Buy a New Bed

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gcorgnet

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#243347 7-Dec-2018 11:20

Hey guys,

I know there has been a few threads about Beds here before but couldn't find what I was after.

I'll be in the market for a new bed very soon. I'll need a mattress and either a base or a frame with a preference for frame. (we store some crap under the bed)

Size would be either Queen or King (depending on extra cost)

Budget: I'd like to get away with say $2k but over all, I want to ensure I am not over paying for a bed.

I want a firm mattress that will last 8+ years. Will be used by my wife and I (average wsize/weight for both of us). I live in Auckland

Any hints about where I should be looking and how I should go about this?

Thanks

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#2141124 7-Dec-2018 11:53

From what I can tell, the mattress is the key bit for comfort.
I picked up a basic Queen bed frame from the warehouse ($300 on sale for $150) and went mattress shopping at the likes of Big Save etc to find one that felt comfortable.

You do have to test a few to check the various positions (that you sleep in) for more than just a few seconds. Yeah, it feels weird to lie down in the shop for 10 mins or more on each bed, but a few seconds or a couple of minutes doesn't generally tell you much except for outright "no" cases.

Four years on the current set up so far.

Mattress Protectors are worth it.
Rotate the mattress at last monthly to help reduce the hollows forming in one/two places.

Take your time. :-)

MotorDrive Rallying

jonathan18

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#2141127 7-Dec-2018 12:04

Going by the content of those other threads you've mentioned, you'll typically get a range of views as to where to get the best beds from - the reality is those are views of individuals of different sizes, with different preferences etc, so really how useful they are to you personally is questionable. I think many if not most of the decent brands will have a model that's suitable for you and that you find comfortable. It's probably more important to work out the type of bed you want - whether you want a spring mattress (and if so what type of springs), or would prefer one that includes or is solely memory foam, or is uses a completely different construction (there's a company in Akld that makes mattresses of something different - they're really heavy and not cheap, but my brother swears by them), whether you like futons etc.. For that stuff, there's probably nothing like simply doing the rounds of the shops and trying different beds - trying before buying is critical in buying a bed!

The more generic guidance is probably more useful, eg the wide agreement that the mark-up is something horrendous from most retailers so ensure you pay nothing like RRP (eg, I waited for 60% off).

I also recall the advice I got from an excellent salesperson at Farmers (an older woman - one of those classic old-school people who actually know their @#$#@) when we bought a bed about two years ago - she suggested not going for a mattress with too much top padding (which we had been planning on doing), as she said it may seem luxurious at first but was more suitable for older people who may need the support. Can't say I regret following her advice as I love the bed we ended up with!

If you're a Consumer member, they have a guide on their website: https://www.consumer.org.nz/topics/buying-a-bed-and-bed-linen

dafman

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#2141166 7-Dec-2018 13:34

We've bought two king-size beds from Wellington beds in the last five years. The first was so good, we didn't bother going anywhere else for the second. They are a local Wellington manufacturer, so may not be of much use to you, but I want to mention them in the forum as we have been very happy. They even offer an exchange within the first 30 days if not totally happy with comfort.

For buying beds, my advice is:

- you get what you pay for. A cheaper bed is not going to be as much as comfortable as a more expensive one. Go to the top end of your budget as you will be spending a large portion of your life on it over the coming years, so why compromise.

- I'd keep away from full-foam options, you can't beat a traditional quality spring mattress. If there are two of you, pocket springs are a gift from heaven as they do a great job of minimising partner disturbance.

dt

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#2141218 7-Dec-2018 15:03

recently bought a new bed for my son and went with a tempur mattress and pillows, it is amazingly comfortable and often find myself having a snooze on it too.. ha ha.. and seriously considering changing our bed for one in the new year too..

As the above mentioned, you will spend a lot of time on it (a 1/3 of your life!) so its always been a zero compromise purchase in my house.. they're a long term investment..

Go to harvy normans, they have dozens of beds on display to try out.. even if you dont buy one from there at least you know what to shop for once you've tried it

nakedmolerat

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#2141230 7-Dec-2018 15:59

@gcorgnet are u in auckland? pm me if u want to know more

nakedmolerat

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#2141231 7-Dec-2018 16:05

@jonathan18:

Can't say I regret following her advice as I love the bed we ended up with!

I disagree though :-)

make sure u get the biggest size possible lol

mattwnz

20155 posts

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#2141235 7-Dec-2018 16:29

For some reason beds seem really expensive these days. However you often seem them with 50% off with some retailers, so maybe they are priced that way so they can give decent discounts? I am probably in need a of new bed sometime myself so will watch what people suggest.

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jonathan18

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#2141271 7-Dec-2018 19:48

mattwnz:
For some reason beds seem really expensive these days. However you often seem them with 50% off with some retailers, so maybe they are priced that way so they can give decent discounts? I am probably in need a of new bed sometime myself so will watch what people suggest.

@mattwnz: I suggest you also have a read through some of the other bed-related threads here on GZ, as the pricing strategy of bed manufacturers and retailers had been discussed previously in some detail.

50% off is a minimum one should expect from a number of brands these days, and I recall someone with knowledge of the industry said they're still making a decent return with that. Nowadays 60% is the new 50% for Sleepyhead beds from Farmers; while not that common, it can be worth waiting around for that additional amount (eg it was a further $600 offover the normal 50% discount when we got ours).

dafman

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#2141541 8-Dec-2018 11:58

I think bed pricing is a little like Bike Barn pricing used to be - ie, 50% off is normal retail. I've only ever bought when price was advertised as 50% off.

kingdragonfly

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#2142903 11-Dec-2018 08:07

Make sure you buy a bed that's "flippable." This means you can flip the bed over, to make it last longer.

It's a very unusual feature nowadays, because everyone in the bed business wants you to wear out your bed as soon as possible.

kingdragonfly

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#2142904 11-Dec-2018 08:07

pctek

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#2143517 11-Dec-2018 17:44

My bed (what is left of a cheap suite) is now 37 years old.

mattress has been changed, headboard has been changed. base fine, so no need.

mattress, the last one, was bought from dealer off TRademe, $201 (double), and is very firm as I wanted. Had it now for 9 years, perfect condition still.

So it isn't necessary to pay stupid money for a bed really.

jonathan18

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#2143568 11-Dec-2018 20:01

pctek:
So it isn't necessary to pay stupid money for a bed really.

While I think it's silly to pay full price for a bed, and would agree it's possible to get a comfortable enough bed relatively cheaply, I think to a great degree it's worth paying more for something of quality.

I've had a couple of cheaper beds that I have liked well enough, but there's simply no comparison with our current bed that cost at least three times more. Sure, the law of diminishing returns applies the more one spends, as it does to any similar purchase, but as others have pointed out the amount of time spent in bed makes buying a quality bed a totally worthwhile investment if you can afford it.

mudguard

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#2143596 11-Dec-2018 21:11

I sleep in over a dozen different beds a month. I bought a new one for home about a year ago. The only advice I'd give is make sure it fits!! I had a queen slat come out of the room, but wanted a base with drawers, and it would not fit into the room. So now I have a bed that is a mile off the ground as I had to use the old slat base. Very comfortable though! I basically went in and lay on the three different softness levels they offered and think I got the middle one.

I'm never at home so the mattress is basically new.

kingdragonfly

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#2143741 12-Dec-2018 07:00

Maybe telling strangers you're never at home might not be a good idea, just in case...

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