Mattresses Kept Directly On The Floor
You will often see the initial signs of mould on mattresses that are kept directly on the floor or on cheaper solid top bases. This is because the mattress underside gets zero ventilation meaning that any moisture can build up leading to mould. This is also why some short-term rental properties end up with mattress mould, as mattresses can be left for months without any mattress maintenance or ventilation. It is the build-up of heat and moisture that then enables mould to thrive in this scenario.
How often have you stayed somewhere short term and thought Ill turn the mattress and open the window, probably not much! We always recommend you turn your mattress monthly which should help keep any potential mould problems at bay. Remembering that its only in rare cases of high humidity and lack of ventilation that mould takes hold.
Owner Review Feedback For Sleep Number Mattresses
Sleep Number mattresses are typically purchased directly from Sleep Number, so thats where we found the majority of the online reviews. Out of the 34 good-quality negative user reviews we collected about the Classic Series , 10 contained complaints about issues related to a lack of cushioning. This included reviewers describing the mattress as too firm, too thin, bottoming out, or having poor pressure relief. Several reviewers pointed out that the c series is especially problematic for heavier-weight sleepers, and others noted the support felt better once they added a mattress topper.
For negative feedback on the Performance Series, we found far fewer complaints related specifically to the mattress thinness . But four out of 26 good-quality negative Innovation Series reviews noted that the mattresses were too firm or offered poor pressure relief. Perhaps this is to be expected, given that these users paid much more for their mattresses and therefore expected more. Three out of the six Cooling Memory Foam owners complained that their mattresses were either too thin, too firm, or lacked pressure relief.
Mold Problems With Sleep Number Beds No Longer An Issue According To Qmattressescom
The problem of mold that showed up on Sleep Number Beds several years ago is no longer a problem that buyers should concern themselves with, according to leading mattress reviews and ratings website qMattresses.com.
According to a post published today by leading mattress reviews and ratings website qMattresses.com, the mold problems that haunted the Sleep Number mattresses several years ago should no longer distract potential buyers. The post, published under Sleep Number Bed Problems of its Mattress Complaints section, highlights the two greatest customer complaints with this unique Select Comfort product.
“The valve issue appears to have been a quality matter that the company remedied some time ago,” acknowledged Christopher Fitch, Site Editor, in a written statement today. “The mold, on the other hand, was a larger problem.”
The post makes reference to an FAQ site that dealt with the mold problem in greater detail, helping concerned owners and potential customers understand what causes mold, how to spot it and how to deal with it. “In our view, it is a fairly comprehensive attempt to address the issues the company was facing at the time.”
The website notes that respiratory issues can often be triggered by mold, thereby making the presence of mold in a mattress where people spend upwards of 1/3 of their day a very dangerous problem. Select Comfort has since improved its manufacturing process to include an antimicrobial agent.
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How Does A Sleep Number Bed Work
Hoses connect the chambers inside the sleep number bed to an air pump, which regulates the airflow. The user can turn this pump on and off using a remote control. The greater the pressure inside one of these chambers, the firmer that area will be.
The Sleep Number Bed comes with a remote control that allows the user to inflate or deflate each of the chambers and select different firmness settings for each side of the bed.
Sleep Number / Select Comfort Company Ratings & Analysis
The ratings below â based on consumer experiences and the evaluation of Sleep Like The Dead â show how Sleep Number compares to the average mattress manufacturer.
| Warranty coverage | D+ | 25-year limited warranty, but owners overall give the warranty a below-average rating mainly because non-prorated coverage ends after year two of ownership. And some smart bed electronics have a 2-year total warranty. See Sleep Number warranty details. |
| Return policy | D+ | 100-day trial period which allows customer to â after 30 days â return the bed for an exchange or a 100% refund minus return shipping/delivery fee. The customer is responsible for preparing the bed components for shipping. As is often true for other brands, there are no returns or exchanges for adjustable bases, closeout or demo bed models. |
| Customer service | C+ | Sleep Number / Select Comfort customer service overall is considered by consumers to be generally similar to if not somewhat better than that of other major mattress makers. |
| This rating is determined by averaging the above company ratings. |
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The Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed Classic Series
The under-$1,500 Classic Series is Sleep Numbers entry-level offering, and the mattresses in this line sure feel like it. The 8-inch c2 reminds me of a dormitory bednot surprising, since it contains only 2 inches of foam the rest of the mattress is made up of air encased in the bladder. The c4 has an inch more foam, for a total of 9 inches, and feels only slightly less institutional theres nothing cuddly about it. Unless youre used to sleeping on a mat or you plan on springing for a good mattress topper, we dont recommend this series.
In 2020, Sleep Number updated its 360 Smart Beds, adding temperature-balancing featuresincluding high air-flow fabrics and gel materialsmeant to make the mattresses feel cooler and more breathable.
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Select Comfort has publicly stated that there have been 0 confirmed cases of mold in a Sleep Number bed sold after the antimicrobial reformulation in 2005.
The complaint alleges class action members have suffered actual damages as a result of the defendants misconduct and that Sleep Number beds are inherently defective and have grown mold.
Select Comfort contends that mold is common in many products and in the air, and cannot be considered a defect.
The first thing that you need to know is that the propensity to grow mold exists with any upholstered product, Gabby Nelson said in a telephone interview on Thursday. Nelson is director of internal and external communications for Select Comfort Corp. of Minneapolis, Minn. So its not a product defect. Mold can occur in many different upholstered products. …
The only difference with a Sleep Number bed is you have the ability to open it up and take a look at it. … You cannot do that with an innerspring bed or other upholstered product. Its not a product defect, because mold can occur in any upholstered product, Nelson said.
While the incident of mold is quite rare, we are really on the cutting edge, as far as anti-microbial and addressing the issue. We havent had a case of mold confirmed since .
Nelson said that customers and recifying product issues for them are her priority.
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Level & Flat Sleep Surface
About 20% of Sleep Number bed owners report a problem with the middle of the bed where the two air chambers meet.
Some owners say there is a “valley” or “trench” in the middle, while others report a “hump.” There also can be a problem with one or both sides of the bed sloping toward the middle which can cause a sleeper to roll or slide in that direction.
The middle area may be uncomfortable to lie on, and it can be less than friendly for intimate activities, including cuddling, spooning and sex.
Sleep Number customer service may have solutions to problems with the middle, such as a “lift” which is a piece of foam that is placed under the air chambers to raise the middle.
Problems with the middle of the bed tend to be reported mainly by owners who use very different firmness settings for each side of the bed, such as 90-20. It may also be a problem when both sides use a very low or very high firmness setting.
The Sleep Number Value Beds
The Value Bed line is Sleep Numbers bed in a box option. The company is planning to discontinue it in the near future, but for now, given the current coronavirus crisis, it has gained in popularity because of its contact-free delivery. The Value lines s1 and the s3 mattresses cost about the same as the beds in the Classic line, but they have a quilted cushion layer . That quilted layer is zoned to cater to various pressure points there are five different cushioned areas in the s1 and seven in the s3. The company doesnt divulge details about its foam, so were not sure how the zones differ. But we do know that this comfort portion isnt thicker than the 2 inches we found wanting in the Classic lines entry-level c2, and the air pump sits on the floor, as opposed to being integrated into the mattress itself, like with the other lines. And although the Value line comes with SleepIQ technology, the Value Beds dont have the smart feature that allows them to conform to your body as you shift positions. We havent tried this line, but given how spartan the c line felt, we cant imagine that any amount of quilting or zoning would compensate for the thin comfort layer.
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Can You Replace The Mattress Cover On A Sleep Number Bed
Available in 6 8 10 12 14 inch profile for Sleep Number® Beds. Now, You can reuse your existing Sleep Number® Bed support foam, pump, and air chambers with our replacement zippered mattress covers. By upgrading your mattress cover and reusing your air chambers and pump, you can save the cost during replacement.
Why Allergy Sufferers Should Avoid Sleep Number Beds
Allergy treatment begins at home, and allergy relief bedding is the first line of defense against dust mites and other indoor allergens. However, allergy relief covers will not work properly with certain types of beds. For instance, you cannot put a dust mite cover on a sleep number bed. It simply will not fit on the bed because of the tubes that protrude from the mattress. To be effective at blocking allergens, the cover must fully encase the entire mattress.
Its too bad that allergy relief mattress covers do not fit sleep number beds because, according to many people, mold growth can be a big problem with these beds. At consumeraffairs.com, past and present owners comment on the sleep number bed mold problem:
And this anonymous comment comes from the WebMD blog:
I had a sleep number bed which at first I liked but there was 1 major flaw. MOLD! There is very little venting in the bed as the mattress sits on a solid piece of plastic, so moisture gets stuck in the internals and starts to grow mold on the air chambers. Sleep number says to just wash this off and that it is not a problem that you can return the mattress for. So after only a year and a half I threw out a $3000 mattress as Mold is unacceptable.
To select comfort without the unwanted mold problems, choose a hypoallergenic mattress, and then cover it with Allergy Armor allergy bedding.
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The Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed Performance Series
The Performance Series is slightly plusher than the Classic Series. The p5 and cooling pSE each have 4 inches of cushioning, for a total height of 10 inches. The p6, the companys most popular mattress, has an additional inch of cushioning, for an overall thickness of 11 inches.
Compared with the beds in the Classic line and the Performance lines p5, the p6 felt like a real mattress, the kind with a surface thats adequately cushioned for people who are not particularly high-maintenance. But when I tried the p6 at home, I couldnt shake the feeling that I was sleeping on a rubber raft. The 5 inches of foam wasnt enough for me to nestle into, even with a softer air-bladder setting. Letting out air offered more give, but then the bed didnt feel as supportive, and it still didnt feel fluffy, per se.
I was left feeling adrift, but my husband, by contrast, loved sleeping on the p6. For once, instead of compromising on my medium-soft-mattress preferences, he could sleep on a firm mattress next to me. It was a sad day for him when we returned this mattress.
The pSE wasnt available to try at the store when I visited, but Sleep Numbers publicist said it has proprietary ClimaTemp foam that is softer and more plush than whats typically used on the p series. Unfortunately, were not sure exactly how this technology works because Sleep Number doesnt share details about its foam.
Is Sleep Number The Best Mattress
Sleep Number is one of the most well known mattress brands and has good scores from customers on initial comfort with its number firmness technology. However, there are some complaints about durability on the electronics, pumps, and air technology, which cause customers concern about value over time.
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The Sleep Number Innovation Series
The Innovation Series is Sleep Numbers highest-end, plushest line. Although these mattresses arguably dont feel as plush as most foam or innerspring mattresses of similar price, the beds in this line actually feel like nice mattresses. If I were set on a Sleep Number mattress and could afford to do so, Id spend more for the Innovation lines added cushioning. But for someone like my husband, who just wants something adjustable and comfortable enough to sleep on, a less-expensive p6 would do just fine.
The i8 comes with 6 inches of foam and a temperature-balancing surface , and it felt pleasantly pillowy. The i10, with its additional inch of foam, was just a tad fluffier. Like the pSE from the companys Performance line, the iLE is not a typical fixture in-store, and it, too, has the ClimaTemp foam, described by the company as softer and more cooling.
Why You Should Trust Us
As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, Ive spent over two years covering sleep and mattresses. Im the author of Wirecutters mattress buying guide, foam mattress guide, innerspring mattress guide, and sleep tracker guide. Ive slept on dozens of different mattresses at home, sampled dozens more in-store, visited mattress factories, and attended mattress trade shows. Ive also spent countless hours interviewing dozens of sleep and mattress experts about good sleep hygiene, pressure-point relief, and proper spinal alignment in bed. For this guide, I made two visits to the Sleep Number store in New York City to try its offerings. I also slept on the Sleep Number 360 p6 in my home for about three weeks.
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Where Can I Find A Great Affordable Mattress
If you’re searching for an affordable mattress that offers a wide range of comfort and pressure relief, we’ve compiled a list of mattresses for you to consider:
Read our short, well-researched 10 Best Mattresses of 2021, here. Our ultimate goal is to help you pick your perfect mattress online, today!
Sleep Number Mattresses: An Honest Assessment
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Weve updated this guide with information on new temperature-balancing features in Sleep Numbers 360 Smart Bed line and the forthcoming Climate 360 Smart Bed.
Spending thousands of dollars on a mattress that, by volume, is mostly air may sound as ridiculous as paying inflated prices for bottled water. But with some marketing magic and a few enticing extras, real or imagined, anything can happen. Sleep Number, the most successful brand in the adjustable air-bed category, offers 11 models with varying levels of cushioning, all of which can be puffed up to your desired firmness level with just the touch of a button. If you sleep alone and have a consistent firmness preference, Sleep Number is an overpriced option. But for couples with vastly different tastes in mattress firmness, those adjustable, air-filled chambers could be worth it.
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Below Are Real Customers That Have Purchased Or Tried A Sleep Number Bed And Are Comparing It To Our Air
*Air-Pedic a trademark of Relief-Mart, Inc. Sleep Number® is a registered trademark of the Select Comfort Corporation. We dont sell Sleep Number® brands. The information on this site with regard to Sleep Number® mattresses are strictly for comparison purposes. The Sleep Number® VS. Air-Pedic comparison chart is subject to change due to fluctuations in features offered by Select Comfort in their Sleep Number® beds.
** While Sleep Number® beds do not use inherent mold resistant urethane material, their rubber chambers are subjected to antimicrobial treatments to resist bacteria and mold.
*** The optional Airflow Transfer System is protected by U.S. Patent No. 7,334,280.
