Should a mattress be double-sided?

Mattresses come in all shapes and sizes. You have narrow ‘single’ or ‘king single’ mattresses designed for individuals. ‘Double’ mattresses are great for individuals or couples wanting a bit more room to roll around and spread out. Then there are the ‘Queen’, ‘King’ or even ‘Super-King’ mattresses designed for adults, couples, or families (including the cats and dogs) to snuggle up in on a Sunday morning.

However, mattresses are not something you buy every day, so when you do, consumers are willing to spend the money to buy good a good quality product. But how do you know what type of quality you are really getting? How long can you lay in the same spot before the foam, fabrics or springs begin to wear down and body impressions start to show?

The debate between one-sided and two-sided mattresses

Many of the bigger mattress retailers are now only stocking one-sided mattresses. Most claim flipping mattresses is a thing of the past, and new advances in ‘technology’ have led to one-sided mattresses being more convenient and reliable.

Although the idea of not having to turn a mattress may be appealing to consumers, no mattress grade foam in the current market is able to be slept on every night for 10 years (recommended warranty of mattresses) without body impressions appearing. Retailers pushing one-sided mattresses, are essentially banking on consumers taking their mattress home, forgetting how much they spent on it, and putting up with the body impressions that will begin to appear after a couple of years.

Locally-based manufacturers are still using the best new technologies and making two-sided mattresses, which will inevitably last twice as long and be worth the long-term investment. Being able to turn your mattress ensures the foam and fabrics within the mattress are able to recover from excessive use, and means your mattress will feel the same after 10 years from the day you bought it.

The shift from two-sided to one-sided mattresses is happening right before everyone’s eyes, and both the manufacturers and the retailers are having the last laugh, while the consumer is left forking out the same high price for half a mattress. Though retail sales staff will claim advancements in technology have occurred in the mattress world, almost all innerspring mattresses are made with the same steel spring system and industry-grade foams – just different logos and fabrics.

In summary, there is no evidence to prove one-sided mattresses will last anywhere near the time of two-sided mattresses, yet retailers will charge the same price for a one-sided mattress. For this reason, we would always recommend a two-sided mattress that can be turned and flipped on a regular basis.

Note: Based in Geelong, Slumberworld are one of Australia’s leading mattress manufacturers. For information on how they manufacture and sell their mattresses direct to the public, visit their webpage here, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact them on 52 4111 08 or by email at sales@slumberworld.com.au