When shopping for a new mattress, one of the key specs to pay attention to is the density of the foam. Broadly, the denser the foam, the better the quality, and the more durable and expensive it will be. The best memory foam mattresses all feature dense foam as their comfort layer. But according to a mattress manufacturing expert, a shift has taken place over the past few years, where we're seeing bed brands using lower-quality foams. And it's the pandemic that's to blame. Don't panic though, because it might not be the worst news.
I visited the a factory in Arizona where many of the best mattresses in America are made (it officially belongs to 3Z Brands – encompassing so Helix, Brooklyn Bedding, Birch, Bear, Nolah and Leesa – but it also manufactures mattresses from a load of the other leading sleep brands in the US). There, I got the low-down on the different types of mattress foam from Tim Dilworth, a retail and manufacturing exec with six years' experience in the mattress industry. Here's what he had to say about the changes in how bed in a box mattresses are made during that time...
