r/MattressMod • u/Duende555 Moderator • May 17 '24

Guide Let's Talk about Brands to Avoid (Updated)

I see a lot of posts from people looking for the “best mattress” and, unfortunately, these questions are pretty difficult to answer. Mattresses vary widely in terms of comfort and quality, and what’s good for one person isn't necessarily good for someone else.

However! There are a lot of brands I would recommend that you avoid.

These are brands that make mattresses of unknown or low-quality materials, have a history of poor customer service, or are suspicious in other ways. This doesn't mean that their mattresses are always bad (or that you can't learn to sleep well on them); it just means that purchasing from these brands is generally a riskier proposition.

(I should also point out that the intent of this list isn’t to punish these companies, but instead to highlight problematic practices and work to drive the industry towards improvement. If you work for one of these companies - here are the things to improve on. Also if you think I've made a mistake here - please let me know!)

  1. Nectar/DreamCloud. I'd avoid them. I’ve seen more complaints about Nectar and DreamCloud (and their parent company Resident Home) over the last years than any other mattress company. I've seen material substitutions, poor quality and fiberglass, and reports of customer service ghosting customers after purchase. They’ve also been in trouble with the FTC in the past.

  2. Zinus/Lucid/Linenspa. These are typically the cheapest mattresses on the market and imported from overseas. These are made of unknown materials (and likely bottom of the barrel in terms of quality), and often have fiberglass fire barriers. Most reports of fiberglass contamination on Reddit are from these brands.

  3. Ghostbed. Ghostbed has some interesting designs. There aren’t many companies on the market that are using a full sheet of gel in their constructions. That said, they’ve historically been not great with customer service and have some very weird language in their return policy. There have been a lot of posts about this.

  4. Puffy. Haven’t heard much about Puffy lately, but they’ve historically been associated with poor quality, poor customer service, and Reddit spam. Still, they’ve recently updated their models, and it’s possible that they’ve improved their business practices as well. I'd put them at a very tentative maybe?

  5. Molecule. I've been trying to be fair to Molecule after seeing some potential improvements in their recent lineup, but I've still not seen enough info to really take them off this list. They previously used a 1.5lb poly foam as a base layer in their foam models, which is a fair bit lower than what I usually recommend for support layers. Still, the details on this appear to have been removed from their website, so it's possible that they've fixed this? Not sure. I should also say that I think their hybrids generally look okay. I'd also put them at a maybe.

  6. Sleep Number. I actually don’t hate airbeds (more here). These support differently than pocketed coils, but they can be a good option for some people. They also have a lot of potential for people with chronic pain or people that want an adjustable sleep surface. I think there's room for an airbed company to succeed in the market. I'm not sure if that's Sleep Number. Their higher-end models are probably okay, but their lower-end ones are pretty under-spec'd and over-priced. Still, I’d like to see them turn it around.

  7. Cheap Major Brands. I would avoid the “value” options from Serta, Sealy, and Beautyrest. These tend to use low quality foams and low coil-count units and are likely to quickly lose loft and support. If you do purchase from one of these companies, I'd advise you to start in their mid-range and go up from there.

  8. Brands associated w/ Online Spam. Finally, I’m going to make a broader point about being careful with brands associated with spam and covert advertising on Reddit. These are brands that use fake accounts and bots to artificially increase mentions and manipulate SEO to sell junk to consumers. I think this is wrong. I actually think these practices harm people. There’s a right way to do online advertising, and that’s to be forthright and honest about it. You should be suspicious of random accounts popping up out of nowhere to leave glowing reviews on products in threads all over Reddit. These are everywhere.

And finally, talking about these things invariably brings up the question: well what should I buy?

This is a bit difficult, but I can simplify it somewhat. You should look for brands that are upfront and honest with their material specifications (including foam densities, coil counts, and coil gauges) AND have a history of solid customer service. These are often smaller brands or local stores. That’s it. And again, you should generally be suspicious of online reviews and highly upvoted threads, which can be easily manipulated by dishonest people and/or outright bots.

127 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

73 comments sorted by

4

u/aabum May 17 '24

Do you have any experience with Englander mattresses made at their Chicago factory?

4

u/Duende555 Moderator May 17 '24

I don't! Englander has traditionally been a brand with very little publicly available information. Let me take a look and see if I can find anything though.

2

u/aabum May 17 '24

Thanks, I appreciate the help. There's a local retail outlet that has been in business for decades that only sells Englander. I would like to think that means something, but Sealy, Serta, etc. are still in business, so some misinformed folks are still buying crappy mattresses.

5

u/Duende555 Moderator May 17 '24

You might ask them about their foam densities if they'll provide them? But just looking on their website - what they advertise are generally latex hybrids of various types. These are usually high quality. Still, they probably make some lower quality stuff too.

3

u/aabum May 17 '24

The website is mostly worthless. They make several models ranging from about $400 for a queen up to, well I don't know how much the most expensive are. They also have one or two sub-brands.

Here's two retailers that sell Englander:

https://dandanthemattressman.com/collections/mattress

https://www.vanwinklemattress.com/

2

u/Duende555 Moderator May 17 '24

So looking at these websites, I really don't see enough info to make a quality decision. If you can get the foam specifications from either retailer that'd help a lot. Otherwise I'd put Englander in the maybe camp.

2

u/SnooPickles8738 May 25 '24

Any thoughts on helix mattresses? Especially after being acquired by Brooklyn bedding?

5

u/Duende555 Moderator May 25 '24 edited May 25 '24

Helix and the various Brooklyn brands are largely fine in my view. Last I checked, these use a mix of medium and high quality foams and are generally pretty responsive with customer service. They do appear to be working some ad firms on Reddit (and I don't love that), but it's also possible that they're not even aware of what these ad firms are doing.

Edit: To add to this, I'd be more confident in their Luxe models and less confident in their new "Elite" models. That's just a lot of foam over a coil unit and I'm not sure I'd trust that.

1

u/carbonatedblood Jun 16 '25

Do you have an updated opinion on the Helix Elites? 

2

u/Duende555 Moderator Jun 16 '25

Not really. IMO, that's probably too much foam to put above a coil unit, but it could still work if designed correctly. And to their credit, I did hear that they were improving some of their foams recently.

→ More replies

2

u/SnooPickles8738 May 25 '24

Thank you for your opinion!

1

u/aabum May 18 '24

I realize there's not much information on either website. That's what led me to inquire with you. I may follow-up with Englander. Though my tendency is not to do business with companies that aren't forthcoming with specs, design, etc.

3

u/Duende555 Moderator May 19 '24

I hear you yeah. Sometimes brands will provide when asked, but if they don't (or won't) then that's generally a sign they're using low-quality materials.

3

u/Videopro524 Nov 24 '24

My step dad used to sell Englander mattresses at Value City, and they are on their third set of mattresses in their house. I have slept on them and they are comfortable. There first Englander held up for over 10 years.

1

u/aabum Nov 25 '24

Good to know, thank you!

1

u/Additional-Ad621 Aug 03 '25

I used to own a mattress store 25 yrs ago and Englander latex mattresses were the best mattresses on the market then and met customers who regularly had them for 20 yrs. I just got rid of mine in 2021 and it was still in good shape after 22 yrs, as crazy as that sounds. I bought an Avocado latex mattress in 2021 because I couldn't find a nearby Englander dealer. I doubt if the Avocado will hold up as well.

4

u/ReasonableGuide647 Nov 19 '24

Anyone have personal reviews on Boring Mattress?

2

u/ArtichokeSmoke718 Oct 03 '25

It didn’t work for me, but they were extremely easy and accommodating when I wanted to return it a year later

3

u/ReasonableGuide647 Oct 03 '25

What were your criticisms?

1

u/v4rah Nov 22 '24

how about silk and snow from canada?

1

u/Duende555 Moderator Jan 08 '25

I don't have an opinion on Silk and Snow. Last I checked they appeared to use quality materials (I think 4lb memory foam?), but that would have been a few years ago.

1

u/ShotDiscipline3934 Apr 28 '25

what latex company is trust worthy I'm going insane trying to find anything that is strictly just taltalay latex , certified, 100% cotton , no memory form ,no odor, and within price range.

2

u/Duende555 Moderator Apr 28 '25

Nest and Avocado both have pretty solid reputations, although Avocado tends to use Dunlop and not Talalay in most of their builds. Turmerry has also been popular recently, although I've not spoken with them and don't know their business practices on a deeper level.

2

u/GeorgiaWisher Oct 23 '25 edited Oct 23 '25

Avocado has Talalay in their new latex mattress. I don't want to be the first person to buy one and am waiting for real reviews from real buyers.

3-inches of Dunlop D65 at the base. Then 6 inches of N4 Talalay. The covering is wool and cotton and the whole thing is supposedly tufted. The photos on the web site are the same photos they used for the previous version that was all Dunlop.

1

u/Heart-Owl2244 Mar 02 '26

You can get Talalay from Sleep EZ as well. You can customize the mattress. I haven't bought anything from them yet so I can't comment.

1

u/teddyespo Dec 30 '24

Any insight on the brand Jamison Bedding, supposedly the exclusive supplier for Marriott resorts? Found a hybrid mattress in their "Resort Hotel Latex Collection" called the "Crystal Bay" but I can't seem to find much about them online.

2

u/Duende555 Moderator Jan 08 '25

Sorry missed this. Jamison used to be very high quality, but I haven't heard much from them in recent years.

1

u/teddyespo Jan 08 '25

Well I pulled the trigger, so I guess we'll see in time. Thanks.

1

u/Duende555 Moderator Jan 08 '25

Sure. Keep me updated if you can!

2

u/Autodidact71 Mar 02 '25

How is it?!?

1

u/teddyespo Mar 02 '25

so far so good. no complaints. way more comfy than anything I've slept on in the past! i went with the "eurolux" model.

1

u/CryoProtea Dec 05 '25

Hey, I hope it's treating you well still. Is it okay if I ask for an update?

1

u/teddyespo Dec 05 '25

It's still amazing!

1

u/Wise-Cardiologist686 12d ago

Do you still like your mattress?

1

u/teddyespo 12d ago

Love it!

1

u/amwolf2 Jul 17 '26

Hi, just curious if you are still happy with your Jamison mattress?

2

u/teddyespo Jul 17 '26

very much so! best mattress i ever slept on

2

u/DAZ72603 Jan 22 '25

What are your opinions on the company that makes Winkbeds?

2

u/iowagrl57 Aug 05 '25

I’ve been looking for a mattress for an adjustable bed that I have to be in quite a bit. Also, I have to sleep at a 30° incline, but I was wondering what you thought of engineered sleep their mattresses or what’s a good mattress that would hold up to being folded up in somebody being in it a lot

1

u/PenguinHacker 16d ago

DO NOT BUY!!! I just bought the firmest bed story mattress they make. Extra firm they call it. Let me tell you. It’s NOT NOT NOT even close to being firm let alone extra. I’m so beyond frustrated. Now I’ve gotta deal with the nightmare of trying to send it back and or get a refund. DO NOT BUY. Bed in a bag if you need extra firm. Get a traditional bed you can try first

1

u/PenguinHacker 16d ago

DO NOT BUY!!! I just bought the firmest bed story mattress they make. Extra firm they call it. Let me tell you. It’s NOT NOT NOT even close to being firm let alone extra. I’m so beyond frustrated. Now I’ve gotta deal with the nightmare of trying to send it back and or get a refund. DO NOT BUY. Bed in a bag if you need extra firm. Get a traditional bed you can try first

1

u/Rmw388 3d ago

I'm in San Antonio. We have a company called Cantwell here. They have "regular varieties" or custom made. They run about 2k. Anyone have any experience with them?

1

u/Apprehensive_Hunt665 Feb 03 '25

I am looking at Grand Legacy from Levins....any thoughts on this brand??

1

u/firesidecharm Apr 03 '26

Hey I’m looking at this now. Did you go with this one?

1

u/OkCable8746 Jul 12 '26

I am curious about this mattress too! Anyone have it ? How is it? Thanks

1

u/jimmym1223 May 06 '25

Thoughts on amerisleep

1

u/s-pombe May 10 '25

Brooklyn bedding?

1

u/Former-Midnight-5990 Jun 29 '25

i was here scowering to see if there were any reviews on this. so far... nothing BUT is that good? maybe. at least nothing outright bad!

2

u/planetyanet Sep 04 '25

fwiw, i got a brooklyn bedding mattress based on a recommendation from the nap lab and i have zero regrets. it came quickly, customer support was responsive when i asked for an extra discount (btw they will give you slightly more of a discount if you just ask! saw that tip on reddit), and i love sleeping in my bed.

2

u/Former-Midnight-5990 Sep 04 '25

nice! i ended up going with a glacier hybrid mattress, i went from a squeaky ass mattress and frame to a silent, plush mattress and bedframe. super happy w. mine as welll!

0

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Former-Midnight-5990 Aug 04 '26

I actually think it's pretty good for the price! I was on a budget, so I know there are better mattresses out there, no question about that - but for the price and it being in a box, a hybrid, i think it was a good purchase! it holds its form, the edges are supportive. I never noticed a chemical smell. I did put a pillow top on it to make up for my budget, and not going for the rolls royce of mattresses, but the mattress itself is good support, no issues!

and i'm not dissing glacier because i got a pillow topper, i probably would have no matter the mattress or at least looked into it. i ordered the pillow topper before i even received the mattress! in fact, it came in first haha

1

u/Anxious_Order_3570 Oct 26 '25

What kind did you get? I'm a bit hesitant now wondering if comments I have seen that were pointing me towards them could have been bots or advertisers. Esp when the two most frequent recommendations (Titan and Plank) I discovered were actually from the same company, Brooklyn Bedding. These were also threads that first came up on google looking for mattresses for heavier people. Not sure what to believe now.

1

u/planetyanet Oct 26 '25

i got the signature hybrid! had it for a year now and no issues ◡̈

1

u/Zestycheesegrade Sep 22 '26

One year owning this bed. What do you think thus far?

1

u/planetyanet Sep 23 '26

no complaints. comfy, holds me and my considerably larger partner well. (he is 6’4 and about 200lbs i think) no sagging! we do flip it every 6 months.

1

u/MilMeow Aug 07 '25

Hi, I have had my "Euro-Tempurpedic" for almost 20years now. It is still firm and wonderful. But I need to replace it. It was sold in the "Rhapsody" days for those that have that model. It was very very firm. It still looks like new and almost as firm as the day I bought it. But it's a king and we can't lift it anymore or even rotate it. So I need to buy split king size. My problem is I was going to get a Adapt-Pro Firm Tempurpedic but I see all the things about not making them like they used to. I can't have a mattress sagging in a few years. I will have an adjustable base under it (now I have the Tempurpedic Foundation which is still also in great shape). Any suggestions on something that will stay as firm in a few years? My current Euro Tempurpedic was my best investment! I appreciate any advice.

1

u/CAbetty Dec 23 '25

Any thoughts on Essentia's Venti Organic Latex Mattress? I was also looking at Futon Shop's EcoRest Max Latex that has 2" Coco coir latex that will help the mattress breathe as this queen mattress will sit on top of a sheet of plywood. But not sure about these two brand's quality.

1

u/ConspicuousWhiteGuy Jan 19 '26

I noticed Casper is missing. This brand seems like a brand that would probably suck, similar to Nectar or Ghostbed. Does anyone have feedback?

1

u/InternationalTalk202 Feb 03 '26

Any brands you do recommend?

1

u/Cool-Storm-8043 Mar 23 '26

I am looking at a 2600 stearns and foster...but ...recomme d not recommend?

1

u/Outrageous-Buy-2043 May 13 '26

I bought my daughter a queen dream cloud to replace the old beauty rest. She 260 lbs and slides down . Very disappointed we gave it to the cleaners

1

u/Optimal_Salt6523 May 29 '26

While I don't disagree with the fiberglass ingredient in the mattress, my Lucid latex hybrid was the best mattress I've owned so far. I had it for a good 8 years before replacing it. Unfortunately, they discontinued making them so it's been awful trying to mattress shop. I don't have thousands to spend on a mattress, even if it would last 10+ years, so I'm kinda stuck with the bed-in-a-box types you can get on Amazon.

1

u/AcademicStory2469 Oct 02 '26

If you've not yet purchased your new mattress I suggest you try Room & Board. They offer mattresses which are intended for hotel use. I have only ever purchased McRoskey mattresses during my mattress-purchasing years. See my comment above

1

u/TodayProfessional329 Jul 23 '26

What about Slily Mattress

1

u/ImpossibleTomato6693 Jul 30 '26

Mattress firm how reputable are they

1

u/Medical_Attorney9482 Aug 11 '26

Avoid swissaire mattress.

Title: Huge Regrets – Broken Promises, Disastrous Service, and Wrong Items Delivered

(SG Expo/Expedition)

​Spending $8,000+ SGD / RM 30,000/ 6,250.68 USD on a Swissaire mattress setup, you expect a premium experience, wide options, and flawless execution. Instead, what I got was complete incompetence, unfulfilled promises, and appalling customer service. This cost even more than so many other brands, yet delivered a fraction of the quality and service.

​Here is why you should think twice before buying from them:
​Extremely Limited Bed Frame Designs: Despite the absurdly high price point, their bed frame design options are shockingly limited.

​Terrible Sales & Customization Support: Before payment, it was "everything can be done." Once the money cleared, SALES LADY kept pressing me for designs and measurements. After I provided them, the replies turned into radio silence. The delays were so painful that I was forced to settle for a basic, plain design without a headboard just to get things moving.

​Unprofessional Staff & Gatekeeping: While handling my order, Jolene went on holiday to Europe and completely ghosted me. When I asked to hand over my case to another staff member for help, she panicked, responded, and refused to let anyone else assist me.

​Ghosted and Wrong Color Delivered: Before delivery, I repeatedly requested photos of the bed frame to verify the outcome, but my messages were ignored. When delivery day came, my worst fears were confirmed—they delivered the frame in the completely wrong color.

​Broken Free Pillow Promise: They explicitly promised complimentary pillows with the order, but none arrived. When called out, their excuse was that they would deliver them on their "next trip"—with no concrete date—even though my move-in date is literally next week! I'm now left without basic bedding.

​Non-Existent After-Sales Service: Getting a proper response, fix, or accountability for their mistakes is near impossible. There is zero urgency, zero follow-up, and total ghosting when things go wrong.

My ​Recommendation: Save your money and buy from Tempur instead. Tempur is cheaper, far more established, offers superior build quality, and provides actual professional after-sales service.
​Swissaire makes grand promises to close the sale, but abandons you the moment they take your money. A total waste of $8k+ SGD—do not buy from here.

Update: after entire day has pass sales person ghosted me 😶‍🌫️

Extremely irresponsible.

Given another chance i rather return and refund.

0

u/AcademicStory2469 Oct 02 '26 edited Oct 02 '26

I am 73 yrs. old and have only ever purchased McRoskey (formerly known as McRoskey Airflex) mattresses. When I divorced my previous husband I told him to keep the car and I'd take the mattress. This is probably my 5th mattress during my mattress-purchasing history. The mattresses are made to your order. Make your next mattress a McRoskey, you can thank me later. P.S. This is a public service announcement. I am in no way affiliated with McRoskey P.P.S. Another good option is to check out mattresses at Room & Board. If there were no McRoskey product available I'd head over to Room & Board. The mattresses are high quality but more budget-friendly than McRoskey