October 29, 2021 update: It’s been NINE years and we still love this mattress. We bought this thing in September 2012 and it’s still going strong! Note: this post contains affiliate links.
And now, please enjoy my original 2019 post:
Oh yes, it’s Internet Mattress time. I bought this king-sized mattress from Amazon for $279 back in September 2012 and on this, the month of its seventh anniversary, I bring you a progress report.
In summary:
- Internet Mattress is still going strong
- I would buy it again, which means I recommend it
- It’s still under $300 (currently $289 for the king size)
Before buying this thing, I assumed that mattresses are expensive. That there’s no way to circumvent paying five figures for a bed that’ll last longer than a year or two. How wrong I was. How jaded by advertising I’d become. And how glad I am to be proven wrong.
Note: I bought this mattress with my own money and (unfortunately) no one paid me to write this review. The links to mattresses are affiliate links, which means if you also score a deal on an Internet Mattress, Amazon will pay the Frugalwoods Family a small percentage of the sale at no cost to you.
Internet Mattress: Comfort Review
From a comfort standpoint, Internet Mattress gets an A+. Mr. Frugalwoods and I both have testy backs and need a firm mattress. On this front, Internet Mattress delivers. We have the 8-inch version of the Lucid (that’s the brand name; unfortunately it’s not actually called Internet Mattress), which provides ideal firmness for us. The 8-inch is described as “medium-firm,” whatever that means. Lucid offers a range of firmness from 5 inches, which is the most firm, up to 10 inches, which is listed as “medium-plush.”
I notice how firm and comfortable this mattress is every time we sleep somewhere else. When we’re traveling, we both yearn for Internet Mattress. If I could take it as a carry-on, I would. Full disclosure: I would also take my hacked Sodastream to ensure the constant supply of seltzer water that I run on. When I travel, I miss my mattress and my Sodastream the most. I mean, MY KIDS, obviously I miss my children the most!!!!
One of the things I wondered seven years ago was whether or not the foam would deform over the years and it doesn’t appear that it has. Mr. FW and I have our respective sides of the bed, but an inspection of the mattress doesn’t reveal any dents or divots. It seems to still be flat. You can’t flip this mattress over, which worried me initially, but again, it seems to retain its shape despite our nightly sleeps.
Internet Mattress: Financial Review
It’s cheap. Like, really really cheap. What more can I say? Purchased for $279 seven years ago means we’ve spent:
- $39.86 per year
- $3.32 per month
- $0.10 per day
I did not know that $0.10 cents per day for seven years equals $279 and I have to say, my world is all the brighter for this knowledge. I hope yours is too, courtesy of calculator math by me.
The bottom line is that this thing was an excellent purchase and we’ve definitely gotten our money’s worth. We’re also definitely still using it, so the cost per year will continue to decrease over time. One of the reasons we were so willing to buy this mattress (without first trying it) was the price. We reasoned that even if we ended up hating it (and for some reason couldn’t return it) we wouldn’t be out very much money.
There are a number of other so-called “discount” mattress retailers, but I have to say, their prices are nowhere near as low as Internet Mattress, which currently retails at $289 for the king size:
- Casper’s king size is $1,152.47
- Nectar’s king size is $999
- Tuft & Needle’s king size is $750
- Sealy’s king size is $441.39
It’s true that the Lucid mattress is less fashionable. It’s true that they don’t plaster ads everywhere. It’s true that they don’t put a bird on it and that I am decidedly less cool because I don’t sleep on a hipster bed. But I also saved a bunch of money and that’s a trade off I’ll make.
Note: Amazon is running a special where you get $50 off your purchase of an Internet Mattress if you’re approved for an Amazon Visa card. I have this credit card and like it, so if you’re in the market for a card, this could be a great deal! Please read my post about responsible credit card usage first: The Frugalwoods Guide to a Simple, Yet Rewarding, Credit Card Experience. I also wrote this guide on how to find the best credit card for you.
Internet Mattress: Sanity Review
The other thing I love about Internet Mattress is that I was able to buy it from the internet. We did not have to go into a mattress store. We did not have to spend hours being up-sold by eager salespeople. We did not have to negotiate on price or schedule a delivery.
We did not have to enter the palpitation-inducing tunnel that is reading mattress reviews. We did not have to pay for shipping: Amazon (for all their faults and foibles) delivered this thing to us for free. I find that in some contexts–this one included–frugality fixes paralysis by analysis.
Internet Mattress: FAQs
Since I’ve owned this mattress for seven years and been writing about it for five years, here are the questions that pop up a lot (feel free to ask more in the comments section!):
Q: Is the foam of the mattress hot in the summertime?
No. I don’t notice that it’s any warmer than any other surface I recline on during the warmer months.
Q: Can you use regular bed sheets?
Yes! We have hand-me-down king-size sheets from my parents and they fit just fine. By the way, thank you mom and dad for redoing your bedroom and giving us your old sheets!!
Q: Is Internet Mattress a knock-off Tempur-Pedic?
I think so. It’s a fully foam mattress, which I believe makes it a Tempur-Pedic knock-off. I love me a good knock-off, especially seeing as the Tempur-Pedic currently retails for an eye-watering
Q: Is it waterproof?
I see from your question that you too have children! It is not waterproof so I bought a waterproof mattress cover. Note: our mattress cover seems to be deteriorating after seven years so if anyone has a recommendation for a good, waterproof cover, please let me know in the comments section!
Q: Have you written about Internet Mattress before?
Why yes, yes I have. Here you go:
Q: How heavy is it?
The king size weighs 66 pounds and measures 80 x 76 x 8 inches and is delivered wrapped up tight in a box. So I mean, it’s not lightweight, but it’s not disastrously heavy. If you need to take it up stairs, you will need a second person to help you.
If you’re not able to lift, you’ll need to have two friends come over to take it up the stairs for you. When it’s delivered, DO NOT open the box until it’s in your bedroom. The thing unfurls dramatically and you do not want to try and maneuver an open mattress up stairs or through a door.
Also, we successfully moved Internet Mattress from our Cambridge home up here to our Vermont homestead, so the thing is transportable if needs must.
Q: When should you replace your mattress?
In my–admittedly not expert–opinion, you should only replace a mattress when it no longer feels good to sleep on. I am SURE there are mattress industry experts advising regular, timed replacements of mattresses, but it seems that if your bed is still comfortable, there’s no reason to chuck it. I usually think that the “rules” about when to replace things are created by companies trying to get us to buy more of their stuff…
Q: Is this an organic mattress?
No, it’s not. It does, however, have a CertiPUR-US certification. Here’s what I learned:
CertiPUR-US is a certification program administered by a not-for-profit organization. CertiPUR-US certified foams are:
- Made without ozone depleters
- Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants
- Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
- Made without formaldehyde
- Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
Source: CertiPUR-US. More about mattress regulations–and what an organic mattress really is–at Consumer Reports.
Q: Does the mattress smell?
Nope. It comes with a zippered cover over the foam and, as noted above, I put a waterproof cover on top of that. The mattress itself seems to be odor-free.
Q: Do you need box springs?
No, we don’t use box springs. The mattress sits directly on top of the wooden slats of our bed frame. I like that because it’s one less thing to buy, to maintain, and to wrangle up the staircase (although as I’ve vowed to never move again, this shouldn’t be an issue for me… ). If you already have box springs, I imagine you could just set this mattress on top of them, but they’re not necessary.
Why Do You Write About Your Mattress, Mrs. Frugalwoods?
Dudes, I am passionate about helping people save money on the things they need. Buying new stuff is my last resort and before I do it, I run through the following checklist:
1) Can I get it used?
For just about everything I own–from cars to coats–I go the used route. I shop thrift stores, garage sales, and the side of the road for tables, chairs, kid’s toys, holiday decorations, leggings–seriously, you guys, I buy almost every single thing used.
Why? Because it’s cheaper, it’s more environmentally-friendly, and it saves me the time and mental anguish of comparison shopping for new stuff. I adore the kismet of the used market and treasure the weird stuff I pick up at yard sales for $0.25. The full rundown is here: How To Find Anything and Everything Used: A Compendium Of Frugal Treasure Hunting.
I do, in fact, own a used mattress. I bought our twin bed (mattress, frame, and box spring) for I think $100 from Craigslist back in 2012. This bed was in the guest room of our Cambridge home and will be Kidwoods’ bed once she graduates from her hand-me-down toddler bed. I’m also the proud author of The Myth Of The Gross Used Things and before buying Internet Mattress, I scoured Craigslist for a used king-sized mattress and bed frame. After about four months of searching, I gave up. This isn’t to say that the perfect used king-sized bed isn’t out there, it’s just that we didn’t find it when we needed it.
2) Do I own something similar that’ll suffice?
This is not super relevant to the mattress question unless you happen to own extra mattresses. This question is, however, very relevant for multi-purpose items such as clothes, toys, and furniture. For example, I wanted a play table for Kidwoods’ bedroom and realized we had an end table that wasn’t seeing much use. I popped it into her room and–voila–works great as a kids’ table.
3) Is it something I won’t use very often and thus could borrow from a friend?
Clearly we could not borrow a mattress from a friend. This approach is awesome for one-time use stuff, such as: kids’ Halloween costumes, specific tools for a building project, etc. Then, if we find ourselves needing to borrow it more than a couple times, we know it’s time to buy one for ourselves.
4) Do I really and truly NEED it?
As someone who once slept on a yoga mat in an attempt to not buy a mattress, I can declare that I really and truly need a mattress in my life.
Unlike a mattress, there are lots of other things I think I need that turn out to be wants. This is especially true for me with regard to kids’ stuff. I have to step back and realize my kids are just fine with the garage sale wooden blocks we already have and that I do not need to buy the $4,596 magnetic wooden blocks.
Another way I answer question #4 is by following my 72 hour rule. The full explanation of this rule is here, but the basic idea is to wait three days before buying non-necessities so that you can reflect, consider the purchase fully, and avoid impulse buys.
When You Need To Buy New
If I can’t get it used, if I don’t already own it, if I can’t borrow it, and if I really and truly need it, then I want to find the best value on it for me–and by extension–for you! After I run through that list of questions, and let 72 hours elapse, I’m going to buy it (whatever it is) new. And if I’m going to the expense, the environmental cost, and the mental energy of buying new? It had better be a good deal. Internet Mattress checks that box with aplomb.
Wow, that’s a great review for and recommendation for something so low-cost. I paid $600 for my last mattress and am pretty happy with it so far about 4 years in but am wondering how long it will last. This is great intel going forward. So many people dump $1k or even $2k on mattresses and this shows how insane that is.
4 yeears is not that much tbh, a mattress should keep itself for about 6-7 years.
I bought one of these after I read about yours, was that a couple of years ago? It is in my guest room and all sleepers have been happy. Can’t imagine going back to the old way!
Aaaand bookmarked for when we replace our mattress… hopefully it’ll hold a few more years, but if it’s related to my back pain I’m calling it. Pain is a reason to spend some money, lack of pain is glorious.
For the mattress cover, I just got an Amazon Basics one that I really like (it seems to be identical to the more expensive one we have that stopped being waterproof after 8 years). Plastic underside, terrycloth-like upper so it doesn’t feel crinkly, perfectly waterproof, affordable, delivered without pushy salespeople. I can’t speak to longevity yet, but given how close it is to our other one, it looks promising.
Here in the UK we have a large bed company advertising on TV and “suggesting” we all change our mattresses every 8 years!! (Apparently, your mattress will be full of dead skin/bugs/mites/etc). The classic marketing trick of playing on peoples’ fear. Very generously, they will even supply your new mattress with a large label sewn onto it on which you can write your date of replacement!! Encouraging people to spend money unnecessarily, not to mention the environmental cost, really annoys me.
We have the same here in the USA. The big chain stores push the “replace your mattress every 8 years” nonsense.
I also own Internet Mattress. We spent $225.74 for the 8 inch King size version in May 2017. My husband LOVES it, I think it’s a decent mattress; but way better than our last one. (I think now that I am no longer continually pregnant I’ll like it more- it hurt my hips, but pregnant EVERYTHING hurt my hips). I can tell where it has gotten softer where we lay on it, but there are no visible dents.
We use the Lucid Mattress protector: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A2G9UDA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It’s been nice for keeping the mattress clean when 1) dogs puke, 2) babies puke, 3) pregnant women (ahem, me) puke on the bed.
It doesn’t make any noise at all, we don’t even notice it under the sheets. I have 2 of them so I can change it in the middle of the night and then the first one goes right into the washing machine.
I’ve recommended this mattress to so many people, but then most talk all about how great and affordable Casper is. It’s like they don’t believe me. Oh well, it’s their money, not mine…
Thank you for the mattress protector recommendation! That one looks good and not too $$$$
The Purple mattress cover is excellent and has saved our skin so many times from bottles being spilled or the unfortunate vomit from a sick child. It’s totally worth the money.
We have an Ikea mattress cover that is waterproof without being yucky plastic-y feeling that I recommend to everyone! I know it’s waterproof because it’s been on one of my son’s beds for the last 6 years, being, um, tested. (Used with #1, then transitioned to #2’s bed when #1 was fully potty trained and #2 moved into a big-boy bed.) It’s been washed multiple times with no noted deterioration and still worked during the most recent stomach virus. I’d definitely recommend it!
“tested” LOL. Yep.
I think it’s important to consider what is it about this mattress that allows it to be so cheap…
it’s well known how Amazon treats its workers.
How about the people who work for the company that make this mattress? Clearly corners are being cut somewhere (probably multiple places) if the price is so low (and includes shipping).
Memory foam is made from petroleum, and the CertiPur certification was made by the foam industry. If you read the guidelines, many of the things you outlined above ARE allowed, but there is a limit to the quantity. You can see so in their documentation:
https://certipur.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/0433_CertiPUR-US_Slabstock_TGuide_Aug2017.pdf
Amen.
When something is so cheap, there is often a reason for it. In this case, I would bet that it has to do with where and how this mattress is made, how well those workers are being treated and how much they are paid. While some people need to buy very inexpensive things and quite literally can’t afford to think about who is being exploited to produce those things, I believe that if you have the resources, you are especially responsible for thinking about these things and using your buying power to support ethical companies.
This omission bothered me about the recent review of super low cost Old Navy clothes, too. Fast fashion retailers are not only a leading polluter and terrible from an environmental perspective, but also notorious for their exploitative work practices.
Now, nearly everyone has some fast fashion in their wardrobe or something super low-cost from a dollar store or mega outlet, and I’m not saying that is inherently wrong. It’s hard to avoid. And when we’re broke low cost options are a life saver. But I believe our choices are important and for those of us who can afford to spend a bit more should educate ourselves and be mindful of what our dollars are going to support.
While I really appreciate the frugality aspect of this blog, for me there is a limit to that. Personally I’d prefer hearing about Mrs. Frugalwoods splurging on high quality, ethical products that will last a lifetime.
Re: AWI agree, with your point (higher price means workers are treated better).
I bought my personal mattress a number of years ago when I wasn’t really thinking about these things – but it is something i’ll consider when it’s time to replace.
I recently bought a mattress for a new trundle bed which currently serves as a guest bed, but will eventually be my three year old’s bed. I went with Avocado. It has a good rating on glassdoor. And while I can’t say I necessarily believe exposure to certain materials necessarily matters compared to what we’re exposed to in everyday life…I do believe in purchasing organic textiles whenever possible as cotton is one of (the?) most sprayed crops.
Re: Olivia – I had the same thought as you with clothes purchases. I too believe that if you are financially able, you should spend more on something that will last/from a more ethical company. Vote with your dollars 🙂
Hi Kelly, Just wondering if you have a suggestion for an ethical mattress? I don’t think a higher price necessarily means workers are treated better. High prices could reflect a higher advertising budget, or just higher profit margin. I try to be ethical in my purchases where there is a clear better ethical choice; meat is one area I always spend more to get more ethically sourced product. However, in many categories it is not clear that higher price equates to higher quality or better paid workers.
This. I have enough friends who work in the clothing industry, I can guaran-fucking-tee you that a higher price tag IN NO WAY equals that it wasn’t made in a sweatshop – most of the time, it just means a higher advertising budget and massive profit margins. Certifications, regular inspections, etc- that makes a difference. Some of that difference comes with a higher price tag, to pay for the lack of sweatshop labor. But higher price tag doesn’t mean the money trickles down AT ALL.
Same with environmental aspects: I have a pre-money-sense 1K mattress that I absolutely positively guarantee you is in no way more envronmentally friendly than the Amazon mattress. The employees might (maybe, perhaps, absolutely no guarantee) be treated better, but again: not particularly likely.
Is there a certification that you’d recommend? Brand? Agency supervising the entire affair? Non-mattress but comfortable sleeping surface that’s environmentally friendly? What’s an actual alternative other than ‘spend money to feel better while knowing it doesn’t affect much’?
I answered this is the comment above.
And I didn’t mean to insinuate that a higher price tag means that it’s more ethical (I’m not dumb)…but if a mattress is in the mid $200s and includes shipping and it’s heavy….well, it sounds too good to be true. What has been done to make it that cheap? I’d also pointed out that the certification she mentioned comes from the foam industry itself (and she has a foam mattress).
And Amazon’s has never been known as an ethical company, and this blog often recommends products purchased through Amazon and the Amazon credit card.
This is such a thorny issue. I absolutely love memory foam mattresses, but I really worry about the ingredients and chemicals they are made with, especially since I’m not yet done having children/breastfeeding. I know how many chemicals we are exposed to every day, but it seems clear that these chemicals are particularly toxic PLUS you breathe them in for 6+ hours per day!
I am also looking to replace my mattress, but am going to wait until I am done having children/breastfeeding. I do think a used mattress is a good option, because so much of the off-gassing has already happened (and, of course, for all the other great reasons for buying used), but with little ones at home already AND a full time job out of the home, I just don’t have time to deal with that! The CertiPur certification is fairly meaningless. I’ve been considering an Avocado Mattress, but I just wish I could test them first!
Every few months I do a deep dive into researching this issue and come up empty. I’ve read the helpful Consumer Reports article linked in this post, but it leaves me feeling largely helpless as a consumer. Either spend a lot of money on a potentially uncomfortable but relatively “safe” mattress (ingredient-wise), or throw health concerns out the window and get an inexpensive and comfortable mattress. I think I’ll just wait until I’m done having children and breastfeeding, and at that point I won’t feel like the chemicals (present, of course, in all mattresses, even the GOTS and GOLS certified mattresses) will have as negative of an impact because its just my health on the line 🙂
Most of these internet companies will give you a 100 day trial period. We got the most basic Avocado (not pillowtop) for our guest bed/my daughter’s next bed, which my husband sleeps on from time-to-time and he has found it comfortable.
After some relatively recent investigations, when we do need to redo our bed I’m thinking about a latex mattress from PlushBeds (if you go to their website the certifications are about halfway down the page). I can’t find any info on them from glassdoor, but the mattresses are made in the US.
One thing I found promising is that you can buy different firmness levels for each side of the mattress…something my husband and I currently struggle with b/c he’s a side sleeper (needs medium-soft) and I’m a stomach sleeper (need medium-firm).
Great review. We switched to a foam last year after several tries of getting a new mattress to replace my so something year old too firm one. After a few tries at different department stores and the mattress chain stores we found a local store (yes, I searched CL & Amazon (skeptical of a mail-order mattress)) and we ended up with a natural foam and adjustable frame for about $800. More than the old $300. Less than the big chains that inflate the prices. Well worth the extra for the automatic adjustable frame for Mrs. M’s paralysis (also reason for new mattress).
we purchased one from Walmart and my wife expresses similar feeling when we travel!
I think there are both pros and cons here. Things ARE too expensive. People and corporations will push to see how much folk are willing to pay. However, the cons are safety as talked about. However, I would have thought after seven years and no rashes, no allergic reaction, no obvious physical problems. Therefore, can we assume the bed is safe? Can we assume a $5k bed safe? I think we fall for advertising a little too readily.
I’ve been going back and forth on a new mattress for months, maybe years. Ours is only about 6 years old but I long for the old days when I would shut my eyes at night and not open them again until morning. There’s part of me thinking it may be the mattress (I’ve gone through about a pillow a year trying to find one that will bring back the magic), the other part of me resonates that adults in their 30s just don’t have that ability. You make an excellent point that if the mattress isn’t better than what we have, it’s not thousands of dollars. It’s like a few meals out. That may be the mindset that gets me to push my current one aside for a time and see if internet mattress can change my life!
Financially Fit Mom, have you tried My Pillow? We are *very* satisfied with them. They frequently offer sales, 2-for-1 deals, etc. I believe they are worth checking out! We do all right on “strange” mattresses when we travel, but we definitely miss our pillows!
I haven’t attempted that one but perhaps I will watch for one of those sales. I have found that I seem to sleep better in hotels when there are 2 or 3 feather-like pillows vs the 1 I have at home. Maybe a 2 for 1 would be the ideal scenario! Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this. We want to replace our mattress soon and figured we were looking at a couple grand unless we found a deal!
Sounds great but I found a latex mattress, Queen size for $500 that was pretty great. Next time I will buy it in full size since the sheets will be less expensive.
I bought my mattress and boxspring, form a basic mattress store, during the last month of my pregnancy for a total of around $500. My son Just Turned 20 and I am still sleeping on that mattress . I flip it regularly because it is perfectly comfortable, I have no plans to buy a new one. I find the mattress commercials bizarre and am amazed that people fall for the idea that hey need to replace mattresses often and that they should pay thousands of dollars for them!
I wish I would have heard your wisdom of Internet Matress seven years ago when we purchased our sleep number bed! My wallet hurts thinking about the $2500 we spent on the ‘basic’ mattress. But, our sleep number is still going strong. When we do need to buy a new one (which I hope isn’t for another 10 years -ha!) We will most definitely look for an equally amazing Internet Mattress.
Here in the UK we have a large bed company advertising on TV “suggesting” we all change our mattresses every 8 years!! (Apparently, after this time, your mattress will be so full of dead skin/bugs/mites that you’d be foolish to sleep on it). They very kindly supply your fancy new mattress with a large label sewn onto in on which you can write your replacement date. This type of advertising of playing into peoples’ fears really annoys me. It’s a bad enough tactic to encourage people to spend money unnecessarily, never mind the environmental cost too.
I also bought my mattress off Amazon! It was about $160 for a queen size mattress that is 6in thick, and I also bought a 3inch foam topper for about $250. Four years later and it is still going strong. Plus, I love it! Perfect amount of squish. My family thought I was crazy to buy a mattress off the internet… suckers!
i have a lucid hybrid and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! seriously, you happened upon one of the best mattresses ever. i too got mine for 279, but prices have gone up A LOT since then. they’re more popular now. I also have a zinus in the guest room that was 180; it’s a good guest mattress but not nearly as nice as my lucid.
Thanks for this update. I feel like mattress salesmen are a notch below car salesmen so my next mattress will be an Internet mattress for sure!
I bought this mattress off of Amazon two and a half years ago and I got the queen and I believe it was $160 at the time. Ours sadly has not held up. It is very very squishy and soft and not supportive at all. I actually just ordered a new mattress off of Costco for $600 that’s a standard kind of mattress. I’m 180 lbs and my husband is 230 so we’re pretty big people, that might have to do with our mattress wearing out. I don’t know. But for $160 it was worth the gamble! I still think I might get another one for our guest room when that mattress wears out.
A slightly tangential note on what to do with an old waterproof mattress pad:
I cut the “fitted sheets” sides from one so I was left with just the flat pad part that’s still protective if not fully waterproof. I keep it in my car, folded up and banded with Velcro strips to make a compact, tidy roll. I use it on the seats or in the trunk to protect them from potential messy things — the dog or cat, Costco chickens, trash hauled to the recycling center. It could be used as a kneeling pad to change a flat tire, or a blanket/pillow in case of emergency.
She still has some useful life in her!
I recently saw an episode of “Adam Ruins Sleep” in which he discussed mattresses. They are essentially made by two or three manufacturers, and the same mattress is marketed under different names.
After reading your initial reviews about Internet Mattress, we purchased the 10″ version of the same one, just a year ago. It’s SO comfortable, and even my husband (a living furnace), didn’t get too hot on it during our steamy midwestern US summer nights.
The 10″ is $320, but still a great deal for those who need a slightly softer mattress. 🙂
I believe our also unflippable endy mattress recommends rotating it every so often to prolong life (rather than flipping), although yours seems to have done quite well in the past 7 years so who knows if it’s at all necessary!
That is awesome! The kids were just making fun of us the other day because we’ve been using the same mattress that my fiance has had for the past 20 years (!) That, and the fact that we put it on the floor rather than a bed frame (we recently moved and haven’t felt motivated to spend money on a frame just yet). It still is one of the most comfortable mattresses I’ve ever slept on. I’m sure we’re breaking some cardinal rule of mattress buying, but I simply don’t see the point in dropping hundreds of dollars on a new one when ours works perfectly fine!
My “mattress” is also about 10 years old. It’s a futon – no, not like the college dorm couch, but a Japanese style bed. When I traveled to Japan the first time, in 2008, I was having back problems – frustrating considering I was only in my late 20s. In the places I stayed in and around the greater Tokyo area, I almost always slept in a futon, which is like a mattress-mat that lays on the floor. My back problems disappeared. I noticed when I returned to the states, they came back. I bought a futon through a company that sells Japanese style products and I’ve slept that way since.
That being said, after 10 years it’s lost a lot of its fluffiness and is probably due for replacing. I might even get a futon frame for it (again, not the couch, but flat surfaces the futon rests on top of). But at 40 years old my back still feels great, and that feeling has never returned. I was struck by how even my ex-girlfriend’s 80-year-old grandpa seemed perfectly happy on his futon.
That’s awesome! I looked into futon mattresses/frames a couple of months ago but had a hard time finding anything. Would you be willing to share the name of the company where you found yours? Thanks!
“That there’s no way to circumvent paying five figures for a bed that’ll last longer than a year or two. ” — Really? Five figures for a bed?
I’m not keen on buying a mattress that I cannot test prior to purchase, neither is my better half. And if you do not like the mattress, returning it doesn’t seem easy to me. We are fortunate to have local stores that carry mattresses, one has free delivery which I’m sure is built into the price, AND take the old mattress/box spring.
I have a Lucid mattress (10”) that quickly became too soft for my generous figure. It was comfortable at first, but now I try to rotate it every 3 weeks, even putting it sideways on the bed.
Perhaps the 8” is firmer. My back often hurts. And I do get hot at night; I often keep a fan going in the summer, especially.
I cannot say that I would heartily recommend the Lucid.
It’s good to hear various perspectives!!!
I love the way you think outside the advertisement box. Expensive is NOT automatically better. Please know that if you have a narrow bed or cot an expensive custom made mattress is not necessary. I ordered a twin foam and cut it to size with a sharp knife…saved hundreds!!
Thank you for this timely article as my husband wants to buy a mattress to improve his sleep.
I need a new mattress. I’m going to have to check this one out. Thank you for the suggestion! I have had this mattress pad cover since 2015. I love that it stays in place, makes no noise, and doesn’t make me hot. I keep buying it as presents for my family. Queen Size SafeRest Premium… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PWNH4Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thank you for sharing! I bought the queen, 10in Lucid based on your previous article and my husband and I love it!
just curious–I notice the computer in one of the photos conspicuously displaying the Apple logo. I’ve noticed this a lot on TV as well. Is Apple compensating you for this? I don’t care one way or the other–in fact, if they are, then good for you for getting paid to use something you’d probably be using anyway; I’d just like to know because internet searches for clues about whether it’s simply a coincidence that so many people seem to use Apple’s or whether this is some kind of paid advertising. Thanks for satisfying my curiousity!
I WISH Apple was paying me–that’d be fabulous!! Nope, I just happen to use Apple products and so sometimes their logo happens to be in my pictures. But if anyone from Apple is reading this–you can feel free to mail me a check ;).
After we paid off my student loans in February, the first thing we bought was this mattress, from reading your review. We upgraded from a queen because it was me, my husband, a nursing toddler, and a big golden retriever all wedged together. I can confirm this mattress is 100% worth it. I tell people about it all the time. A++
Awesome! I’m so glad it’s working well for you!!!
We bought a new mattress quite a few years ago, paid more than that for sure (Costco). But we JUST bought a new fridge (18 yo Kenmore finally died). Did all sorts of research, looked on line at fancy fridges, but we only have a 30 -inch space…. ended up with a Kenmore (again), 2017 version for a whopping $350. It was half off because it’s from 2017. And it’s a basic fridge. No bells and whistles. Except it’s energy star, and the only one they had!
I didn’t know about Lucid, so recently purchased a Zinus 12″ layered foam mattress from Amazon … $238 !!! Twin.
delivered free. zippered cover, it is firm but soft, with memory foam on top of other layers. I call it the poor mans Tempurpedic. Thanks for all your wonderful blogs, Ann
We bought the 12″ version a couple years ago after reading your 5-year report and love it. My dad bought one a few months ago and we noticed that they’ve changed the packaging so it doesn’t instantly expand once you cut the wrapping. It took his about 24 hours to “inflate” whereas ours took about 24 seconds and resulted in a real I Love Lucy moment trying to get it on the bed frame. It’s one of the very few items we’ll still buy from Amazon.
How did you decide which firmness was right without being able to try them out?
My fiance says he can tell our (~3 year old spring mattress) is wearing out, but I’m oblivious. Until I moved in with him, I had the same mattress my entire life (well, minus my crib mattress, I guess). That thing was 25+ years old!
Lucid vs my Zinus mattress: I am happy with mine, but Lucid gives a much longer Warranty, so I would certainly check this out folks, and is a few dollars cheaper ( twin) than my Zinus as well!!
Ann S
It is so funny that you’re posting an update on this mattress, because I just bought it a few weeks ago based on your original recommendation, and I LOVE IT.
My husband and I had our last mattress for about 9 years and when we purchased it, we endured the awful salesey experience of shopping in a store. One salesperson was so aggressive we still joke about our awkward escape to this day. So this time around, we decided to buy a Fancy Hipster Mattress online to avoid the hassle. We paid a lot for said mattress – probably double what we spent on our last one – reasoning that we can afford it and the cost per use was worth the value because we are both sensitive sleepers and the fancy features might help.
I have never slept worse in my entire life than I did on that Fancy Hipster Mattress. Sleeping on the floor would have been better.
After a few weeks of increasing back and sleep problems, I ordered your Internet Mattress, and it is AMAZING. We marvel every morning that we can’t believe the cheapest mattress ever is 100x more comfortable than the most expensive mattress ever. Fancy Hipster Mattress is finally being picked up for return this very afternoon.
TL:DR – Thank you so much for this recommendation! Everyone go buy Internet Mattress. It is awesome and I no longer feel my husband tossing and turning all night. 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear you’re loving it!
I’m glad it works for so many people. I bought this mattress 4 years ago, and within 6 months there was a major depression where I slept and the mattress was softer.. I know 148 pounds isn’t tiny, but I don’t feel like I am a huge person. It was very disappointing. It also smelled for over a month. Sometimes I think production varies which affects the quality.
I love this post!!! So hilarious and also so helpful.
*Thank you* for all the writing you do on the blog. I’m sure it’s lots of work, but you’re really providing an amazing value to us all.
fyi Norton wouldn’t let me open up your smart link, said it was a dangerous site, wondering if you have a bug somewhere
I love your household posts. Still looking for that dishwasher review! Lol
Oh the dishwasher!!! I’m so glad you reminded me! We LOVE it. Let me see if I can pull something together for you!
I will give a 10/10 review of the Purple mattress cover It’s soft and stretchy and washable, but has kept our bed clean through two newborn/postpartum experiences. (Leaky diapers, spit up, leaked milk, night sweats, bleeding, etc etc)
Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly review your frugal purchases! I bought one about two years ago and still love it! I’m so grateful that you saved me $1000+ that I would have otherwise have spent at a mattress store.
My pleasure! I’m so glad it’s working well for you!
We recently bought a $149 king-sized from Aldi. It’s great so far!
I have to say that I bought this mattress back in 2016 after reading how much the FW family loved it. I was sorely disappointed in mine. I bought a queen-size Lucid mattress and this year, replaced it with a much better Serta for under $500. The Lucid mattress was too soft for me-I would sink into it by the morning, causing back pain. It also trapped a lot of heat, and I was always overheating, especially in the summer. I’m glad it is still going strong for the FW family, but I really didn’t find it to be a good buy.
My husband and I are “heavier” than you guys are. Do you suggest we get one thicker than the 8 inch? Or should that matter?
You mention considering buying a used mattress. Check your state laws before doing so! It’s actually illegal to sell one in Massachusetts for example.
I’ve been putting off the mattress hunt because I dread the showroom sales process! I’m skeptical because of the mixed reviews, but decided to just go for it, and used your link to order a queen mattress via Amazon. We shall see!
*Update* The mattress currently sold is different from what you bought in 2012, and Lucid’s product description on Amazon isn’t accurate (I reported this to Amazon). I’m assuming the manufacturer is cutting corners on size and filling quality in order to maintain the incredibly low price. I posted a review on Amazon dated 10/10/2019, and attached a photo of the shipping label showing the discrepancies in the product info. Fun fact – the mattress is made in Serbia! It’s still a much better deal than what I’d be able to purchase locally, so I appreciate your review!
Great review! We bought a $200 Amazon memory foam mattress for our guest bedroom (a serious upgrade from the air mattress that was in there previously), and it has held up great! Also, pretty comfortable.
Did you get the encasement and then put your waterproof mattress cover on top? Or did you not get the encasement and use the cover instead?
I put the waterproof mattress pad on top of the encasement (I am probably overly paranoid… )
Interesting… I wonder if it changed between when you bought it and I did. I got it in February 2017, based on your review. We were disappointed by a relatively recent mattress-store mattress purchase that wasn’t holding up that well. This thing was absolutely blissful in comparison, especially while pregnant. Now 2.5 years later, and in my second pregnancy with this mattress (number 6 overall – and pregnancy is hard on your back) we are replacing it as I type. It has hollows where we sleep, and I’m having hip trouble so bad I wish would rather be in labor – primarily when getting out of bed. I tried a different internet mattress with springs in our office/guest room, and it’s firmer. When I rest on that one for a while, I can get back up without excruciating pain. So we’re getting a queen size one of those, and we’ll see how it does. For the price, I don’t regret it, but I did want to comment that this current version may not hold up quite so well. We’re pretty average in heaviness (I’m 150ish not pregnant, my tall husband is 220), and it is just too worn.
However, I have plans for it. Our 15 year old sofa has worn out foam cushions that make it uncomfortable (5 kids will do that). I plan to try cutting up the foam from this mattress and seeing if that is an improvement, before throwing it out or purchasing replacement foam (pricey!) for the sofa somewhere else. 😉
Thanks for your writing! It’s both fun and encouraging.
I have to tell you, I never thought I would buy a mattress off the internet, but when our 2 1/2 year old Serta died (basically a year ago, but it’s been in its death throes ever since), I showed my husband your Internet Mattress experience on your blog. We talked to a friend who has memory foam mattresses (a lot pricier than what you bought), sat on her beds, lay down on her beds, talked some more, and decided that memory foam was the way to go since our Serta (which I’d always recommended) had roundly disappointed us.
Long story short, we ended up buying the 8 inch Lucid queen size, and we love, love, love it. I love going to bed at night. I love turning every which way in bed and feeling supported and comfortable. I love using my old fitted sheets which had been WAY too shallow for the giganticly thick Serta. And since we usually have some measure of pillow discontent, I just ordered the Lucid pillow 2-pack and can’t wait to try them out.
I just love your blog. My mother was a child of the Depression, so I was quite accustomed to frugality growing up. She saved the cotton out of the top of aspirin bottles, as well as the envelopes from junk mail to use rather than spend money on a pad of paper. I’m definitely frugal-minded now, and I wince when I look back at my free-spending days.
And I have to say, I really miss Frugal Hound and am sorry that he (she?) is no longer around. That must have been one patient dog, the way you dressed him up to illustrate your posts.
I bought the mattress after reading your post but it had a very strong smell and I had to return it. I had to sleep in the living room before it was collected. I also had to keep the bedroom windows open, in this cold weather. I wouldn’t buy it again.
I was really amazed by this article. The most impressive thing is, you had children! How did you manage to maintain your mattress for that long?
It’s a better alternative than buying a memory foam since the chemicals and ingredients are potentially dangerous. I found out Isocyanates are present in memory foams and can cause skin irritations and eye problems, etc.
I’d really prefer buying an internet mattress. It’s better, more economical, and the ecological option. Memory foams maybe a lot softer but a little discomfort would be a better bargain than risking my health. Health is wealth!
Totally agree with you on this. I have bought a sub-$300 mattress from Christopher Knight aka Peter Brady from the Brady Bunch. He has a line of memory foam mattresses of various types and thicknesses online. This thing is heaven. It cured my back pain. It’s comfortable in any position, even flat on my back or stomach– haven’t been able to sleep those ways in YEARS on a traditional mattress. I have an 8″ variety, and I recently bought a second one for a guest twin bed. Comfy either on top of my existing mattress (but makes bed too tall), on the bedframe slats, or flat on the floor. The floor is probably the best of all.
I have an IKEA, Brimmes series full size bed. The mattress would “sort of sit down in a box, with drawers underneath. I’d like to have the 8 inch mattress but I need to discover if it is tall enough to not disappear in the box. Mattress would be supported by wooden slats. I also want to buy the exact same mattress as you did exception for the size. Could you give me a little more information?
The links are not working. We could use a new mattress, please help.
I’m sorry about that! Here’s a working link to the mattress we have (and still love nine years later!).
This link is not working! Can you offer any suggestions?
I’m sorry about that! Here’s a working link to the mattress we have (and still love nine years later!).