Humans spend about one-third of their lives sleeping, and aside from holidays or the occasional 'nap' on the floor, most of this takes place in a bed at home. So naturally, you'll want a mattress that provides optimal support and comfort at the end of a long day. But finding the right one isn't a simple process.

You don't always get what you want

Not only did our recent investigation into mattress pricing reveal practices companies use to confuse consumers and diminish bargaining powers, our follow-up spring mattress review uncovered other retailer and manufacturer claims that don't stack up. Consumers put a lot of faith in salespeople to honestly answer questions such as "how firm is it?", "is it supportive?" and "will it feel the same in 12 or 24 months?"

Yet the results of our test show that there's often a substantial difference between the mattress you think you're buying and the one that ends up in your house. 

In this article, we provide some insight into the industry based on our shopping experiences, our mattress industry investigation and our test results.

Interested in the lower cost bed in a box foam mattresses? We've tested those, too.