Saturday

Stearns And Foster Mattress Review

Like any other manufacturer, Stearns and Foster also keep changing the names of its collection on a regular basis. It’s not the only manufacturer to do that. Many change the name of a specific product without changing its constituents. The idea here is to have an increased collection of names for specific stores. That adds to the confusion of the buyer who isn’t able to distinguish one from the other. Though both might have the same materials inside, the names are different. If you are doing a review of Stearns and Foster, it will be desirable to remain concentrated on the fundamentals of the mattress i.e. its constituents or what goes into making that and avoid getting distracted by fancy names given to collections on display.



A Stearns and Foster mattress is rated among the best in the market. But with more than a thousand mattresses available, it gets too much for an average buyer to make the right choice and buy a mattress that offers value for money. That’s why it is important to know what goes into the making of a good mattress.

A mattress set has four components. These are: a boxspring, and the mattress that consists of Mattress Style, Comfort layers and Core Support.

First of all we have the mattress style. Fabric is the first visible thing that covers it. It may be silk, polyester, cashmere and alpaca or another material. The cost of the mattress varies with the material used. You should rationalize your requirements and decide exactly what is best suited to your requirements and budget. Don’t get carried away by the talk of the salesman. You should know that polyester will last as long as any other expensive fabric.

The main factor that decides the style is what kind of comfort surface has been attached to it. Here there are five kinds of finishes: Tight Top, Pillow Top, Euro Pillow Top, Euro Top and Box Top. The Tight Top is just a plain bed mattress. A Pillow Top is an additional layer of comfort material that is attached and has gusseted corners. It gives the appearance of a flat large pillow having been placed on the top. A Euro Pillow Top comes with more comfortable materials. A Euro Top has the same amount of comfort material but is directly attached. It gives the looks of a thin mattress that has been kept on top of the bed mattress. And, The Box top is the same as the Euro Top but is provided with additional comfort materials.

All these kinds of tops are popular, but you need to consider two factors:

1) they add to the final cost and

2) It is certain that the top will be the first part to wear off of any mattress. As they are directly attached you won’t any choice but to replace the whole mattress.



The most economical way to have a prolonged life of the mattress is to have a Tight Top and buy an additional Top of the kind of the Tempurpedic mattress topper that has memory foam. You may be aware that a memory foam mattress has certain distinct constructional features that go to provide increased comfort and support to the body of the user.

And last but not the least is the Core Support arrangement that comprises of innerspring and other items. There is no doubt that S and F provides the best innersprings that have withstood the test of time.

Finally we come to the boxspring. S & F strongly recommends its customers to have a new boxspring with the mattress. It maintains that a boxspring provides additional support that prolongs the life of a mattress. But there are others who argue that when S&F claims to offer the best available mattress that is more than 12” thick and has excellent quality coil springs, it should certainly be capable of giving all the needed support.

Let’s face the facts. Any company would like to generate more revenue, and boxspring helps in that direction. If you are a devoted to the brand, go ahead. Else, keep in mind the savings you are making by avoiding it.

This preview of a Stearns and Foster mattress should prove to be helpful to all those with plans for buying this product. The products of this company are of excellent quality, but it is good to understand what one should look for while buying such a product and possibly save some money in the process and then decide how good your judgment was!

31 comments:

Unknown said...

Last bed I bought was a S+F- told it was their premium unit. Had to invoke the warranty at year three as the mattress compressed and we were sleeping in troughs (about 2.5 in deep). The mattress was replaced under warranty with a flipless mattress. We didn't want this but were told this was our only option. That mattress had other issues- the center popped up. Eventually we moved it into the guest bedroom.

Anonymous said...

We purchased a Stearns & Foster believing this to be a higher end bed in terms of quality but heck no, the higher end is in the higher price for more of the same.....by year 2 the bed was declared to be defective by Macy's own inspector as the sagging was 2.5 inches by hand pressure alone so imagine the crater when a body lays on this bed.....but notwithstanding the determination by the inspector, Macy's and the manufacturer wiggled themselves from replacing this mattress because of an invisible stain but in any event we decided not to push the issue and return to a Simmons which is priced lower and we know it will last for at least 5 years. So, if you are thinking about buying a Stearns & Foster bed DON'T DO IT!! unless you don't care about wasting your money and avoid Macy's and other department stores and purchase from a store that sells beds and nothing else.

Anonymous said...

While I have heard a number of complaints about the sagging issue with a Stearns and Foster mattress, I bought one about a year and a half ago and I never slept better. I did a lot of research before buying my new bed, on both what to buy and where to buy it from. It seems like the newer models don't have the same issues and, in any event, I am happy with my mattress. When I was shopping around I found that Sleepy's had an amazing site offering a wide variety of mattresses at great prices, as well as a great deal of information on everything they offer. I love their fast home delivery and set up, as well as the chance they give you to exchange your mattress if you decide you aren’t happy with it. With their level of customer service, I would definitely recommend checking them out, no matter what mattress you decide on.

Anonymous said...

Bought S & F Eliza set in June. My side sagged in the first week; my husband's was worse. This is supposed to be a 'firm' set. Now trying to effect the seller's 60 day exchange policy, but most of the newer mattresses have similar problems according to the reviews. Perhaps the old styles were better after all; a friend had bought (different model) S & F about 5 years ago and it's great!

Anonymous said...

We purchased a Stearns and Foster mattress in the belief that it would be a quality mattress with long lasting comfort. I am now sleeping in a crater! I am returning it to Macy's for a $400 loss because I can't sleep on this expensive uncomfortable thing for another 10 years. Do not waste your money on a Stearns and Foster mattress!

Jim said...

Same Story,
We bought one at Macy's.
It sagged within a month, We called Macy's they sent a guy out that said it was fine.
The common denominator seems to be Macy's.
We haven't been back to Macy's since.
It's a matter of time until we start hearing about a class action for back injuries.

Anonymous said...

Stearns and Foster used to be good...what happened? My wife and I loved our S&F king size we bought about 11 years ago. We had to replace it because of water damage after a fire. Naturally we wanted another S&F. Big mistake. New one has no support, despite being a "firm" model, and we wake with terrible back pain. I miss my old S&F. Old one was a traditional innerspring mattress before they switched to individually pocketed coils. I'm convinced the pocketed coil is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. No lateral support.

George said...

"len and anonymous" comments are mine. I bought several S&F in the past, used and discarded for new ones. I made a terrible mistake (circa 2008)because it was completely different from the old ones. Never again.
If you have a different opinion, will be all right, but mine will not change based on what I bought.
George

Anonymous said...

Bought a high end Stearns & Foster mattress at Sleep Country in July. Five months later, the mattress has permanent body impressions that caused troughs on both sides. Trying to sleep out of the trough causes our hips to be rotated by about 10 degrees. We are both waking up with back aches every morning now. Worse than our 10 year old bed. Hope to get this replaced under warranty.

Anonymous said...

My two-months-old S & F not only leaves me with a back ache, but it has totally sagged in the middle (size Q). It looks like a hippo has been lying there. My visiting daughter and her husband rolled straight to the center and verified my complaint. I want my 25-years-old mattress back!

Anonymous said...

Stearns and Foster pillow top mattresses are a total waste o fmoney and Macy's does not honor their warranties. The mattress has a two inch valley in the middle after just four years - and having speant over $2500 was a total waste of m oney. Now i have to buy a new mattress and trust me, i will never buy a stearns and foster again.

Swiss said...

I need very good bed because my back aches and I already spent a lot of time to find one. Yesterday I fall in love with STEARNS&FOSTER -Palace Garden mattress I sow and tried in one shop, but it is a lot of maney for me.I am willing to spend only if it is so good as it seems to be and seller is traying to convince me. Now, after reading this comments, I am in doubt. Please, help me with your experience because my health is very important to me.

Sue in MD said...

Folks...the sagging on the sides with a ridge in the center sounds like it is not just specific to S&F but to pillowtops and plush mattresses. We bought a top of the line Sealy or Serta (forget which) pillowtop at Macy's 9 years ago. It lasted about two years. We have suffered with it since. Tried putting a foam topper on it, which helped for a couple years. Finally couldn't take it any longer and just bought a S&F firm (non-pillowtop mattress.) Waiting to see how this turns out. Hoping for the best.

JC in CA said...

We bought a regular top (no pillow top of any kind- didn't want to have the indententations like our last mattress) in July from JC Penney's. Are now calling for a technician to come out and check it for warranty. The craters are terrible! Way worse than our 11 year old mattress that we replaced. You roll into the 2 different craters on each side. The "hump" in the middle is great still.... So frustrating for the amount of money we spent on this mattress.

Anonymous said...

Laurabeth1976 bought a stearns and foster in june 2011 and a spring air in feb 2011. hmmmmm. not sure to listen here.

kparis said...

My Stearns and Foster is like sleeping in a toilet bowl! I purchased a Stearns and Foster on July 3rd, by August 1st it was sagging in the middle. I called to do an exchange. They said I had to have a service rep come out and inspect the mattress. They came out and said they could not exchange because it was only sagging 1 inch. That is without any one in the bed. Once you lay in it, the sagging is about 8 inches. They said it was too late to exchange, the 90 days was up. Do not buy Stearns and Foster!

Anonymous said...

Have you noticed these reviews are all complaints but yet no matter what the mattress brand is, on average 57% of owners like their mattress. You never see I just love my mattress or car or whatever. Why is that, considering there are millions of people sleeping on them daily. Food for thought, buy it and make sure you buy it from a reputable company, and get the warrany, hello just like cars you never know.

Anonymous said...

I bought an Eliza Silk Stearns and Foster mattress and box spring from Sleep Country in June. It was wonderful for about the first 6 weeks and then started to soften in the hip area to the extent that I feel like I am falling into a crater and my mid back is in constant pain when I am in the bed. Never Sleep Country again and never Stearns and Foster. They don't stand behind their products - you are just out the money!! Just junk!!

Anonymous said...

Costco is the place to buy..as our Euro pillow top had to go back in 4 1/2 weeks!!It did start to sag a bit...about one inch..what would happen after a year??THE BIG complaint was the mattress SMELL..it would not go away..burned my sinuses trying to sleep..we got the sealy roseville from Costco..LOVE IT!! and 1/2 the price.....Thanx Costco for the no hassles!!PS these beds weigh a ton..very hard to move..

Anonymous said...

I am sorry to hear of all the bad reviews on S&F mattresses! i had bought a plush top about 13 years ago and its finally run its course. I thought based on that experience getting another S&F was a no brainer. I have back problems and that mattress was wonderful. Now I am going to have to research all over again. Booooo!

Anonymous said...

Sterns & Fosters are horrific mattresses. I had a Seely Posterpedic for 15 yrs that is still far better then sleeping on this S & F which is only 5 months old. Back aches major.

Some things:
1. All of the good stuff was taken out of mattress years ago so they will never last as long as one's purchased in the early 90's and older.

2. Every store tags their mattresses with diff. names so you can't compare pricing or complaints.
Hey US govt. this is bad for the consumer when are you going to regulate this industry and make all stores label mattresses the SAME!!!!!

3. Many mattresses are now made so you can't flip them? Apparently a health code, which is really unfortunate because our old mattress lasted 15 years and was flipped.

DO NOT BUY STERNS & FOSTER, they are terrible mattresses and you will end up with BACKACHES...we are now fighting over a replacement with sit & sleep.

Anonymous said...

I have purchased THREE Stearsn & Fosters in a row. The store refused to refund my money, insisting that they would only give me an even exchange for the same exact model. THREE times now they have been deemed defective by the mattress evaluator. I feel stuck, ripped off and infuriated. S&F has a shockingly poor customer service, as well! Between them and the store where I purchased these beds, I'm fit to be tied!

Anonymous said...

Any experiences with S&F from Bloomingdales? Thanks

Linda said...

I bought a Stearns and Foster from Mattress Experts in Delaware over the phone. (ordered the EXACT same bed that my friend has) I had it shipped to me and doesn't feel in any way like the same bed. I called and told Pete (the guy I ordered from) that the bed I got is not a Luxury Plush like my friend's bed--it's a "firm" and somewhere along the line a mistake was made. Wrong tag on the bed or switched at the factory in error, etc. His response? "You got the bed that you ordered. You can't return it." WHAT??? I paid $1600 for a mattress and someone screwed up at the factory or whatever and made a mistake and I can't get an exchange?? Amazing how nice and helpful people are by phone when they're making money on you and then when you call and try to talk to them their whole attitude changes and they basically tell you....TOO BAD. I have your money and you're STUCK! My advice, don't order anything from Mattress Experts or any of the other online stores like Mattress Hotline Express, etc. (It's all the same company) They don't have to see you in person to deal with you so your customer service experience will be just that......a BAD EXPERIENCE.

Anonymous said...

Same story...purchased S & F King mattress set from Macy's and it sagged within a year. Technician evaluated it and Macy's replaced it with the same one. Within 6 months, we had the same sleeping trenches in our mattress (I weigh 110 lbs, husband 200 lbs). A technician visited but measured the indentation differently making it hard to meet their 1.5 inch sag requirement.
I will keep calling every few months to have it evaluated. We feel like we sleep in a ditch. The center has a hump in it. When rolling over toward the center it is like rolling up a hill. Very uncomfortable. We spent more for the S & F brand in hopes it would last and that the 10 year warranty would give us that assurance. Not so.
We are great Macy's customers. Before this last incident, we purchased 9 mattress sets from them to furnish a lake house. If I had known how poorly their response would be to our S & F mattress performance, I would not have given them our business.

Anonymous said...

"A Crippling Bed"

Wife and I have bought two SF mattresses in the past which lasted an avg of 12 years each. Bought the newest (an Estate series in ultra firm for $2.5K) in March of 2010 from The Roomstore (Grapevine, TX), which has since gone out of business. Now (only 28 months later!) the depressions where we each lie are so bad that we both awake every morning in pain and unable to stand up straight for the first 10-15 minutes of every morning. We're moving into the guest room this afternoon until this mattress and foundation is relpaced with something new, one way or another. I will contact S&F today to see what they might offer, but as their warranty card specifically says no body depressions less than 1 1/2" will be covered under warranty, I have few hopes they'll stand behind their product. Will update after talking to them, but in the mean time I would STRONGLY suggest others NOT purchase one of these torture devices.

Anonymous said...

Bought a $2000.00 S&F mattress I was not home to receive the delivery so my sister received it for me. When I got home all excited about the new mattress, my jaw dropped to the floor as I could not believe what I was seeing. There was a huge crater across the foot of the bed and another at the top right. I called the sales rep at Macy's and they send a guy out who did measurements and said the mattress meets S&F specifications. I was mad, how can you be seeing craters with naked eye and the expert is telling you it is fine? After much arguing with Macy's customer service, who tried to convince me there was nothing they could do, I finally had them agreed to replace it. It has been close to a month now and I have not slept in my bed, fearing that I might cause stain or any reason for them not to take it. Now for the story of the replacement. The Macy truck arrived this Saturday and this time I said I want to see it before they bring it inside. I had a bigger jaw dropping moment. There were several mattresses a leaning in the truck, but mine was the only one that had all the filling slipped to the bottom, it looked like when you try to stand up a bean bag. For the money I paid, I told the guy you WILL not take that piece of crap off the truck, return it to Macy's. Now here is where I am further disappointed. I just got through reading all these negative reviews from 2011 and Macy's continue to sell this product as one of their top brand. SOMEBODY IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!! I SMELL A RAT.. WHAT IS MACY'S AFFILIATION WITH S&F.

Nancy said...

Good to know what Stearns & Foster mattress like. Thanks for posting.

Anonymous said...

Stearns & Foster mattress is EXPENSIVE GARBAGE.Same story, indentations in the mattress, backaches, etc. Best idea, contact the Attorney general of your state and ask them to start an investigation. contact dept of consumer affairs in your area. i intend to do both. All new mattresses now made with Memory Foam topping.also EXPENSIVE GARBAGE.Biggest ripoff is not being able to FLIP the mattress.

Anonymous said...

Same complaint here. Our mattress is less than 2 years old and we are sleeping in major ruts. Bought ours at Sears, not Macy's and we have 2.5 inch deep dips. I wake up every morning with a backache so we will try fighting with Sears to remedy this situation.

steven k said...

Stearns & Foster has been the worst mattress that I have ever had. Not only is it the worst mattress, but the customer service is by far the worst in the industry. S&F does not care about their customers in the least bit. As a disabled combat veteran, I broke my back in an IED explosion. I spent the extra money thinking that I would get the most comfortable mattress, especially for all of the years of sleeping in fighting holes and rocks! I was wrong, the fighting holes are more comfortable. My fiance are both way under 200lbs, and this mattress is like sleeping in a taco. We roll into one another all night long!!! I'm only home 3 months out of the year; thus she is primarily the only one in the bed, and she does not sleep in the middle of the bed. For years we rotated the mattress (single side pillow top), and that doesnt work. We have most recently flipped the mattress to the hard side, and purchased a $400.00 memory foam topper. Nothing seams to work and S&F could care less!! I bought the mattress in late 2010/early 2011 and have been complaining ever since!! skrusinsky@yahoo.com