Old-Fashioned Mattresses - Why Don't They Make Them Like They Used To?

A question we get from some of our readers is, "Why don't they make mattresses like they used to?!" In this video, Mike uses a ~100-year-old mattress (!) to help demonstrate his multifaceted answer to that "age-old" question.
➡️ Thanks to Stearns & Foster for allowing us to borrow this 1932 mattress for this video. See their modern-day mattresses here: www.goodbed.com/o/r/stearns-f...
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[@johnalioto]

The connected coil system I found was way more supportive and comfortable, I had a spring air back supporter from the early 2000s and was built like a tank, I find it astonishingly ridiculous that all mattress manufacturers went to an individually wrapped coil to prevent motion transfer, the amount of support they are sacrificing is just insane, I have absolutely no idea why ALL THESE MATTRESS COMPANIES went in this direction, it makes me so livid that I bought a spring air back supporter for 435 dollars in the early 2000s, it lasted well over 13 years, super comfortable, and now I can't find anything to resemble the comfort, support, and don't even get me started on the cost, I am convinced government should add some much needed regulations to the mattress industry, they want to sell you mattress then BE GONE.The changing of the names to purposely deceive the consumer is outrageous, added pillow top or euro top to add a couple of hundred dollars to the price is a joke, it's just an extra layer of foam, oh man, I am at my wits end with mattress manufacturers, they get away with their deceitful sale tactics, I hat them all. I remember when I moved to college, I found a mattress on the street and slept on that mattress totally completely fine for 2 years, now I can't spend 2 thousand dollars on anything comfortable to save my life. I just don't understand, I really don't................. Does anybody produce just a regular mattress anymore, no pillow top, euro top, cooling gel, tempur foam, memory foam, latex, 16 inch, it's all just ridiculous, SMPLY RIDICULOUS, Where can I buy a mattress like the spring air back supporter I bought from the early 2000s??? I still have the receipt, surely the factory must still be around even tho I know spring air probably does not operate it as they changed their manufacturing production after a brief closure in 2008.

[@david61accord]

I purchased a Stearns & Foster Hybrid in 2018. For the most part I have enjoyed the comfort. However recently I developed a herniated disc. My Stearns and Foster provides me very little comfort . I resorrt to the 1992 Spring Air with the traditioal springs. It really depends on your health, arthritis, etc.

[@retselyarrh3895]

These are the answers I would expect from a mattress salesman!!!!
If a mattress lasted that long, how many could you sell?
They sell these crappy ones that need to be replaced every eight years or so!!!!!
They are looking at it as job security selling these mattresses!!!!

[@goodbed]

Hi there -- Thanks for your comment. Respectfully, I'm not sure how you took this as a sales pitch since there is not even a purchasable product mentioned in the video. 😊
Of course, I do understand (and agree!) that durability is a very desirable feature in a mattress. At the same time, I also think most people would agree that so are proper spinal alignment, pressure relief, motion isolation, edge support, adjustable base compatibility, and the like. If people preferred to sleep on mattresses like the one shown in this video, then that's how mattress companies would make them today. The reason they don't make them this way any more is simply because people have voted with their wallets and opted for mattresses that are better at delivering the modern features we described in this video.
That said, if you are looking for an old school flippable mattress that offers many of these modern features as well, we did just review one like that, which you can find here: www.goodbed.com/reviews/dlx-classic-review/
I hope that's helpful.

[@bobg4657]

None of today's matresses will last 90 years - NONE.

[@hastensavoir7782]

There’s still Mattresses made as they were over a hundred years ago- Vispring, Savoir, Hästens, Nilson, Elite, Treca, Schramm etc.

[@tracyc.1005]

Most people won’t last that long either lol! Who wants to sleep on the same mattress for 90 years, yuck!

[@hastensavoir7782]

@@tracyc.1005 exactly. 50 yrs is the most anyone could keep a mattress. Don’t even want a hundred year old piano lol

[@johnb7411]

⁠​⁠@@tracyc.1005 well off course nobody is gonna be sleeping a mattress that’s over 90 years old lol. I think what he was referring to is that today’s mattresses don’t even last that long, I believe if you spend 3k+ on a high quality mattress it should last you longer than 20 years.

[@andrewjack6230]

I purchased a Stearns and foster 2 years ago. Lux estate plush pillow top, it's not my type of mattress... Traps heat like a hot sand box and feels like a rock solid firm mattress even after 2 years...

[@maxprince6680]

Very interesting from a mattress salesman perspective and a history lover's perspective! On a side note I would love to see you guys do a review on the new beautyrest Black line that just released. We just received them in mattress firm and I would love to hear what you think

[@goodbed]

Hang tight Max (and make sure you're subscribed)! We'll have it out within a week or two. 👍

[@Storm_tha_Abnorm]

I just wish they would go back to making mattresses you can flip, this rotate crap is wack‼️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

[@Inbal_Feuchtwanger]

You wont find that with any of the big name brands, but your smaller local mattress manufacturers by where you live might carry flippable beds, and the mattresses they do carry will be better quality with higher density foams, and at a lower price. If you live by an original mattress factory, they carry a lot of old school style flippable beds that pair with box springs, just like we used to buy em.

[@ziokalco]

Smaller brands also usually provide models like the one in this video. Flippable, bonnel coils, little to not so little padding (that usually are very cheap despite durability). Great option for budget bedding, although useless for side sleeping