How much does a mattress cost?

Mattress price is always a major consideration in the overall mattress shopping experience. When you consider that a third of our lives are spent in bed, investing a little more money in a mattress doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. If the average bed lasts 10 years, that’s 3,650 sleeps you’ll have on it – and more than 25,000 hours spent there! Even if you don’t buy a low price mattress, it’s likely you won’t spend more than $1 a day to sleep on your new mattress.

How much does a mattress cost?

When people ask “How much do mattresses cost?” – what they’re really asking is “How much does a GOOD mattress cost?” The cost of a mattress depends, in part, on the type of materials it’s made of. Generally speaking, futons and water beds are the cheapest — followed by innerspring, memory foam, hybrid, latex and adjustable air beds.

Mattress prices have inched up about 2 percent a year due, in part, to “a labor-intensive manufacturing process” and “pricey materials.” For instance, the typical mattress manufacturer spends 9 cents on materials and equipment for every dollar invested in labor. Some mattresses – like the high-end offerings by Swedish company Hästens – take at least 140 hours to build. Polyurethane foam is derived from crude oil – which has risen over 50 percent since 2008. The price of steel used in innerspring coil construction has gone up by about the same amount.

Other factors that go into new mattress prices — like the number of inches of cushioning, the number of coils, the color, the type of wire, the fancier fabrics and extra edge support — are points of differentiation, but matter less in the overall pricing structure than you may think. Ultimately, you find the mattress that feels right for you. From there, we can work out all the details to make the price feel right for you too.

How much should I spend on a mattress?

Home furnishing budgets are a very personal thing, but consultants can help guide us with general rules of thumb. Sleep consultant Nancy Rothstein put it this way: “If you need a car and a mattress, go down a couple of grand on the car and spend it on your mattress.”

Where can I find the best price on a mattress?

You probably know someone who bought a slab of memory foam – a “bed in a box” – online. While it’s true you can find low prices, you will also be taking a gamble on a bed you can’t try in person. Shipping costs will add to the expense and can be quite cumbersome if you have to ship your mattress back for some reason.

Big box retailers offer discounted pricing as well, but you’ll have access to a limited selection and there won’t be any knowledgeable salespeople on hand to assist with your purchase.

You’ll find the highest prices at department stores like Macy’s or Sears and furniture stores like Ashley or Raymour & Flanigan. Beware of department store gimmicks – like “60% off sales” where you still end up paying the suggested retail price. You may be able to get a deal on a whole bedroom set from the bed section of a furniture store, but if you just need a bed, a mattress store is the way to go.

Dedicated mattress stores offer the best price on mattresses with attached warehouses full of inventory, special relationships with manufacturers, and business models that run based on referrals rather than advertising. Wildcat Mattress is located just outside Lexington — in Nicholasville, KY — to keep our overhead operating expenses lower still.

Get the best prices on mattresses at Wildcat

You’ll always find the best prices, great selection and knowledgeable mattress experts at Wildcat Mattress. Check out our coupons section for ongoing deals or stop by to do your mattress shopping on the biggest holiday weekends of the year: Memorial Day, Labor Day, Presidents’ Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Come on in and spend as much time as you’d like on our inventory to determine which type of mattress will give you the best return for your money.