want

A mattress store might be the last place you want to visit on a holiday weekend. That's why retailers like Macy's, Sears, and Sleepy's try extra hard to get you in the door. If you need a new mattress in a hurry, you'll like what you see. If you have other plans, here's a little secret: You don't have to wait for a holiday weekend for breaks of 50 percent or more, free shipping, and other bargains.

This weekend, Macy's is touting the end of a three-month sale with a handful of Sealy innerspring mattresses selling for as low as $147, not including the box spring. The retailer also offers free "five-star" local delivery of a mattress set totaling $789, but certain charges are excluded, such as taxes, removal, and (curiously) "delivery."

Sears is offering major-brand mattresses in the same price range and is trumpeting sales of up to 60 percent off, with free delivery on orders of $599 and up. And Sleepy's is hawking half-off "every" mattress—except Tempur-Pedics—and free delivery of certain models through the weekend.

How to get the best price

Mattress sales, however, are intended to get you in the door, not necessarily to sell you the mattress that drew you to the store in the first place. Because most salespeople work on commission as a percentage of the sale, they're often determined to steer you toward a mattress you'll "like much better," one said to be firmer, more comfortable, or more popular among customers. Expect also to be pitched on mattress covers, comforters, and other extras that raise the commission higher still.

Consumer Reports' mattress Ratings help you avoid such gamesmanship, since we test for back and side support, durability, and other factors to help you choose objectively. What we can't test for is comfort, a choice you judge yourself when you try out the mattress in the store, as we recommend. Once you choose a mattress, take a few weeks to monitor the full selling-price range of the mattress you're considering at the retailer you plan to patronize. And once you're ready to buy, insist on that mattress alone—and at the lowest price you've seen it advertised by that store.

Of course, you can avoid the stores entirely by buying from one of the manufacturers that sell primarily online, such as Casper, Leesa, and Tuft & Needle. Typically, you can't try out the mattress before buying (Casper and Tuft & Needle have a limited number of showrooms). But as we've reported, such companies offer hassle- and cost-free returns.

Need a new mattress now?

Consumer Reports' current mattress Ratings include more than 35 innerspring, memory foam, and adjustable-air beds. Here are some of our top choices at everyday prices.

• Innerspring: Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Trust Cushion, $1,275
• Memory foam: The Casper, $850
• Adjustable air: Sleep Number c2 Bed, $700

Before narrowing down your choices, check out our mattress buying guide.

—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)