Review: IKEA Sultan Erfjord A Year in Bed Project

Bed: Sultan Erfjord mattress & Sultan Tolg Pillowtop with Sultan Aram foundation with Sultan legs
Manufacturer: IKEA
Retail Price: $1,268 for the whole set in full

Our second month of bed testing was very different than the first, as we slept on a much more affordable, much firmer natural latex mattress to which we added a pillowtopper at the end. Nutshell review: I love the overall Swedish design of this bed, but really didn't sleep well until we added the topper, and then it was okay for us. It was too firm with very little "give" to the latex (the Erfjord only comes in Firm). Only if you like firm beds will you be happy here.

Sleep Experience

• Fair (very firm)

The big issue here is the firmness of the Erjford, which is due to its use of natural latex. This latex is more ecological in that it is naturally harvested, BUT it is quite firm, with very little give and a "hot" sleep experience. In terms of feeling, you experience sleeping "on" as opposed to "in" this bed.

Adding the topper for another $200+ dollars was therefore essential for us and saved our month, though we were glad to switch beds this past weekend. We are decidedly not firm mattress people anymore.

Construction

• Excellent

Aside from this particular mattress, I give IKEA a ton of credit for a great bed design with largely natural materials that closely resembles the high-end Hastens. This bed shows IKEA's strong commitment to going green.

The foundation is heavy and durably made from solid pine and spruce, and it has terrific wooden legs that attach directly to the foundation, removing the need for an additional frame of any kind. The mattress and topper are also heavy with good quality materials.

The mattress is 85% natural latex, surrounded by 100% lamb's wool and 100% eco grown cotton. The topper is a mixture of natural latex filling, polylactide (PLA) fiber and 100% lamb's-wool wadding, which combines to greatly soften and cool the sleeping experience.

While I have a healthy skepticism for IKEA's products that are not meant to last long and contribute to Throwawayism, this bed is not one of them for me. If you like this bed, it should last you a very long time.

Price

• Excellent

IKEA always does a good job on price and the Erfjord is no exception. Getting a complete, eco bed with natural latex for this price is hard to beat. While all the pieces DO add up, most beds with natural latex will run you four times as much as this one.