Luxury Mattress Buying Guide
This guide will take an in-depth look at luxury mattresses. Keep reading for our cost analyses for luxury mattresses of all types, answers to frequently asked questions about high-end beds, and some strategies for preventing mattress wear-and-tear.
Buyer’s Guide for Luxury Mattresses
What Is a Luxury Mattress?
The term “luxury” mattress can refer to many aspects of the bed, including the following:
- Premium materials. Certain components can enhance the feel of a mattress due to their quality and durability. These include high-density memory foam, natural latex, and foam-encased coil systems.
- Sustainable designs. Many mattresses today are made with responsibly sourced components such as natural wool, organic cotton, natural/organic latex. The use of these eco-friendly materials can add more durability, breathability, and comfort for sleepers.
- Special features. Some luxury mattress components are not commonly found in other models. These include covers modified with phase-change material or Celliant fabric, coil-on-coil support systems, and dual-surface flippable models.
- Customization. Customers may be able to modify their luxury mattress for a certain firmness level or comfort layer material. Customizable models offer a more personalized design for sleepers.
- High price-point. Yes, many luxury mattresses are also fairly expensive – but others offer the same comfort and performance as high-end beds at a much lower cost. In the next section, we’ll take a look at cost expectations for different types of luxury mattresses.
How Much Do Luxury Mattresses Cost?
Although each mattress is technically unique, most models sold today fall into five distinct categories: foam, innerspring, hybrid, latex, and airbed. Price ranges are generally consistent for each mattress type, though some are much more expensive on average than others.
In this section, we’ll discuss how much customers should pay for each mattress type – and what constitutes a luxury model in those designs.
Foam
A foam mattress is constructed with memory foam and/or polyfoam comfort layers on top of transitional and support layers of high-density foam. All-foam mattresses are usually the best option for sleepers with pressure points, as the comfort layers conform closely and evenly to cradle the body and align the spine. These models also provide very good motion isolation and don’t make any noise, though they also sleep warm for some and usually lack strong edge support.
Cost Analysis: The average all-foam mattress costs between $600 and $1,200 in a queen size. Customers should expect to pay a bit more for high-end foam models – roughly $1,500 to $2,100.
Cost Factors: Memory foam is considered more luxurious than polyfoam because it provides closer body-conforming, lasts longer, and isolates more motion for couples. The memory foam’s density is a key variable, as denser memory foam conforms closely, provides a deep cradle for the sleeper’s body, and alleviates pressure points.
Foam density is measured in pounds per cubic foot, or PCF. Luxury mattresses often feature foams with densities of at least 4 to 5 PCF, which is considered medium- to high-density.
The memory foam in high-end mattresses may also be infused with certain materials intended to make the surface sleep cooler, such as gel and graphite. Copper, which has excellent conductivity and can transfer heat away from the bed’s surface, may also be infused into the comfort layer. Copper is antimicrobial, as well, and can help stave off dust mites.
Innerspring
Innersprings are the oldest mattress type, and often the most basic. These models typically consist of 1 to 2 inches of comfort layer foam, followed by steel coils that stabilize the bed. Innersprings are exceptionally supportive and responsive, making them suitable for heavier people and great for sex. They also sleep very cool thanks to strong airflow through their coil layers. However, conforming ability is generally minimal and durability is often questionable.
Cost Analysis: Innersprings are one of the cheapest mattress types. The average model costs between $700 and $1,200 in a queen size. Although some high-end innersprings cost thousands of dollars, buyers can find luxury models starting in the $1,000 to $1,500 range.
Cost Factors: An innerspring’s coil system is often linked to its price-point and overall performance. Models with more durable offset or pocketed coils tend to cost more – and perform longer – than those with bonnell or continuous-wire coils.
Coil gauge, or thickness, is also important, as lower-gauge (thicker) coils provide good edge reinforcement while higher-gauge (thinner) coils offer more cradling for the sleeper’s body. Zoned coil systems with different gauges typically ensure the best overall support.
The comfort layers of bare-bones innersprings can be somewhat minimal. High-end models may build on their coil systems with thick layers of dense memory foam, latex, minicoils, and other luxury components. These components often increase the bed’s overall profile. High-end innersprings commonly measure 14 inches or thicker.
One thing to keep in mind: innersprings are widely sold at brick-and-mortar stores, and these models may have above-average prices due to the seller’s overhead costs. Customers should not assume an innerspring with a price-tag of $2,000 or higher is a luxury model if it is sold in a physical store.
Hybrid
Hybrids, by definition, are constructed with comfort layers of memory foam and/or latex over a pocketed coil system. Sleepers generally enjoy hybrids because they provide a very balanced feel. The comfort layers conform to bodies and alleviate pressure, much like those found in foam and all-latex beds, while the coils offer the enhanced support and consistent breathability associated with innersprings.
Cost Analysis: Hybrids have a very wide price range. The average model costs between $1,500 and $2,200, but hybrids may be priced anywhere from less than $500 to more than $2,500. Luxury hybrids built with premium materials should cost between $1,700 and $2,400 – but there are less expensive exceptions, including the DreamCloud (our Best Hybrid pick listed above).
Cost Factors: Comfort layer materials often dictate the price of a hybrid. The cheapest models usually contain 1 to 2 inches of memory foam or latex, while high-end hybrids may contain up to 5 or 6 inches comprised of three or four individual layers.
Latex hybrids are particularly pricey. Latex is expensive on its own, and many hybrid models contain organic and/or natural latex, which is exceptionally durable and breathable – as well as expensive.
Latex
Latex is a substance processed from the sap of rubber trees. It is naturally flexible and responsive, but the material also conforms to the body like memory foam. Latex is also highly durable, giving these mattresses very long expected lifespans – more than eight years, in some cases.
Cost Analysis: All-latex mattresses can be somewhat expensive, but affordable models are also widely available. High-quality latex beds start at $1,500 in a queen size. To obtain a luxury latex mattress, shoppers should expect to spend $1,600 to $2,500
Cost Factors: Latex comes in many varieties. Natural latex is produced primarily from rubber tree sap with very few chemical components. This material is more durable and breathable than blended or synthetic latex, and also conforms closer. For these reasons, beds with natural latex are usually pricier, as well. Certified organic latex can be particularly expensive.
Airbed
Airbeds are designed with internal air chambers. Owners can add or release air from these chambers to adjust the overall feel of their mattress. Many airbeds also have foam comfort layers, though some do not have any sort of comfort layer. These mattresses are ideal for people with fluctuating firmness preferences and are also very durable, but they can be somewhat loud due to their motorized components.
Cost Analysis: Airbeds are the most expensive mattress type by a very large margin. The average model costs about $2,300 in a queen size, and some airbeds are priced at more than $4,000.
Cost Factors: Most airbeds are technically luxury mattresses due to their advanced designs, high customization levels, and expensive price-points. The adjustability range often affects cost, as models with more limited firmness levels tend to be cheaper than those that span from soft to firm. Additionally, costlier airbeds tend to have more air chambers than those with lower price-points.
Dual-firmness – designed for couples with differing preferences – can also drive up the price, as can luxury comfort materials like memory foam and latex.
