By Olam Hamizronim
They say that it’s worth investing in a good mattress and good shoes, because you’re always in either the one or the other… Moshe Rosenfeld, director of the Olam HaMizronim chain, maintains that while buying shoes isn’t considered a particularly complicated task, buying a mattress requires a good deal of thought and deliberation. He notes that many people will pay a hefty business class fare when flying just so they can sleep better, on a more comfortable seat. If it’s that important for a 12-hour flight, then what about the mattress that you’ll sleep on thousands of times over the next 15 years? Surely it’s worth the extra investment, because a good mattress is the basis for good sleep. We asked Moshe for some tips about buying a mattress.
Try it out
Go shopping with loose clothes and slip-on shoes. Lie on any mattress that you think you may like. Make yourself comfortable, and ask the salesperson to give you some time for yourself if you’re feeling pressured. Good salespeople allow you to take your time. Spend a few minutes lying on each side, on your back, and on your stomach, if that's a preferred sleeping position for you. Surveys show that people who bought beds seldom changed the opinion they formed after the first night. So shopping online may not be the best idea.
Check Return Policies
Ask if the store offers a refund or credit toward another mattress or product. Return periods may range from store to store.
Try to Bargain
Always try to get a better price on the model you have settled for, but be smart to decide if you are prepared to walk away for a few shekels. Just going from store to store is an expense of time, money and aggravation. Large volume wholesalers have fixed prices and won’t budge. But many retailers do negotiate, particularly specialty chains, as markups may allow them to lower prices during sale seasons. My recommendation: any time of year, insist on a sale price you’ve seen for the mattress you know you want. Remember that the worst thing that can happen is that you will get a discount, because if you don’t ask you certainly won’t get it.
Buying a Box Spring
For an innerspring mattress, the box spring, or foundation, is a wood frame enclosing stiff wire and covered with fabric to match the mattress. For foam or adjustable-air mattresses, it’s a box several inches high. If you have a box spring and it isn't broken yet still structurally sound, consider keeping it and saving money. Some manufacturers require you to buy their box spring to receive full warranty coverage. Get advice from a trusted vendor.
Brands
Moshe recommends buying a mattress made by companies that invest heavily in research and development. Simmons, for example, has a team of R&D scientists and the company holds some 15 registered patents for manufacturing mattresses.
In the past, the leading brand for mattresses was Gumavir; today the more prominent names include Paradise, Aminach, King Koil and more. Among our other suppliers, Simmons, considered the best mattresses in the world, as well as the world-renowned Japanese Hirohito brand, are available at Olam HaMizronim – which was in fact the first store in Israel to carry them.
Obviously, one can always buy an imitation, but since even the imitations of quality mattresses are quite expensive, it’s usually worth spending just a little extra and buying the original.
Understand the Warranty
Warranties can range from 1 to 20 years and cover only manufacturing defects such as sagging and loose or broken coil wires. The coverage is most of the times prorated. This means that it decreases over time. A good mattress will last you for many years assuming your kids have a trampoline in the backyard.
On Delivery Day
Always inspect the mattress (and the box spring, if you buy one) for stains and other damage before accepting delivery. Look for the label that reads “all-new material” before signing on the delivery document. Refuse delivery if the label is not there and then keep it on in case you do have to file a warranty claim in the future.
Olam Hamizronim branches are in the following locations:
