Once upon a time, good quality mattresses were expensive. No so any more. The proliferation of cheap online mattresses means you can get a high quality mattress for half or even a third of what they cost in brick and mortar stores.
So really there’s no excuse for buying a used mattress.
New mattresses have not only gotten cheaper, most sellers provide easy financing opportunities through services like Klarna and Affirm. They allow you to pay for a mattress in manageable chunks rather than the paying the whole amount at once.
If you are still thinking about springing for a used Serta or Stearns & Foster on eBay, here are five reasons why it’s a bad idea.
1. Bedbugs
You won’t notice them until you’ve started sleeping on the mattress. By then, they’ve spread to your bedding and other furniture and you have to throw everything out.
Removing bed bugs in a mattress is notoriously difficult. Why put yourself through it?
These critters are the reason why it’s also a good idea to stay away from used upholstered furniture.
2. Internal damage
Pictures can tell you a lot. But they may not give you the whole story.
Buying a used mattress online is risky because you cannot tell whether there is any internal damage just from the pictures posted. You’ll realize too late that some of the springs are broken or the mattress sags one side when you sleep on it.
Even when you get the chance to examine it physically before buying, you may still miss the damage. You’ll only realize a few nights later when you keep turning at night and wake up daily with an aching back.
It’s not worth it.
Sleep is extremely important for your health, mental well being and productivity. A good quality mattress is important for good sleep. Buying a new good quality mattress is essentially an investment that pays off in many ways.
3. Short lifespan and no warranty
Unlike cars, I’ve yet to find a mattress manufacturer that allows a transfer of warranty. Only the original buyer is covered.
So you are left with a used mattress with a shorter lifespan since it has already been slept on and no warranty to cover you in case of anything.
Compare that to a brand new mattress that is comfortable, will last 10-15 years and comes with a 10-20 year warranty. Some online mattress brands nowadays even offer lifetime warranties.
4. No returns
What are you going to do if the mattress turns out to be really uncomfortable? Maybe too soft to support you or too firm that it hurts your hips.
Well, you just have to suck it up and live with it or spend extra money on a mattress pad. It's not like the mattress is visibly damaged that you can demand a refund.
New online mattresses on the other hand come with 100-night trial periods and other companies let you test the mattress for a whole year.
If you don’t like it, just send it back for free. No questions asked and no risks taken.
5. The icky factor
Mattresses get dirty, really dirty. It’s easily the dirtiest object in the bedroom.
A used mattress will harbor pounds of dust, dust mites, pet hair, cockroach dander, bacteria (including oral and genital bacteria), dead skin cells and gallons of old sweat.
That’s not to mention the weird stains, rotten bits of food and whatever else may have made a home in the mattress.
This is not just about feeling disgusted. It could actually affect your health. Imagine spending hours a night on that bed, breathing in all that stuff and getting your skin in contact with it.
Do you still want to buy a used mattress?
Tips for Buying a Used Mattress (If You Really Have To)
- Buy a lightly-used or a bought-but-never-used mattress.
- Buy from well-known retailers who’ll often sanitize and refurbish a used mattress before selling it. Some add a label showing the condition of the mattress.
- When you buy the mattress check carefully for signs of bedbugs before you bring it inside the house. To be safe, even if you don’t find anything, use a water and bedbug proof mattress cover.
- Sanitize a used mattress before using it. Use an antibacterial household cleaner to wipe the surface and leave the mattress in the sun for at least a full day.
| My Top Pick | Type of Mattress | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Saatva Classic | Innerspring | $799 - $1,599 Save $200! |
| 2. Puffy LUX | Luxury Foam | $1,145 – $1,695 Save $300! |
| 3. Leesa Original | Budget Foam | $594-$1019 "Up to $180 off mattresses + FREE SHIPPING" |
| 4. Nest Alexander Hybrid | Luxury Hybrid | $949-$1,699 Save 20% USE CODE: PREzzzDAY! |
| 5. PlushBeds Botanical Bliss | Luxury Organic Latex | $1049 – $2,048save $1,200 off Bedroom Mattresses + Free Luxury Sheet Set. |
| 6. Ecoterra | Budget Latex | $749 - $1,249 $150 off mattresses with code SALE150 |
| 7. Dreamcloud | Luxury PillowTop | $599-$1,099 Free Sheets, Protector and Pillows |
| 8. Layla | Flippable/2-Sided | $499 - $999 Save $200! |
| 9. Big Fig | For Plus-Sized People | $1,299 - $1,999 Save $200 with code: BEYOU |
| 10. Helix | Custom-Fit | $500 - $1,149 Save $200! |
| Topper | Size | Material | Firmness | Warr. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LINENSPA | Best Value | 2" | Gel memory foam | Medium | 3 years |
MOLECULE AIRTEC | Best Comfort | 3" | Memory foam | Medium-firm | 5 years |
MyPillow | Best pressure point relief | 3" | Foam | Medium-firm | 10 years |
LUCID | Best cooling | 2" | Gel memory foam | Soft | 3 years |
Milemont | Best for back pain | 2" | Gel memory foam | Medium | 10 years |
Pure Green | Best for stomach sleepers | 2" | Natural latex | Extra-firm | 5 years |
Sleep Innovations | Best for side sleepers | 4" | Gel memory foam | Soft | 10 years |
Sleep Number DUAL TEMP | Best temperature regulation | - | Forced Air | - | 1 year |
TEMPUR ProForm | Best memory foam | 3" | Memory foam | Medium-firm | 10 years |
Avocado Green | Best organic | 2" | Organic latex | Soft/firm | 10 years |
| System | Type | Best For... | Temp. Range | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BedJet V3 | Air cooled | BEST OVERALL (esp. for night sweats) | 66°F-104°F | Wireless remote control/smartphone app |
ChiliPad Cube 3.0 | Water cooled | Best water cooling system | 55°F-115°F | Wireless remote control |
Ooler Sleep System | Water cooled | Best temperature control | 55°F-115°F | Smartphone app via Bluetooth |
The Pod by Eight Sleep | Water cooled | Best smart cooling system | 55°F-115°F | Smartphone app/smart voice assistant |
Mattress Cooler "Classic" | Water cooled | Best budget cooling system | N/A | Wireless remote control |
SleepNumber Dual-Temp v3 | Air cooled | N/A | Remote control | |
bFan Cooling System | Fan | Best bed fan | N/A | Wired remote control |
Brookstone bed fan | Fan | N/A | Wireless remote control |
| Pillow | Why I Like It |
|---|---|
PlushBeds Shredded Natural Latex Pillow | best shredded latex pillow for side sleepers |
Coop Home Goods Memory Foam | perennial, proven Amazon Choice with over 16,000 reviews |
MARNUR Contour Pillow | perfect spine support using a groove down the middle |
SleepRightSplintek Side | full facial cradle plus a perfectly-angled shoulder cradle |
Xtreme Comforts Adjustable Pillow | thinner and softer than most, so your head will not bend back |
UTTU Sandwich Pillow | designed specifically for neck support and alignment. |
Mediflow Water Pillow | clinical tests prove it reduces neck pain |
Cradle Me Cervical Pillow | best overall design with lots of position choices |
KaUa Neck Roll | 1,000s of satisfied customers & rave reviews |
J-Pillow Travel Pillow | added chin support prevents your head from falling forward. |
EPABO Contour Memory Foam Pillow | Designed to support and cushion you neck and shoulders |
J-Pillow Travel Pillow | An all-natural, organic and vegan pillow with an adjustable loft to suit all sleeping positions |
| Best Luxury Sheets | Includes | Sizes | Colours |
|---|---|---|---|
Parachute | Fitted sheet + two pillowcases | Twin to Cal King | Sand, Slate, White, Light Grey, Blue |
Brooklinen | One flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. | Twin to Cal King | White, Cream, Steel, Smoke, Smoke Stripe |
Saatva | One flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. | Twin to Cal King | White, Ivory, Grey |
Boll and Branch | one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two pillowcases. | Full, Queen, King, Cal King only | White, Solid Natural, Striped White, Pewter |
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