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All this fuss about horse welfare? All my horses carry a donor card so I know that each one wants to give its brain to medical science, its hooves for glue and hair for my bed.

...only one small disaster - I used the skin of my last horse to make a canoe - note to self: don't use spurs next time....

This is the best mattress I have ever slept on. We purchased the 2000T, the top of the line mattress and considered it an investment in a good night's sleep over the next two decades or more. No aches and pains and no interrupted sleep. Love it. A good night's sleep is worth the money!

For information on Hastens Beds and other brands of Swedish mattreses please visit www.svenskabeds.com

come on. don't you know bedbugs are striking a comeback? one little outbreak and your "lifetime investment" mattress is worthless.

I would like to know whether the horsehair they use for the mattresses is humanely obtained. I didn't find any such statement that was obvious on their website. I did find one item through a google search to that effect. Found nothing on the PETA site. Everytime I see an ad for Hastens, I wonder.

I'm confused. Horsehair humanely obtained? Ok, how is it obtained? Or am I ignorant on this matter?

Also, I didn't see prices on the Hastens website so someone please clue me in, although I won't be buying one.

Maxwell, my apology. I apparently having been reading far enough along before I post. I now see the prices. Thank you much. This is twice I've done this today. I'm probably not getting enough sleep.

jmarieb, I am uncertain as to your confusion - we obviously have a failure to communicate!

What I mean is how do they get the horsehair that is one of the materials for these mattresses and is that process humane? Are horses killed to get the horsehair or do they just shave or clip the horses like they do sheep or what other means do they have to get the horsehair?

Bottom line: are any horses harmed in the getting of the horsehair that they put into these mattresses?

If you called Mads at ABC Carpet, I'm sure he would know the answer.

Pixie - I just emailed the Humane Society and asked how horse hair is acquired for use in mattresses, furniture construction and as a "fabric" for upholstery purposes. When they get back to me I'll post it on AT.

Thanks anne - great idea!

I'm sad to say this is one of the most hyped, overpriced pieces of furniture that we have in Sweden. A typical product for the nouveau riche who don't take time to try out what's really best, a certain type of people who just care for having that chequered fabric visible to guests dropping buy for a glass of champagne.

They have loads of dissatisfied customers and the retailer where I recently purchased my bed (I bought a Jensen, produced in Norway) say they stopped selling Hästens due to the high rate of complaints. Maybe that's why they search new, unsuspicious markets. This is also one of the few companies in our country to file a lawsuit against a client who sued them, claiming to have gotten allergy against electricity from her bed with a motor to raise the beds head- and footend. I can't find anything on the Internet about the outcome, however.

The beds are generally pretty firm, if you want softer models count on having to pay pretty much. What you also will need to do is massage the top mattress once every other two weeks or so, something they don't always inform you about before you purchase. One woman got the advice to drop the damn thing down the stairs since she was too small to massage it properly by her mere hands.

Bear in mind, this will probably bve marketed as a luxury item that will bring you utter comfort. Some do find them extremely comfortable, but several people don't, and I know for sure you have lot's of beds in the US that would be a better choice, especially if you can't afford but the cheaper models.

Oh, and the warranty, that's just for breaks on the wooden frame and springs. If you find it uncomfortable: forget it.

More: The hair is not only taken from horses, it's taken from cows as well. The hair is permed to be curly before used and this straightens after a while, which is a significant cause of the hardening of the top mattress. The hair is cleansed and should not cause any allergic reactions. In Sweden you can go to a retailer to get a little lump of hair to have beside you while you sleep to test this.

I just called the manufaturer and according to the woman I spoke to the material is taken from just slaughtered horses and they also use hair taken when thinning the mane and tail of horses (which is often done). Whether this is true or not I can't say. I'm looking forward to the answer from the Humane Society.

I've had one for a year, and it's the best mattress I have ever slept in, bar none. I don't wake up like I used to, no tossing and turning ever. I don't move around as much, I can even end up sleeping on my back, which I've never been able to do and feel completely comfortable. I know I'm getting a better quality sleep. No aches and pains upon rising. I'm very picky and very cranky....if this wasn't working out for me, I couldn't live with it. It's amazing.

Maria, Thank you so much for all the information, esp. about the source of the horsehair (I would never buy it because of that), but also about the quality and the complaints. Do you like the Jensen mattress you bought?

About warranties: I bought a mattress from a small company that made their own mattresses and which had a 15 year warranty on it. It was a great mattress with all replaceable parts, one of the features that sold me on it. But, when I went back after maybe 8 years to see if I could replace some of the special foam inside the zippered cover that rested on top of the coils (which I expected to pay for, since it was natural wear), they said that the technology of their beds had moved on since I got mine and they weren't supplying anything for my mattress anymore. They directed me to the foam makers in the area where they got their foam and I was finally able to track down something, but it was not at all the same as the original foam. So much for warranties.

I'm now leaning more and more towards a futon, which I haven't had in years, and a well-made one.

Maria, with all due respect, some comments:

"A typical product for the nouveau riche who don't take time to try out what's really best".....my question would be, do you know what is best for the general public and for me?

"the retailer where I recently purchased my bed (I bought a Jensen, produced in Norway) say they stopped selling Hästens due to the high rate of complaints"....this is hearsay.

"The beds are generally pretty firm, if you want softer models count on having to pay pretty much"...no, they come in soft, medium, and firm - even their least expensive model.

"gotten allergy against electricity from her bed with a motor to raise the beds head- and footend."....wha?

"massage the top mattress once every other two weeks or so,"....if you want to, you can, a few times a year, if you don't want to, you don't have to. We haven't....no problems.

About the horsehair from just slaughtered horses. I'd need a whole lot of proof that horses are being slaughtered just for the hair for the mattresses for this particular manufacturer. And, why are the horses being slaughtered? Old age? Illness? For meat? For the hair? I think the latter is doubtful. Do you use a leather purse or wear leather shoes or use a leather wallet or have a leather belt? Do you eat meat, chicken, or fish?

"One woman got the advice to drop the damn thing down the stairs since she was too small to massage it properly by her mere hands."....more hearsay.

"If you find it uncomfortable: forget it"....true, but this is not the only mattress company with this policy. It was very clearly told to us before we purchased it. Naps were encouraged prior to purchase.

This just looks suspicious, and totally trashing a company like this makes me wonder if there are other reasons for doing so.

It's a big leap to assume that a person's applied values don't extend to other areas of that person's life.

Pixie: Yes, the Jensen bed I have is great! What is a real plus is that with the continental I bought you can change the springs in the mattress to softer or firmer if you feel you want to. This cost around $ 300 in Sweden. That way you can buy a bed and still having the possibility to change your mind and not having to worry about the bed bug problem, which is not a very common thing here up until now but what I’ve heard it’s increasing here too. Otherwise, as you know if you’ve read the other bed threads, that’s a concern with companies where you are able to return the bed in a month or so.

susiq: No, not for the general public, or you, I meant for them, personally, of course. I know people who’ve just gone in to a store, tried the bed for ten minutes and decided then and there because they’ve bought into the myth of Hästens being The Best, and if you The Best you can’t go wrong, right? It isn’t the best for everyone, they just do a lot of marketing both in the press and on TV and it causes people to believe this is the best. It’s not a BAD bed, it’s just overpriced. After having gone through the process of buying a bed just recently I know it takes more than 10 minutes to decide. If you take more than that and do the effort to try other beds and THEN decide that this is what you want, then you’ve done the best you can do and I wish you all the very best with your choice. But people often mistake Expensive for Best. It is often not really the truth.

“"the retailer where I recently purchased my bed (I bought a Jensen, produced in Norway) say they stopped selling Hästens due to the high rate of complaints"....this is hearsay.” Uumm, it is not. It is what they said. And they do not sell Hästens anymore. Neither do another retailer in Stockholm due to the same reason. The owner of that store told me this.

“"The beds are generally pretty firm, if you want softer models count on having to pay pretty much"...no, they come in soft, medium, and firm - even their least expensive model.” I do not know what kind of price setting you have over there but here the cheapest queen size in soft was, when I tried them in august, 30000 SKR ($3750) while the cheapest firm model was around 15000 SKR ($1875). Now, I’ve heard that, in general, americans have firmer beds than scandinavians, and what we up here consider medium in some cases you consider soft. But anyway, when I said I wanted a soft bed this is what I was shown and the next step in softness would mount to 52000 SKR ($6500). I tried firmer ones but they were out of the question for me.

About the allergy case, here are some links. I don’t know if you speak swedish, but this is the best I can do.

http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=119&a=151549

http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_6827246.asp

Re: the massage: I don’t know but that’s what they say. I don’t have one myself so I can’t personally say if it’s an exaggeration or if it really is what you have to do. I don’t know how long have you’ve had your bed, maybe the mattress would last longer if you did the massage every other week? How will you know…?

Regarding the hair, you take what I’ve written on the subject as hostile. It is not, it’s just facts stated by the manufacturer this morning! No, the horses are not slaughtered for their hair, the hair would just be taken care of as they are dead anyway, due to illness, old age, meat or whatever reason you could think of. So I hope we have that cleared out. What I do however wonder is if this hair, produced in Sweden, is enough. If it is not, where do they take the rest from, and how do we know that those horses are taken well care of? Maltreatment of horses is pretty rare in Sweden, as far as I know, if there was some kind of cutting of horsetails in larger quantities, there would be headlines in the press. And I asure you, I eat meat but I buy the expensive kind, from animals who have been treaten well while still alive and all the way up to their time of death. I also try to buy as little leather as possible, and only in shoes. I spend a lot on the shoes I do buy and the sellers mostly asure me the leather do not come from maltreated animals. My bags are fabric of different kinds and for a wallet I use my Filofax that I bought 15 years ago and I would not buy a new one today. Actually, we have a couple of horses and if they had to be slaughtered for any reason I would not stop eating horse meat out of fear of eating him or her. I know they lead wonderful lives.

“"One woman got the advice to drop the damn thing down the stairs since she was too small to massage it properly by her mere hands."....more hearsay.” What is this? I KNOW this woman! And the retailers told me, face to face. They have stopped selling the beds for they don’t want to deal with all the problems anymore.

“This just looks suspicious, and totally trashing a company like this makes me wonder if there are other reasons for doing so.” Actually, I was thinking as I read what you’ve written, that you must work for this company. No other reason for my writing than wanting to save people from making a purchase they might regret due to believing that the bed is better than it is. There are thousands in Sweden who regret buying this brand, knowing they could have bought a better bed, though not as heavily marketed, for half the price. I did research as I was in the process of buying and I stumbled over all this info on the Internet and talking to people I have around me. And really, no smoke without fire. I have only repeated what I’ve taken in during this time, and when Maxwell raved about the bed all came back to me and I wanted to tell you guys before someone bought one, maybe to regret it. So: if one want to buy one, one should lie there for a long time, take an hour if need be. Then one should try other brands. And then go back. If one still think it’s the best one, one should buy it.

As I stated earlier, susiq, there a people who really like their Hästens, and there are people who don’t. You seem to love yours and I congratulate you, but I also congratulate consumers today for having Internet. It gives us power to find out a lot about products before we buy them.

susiq, don’t start liking your bed less because there are others who don’t like their beds. This is not my purpose, I don’t want you to start feeling you did a bad choice. If you like it, great! However, I would massage that top mattress a little more often.

We are all different, I for one need a really soft mattress due to a mild scoliosis and most people think I’m a little weird that way. But it’s what I need. I just want people in the US to know what we here already know by now.

I do find it odd that one would take such pains and lengths to trash a company that one did not have personal experience with via a previous purchase. That seems odd to me. It's like a crusade, but with a) no experience having purchased the bed b) no real knowledge about their processing/manufacture. Something's up. Why care this much? My name is Susan. Call the NY metro area stores and see if there is a Susan who works there. I don't.

When we searched for our mattress, we went to Sleepy's and tried mattresses with spring, foam such as Nature's Rest, Chatham and Wells, then went elsewhere and tried McCrosky's, Shifman, Hastens, Sleep number, back to Sleepy's, back to Hastens and after one month of testing/trying, researching online extensively, a big part of this, made our purchase. We took it seriously as we can have a series of back/shoulder issues between both of us.

Having lived with this bed for the past year+, I simply don't believe this, that there is this huge knowledge of horrible Hastens stories out there. There is no evidence, in English, online. I don't think it's nice to bash a company like this, I really don't, not that they need me to defend them, but I, unlike you, made the purchase, I have lengthy personal experience with this product, I've done my own research prior to my purchase, and there's really nothing to these claims. There is another agenda afoot.

Funny. I LOVE my bed, not to worry, this only confirms my choice, it does not deflate it in any way. If I agreed with you, I would have originally supported what you said. But, I could not agree less on many levels.

Enjoy yours and I will enjoy mine as well!

Will you both give everyone a break, and please stop this catfight. its a waste of everybody's time and energy. this isn't what AT is supposed to be about. Get over yourselves - the both of you !!!

I hope you excuse that I don’t spend that kind of money on something I’ve heard so many bad things about. That would be really stupid. As for the manufacturing I know enough. I still have the catalogue, and I’ve read the parts about the way the beds are made. As for the hairs: the catalogue says nothing about where they are taken. That’s why I called them today: to ask.

There is no hidden agenda, all I know is what I’ve written. If I had one I would just write: “Ah, it’s crap! Don’t buy!” I liked the people in the store, they were nice (but what sales person isn’t before you buy?). No one from that company has harmed me in any way. I just tell what I’ve read in forums like this from people who don’t like what they bought, and what people I actually met (in the business and customers) told me. I feel americans have the right to know about this.

You haven’t found as many bad things on the Internet as I have and that is natural: the bed is pretty new on the US market and most of the bad experiences are expressed in my lingo, so far.

As for the use of many words: that’s the way I am. I almost always write long e-mails and long messages, trying to make myself as clear as possible. For me it’s harder to keep it short.

I’m satisfied to see that you took your time to find what’s best for you. That way you did what you could and you found what you were looking for. I hope others who read this will do the same. Take care in you purchase, people! You will thank yourself.

Stop it, you’re right. I just feel I had to defend myself of the accusations. But I stop now. Time for dinner, anyway.

Actually, Maria, I don't see why you should have to "stop it." I think your comments are food for thought, and are especially interesting coming from outside the US.

Thanks.

OK - I am new to AT and am going to ask a question a bit off track - anyone out there have an opinion on a Sterns and Foster (Tribeca, sold by Bloomies) or a Shifman (either a Van Gough or Soft Cloud)? Thanks in advance.

My guess, based on my previous research, is that Shifman would be a better made mattress, I hear people love them. They are also sold at Stickley Audi, 160 5th Avenue, nearly across the street from ABC carpet, I think. They are generally a firm mattress, the Shifmans. They are VERY heavy, and since they need to be flipped like many mattresses, it would be quite cumbersome. Just something to be aware of. But, they are a quality mattress, the Shifman's. Not familiar with that S&F.

Thanks, pphillipp!

is anyone looking to buy a hastens queen soft used for one month?

need to sell a twin soft as it is too soft for my back and sciatic nerve, things i was unaware would be a problem until i owned the beds.

Hi all,

I see you guys keep bussy beating each other about these alleged pro's and cons. I am trying to make up my mind to buy a Hästens T2000, comfi but pretty expensive, €18.000 for one, length 2.10m and single top matrass.

Maria, I do value your input and maybe you could direct me to other Swedish quality beds. I have heard that there are loads of small unknown companies producing beds to the same standards or maybe even better.

Thank you all in advance for your input, I would appreciate it as it is an arm and a leg and only considered as sleep, well, just can't do without it.

Best regards,

Michiel

Hi, michiel!

One brand I really think you should check upp is Carpe Diem, http://www.carpediembeds.com/

Excellent, hand made beds from a small family company. Sadly the softest one was a TINY bit too firm for me as I have a specific back problem. "Normal" people love them, though.

Other brands are:

http://www.duxiana.se/m4n?_locale=3&o=true
http://www.ekornes.com/sverige/index_ekornes_collection.htm
http://www.lectus.se/en/
http://www.kungsangen.com/
http://www.royaleden.se/
http://www.ekens.se/
http://www.hildinganders.se/main.asp

The last two ones have the same owner.

I hope you find something that suits you. You speak of € and I guess you're in Europe, but what I suggest you do before deciding is trying to find a select comfort-mattress (sleep number, air mattress are other names covering the same concept) and try it out. This has yet to come to Sweden so I passed on that one for now, even though I could have gone to Oslo, Norway if I had wanted real bad to try it :-). Don't forget to check into the memory foam mattresses (no, Tempur is NOT swedish, but I still urge you to try it). I find them a little warm, but apart from that I slept like a baby when I borrowed one for 10 nights.

Forgot, some of those sites are only in Swedish. Sorry about that, I just wanted to give the addresses to the sites I'd saved since I was out there looking myself.

Actually horsehair is used in the bows of some string instruments: violins, violas, cellos, contrabass. The bow that one draws back and forth along the metal (or often times higher quality, better resonance, more responsive cat-gut) strings is made of horse-hair, and no horse is killed for this. The main is thinned and the hair is saved. Even when I was vegan I still played my viola.

Anybody out there that has any experience with Dormia mattresses?
Anybody knows, which mattresses they use at Hotel qt in New York, because they are extremely comfy!!!
Thanks.

FYI, Carpe Diem Beds are now available in the United States. I am a Hastens dealer in CT and I just began importing Carpe Diem Beds from Sweden as well. I feel that both brands are far superior to any other bed on the market the overwhelming majority of my customers are so pleased with their purchase that they send their friends and family members to me to try the beds as well.

I've read the comments on this bulletin board concering the treatment of the horses that Hastens gets the hair from and I'd like to address that.

What I have learned is that the majority of the hair comes from the tails and manes of horses and that only half of the tail or main is trimmed at one time so that the horse can still swat flies, etc.

Carpe Diem beds do not contain any hair for those who decide to avoid it.

Feel free to email or call to discuss if you have any questions or concerns.
My web site is www.sleepetc.com
office (203)846-2233
email jklein8@optonline.net and put "mattress" in the subject so that I don't think it's junk mail.

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff Klein

Check out Hastens beds at www.hastens.com or www.sleep-depot.com.

Really, who care how they get the hair! It is a damn good bed, AND it is made of all natural materials. No toxic emissions. Yeah!

Good for the environment! Good for me! Good for the horse!

Thanks,

Jeffrey
Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, KY!!!
I am from louisville, graduated from manual hs in 2000!
small world?

Is any familiar with beds make by KungSängen, a Swedish company? Since their website is only in Swedish, I assume they're unavailable in the U.S.

A colleague from Sweden told me that a non-commercial consumers' agency testing different brands compared Hästens with KungSängen and they got exactly the same high ranking - but the price for the bed from Hästens was approx $1700 higher.

Maria,
Bitter party of 1!!!! Why such hostility? ex-employee that got fired? Before purchasing my Hastens bed I was encouraged by the sales staff to spend quality time in the bed & check out other brands to compare with. They knew I would be back. No doubt about it. As for the harming of any horses, get your facts correct! no horses are ever harmed. in fact they just trim the hair from the mane. This is the best bed in the world. It has saved my life, I suffer from arthritis in my neck and back, and without this bed I wouldn't know what I do.

All this bantering back and forth just shows how hard it is to find a good mattress! Can anyone help me? I'm a side sleeper and need something that "gives" at the shoulder. I've tried lots of American beds that are just too firm -- the springs don't give even though the padding on top does. But I tried a Kingsdown that seemed really comfortable -- it seemed to give. Are they good? I've tried a Carpe Diem that was wonderful, but over $10,000 for a mattress??? Is it just a marketing scam? Is there something out there that is as good as that but cheaper?

I have read a lot of negative comments about memory foam and, so far have focused on natural beds that will not outgas harmful chemicals. Have looked at good quality natural latex and an all-wool mattress made by a woman in Montague, CA. Still. concerned that latex doesn't "breathe" and may be warm, and that the wool will not offer enough support.
Recently came upon Hastens. Sounds good except for the price. Was trying to not use metal springs but may be necessary.
Maria's mention of Jensen's mattresses is of interest. Does anyone know of an English website for more info or a store in the U.S. ? Thanks, Cher

Also, to respond to Brett, the natural latex mattresses - Lifekind, or A Happy Planet's Obesan/Oasis from Canada - with a wool or latex topper might be comfortable for you.
Also Hastens sells a top mattress made with horsehsair, wool and cotton which would probably offer a good, resilient natural sleeping surface and the horse hair would also regulate the moisture and heat. Cher.

To all HASTENS non-believers or future investors of HASTENS products...

One thing to keep in mind is that these beds are handmade, handcrafted with ALL NATURAL MATERIALS. Hastens beds are the only beds in the world that are made by hand & with all natural materials. The industry standards of manufacturing beds are using syhthetics/man made material that do no breath, air cannot circulate around the body, which creates trapped moisture within the bed. What feeds off of moisture? DUST MITES, and what do dust mites do they create allergies. The moisture is trapped in the foam or rubber and cannot self-ventilate so you are sleeping in a vat of chemicals, body moisture & dust mites, which is not healthy for your body. The viscose-elastic foams (memory foam) have to outgas and are full of chemicals. Don't be fooled by latex being a natural material. Yes it may come from the "Natural" Rubber Tree, but chemicals still have to be added to rubber & foam to create a feeling of comfort.

Hastens is not for everyone, only for the "ONE" who wants the most natural sleep for their health, body & soul!! Hastens IS WHAT IT IS!! Plain & simple

How can you question a company who has never compromised the integrity of their product? They have only perfected their craft over their 150 year history. The value is in the product, materials, and in the people who hand build each of these beds. A bed that is for people should be made by people, that is what Hastens is!!! I encourage those who are researching Hastens that there is nothing else that compares. I am a proud investor of a Hastens King Excelsior Bed System and I am a proud educater of Hastens products. All our customers have been completely satisfied and then some. Aren't you worth the investment of a Hastens bed? Sleep is so important and sleeping on natural materials is nothing like foam or latex. Hastens beds are GREEN, there are no chemicals in these beds that are harmful to you or to the environment. Please ask me questions about Hastens. We can only keep ourselves informed & educated, that is what I belive. I have so much passion for this product, because it can change your life, especially for those with back issues, hip issues, shoulder issues, sleep deprivation, sleep apnea, etc., etc.!! You do truly get what you pay for and it is worth every dollar. Invest in you & your life:)!!!!!!

FYI: NO HORSE IS SLAUGHTERED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THESE BEDS.

Thank you for reading. Best Regards, Kisa

Go to www.hastens.com to find a dealer near you.

Hastens beds are worth trying. If you go to a dealer give yourself at least an hour to try the different beds. You should also give yourself 15 minutes in one position when testing beds. One more idea, the Chicago Peninsula Hotel has Hastens beds available in a few rooms. I would recommend checking in one night, if it's possible to do so. You can stay in the Grand Deluxe Guest Room for $575 a night, this has the Excelsior Firm and for $695 a night you can try the 2000T Firm in the Executive Suite. You won't be disappointed.

Kisa
Hastens Boise, Idaho

While reading all your comments, I got very interested.
In the Netherlands, a small family company, who builds handmade beds only out of natural materials. They sell their beds all over the world, Bonaire, Barcelona and Paris for instance.
The beds are completely peronalised, so each bed is unique. Like every human being is.
Hastens does not look at your personal weight, length and proportions. It is not totally individual manufactured. Lavital beds are not mass produced, each bed is built especially for his or her owner!
Very interesting are their prices, 40-50% below hastens prices!
Unfortunately, the website has not yet been translated in English. (Will be soon..)
But all employees speak English, so it is possible to ask questions and provide information. Check out: www.lavital.nl
Handmade personalised beds, only natural materials and the best innersprings.
We hope to hear from the American people soon!

Dear Kisa,
Hastens beds are not the only beds in the world made by hand !!!!!!!
It is pure a marketing story, like a lot they tell you is.
In Europe, not even all over Europe, they are reasonably known. But the critism of customers is growing, especially about there prices and the things they like us to believe. Natural materials are the best materials you can have in your bed, but there are many, worldwide, companies building these beds by hand.
Hastens is not really that special, 25 years warrantee? I know a European company who give a lifetime warrantee, just because they use a better quality wood and also Swedish springs.
Check out websites in Europe, you will see for your own.
Kind regards,
Cynthia

Cynthia & Astrid,

Thank you for your insight on other manufacturers of "THE" Natural bed. This information will be helpful for my research.

Best Regards,

Kisa

Some of you guys keep mentioning some of these other bed makers. Who are they?

Hello all,

I was told to check out this website because our company was mentioned.
Our company 'Lavital' produces handmade beds.
In a very small village, just above Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Europe.
All natural materials and Swedish high quality springs. Because we use an other kind of wood for our frames we are able to give a lifetime warrantee on spring- and construction failure.
Every single bed is especially made for his or her owner.
Because everyone is different, in proportions, size, length and weight...
This is one of the big differences between Lavital and many other bedding industries which all produce in mass.
Other differences are our prices; our warrantee is longer but our prices lower.
This is because we believe in a honest, no-nonsense product. We want to sell a good night sleep for years and years and we do not want to sell just a bed and make a profit of selling believes and marketing stories.
The translation of our websites is under construction, it will be finished definitely in september. Our products are not yet available in the US, we are looking for partners/franchisers.
We have the intention to visit trade fairs in the US and Canada.
There are, anyway, in Paris, Barcelona, Dubai, Costa Rica and Bonaire people sleeping on a Lavital bed, among them several VIP's.
Some other bed makers are situated in Great-Britain, they are overall smaller companies.

Best regards,
Marjolein

Hello Christoph,

I'm sorry to hear that you have scoliosis. A daughter of a friend of mine has it too.
I am told what kind of problems it gives.

Lavital can ship also to Germany, at this time the production of a bed takes six weeks.

What I would like to know is what kind of frame you have under the mattress.
The balance between mattress and frame is always very important. Some sleeping systems do not cooperate with each other and will give more problems.
On the other hand latex mattresses can not give support as springs can.

Also important to know is your length, weight and proportions.
This is an important aspect of the building of the mattress. When we know what kind of springs one needs in the shoulder zone, back zone, hip zone etc., than we are able to provide the body the opportunity of a real relaxation during the sleeping period. When your muscles can not get their balance and rest, they will hurt after eight hours of sleep.

Our knowhow and product is based on this formula.
Lavital is willing to help you the best we can.
You can contact our company by email if you like.
We will do our utmost to find a solution or help you in your research.

Best regards,
Marjolein

Hi,

@Marjoleian: Does Lavital ship to Germany as well? And how long do you need for producing the bed?

@all - very interesting discussion. Made my first experience yesterday with hästens and duxiana. Both interesting concepts - surely driven by marketing efforts. But still probably offering pretty good beds. Can't tell enough for now about any experience only that I have scoliosis and at the moment - sleeping at a pretty firm latex matress - wake up every morning with my back hurting heavily. That's why I was looking for a better bed. If you have more information sources from your buying and research, e.g. maria and susan, I'd appreciate to have those to bring myself up to speed.

Thanks in advance,
Christoph

Has anyone tried the Nature's Rest that Sleepy's sells? Should I be concerned with toxic fumes from this "natural" bed as well?

I live in NYC and am looking for a quality mattress..but not at the Hasten price tag. (I am with you Brett on that one although I fell in love with 9K mattress at ABC Home.)

Suggestions?
Thanks!

Nature's Rest latex mattresses are about 75% chemical and 25% natural latex. Only their pillows are 100% natural latex.
Englander Mattress Company imports 100% natural latex into the US and sells it through retail stores in the area. The benefit of natural latex vs. synthetic is that the natural is more breathable, does not have an odor, and most importantly does not contain the harmfull chemicals that can be found in synthetic latex.

Jeff

Greetings -

Add me to the list of New Yawkers looking for a good night's rest. I am 2 1/2 months recovering from lower back surgery (on 3 levels) and have been advised to invest in a good mattress to promote better back health.

I have read alot of great things about the Hastens, however being a marketing executive myself, recognize that they have a great one. It reminds me of Bose (audio). As any audiophile will tell you - Bose waves system does not produce sound worth even close to what they charge. That's not to say Hastens is the same marketing centric product line, but it does remind me of it.

Anyway back to the subject - Has anyone heard of Charles H. Beckley beds in NYC? I am finding them being compared to Hastens quite often and they are a fraction of the cost (I think my quote for a queen Bristol was around $1700). HEre's the link to thier site http://www.chbeckley.com/prod_mattresses_intro.html . I haven't been to their showroom, but plan to visit shortly. I am leery of going up to ABC and trying a Hastens, learing that my marketing instinct was less than accurate and falling in love with a bed costing more than my car.

Because I know everything that goes into building a brand, I hate buying a name... but in some cases it's entirely justified. Who knew mattress shopping would be such a big freaking deal!?

The Charles H. Beckley beds seem to be very well made. Some of the models use natural filling matterials as well that will last a long time and provide for a very breathable mattress.
However, the spring unit used is called a Bonnell type spring. This type of spring unit really cant be compared to the system used in a Hastens bed. In a Hastens bed, every coil is wrapped in a separate cloth pocket so that each coil is independant from the next. This creates a much more conforming mattress. In addittion, Hastens uses more layers of coils than other manufacturers and more turns per coil.
Hastens upholsters their beds with natural materials like cotton, wool, flax and horse hair and they use about 10 times the amount of materials than other companies.

The result is an extremely comfortable, supportive and long lasting bed. And I am in the business of selling beds ( I am the CT Hastens dealer), so I am obviously biased, but I really do feel that the mattress is by far the most important piece of furniture in your home.

You spend 1/3 of your life on your mattress, be sure the get the best one possible.

Wanted to mention another method to get better sleep and feel revived in the morning, a 2,000 year old Chinese health secret; Goji Juice.

A couple of years ago I purchased an expensive bed, about 2,000 USD. Then 5 months later, because the mattress was caving in and the retailer would not take it back, it got donated. Now I have a Sam's Club bed (looking to upgrade - that's how I found this page). Afterwards and unrelated, I began supplementation to improve my health and I accidentally improved my sleep too. It was not vitamins or minerals that did the trick but Himalayan Goji Juice. So I'm recommending to all that want a better night of sleep to drink Himalayan Goji Juice. It has helped my wife and I sleep deeper and feel revived in the morning. Actually we sleep less and feel better. I purchased Himalayan Goji Juice from http://www.gojiisbetter.com.

We still want a new and larger bed, but Goji Juice has helped our health in many ways, even as we sleep on our Sam's bed.

Again, I think I speak for many Americans, if a decent-priced, hand made, natural mattress/bed comes to the USA market, please post it here.

Thanks so much,
Tieri

I agree totally with Goji Juice. While reading interesting things on 'What's the best mattress' forum I do hope someone picks up this Lavital brand. I phoned them and asked for their prices.
There products begin at 3500 Euro and ends at 7600 Euro, count this plus 2000 (oppr) you'll get dollars. So the bed Safier-lux comparable with T2000 will cost us 9700 dollars. Ten-thousand less, this is really something to think about. Check them out on www.lavitalbeds.com.
I will be waiting for this brand, that's for sure...

HALF PRICE HASTENS OPPORTUNITY!
I am the Hastens dealer in CT. I own Sleep etc. of Norwalk and Stamford. I am in the possession of a Hastens Continental, medium firmness, silver check set with BJ Top Mattress that is a European size (210cm x 220cm) This is 83" wide by 87" long compared to an American King size of 76" x 80". The set is new, but it did not fit into the freight elevator or the stairwell of the building that it was being delivered to. The boxspring is not in two pieces, this is a one piece 83" x 87" boxspring that does not bend. The retail price is $10975 and I will discount it by 50% ($5348)plus shipping charges. I can ship this anywhere. The boxspring is still in the original packaging. The mattress was removed from the original packaging so that it would fit into the freight elevator and will be re-packed properly.
Any interested parties can email me at jklein8@optonline.net or call my office (800) 417-5337. Thanks. Jeff

Bar none the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on. I have a slight back problem stemming from a 10 year old car accident (forced into a guard rail at 60 MPH). I slept on a Hastens bed for the first time at the Hotel Uppsala. It was the first time in a very long time that I awoke the next morning without ANY pain.

As far as the horsehair debate... for all of you city folks and PETA types, horsehair is obtained from the mane and the tale of the horse (the hairs on their bodies are far too short for the making of beds, furninture, car seats, etc.). The mane and tale grow back just like the hair on your head, it is quite humane and is part of the regular grooming of a horse (or is PETA protesting barbershops and sheepshearers now?).

How does water compare to all of this???
i know it sounds kind of hippie but what about a water bed?

It funny for me to notice some of these cultural/country differences between some of these posts. I am Swedish, like Maria, however, I have lived in the US for almost 20 years.

I just want to clarify things for the confused American on the “Hasten issue”.

1. What Maria does not understand, coming from a country that regularly bans all dangerous chemicals from the public (unlike the US, because it could hurt the profits of businesses), is that, the people who are inquiring about Hastens, do so because they are looking for a bed without the loads of toxic chemicals that are used in the beds in here in the US.

To illustrate the chemical issue, a few years ago, several large US cosmetic companies filed a complaint in Europe that the need for them to eliminate specific chemicals that were banned in Europe (to be able to sell their products in Europe) would hurt their bottom line and would make them unable to compete with the European manufactures on a price basis. I am always amazed at the number of chemicals that are banned in Europe but not here in the US. Lovely isn’t it.

2. Therefore, Maria main concern is preference and money as she can also pretty much choose between any manufactured bed in Sweden without the concern of toxic chemicals in her bed. Accordingly, she assumes it is the same for us in the US, but it is not.

3. She also assumes that Hastens is a widely known “prestigious” or exclusive brand in the US just like it is in the Sweden, and that is why people here are considering it. Outside of Scandinavia and maybe a few other European countries, it is not a known brand name at all. I live in Los Angeles, and I can guarantee you, that if I stop 1000 people on the street, I’d be lucky if even one person knows the brand Hastens. And that one person would probably be an eco friendly individual from Beverly Hills.

I have never seen Hastens advertised in the US, nor have I ever seen it mentioned in an article about beds. Here they only talk about Sealy, Serta, or the “Swedish Tempur Pedic” mattress that ironically, is not from Sweden at all, and so on. I only came across Hastens and this site because I am looking for a bed without tons of chemicals and of good quality.

4. That said, Hastens is a great choice if you have the money. However, there are a lot of other good organic and natural beds out there that are much cheaper (but more expensive than a chemically made bed). Do a search on “organic” or “natural” “mattresses” and tons of stores will come up.

Best Regards,
Sylvia

PS. I only came across this site by a fluke and I will not be back, so I will not be able answer and questions/comments/complaints.

Organic Beds: If folks are looking for natural and healthy beds, please visit our small company, www.anaturalhome.com

We focus on making affordable, organic, non-toxic beds, bedding, and furniture. We don't use horsehair but may look into it. I have enjoyed reading all the comments here and have learned a lot. (If we ever do use horsehair it will come from brushing the many Amish horses and then having it cleaned properly.)

All our products are hand made by the Amish in Ohio. We don't have a factory. All our workers work at home in their own clean shops. They are happy and they make better products because of it.

Currently we have several types of beds - Natural latex, organic cotton and wool innerspring, Futons, and vegan versions of these beds. My favorite and most luxurious feeling bed is the 10 inch latex, (9 inches of latex, wrapped in an organic cotton and organic wool zip-off casing), topped with a 3 inch organic wool topper. Everyone who lays on this bed just loves it.

Many people who come to us have severe chemical sensitivities. These people have very difficult lives and can suffer greatly. We do everything we can to help them with furniture and bedding that they can tolerate. Many other people who come to us simply want to have organic furnishings as part of their beliefs and lifestyle.

Yes this is a promotion for our company and I hope you visit us. If you wish to email me, send to michael@anaturalhome.com The website has recently been redone and my email may not be active yet. If you have any trouble, give it a day. You can always contact us directly through our site. Thank you.

We bought an hastens bed half a year ago and it has been a big big problem for us - we live in Norway and were drawn in by their all natural material story.

The bed, priced at some 4000 USD has proved a major disappointment - it has a faulty construction so it is impossible to find a good balanced sleeping position in it - one is always falling /tilting towards the middle of the bed - the whole bed is rounded without real any fixed points and tilts quite a few degrees towards both ends and the middle. Not surprisingly it has been hard to sleep well in it - we used to sleep a lot better in our 500 USD IKEA bed which is a bit of a joke.

The real big issue has been the company’s policy on such issue - straight denial - everything is your sole problem - they make the world’s best beds and no one should tell them any different least of all a costumer!

I think the real truth to is that the beds are way over priced to what they offer the consumer - and their construction and manufacturing techniques - "hand made" are just outdated. Their all nature material story is however good I believe - but the horse hair part of this is just rubbish - or a "great" marketing story - I know quite a bit about fibres and there is nothing special to horse hairs - wool and cotton - which in reality they use a lot more than the horse hairs - that is however great fibres - though the wool will get a bit warm feeling in summer.

So don't bother with Hasten - there are loads of other brands out there that will give you better sleep at lower cost...

Anne

Anne Cecilie,

Which model of Hastens did you purchase?

I have a retail furniture store and just went to NYC this week to discuss the possibility of opening a Hastens shop here in North Carolina. What has been posted thus far on this forum has been very helpful. I was very impressed by the Hastens shop in Soho, a bit less impressed by the ABC shop-in-shop, but the beds were wonderful. Still, the price does seem excessively high. Anyone have any thoughts, words of wisdom, etc.?

Looking for a handcrafted custom made bed of exemplary comfort and quality without paying for the Hastens advertising costs?? Visit www.lavital.nl for exemplary quality and comfort and price-quality honesty.

Sweet dreams
Nadette Comerford
Netherlands

Just happened on this site and read diagonally. I think Hastens beds sounds good, and have a promise of Natural components, who can complain about that. If it's too expensive for you then just don't buy it.

The trashing from Maria seems very uncasual and obviously has something behind it. Lots of frustration. Or madness, like a wild animal. She has a purpose specifically against that company. Or she is just frustrated in her life and needs to revenge on something, anything and it happens to be this topic. See how happy she got when someone supported her... "thank you"

For everyone's sake, let her not post here or on any other website again.

Hastens is a damn good bed, and it is simply natural. Just that fact, whether the bed is the most comfortable in the world or not, satisfies some people's deep rooted needs in itself.

To Jerry from North Carolina.

Hi Jerry,
I was the first Hastens dealer in the US and I also carry other ultra premium Swedish brands like Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden.(www.carpediembeds.com).
I have had a wonderful experience with retailing Hastens and other Swedish beds and would be glad to answer your questions. Why don't you email me? jklein8@optonline.net

Jeff

Jeff Klein, Sleep etc., Connecticut

Hello, I'm Looking for a used but good condition Hastens 2000t Hastens Excelsior bed. Please let me know if you have any of the above for sale. You can contact me at: joshbm@comcast.net Also, I would be willing to cover all shipping costs. Thanks & Happy New Year

Josh

I slept on a Hastens bed-the Excelsior- at a hotel and it was, hands down, fantastic. I slept like I haven't slept in years. When I came back to New York I went to their store to try them out. The prices were kind of a turn-off. I mean, come on. They had a bed that was just under $50,000. I may be wealthy but, I'm not stupid. In fact, if I was stupid, I wouldn't be wealthy! Though I think they're comfortable, I won't be buying one. I believe that it may be possible to emulate the comfort with a feather bed. Does anyone have experience using a nice, thick 3-4" all-down feather bed on top of a decent mattress like a Sterns & Foster? OR, perhaps just purchasing the top part of a Hastens bed and using it on top of another mattress?

Is somebody from Sweden able to tell me the SEK price of the Excelsior 210x180 ? The US price would also be interesting.
I'm very interested to find out whether there are price differences between the various countries. For info, in Holland this bed would go for Euro 12.600 (16.200USD / 114.000SEK).

I use a Hastens topper on top of a horsehair and cotton mattress made by Charles H. Beckley in New York. Queen size total price was about $3000. Far less than a Hastens setup and very firm bed, yet comfortable.

I live in Sweden but am moving to the US. I have tried all kinds of beds here but found Jensen beds to be the most comfortable and reasonably priced. Does anybody know if Jensen beds are sold in the US? I have tried to find the information on Google with no luck. Thank you for any input.

Hello all, I am a retailer of Hastens and Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden. I also sell other brands such as Stearns & Foster, Englander, Sealy, Tempur pedic, and more. Hopefully this post will answer a few of your questions. It is possible to simulate the feel of a premium quality bed like Hastens and Carpe Diem, but unfortunately, no one can give you the support and comfort together, not to mention the longevity of their beds.
As you probably know most U.S. mattress manufacturers are building beds with one sided construction. Very convenient for us, since we all hate flipping our mattress. These manufacturers are loading up one side of the bed
with tons of foam and other upholstery materials to achieve a soft comfortable feel. The problem with that design is that we as people hold the majority of our weight in our rear ends. Even though the bed feels great, the spine is not in its natural position. Your butt will sink in more then the rest of your body as the support (spring system) is way at the bottom of that big one sided mattress. What happens is you fall asleep fine, but you wake up with soarness or still tired despite the 6-8 hours of shut -eye you just got. The reason being, since your mattress failed to evenly distribute your weight, your muscles, instead of sleeping, were called to the job. I have heard various complaints throughout my years in this industry, but most of them came when mattress manufacturers decided to make half a bed. Two of the biggest complaints are; that 6 months after purchase, the bed feels signifantly softer than when they first took it home, and the other are those 1 1/2" body impressions that develop rather quickly. Both of these examples are normal according to the manufacturers of these one sided, more convenient sleep sets.
Hastens and Carpe Diem beds are built not only to be the most comfortable beds in the world, but to offer decades of support as well. They do this with all natural materials and the most advanced spring design to date. The spring in these beds is what is supporting your back and giving you the comfort. Both companies use an individualy pocketed coil which has twice the amount of turns
per coil than the best Amrican bed. This allows each coil to conform perfectly to the part of the body that compresses it with out affecting the performance of the coil next to it. The bed actually evenly distributes your weight so perfectly without applying pressure that the sleeper almost experiences a sense of weightlessness. With the bed containing no foam that detiorates, Hastens and Carpe Diem promise
decades of comfortable restorative sleep. You don't need to spend 20 or 50k to experience this, ever Hastens and Carpe Diem bed offers this starting around 5k.
If interested, I have some Hastens models that I would discount from 10% to 40%.
I hope this has been helpful, if you would like to contact me, please do so at: tsnakes1@optonline.net

To S:
No, Jensen is not available in the US. You should look at Carpe Diem as it is a similar feel and a slightly higher quality. It is new in the US but will be widely available over the coming year. I am bringing in containers of it to the US for my stores in the NY/CT area, but I can easily ship anywhere.
Let me know if I can help.

Jeff Klein
Svenska Beds/Sleep etc.

I haven't read all the comments, so apologies if this has been answered already. As someone who has been around horses all her life, I'd assume that the hair comes from horses manes that were 'pulled' (thinned and shortened) and tails that were cut (most tails don't need this to be done, but some are cut if they get too long, and it's popular for jumpers to have an even cut at the end of their tail between the hock and the fetlock--although they wouldn't get much hair the way). Also, I'm sure they also use horse hair that is clipped from the body when it gets long in the winter. Horses are also eaten over there, so I don't doubt that they use hair obtained through slaughter for other reasons.

Hi

@JLo: price in Finland (next to Sweden) for Excelsior 210x180 is 12400 eur with cheapest top (BV) and without top 11600 eur.

Others...
As Finland is seen as a rather honest country ;-) Maybe you want to check out unikulma beds, i.e. 'Sleepcorner'. They say, that they have the best dreams in the world, as many others do also, of course.
http://www.unikulma.com/uk/index_uk.html
I tried yesterday their 'motorized' bed and Hästens too. Both seemed to be very nice. Unikulma had better wireless controller ;-)) Price was totally different, i.e. twinbed with motor appr. 5000 eur.
Here is what they write of themselves.
PS. I was just a visiting potential customer, and no relation to seller. Just seeking better bed.
--
Unikulma is the leading Finnish quality bed specialist. The suspension of our brand - Bodyform® beds - is measured and manufactured exclusively for You on the basis of the contour and pressure charts produced by the ErgoCheck® tester.

The external dimensions and visual appearance of the bed can also be chosen according to individual preference. Bodyform® beds are hand-made in an environmental friendly manner in Finland, using the best european materials available.

The Bodyform® bed is a total concept for a better night´s sleep. It will be exclusively tailored for You.
--

Greeting to Sweden ... just continue screwing your economy as giving bad picture of your country's products. I bet you appreciate, as getting higher tax rates due to this :-))

Well...
as surfing more on unikulma as trying to make my decision, I noticed, that they have now multimediabeds :-)

I only found this Finnish web-page.

http://www.unikulma.fi/avalon.html

This might be too extreme to me, though.

i sleep on a hastens excelsior queen and love it! i had multiple surgeries for my back and for several years slept on a tempurpedic which was okay at the time. then i found the hastens bed and the natural breatability was a huge selling feature for me after sleeping on foam. since i am also in menopause the air flow of the bed is important for me in getting a good nights sleep. what i like most about my bed is the flexibility i feel with the individually wrapped coils. i believe that since i have started sleeping on the hastens my body has also found more flexibility. thank you for this bed, i call it a healing bed.

susie

Any one has comments on Simmons mattresses?
Thanks.

Don't buy one unless it's all you can afford.

I'm looking to buy a Hasten bed - preferably a lower end model. Is any one looking to sell a used Hastens bed? If so, please call me at 718 790 9973. This is for my own use. I'd prefer a King size but a queen would do as well.

thanks

Hi,

i would like to buy a new bed as well. Have you heard for Vi-spring beds? Belgium company. i heard that they are also made from natural materials and the best in the world? they are also quite expensive. do anyone have any comment? comparisson? i am quite confused with the wide variety of the products and all are the best:) I was impressed by Vispring what are have read on their website and what i read in the catalogue they have sent it to me but i have not tied slipping on this bed. they have also cheapest versions of the matresses. but whether thea yre also so good as the best models? is it enough to buy just a matress and not the entire bed? i would appriciate any comments, experiences. Unfortunatelly neither of the brands you have talked and i am talking is not sold in my country, so i can not try personally.

Thanks in advance,

To Answer the last question about VI Spring. They are an English company and they have a very good reputation. I would consider them on par with Hastens and Carpe Diem.
They are only imported and sold by one company in the US and that is located in AZ. I can't remember the name of the dealer.
They are priced the same as Hastens (approx $10,000 to $20,000) but they have fewer models.

I carry Hastens, Carpe Diem and several other lesser known beds from Sweden in my Connecticut stores. In fact, I was the first dealer in the US to sell Hastens in 2000 and I was the first to bring in Carpe Diem in 2006.

Most of our customers are from NY or CT, but we do ship nationally, so I'd be happy to send info to anyone that requests it. I'm also happy to provide information, opinions, and advice to anyone who is not purchasing a bed from one of my stores but needs help. Don't hesitate to contact me.

Jeff Klein
Svenska Beds/Sleep etc.
jklein@svenskabeds.com
www.svenskabeds.com

Hi Everyone!
I just came across this site and felt compelled to add a comment regarding Hastens beds. My wife and I purchased a 180cm x 210cm Continental in June this year. We based our decision on a number of factors including price, construction (we wanted an all-natural, non-toxic bed), longevity, and most importantly our own past experience sleeping in a Hastens bed. We had a positive experience in a hotel. We saved money for 3 years to buy a Hastens. The bed cost around $12,000. We spent several hours during multiple trips to the store trying diffent beds before making our choice.

Shortly after receiving our bed we found that the construction was defective. We ordered a Medium, and one side was very soft, while the other was somwhere between soft and medium. We immediately contacted Hastens and they sent a representative to inspect the bed. Two weeks later she arrived and agreed that the matress was not constructed properly and agreed to replace it. We waited another 5 weeks t before the replacement matress was delivered.

There was no improvement in the matress that was delivered as replacement. We notified Hastens 2 days after delivery that we wanted to return the bed and get a refund. They actually argued with us and tried to tell us WE were wrong and the bed was fine. This despite the fact that we were both now feeling back and shoulder pain which had never happened before. They again offered to replace the matress. When we decilned to have it replaced and asked for a refund their attitude changed significantly. After weeks of telephone calls and several letters, they finally agreed to upgrade our purchase by replacing our bed with a higher quality model. We agreed to allow this on the condition that if there were any problems, we would be able to return it for a full refund.

We went to the store and selected a 2000T as the replacement. The store manager phoned her boss and got the approval to do the exchange. We left the store feeling satisfied, albeit a bit uncomfortable with the quality of service (I'm leaving allot of detail out here concerning the store personells attitude, suffice it to say it was not nice).

I sent a short letter confirming our agreement and asking for a timeframe to deliver the new bed. The next day I recieved a call from Hastens saying they would not replace the bed. Needless to say we were shocked. We immediately went back to the store where we spent the next hour negotiating for a refund. They finally agreed to refund 85% of our purchase price within 5 days. That was 7 days ago and we still have not seen our money.

We now have to get a lawyer to help resolve this. It has turned out to be a nightmare. We wish we would have read this and many other threads concerning Hastens and their problems before making this purchase. We have subsequently been in touch with many other unsatisfied customers who share our experience. Our advice from firsthand experience is that although there are many satisfied customers of Hastens, there are also many unsatisfied ones such as ourselves. Think long and hard before you buy from them, and be sure you get everything you agree to in writing.

I'm curious about the previous posting. 180cm x 200cm is a European size. Did this happen in the US?

Even if it did, my experience as a Hastens retailer has been a very positive one. The beds are made by hand so it is very rare for one to be defective, although it can happen. Over the past seven years that I have sold Hastens, I have come across only three or four problem beds and each time Hastens was very responsible and handled the situation promptly and fairly.

I'm curious to find out how this ends for you.

My two stores, Svenska Beds and Sleep etc. were founded by my father 40 years ago and we pride ourselves on having the best reputation for unbelievable customer service in the industry. In fact, that is how Hastens happened to contact me when they first came to the US.

Let me know if I can help in any way,

Jeff Klein
jklein@svenskabeds.com

Jeff,
We live in Europe and purchased the bed here. I think it should be noted that there are many retailers such as yourself who do provide excellent service. I can't go into too much detail because our case will now be turned over to a lawyer.

I think we have been very unlucky in that the problems and defects with the bed can't seem to be resolved in a reasonable way. I really would like to think that this is not the norm for a company. I am a business owner and our number 1 priority is customer service. If my customer is not happy, I do whatever it takes to make them happy even if it means I have to take a return of goods and refund their money. Unfortunately, we have found that Hastens does not embrace this philosophy.

I want to be clear here: I am referring to Hastens and Hastens retail store personnel in my specific case only. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am sure there are many satisfied customers out there. My wife and I are just able to say we are among them.

If you can provide me with a senior level contact person at the corporate office in Sweden, that may be helpful.

Many thanks!

edit to previous post:
I want to be clear here: I am referring to Hastens and Hastens retail store personnel in my specific case only. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am sure there are many satisfied customers out there. My wife and I are just NOT able to say we are among them.

To: dlglobal1

I'd be happy to provide you with Hastens contact info.

But rather than posting it here, please email me at jklein@svenskabeds.com and I will email you the information.

Thanks,

Jeff

I was curious how Hastens compares to Duxiana (or Dux) beds? My client has one and swears by it, but I haven't seen much info on them. Anyone have personal experience with the Dux bed?

glenn

Just wanted to say that I appreciate the exchange of information taking place here. I almost shuddered when I saw this post, fearing what I imagined would devolve into a nasty argument concerning "values", rather than value. The comments have instead been thought-provoking and quite helpful. Glad to see that I was wrong.

WOW-
people are certainly passionate about MANY things here- including their Beauty Rest!
Just to add my 2 cents to the topic of Custom Made Bedding....in Chicago, there is a gentleman, who had the foresight to get into a new kind of bedding back in the 80's-
that's right- Futons.
After being a local manufacturer of Futons for over 20 years, Mr. Larry Sohn, has been hand-making, organic custom beds for the past few years (he's spozed to be retired)-
his website is http://sohnsheirloom.com/story.htm

Tell him a Chicago Furniture Designer told ya bout him!

Cheers!

This is an interesting thread to read folks;)
I first saw the ad for the infamous Hastens bed mattress in Dwell, & for better or worse the model they listed was about fifty grand. All I can say is that I have absolutely no personal experience with the product but my gut instinct & common sense tells me that any type of value for dollar simply isn't in the equation unless of course it's spun with hair from a blonde maiden or gold thread. Someone mentioned the checkered pattern which instantly identifies the brand & the first thing that popped into my mind was was Burberry's checkered baseball caps for street wear & it's associated prestige. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that of course as long as you're not in denial about the message. If I was running that Hastens company, I'd be spending a lot of advertising dollars in modern day Moscow or St. Petersburg Russia where the perceived value relative to the product would make sense to a population with astronomical amounts of cash to burn.

Oh how funny! People are now paying absolute top dollar for the mattress technology of the late 19th century, which required all sorts of turning, beating, airing, and such to be halfway functional.

Those who don't know design history are doomed to repeat it, at a premium price.

i'd like to see how someone with one of these beds would try to show off the checkered pattern to guests/visitors. i can just see them lifting a corner of all their bedding back or refusing to use bed skirts as methods to silently advertise their purchase. ha ha!

Oh, wende. My thoughts exactly.

Outsized gingham. How charming.

FYI- For all those in the market for Hastens beds, there is currently a one time only chance to purchase beds at a discount.

For the next few weeks, floor samples and other misc. items will be significantly discounted to make room for the 2009 floor samples. Most items are in like new condition. Contact your local store for details. My company has most models available in several firmnesses as do most dealers.

Good hunting!

Jeff Klein
Svenska Beds Hastens of Connecticut
jklein@svenskabeds.com

For all those in the market for Hastens beds, allow me to caution you AGAINST buying anything Hastens.

This company will leave you in the dirt should any problems arise with your dealer or warranty issues.

I saw where Mr. Klein had previously offered his assistance (via forum) to another very disgruntled buyer that a Hastens dealer, and then Hastens corporate, had screwed over (that's right, I'm far from the only one). So in vain I attempted to contact Mr. Klein several times. Unable to get past his guard dog Anthony.

And what about Hastens corporate? Oh yes, even better. Promises promises (Roger? Sofia?) that lead into procrastination, excuses, and then complete abandonment. Oh how I truly adore being ignored by a company that I paid an **atrocious** amount of money to.

I fell for all of their beautiful lies. Do not do the same.

My boyfriend and I have been looking forward to coming to NYC to try out and probably buy a Hastens after many painful months of sleeping in a 2 y/o Sealy that has turned out to be completely worthless. I found this blog during my research and I don't even know if it is worth the visit. Does anybody know of any place near DC that sells good quality mattresses at reasonable prices (or that has frequent sales)? I have been trying to find a local dealer but have not been lucky thus far.

Thanks,
Amanda

To Anonnnymm,

That is so unfair to say that I have never tried to help you when you have never contacted me directly. You could have left a voice mail, sent an emial, left a message for me to call you back. I respond to all calls within minutes when I can.

I am guessing that you did not purchase your bed from me as I am well aware of the handfull of problems that have come up over the years as I have taken care of them myself, imediately. I even flew across the country last month to set up a bed that had not been set up properly by the delivery service. I would call that bending over backwards for my customer.

I have posted my direct email address on this site several times and whoever you are, you have never contacted me. In fact, the posting on this site just before your comment has my email address. So please contact me now and I'll try to help you if I can.
Jklein@svenskabeds.com

Maybe I'm taking this too personally, but I work so hard to take care of my customer's, and anyone else who asks for advice or service, that your comment is hitting a raw nerve.

Also, the Hastens employee/country manager that you mention, Roger Eriksson, has not been with Hastens for almost a year. Sofia is the Rep for California, so I am assuming that you had a problem with a store in CA and are taking out your frustrations on me.

Thanks,

Jeff

TO Anonnnymm,

And another thing......... The one person who did have a bad experience with a Hastens store purchased the bed in Europe. I contacted them to see if there was anything that I could do to help, but they were dealing with an uncooperative store in another country and they appologized to me for leaving a negative comment on this site.

Jeff

having the same concerns as everyone else here -- looking for a good mattress that will last, without breaking the bank. Has anyone had any experience with the encased coil mattresses from room & board?

Going thru this long thread and the quest for a good bed.

Maria recommends Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden.

But does anyone knows other European brands like the below?
Wonderland
Kinnabädden
Living Bed
TempraKON
Bozzolo

I am familiar with most of the above mentioned brands. Here's the lowdown:

Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden- Love em. Made by hand using top quality materials in Lysekil, Sweden. I've been to the factory overlooking the sea about an hour north of Gothenberg. I sell them in my CT shops and Carpe Diem is in the process of opening dealers in several states. See www.carpediembeds.com for more info or email me and I'll send you a catalog. I sleep on a Carpe Diem Malo model.

Wonderland- Good quality. Machine made in Norway. Better than most American beds, but lower quality than Carpe Diem and Hastens. Not sold in the US, but I am talking to them about bringing them in, but that is probably at least six months to a year out due to production capabilities.

Kinnabadden - They made low to medium quality beds in a small factory near Boras, Sweden, but they are no longer in business. The factory is now used to produce private label beds for use in some Swedish department stores. I have been to the factory and the employees are very dedicated. If they start to produce anything for the US market, it could be worth a look.

Bozzolo- Tried one in Sweden a couple of weeks ago. I was not impressed to put it lightly. They are sold in Sova stores and possibly other stores in Sweden as well, but the quality seemed really low to me.

Hastens- Very good quality. Been to the factory many times. They are hand made using top quality materials. Every bed is perfect when it leaves the factory. 99% of my customers love them, but they require a fair amount of maintence in the first year as the natural fibers settle and they slowly get firmer each year.

I have been selling more Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden than Hastens lately as they are hand made using the same quality materials. They are even more breathable, they are also upholstered using many natural materials, they don't settle and don't require flipping, they are a great value ($5000 to $25000). And even though I was the first to sell Hastens in the US, I am probably going to phase out of Hastens this year. My Carpe Diem business has been growing at a very fast rate and I am also going to get involved with Carpe distribution so my hands are pretty full.

The bottom line though is that Hastens (www.hastens.com)and Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden (www.carpediembeds.com) are clearly the two best brands of beds in the world with Vi-Spring in England coming in close behind. Some of my customers prefer the features, benefits and feel of Hastens while others prefer the features, benefits and feel of Carpe Diem. The support is equal so I would suggest that people try both and select the bed that is most comfortable to them.

Good luck,

Jeff

Not sure if I agree with the statements made about VI-Spring, but given that they were made by someone selling the competition...

-- The last time I compared prices, VI-Spring was about half the price of a comparable Hastens bed. Part of it is explained by the fact that labour costs are lower in the UK than in Sweden, and that the shrinking pound has improved the exchange rate.

--VI-Spring has more choice than Hastens, not less. There are no less than 22 different mattresses (6 of which are designed to be used without boxsprings) and 4 different boxsprings, or divans (which can be made different heights, as well as springless). Like Hastens, VI-Spring also has a fabulously expensive version, as pimped by the Beckhams.

--Haven't heard any complaints about VI-Spring, but have about Hastens (and Dux).

-Doesn't have a separate pillow top mattress like the Hastens.

Other high-quality beds to be investigated:

--Savoir Beds

http://www.savoirbeds.co.uk/

Originally the in-house bed maker for the Savoy Hotel in London, they started making beds for customers to do high numbers of requests (the first hotel bed?). Famously, King Hussein of Jordan had Savoir beds for all the bedrooms in his palaces. (again, no pillow top)

-Hypnos

http://www.hypnos.ltd.uk/UnitedStates/home.htm

The Queen Mum had one! (although I also read she had a Dux).


-Nilson

http://www.nilsonbeds.nl/en/home.html

Dutch hand-made natural beds with the most gorgeous styling options.

Built very much like Hastens (pillow-topped with no latex).


-Lavital

Dutch hand-made beds using organic materials -- cotton, wool, flax, horsehair, and even camel hair (the only manufacturer I know to do so). Designed to meet the needs of individual owners - height, weight, body types and health concerns govern the construction of the bed. frame made from beech, not pine.

-Another pillow-top bed.

Dux

http://www.duxbed.com/us_en/index.shtml

Another Swedish bed, built unlike any other: Basically, layers of springs topped by a latex top mattress.

Tony Blair had one in 10 Downing Street.

We slept on one for 3 nights in a hotel -- I loved it (it felt like floating), but found it too soft.

Personally, I am leaning towards a VI-Spring (or maybe a Nilson or Lavital...). Decisions....

I tried to be as unbiased as possible. I thought that I was fair to Vi Spring. They are great beds, but for one thing, they dont have a separate pillow top. That is a negative in my opinion for two reasons. one, you have to flip the entire heavy mattress instead of just the pillow top and two, when the upholstery layers wear out, you have to replace the entire mattress instead of just the pillow top.

Also, Vi Spring isn't currently available in the US. Neither is Lavital.

JK

OK folks,

I have to give the owners of Sleep Etc/ Svenskabeds in Norwalk CT a huge compliment, Jeff and Anthony, you guys are the BEST !!!!! I live on the West Coast and have been considering a top of the line mattress for some time now. At one point I got pretty serious about the Hastens but just kept putting it off. I recently decided to just get something lower cost and local at the Sleep Train store in San Francisco. This ended up being a mistake. I had not shopped for mattresses in quite a while and did not realize how narrow the choices have become especially with American made mattress company's. Virtually all the mattresses made now seem to be "no flip" mattresses. After sleeping on a Vera Wang foam mattress for a few days it became very clear that I had made it mistake, (I realize that purchasing a mattress is a very subjective decision but for me foam just does not cut it). I wanted more choices, so I finally started doing my homework and found Carpe Diem mattresses. The Carpe Diem is somewhat similar to the DUX but without the complication of the inserts and in my opinion is a higher quality mattress. The Carpe Diem mattress topper is easy to flip and if it wears out you just replace it. Also the Carpe Diem does not have any of the "horse hair" issues of the Hastens. The full line of Carpe Diem is only carried at one store in the United States right now, in CT. So I flew to New York and took the train up to Connecticut. Jeff Klein picked me up at the train station and took me to his store in Norwalk.....once at the store every detailed question was answered. I tried all of the Carpe Diem beds and one of the Hastens, I finally decided on the Korno, medium...If anyone reading this is even remotely serious about buying a high end mattress it is really worth the trip to see these guys.....They are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and they will take the time to answer all of your questions. Lastly when we finished they took me back to the train station and had me on my way in no time. Awesome service guys !!!! Thank you very much.

Regarding the need to regularly flip the Hastens 2000T mattress, I actually enjoy the routine. It reacquaints me with the quality of the materials that cover the mattresses.

After each "flip", the bed feels renewed and refreshed - almost like a new bed again. It takes a couple of nights, and then gradually your body starts to sink in again as the mattress takes on the shape and weight of your body in the post-flip location.

The quality of sleep is equally amazing, whether it's the night after the flip routine, or a few weeks later.

With the 2000T, Hastens nailed it in terms of a simultaneous feel of firmness and floating on the one hand, yet a softness and sinking feeling on the other, all bundled into one impressive system.

Thank you SleepyShane, I really appreciate your comments. I try very hard to bend over backwards for my customers (and anyone who asks bed advice) and it is extremely rewarding to see that the effort is appreciated.

Jeff

Jeff Klein
Sleep etc./ Svenska beds
Norwalk, CT

For the record, although I was the first Hastens dealer in the United States, I am phasing out of the brand after nine years.

I had made a comment on another blog and several people have asked me why, so I'll explain.

Hastens beds are wonderful, they are among the best in the world. I am not dropping the line due to any Hastens problems. It's purely business.

For the past few years, I have been selling Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden along side of Hastens. Carpe Diem beds use many of the same components as Hastens, even from the same vendors, but they have a few advantages that most of my customers have preferred.

The bottom line is that I am running a business and I have to give the people what they want. When comparing the two brands side by side, the majority of my customers have been preferring and buying Carpe Diem, so it was a natural choice to phase out Hastens.

Although I have never had any major problems with Hastens beds over the nine years that I have been dealing with them, there are a lot of maintenance issues that are a turn off to a lot of customers. Carpe Diem beds substitute a plush layer of Natural Latex instead of the Horse Hair that is found in Hastens, so the beds don't settle, they don't get firmer with use and they don't require the constant flipping that Hastens mandates.

The two brands are more similar than they are different. Carpe Diem was actually founded by a chiropractor in Sweden who purchased a Hastens and realized that he could make some changes to the bed that would make it even more conforming to the shape of the spine. He used many of the same ingredients including components from the same vendors. Both brands use a similar pocket spring system that is made by the same company. Both brands use a similar hard wood base with tongue and groove construction. Both use cotton and wool and both are hand made by artisans.

The primary difference is the use of a natural latex layer instead of a horse hair layer. This make Carpe Diem impervious to the horse hair issues. No settling, even more breathable, longer comfort life, better edge support, better pressure relief, more conforming to the spine, etc. etc. But most people choose them because they feel incredible. They are truly amazing beds to sleep on.

Carpe has even been rated higher than Hastens in Sweden (number one for the past five years in a row) by the Swedish Furniture Industry Survey.

Of the hundreds of Carpe Diem beds that I have sold, we have only come across one bed that had not been manufactured properly. They have a zero percent return rate which is unheard of in this industry.

I am still a fan of Hastens and I still have some inventory in case anyone is looking for a deal, but going forward, I'm Mr. Carpe Diem. I have even inked a deal with Carpe Diem to be involved in their US distribution and several US stores are in the works. The beds are now available at my CT showrooms as well as two shops in CA.

I guess I am still Mr. Hastens too. So if anyone needs unbiased advice, feel free to email.

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff Klein
President
Sleep etc. and Svenska Beds
Norwalk, CT