We purchased a memory foam mattress topper (via overstock.com) for our existing (traditional), full sized mattress. It is wonderful to sleep on, costs less than a full memory foam mattress and provides added warmth

I had an ikea latex mattress that lasted about two years before I began waking up every morning in pain. I would suggest just purchasing a real mattress, you'll spend slightly more but also have the assurance that it will last a good long time.

I have the same exact question! We're also looking for a new mattress, and want latex, but the organic latex mattresses we want are way too expensive $1500-$2500 is ridiculous! Latex has so many health benefits. We're also looking at the IKEA latex mattresses for their lower price point, even though they're probably not the organic latex. Overstock also has latex toppers, and a latex mattress that's only around 600, but it's only partially latex, the rest is hard foam, which is not something I want. It's ridiculous finding a healthy and natural mattress that isn't over priced. We'll probably go with the IKEA latex too. They have that 25 year warranty or something like that.

My husband and I have had our IKEA latex mattress for about 2-1/2 years and it's starting to be a bit uncomfortable for me. My husband still loves it and we can't afford to replace it right now, so I bought a memory foam topper and shut my mouth. The combo is pretty comfy, but I will replace the mattress eventually (probably not another IKEA one, to be honest).

I got a fantastic mattress 18 months ago from http://www.bowernaturalbedding.com/ on grand ave in chicago. It was expensive -- around $1500 -- but it's guaranteed for 20 years, which I figured makes it $75 a year, or under $1.50 a week! The one I went for (after months of research and visiting stores) is a three-layer organic latex mattress.

It's hypoallergenic, non-toxic, dust-mite resistant, etc etc. But the main reason I got it is that it is so so comfortable. I seem to be sleeping much better than on my old spring mattress.

It's a lot of money, and it felt like a real stretch and a guilty luxury when I got it. But I haven't regretted it once.

Good luck!

We've a had a queen Erfjord for 2 1/2 years and have had no problems with it. We recently upgraded to a king, and for some reason it seems thinner and harder than the queen.

My partner and I bought an Ikea mattress last year that had a latex layer on the top - I think it was the Hamnvik. I found it incredibly hot even in the middle of winter and I've never been a hot sleeper. Fortunately, Ikea has an exchange policy (in Australia at least, but I assume this is the case for all their stores) where you can try out a mattress and exchange it within 3 months of purchase.

We ended up exchanging the mattress for one made from natural materials such as eco-cotton, horse hair etc (the Heidal).

If you sleep hot, I would not recommend any mattress that used latex.

I bought my latex mattress this summer from www.foamsweetfoam.com. I AM SO HAPPY AND SLEEP GREAT! It definitely sleeps a little "warmer" than a standard mattress, so you may need one less blanket. After doing a little research, I felt comfortable that this one was really natural (vs synthetic = petroleum) latex. Customer service was great in helping me decide on the med-firm-extra firm combination (9-10 inches high).

My husband and I own an latex Ikea mattress- the Engenes, which we've paired with the Tolg latex pillowtop. We've owned this combination for about three months. I'm going to go ahead and admit I fell for the Ikea Latex hype and that once home the mattress wasn't nearly as comfortable as I thought it was going to be (especially compared to the floor model, but that makes sense considering hundreds of people have helped to break them in). I would absolutely hate the mattress if not for the pillowtop to go with. As it is, it's comfortable but not "heavenly". I did consider returning it but we live four hours away from the nearest Ikea and once unrolled it would have been nearly impossible to stuff back into our SUV.

I have a theory (this is going to be long): Ikea bed slats (the spendy ones) are what make a mattress comfortable when there is no foundation/box spring involved. My husband and I had this memory foam mattress set that was like sleeping on a rock. I hated it. After two years, I decided enough was enough and decided to purchase a new bed (the Ikea Malm) and a new mattress. Once the bed was assembled, we put our old mattress on it figuring it would "do" until we got a new one. The next day both my husband and I woke up totally amazed. It turns out that our memory foam mattress was uncomfortable because the foundation it was on was as hard as a rock. With the Ikea wooden slats serving as the new foundation, the mattress was now the most comfortable mattress I had ever slept on.

We have since moved and purchased a bed from Room & Board. I am an avid fan of Room & Board, having owned several pieces of furniture from them, and overall I'm happy with the bed. However, instead of wood slats that curve and bend with your weight, the bed has straight metal slats (the bed is meant to be used without a foundation or box spring, similar to an Ikea bed). I think that makes all the difference in whether or not a mattress is going to be comfortable. I wish I could figure out how to replace the metal bars with the Ikea slats. I have a feeling THEN I'd love my Ikea mattress!

We also recently purchased a Sealy "Springfree" latex mattress and box spring. We have had the bed for just over a year, and I absolutely love it. I instantly slept better and woke without back pain. It's important to follow the manufacture's instructions for bed frames - we didn't have the proper center support initially, which did make the bed feel like it was already breaking down. With a slight alertation in the frame, all is well. I bargained with the furniture store and got the set for about 10% less than their listed price. We still paid over $2000 for a queen sized set. It was expensive, but worth it.

amanni-

plus it's even cheaper if you consider you spend 1/3 of your day on it. I can't think of anything cheaper on a cost per hourly use than that.

My partner and I purchased a natural Latex mattress last summer.

There are two techniques for making latex foam; Dunlop and talalay. Dunlop is the old school method, and tends to be firmer. Talalay is a newer production technique (vulcanized in a vacuum). In general, Dunlop is firmer and talalay is softer (more plush). Also, many latex mattresses are blends of natural and petroleum based latex.

We tested the IKEA Erfjord, but (as mentioned) it is stiff. Unzipping the cover reveals Dunlop latex (easy to identify once you see and feel samples of each). It is also not 100% natural latex, but a blend (85% natural/15% petroleum iirc).

We also checked the recent “natural” latex offering from the “s” brands (Sealy, Serta, and Simmons). I was put off by the use of chemical fire retardants (instead a layer of wool batting) and the fact that they all still had a layer of poly foam (oil) over the latex (to give a plush to the touch feel).

We went on a limb and ordered a mattress online from Habitat Furnishings. We splurged for the thickest model, but after a few weeks decided it was still a little firm. They offered three choices: 1) refund 2) a new mattress made with lower ILD latex (thus softer) 3) send us a free latex topper with a low ILD. We chose the last option and could not be more pleased. The mattress is perfect for us). I get little sleep when we travel. Their service was fantastic at all steps.

One more note; there are only a few factories in the world that make natural latex. Many on the online retailers are selling the same hunk of latex foam wrapped in a different cover. You are really just shopping for the best price/return policy.

The best bed I've ever slept on is a cotton/wool futon on a firm base (floor or bed).
But, I also don't use a pillow, so maybe I'm bit odd.

Like short giraffe, I bought my latex mattress at foamsweetfoam.com. I ordered it based on a recommendation from a trusted friend, and have been extremely satisfied. I've had it for a few years now, and still sleep great. Don't be turned off by their outdated-looking webpage--their products are great!

I have the Engenes, and I not only love it, I recommend it to all my friends and family. It sinks in just the right amount (I used to think I liked firm mattresses until I tested them all out in the store and realized I loved the softer one), and (most importantly for me) doesn't get hot. All the memory foam heats up so much it feels like sleeping in a pool of your own body heat...just awful.

Don't recommend the IKEA mattresses, latex and otherwise. In our experience it took only a couple of years for them to become uncomfortable.

I am not a big fan of latex mattresses, period, because I find that they do not provide the sort of support you need if you are a side sleeper (which I am). My shoulders and hips always hurt on latex mattresses.

The only exception to this rule are the Swissflex and other Swiss brands of mattresses, which are built in varying layers, often including springs in the middle. They are designed to work with their specific slat systems though (not just any old slats, as their slats have a sophisticated spring system).

Here are some examples:

http://www.riposa.ch/upload/produkte_matratzen_wellnessa_f.pdf

http://www.literie-girard.com/literie-pontarlier-haut-doubs-jura/swissflex.php

Being Swiss though, I shudder to think how expensive these are in the U.S.

Honestly, I would stick with a mattress with springs.

The best "natural" mattresses we found (the ones we used for cribs and beds for our children) are by Obasan.

They are pricey (in comparison to IKEA), but quality through and through. They are sold off their website, their retail store is in Ottawa, and are sold at ABC Carpet & Home in New York, as well as lots of places which sell natural bedding.

http://www.obasan.ca/en/main_nav/our-products/mattresses/acadia/

They also make wool and spring mattresses.

We love our Ikea Sultan Fjordgard matrass, which we've had for three and a half years now. It is still in top condition and we can both get a goods night sleep on it even though we're both very different sizes. We had a expesive spring matrass before and the springs started to poke through after only 2 years.
We first thought Ikea would not be great due to the rather low prices, but my grandparents have slept on ikea foam matrasses for 20 years now! I only found out about this after we bought our own.

i sleep on a generic brand of the temperpedic foam mattress. it is amazingly comfortable, i will never buy another type of mattress again.

I got a memory foam topper for my massive latex and spring mattress. Its like sleeping on a cloud!

I agree with zoee. When my partner & I bought ours we went to one store where they had two models of latex foam. One felt too hard and the other too soft. The next store we went to only had one model that felt just right, so we got that. Now 2.5 years later, we wish we had bought the firmer one. Not too long after we bought it, I developed back problems, which may or may not have been a coincidence, and I don't think this mattress has helped matters any. So if latex foam is what you want, pick one that's a bit firmer than you think you want.

I will say though, for many years I slept on a $100 futon mattress and absolutely loved it. Once I bought my first condo, I wanted to get a big-boy bed, and bought a memory foam mattress, which was just ok. I find it amusing that the best sleep I ever had was on a $100 mattress, while spending $1100 on memory foam or $1600 on latex foam has just been ok. I'm not sure I could convince my partner to go back to a futon mattress at this point though.

I completely agree with stevie about the bed base- my husband and I just switched our boxspring (which is broken) for our guest bed's, and it made a huge difference.

Good mattress buying guidance, all!

I have an Englander memory foam mattress (not latex). I don't like it much at all, as it is too firm, and is way too warm.

Wow!! You guys are amazing -- thanks for all the advice! We're on our way out the door to got est out some WJ Southard mattresses now, I'll let you know how it goes.

I admit the price of the Ikea mattresses is enticing, but hearing that the trend is about two years to breakdown makes me skeptical. I'd much rather spend a bit more and not have to worry about it again for a long time.

--angela

My old chiropractor recommended IKEA mattresses years ago. I've been using them ever since and haven't again had the problems with my back that drove me to see a chiropractor in the first place. I recommend highly!

Don't go with Bo Concept... just like they're other products, the memory foam mattress is HORRIBLE! It was like sleeping on a rock.

Don't know how they get away with creating such poorly constructed furniture (night stands with no back). A step above Ikea for $500 each.

We bought a SavvyRest mattress about 6 months ago and it is fantastic. It is latex foam in an organic cotton covering. The cool thing about their mattresses is that it is three layers of foam inside the cover, and you can choose the firmness of each layer. If you have a queen or king-sized bed, you can also get a split mattress, which means that the foam pieces are cut in half down the middle, so you and your partner can have different configurations of firmness. We did this and it is wonderful. My side is slightly softer than my husband's. And in case you're wondering, you can't feel a gap or anything where they meet. The foam layers butt right up to each other and once the cover is on, you can't feel anything.

We originally went with an Ikea memory foam mattress but it was awful. First, it STUNK. Awful chemical smell. It also just wasn't comfortable. I never got used to how it doesn't spring back. I now LOVE our mattress.

I bought a Tempur memory foam mattress seven and a half years ago. From day one it was incredibly comfortable. I hate to be overly warm in bed and I have always found it to be basically temperature neutral. It seemed very expensive at the time costing about £1000 but now all these years later it feels like a bargain. Every time we get home from being away on a trip my husband and I always comment on how comfortable our bed is. I sleep on my side and have never found anything better. When it eventually gives up the ghost, I won't hesitate to replace it.

I'm going to be getting a cotton and bamboo mattress from Sears. It's the number one in comfort and the only mattress i'll ever buy.

I bought a "defective" memory foam mattress off of eBay. (The kind that have a couple of little bubbles or are colored funny.) Best $200 I ever spent...and still incredibly comfortable, four years later. (:

I just bought a full-size latex mattress and box springs from the Original Mattress Company and just love it. It was about $1500 including tax and delivery. The thing that sold me was my friend's recommendation; she and her husband have had their latex mattress from OMC for ten years and still find it extremely comfortable.

I do not recommend the Ikea ERFJORD mattress for the simplest of reasons: Its cover cannot be cleaned. ALthough it is made like an absorbent mattress pad with a zipper, it cannot be washed, it cannot be drycleaned, and Ikea insists that it cannot be removed. We have this mattress in a twin size, and due to pet "accidents" the cover is destroyed. We removed the cover in order to save the mattress within, which worked, but now, we cannot find anything with which to replace the cover, and without a cover to compress and contain the latex, the mattress is not only vulnerable to crumbling, it is way too soft to even sit on, let alone sleep on.

We have another more expensive King size latex mattress from a different store which we sleep on every night, and its cover is much less absorbent and much more protective. It is all of one piece with the latex within, so it literally cannot be removed, but you'd never need to remove it since it does not act like a sponge. Since this mattress is better built, it is not breaking down and getting too soft, it is not as vulnerable to stains, and it is a MUCH better investment than the silly Ikea one. (Full disclosure: the first king we bought has problems with lumpiness, which can happen with latex, but the store honored its guarantee and replaced it. This one has been fine for 5 years and counting... in spite of heavy use and the very same cats that ruined the Ikea Erjford.)

Boo to Ikea for its silly design and unhelpful customer service. Don't pay for this- If you choose Ikea, get one of their other mattresses that permits washing the cover!

I needed a new bed after years of bad futons, and it's been a struggle. Started with Tempurpedic, it was awful. At first it smelled so bad I couldn't be in the same room with it. When I finally tried it out, it absolutely killed my back. So I sent it back. Then I bought a firm latex mattress from Arizona Mattress Co. I need a really firm mattress, however, I find that to get the latex "firm" enough for me in general, that it also creates some really harsh pressure points and therefore I'm not seeping well. Does anybody else have this problem with latex? Now I'm investigating wool toppers to relieve the pressure. So the jury is out, and I may have to scrap it for a "regular" mattress, which I was avoiding in the first place due to the chemicals/materials. (If you wonder why I bought a Tempurpedic it's because I had no idea they were such chemical bombs.) I am happy with the latex in that regard. High quality "natural" product and excellent cover...I just have this pressure point problem.

I own a couple of organic and natural mattress stores in Norwalk and Stamford, CT and I am happy to provide advice to anyone in the market for a new bed.

I see a lot of confusion and mis information in many of the previous posts. For example, Sealy's Natural Latex mattresses actually contain no natural latex. They are 100% synthetic petroleum based foam that is made to feel like real latex. Their marketing couldn't be more deceiving.

The Ikea mattresses don't tend to hold up very long. I'm sure that most of the people who buy them are very happy with them, but my customers who have tried them and weren't happy tell me that they start to break down after about two years and the support and comfort changes. A high quality natural latex and wool mattress should last at least 20-25 years.

I carry many mattress brands including my own hand made Terra Bed line, but I don't mind answering any questions even if you aren't in NY of CT and aren't buying anything from my shops. I'm a bit of a bed geek and enjoy helping out. My specialty is natural and organic mattresses, but I have worked with every major mattress manufacturer from Tempurpedic to Hastens and Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden to the new gel beds.

Good luck,

Jeff Klein
Jklein@organicsleep.com
www.organicsleep.com