Blog > How To Test A Mattress In-Store Before Buying? [2025 Guide]
How To Test A Mattress In-Store Before Buying? [2025 Guide]
The Ultimate Mattress-Testing Guide 2023
SleePare is the place to test a mattress in-store. This guide will help you out when testing an online mattress in-store and answer any questions you might have about the process.
SleePare allows you to evaluate a mattress by sleeping on it for 30 minutes so you can get a better feel for it and make a more informed selection.
To test a mattress effectively, visit a store and lie down in your preferred sleep position for 10-15 minutes. Assess pressure points, motion transfer, and overall comfort. Research materials, construction, and firmness. Consider personal preferences and needs. If buying online, choose companies with extended trials and easy returns to test the mattress at home.
Fortunately, SleePare carries some of the most well-known online mattress brands, which you can test in our SleePare showrooms.
SleePare collaborates with the best-selling online-only mattresses, allowing customers to test and purchase in-store and online with an exclusive coupon. While online mattress companies offer sleep trials, it is still recommended to test in person to find the best mattress.
Mattress Material Testing Guide
Pros
Cons
Memory Foam
Provides pressure relief
Excellent spinal alignment
Ideal for side and back sleepers
Exceptional motion isolation
No noise
Captures heat from body
Excessive sinkage
Strong initial off gassing
Hybrid
Good for couples
Excellent for side, back and stomach sleepers
Excellent pressure-relief
Exceptional blend of comfort, support, and bounce
Expensive mattress
Natural Latex
Highly durable
Excellent support
Naturally sleeps cool
No chemical odor
Eco-friendly
Naturally hypoallergenic
Highly breathable
Bit pricier
Some people are allergic to natural latex
Innerspring
Excellent bounce
Many firmness options
Sags quickly
Forms pressure-points
Excessive motion transfer
Pocketed Coils
Excellent comfort
Limits motion transfer
Great for couples
More expensive than a basic innerspring
Luxury Airbeds
Long lifespan
Customized firmness system
Suitable for all sleep positions and sleeper body types
Above High average price-point
Susceptible to malfunctions
Costly maintenance
High noise potential
9 Sure-Fire Ways To Test A Mattress In-Store
1. How Do You Check The Firmness Of A Mattress?
The best way to check the firmness of a mattress is to try it out at the store. It is recommended to lie down on the mattress for at least 15 minutes in the sleeping position that is most comfortable for you at home. This should give you an excellent indication of whether or not this is the mattress for you.
However, firmness is very subjective and difficult to measure. As a result, it’s critical to try out a mattress in a store and determine its comfort level based on how it feels overall. According to a study, 77% of sleepers who tried out different mattress firmnesses in stores were happy with their decision.
2. How Long Should I Test A New Mattress?
Consumer Reports state that the customers who spend more than 15 minutes testing a bed are happier with their choice than the people who spend less time. If you sleep for 5 minutes in every sleeping position, you can experience better adaptability of the mattress. After you’ve purchased the mattress, many companies have sleep trials where you can sleep on it for a set amount of time and return it for free.
3. How To Test For Support And Spinal Alignment?
To test for support and spinal alignment, it’s best to lay on a mattress in-store or purchase one online and test it out during a sleep trial. Support and spinal alignment vary from mattress to mattress, so what you find comfortable might not be what your partner finds comfortable.
Mattress support tells you how well it allows the spine to maintain its alignment and evenlydistribute weight. Proper mattress support is crucial to the resting body. Lack of support may result in muscle ache, back pain, stiffness, and lack of sleep. If you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, your mattress is most likely not providing enough support and spinal alignment.
Your body isn’t a straight line; it has curves, and the appropriate mattress should support your back while supporting your arches. Back, side, and stomach sleepers will all require various levels of support in different places.
Here’s how you can test out spinal alignment depending on your sleep position:
Back Sleepers
Slide your hand under the small of your back while lying down on a mattress (the curve of your lower back). The mattress may be overly firm if your hand readily glides under your lower back curve. The mattress is probably too soft if your hand doesn’t slide through at all.
Lie down on the side of your bed where you normally sleep. Ask someone to take a picture of your back or check your spine alignment. Check to see if your spine is straight. If it isn’t, switch to a different mattress.
It’s difficult to test a mattress for stomach sleepers because no mattress can adequately support your spine in this position. Start by lying down on a mattress and feeling how it feels under your feet. Is it causing you to sink? If you answered yes, you have a problem with your spine. Lie on the bed for more than 20 minutes and note any pressure buildup or lower back pain.
4. How To Test The Comfort Level Of A Mattress?
When purchasing a new mattress, the most essential and apparent element to consider is comfort. The greatest method to assess and test the comfort of a mattress is to try it out in a store. Most internet mattresses don’t have this choice, which is why these firms have good trial and return policies.
Consider your preferred sleeping position as well as the firmness level of the mattress when determining whether or not it is comfortable. You will experience aches and pains as well as tossing and turning if your mattress is too firm or too soft. While sleep position and mattress firmness are related, what you consider comfortable is a matter of personal taste.
5. Recovery Test - How Quick Does A Mattress Bounce Back?
This refers to how well they absorb compression and how long it takes them to return to their former shape after the weight is removed. To determine the recovery time of a mattress, or how quickly it “bounces back”, you will need to test it out in various sleep positions. To start, lie down in your chosen sleeping position on a mattress. Shift positions and see how long it takes the mattress to return to its original shape.
A memory foam mattress will normally have a faster response time than a gel foam mattress. Innerspring and latex mattresses have the quickest recovery times, whereas hybrid mattresses are somewhere in the middle, depending on the type of foam used in the comfort layer.
6. Temperature Regulation: Does It Make You Warm?
Temperature regulation in mattresses is more often than not designed to keep hot sleepers cool. However, there are some smart beds with heating technology. Many people complain of “sleeping hot,” which is caused by the mattress’s heat retention (this usually happens in memory foam mattresses). There are numerous mattresses available with innovative materials that allow for optimal ventilation and cooling.
If you’re a hot sleeper, avoid memory foam and synthetic latex mattresses. These materials have a tendency to trap body heat. Thicker mattresses made from synthetic materials still hold even more heat. Natural latex, breathable foams, innerspring, and hybrid mattresses sleep much cooler. Mattresses made from these materials are ideal for those who sleep hot.
7. How Well Does A Mattress Cushion And Comfort You?
How well mattress cushions and comforts is dependent on the materials. As soon as you crawl into bed, you’ll realize how comfortable the top layer of the mattress is. As soon as you lie down, the comfort layer will cradle your pressure points and provide relief. You must test and feel a mattress to determine if it is comfortable for you. For some people, a firmer bed will feel just right, while others will prefer a softer mattress. Only you can accurately gauge what’s comfortable to you.
8. Motion Transfer: Does The Mattress Move When Your Partner Moves On It?
If you’re sharing a bed, it’s a good idea to go to the mattress store with your spouse and try out several mattresses. This will help determine how well a mattress reduces motion transfer when sleeping with your spouse, children, or pets.
A mattress with the right amount of comfort and padding will reduce pressure points while you sleep, resulting in less tossing and turning, fewer aches and pains when you wake up, and overall better sleep. When your partner moves on the mattress, it moves, which can disrupt your sleep. You run the risk of being woken up by your partner’s changing positions because the mattress transfers too much of that motion to your side of the bed.
Lay down on the bed with your spouse and have them switch positions while you rest on the opposite side. Take note of how much movement you are experiencing.
9. Edge Support In A Mattress
If you sleep with a partner that takes up the majority of the bed, you’ll enjoy a mattress with robust edge support. If you have children who might share your bed, or if you just need a little additional help getting in and out of bed, a mattress with excellent edge support is a great option. When testing a mattress, sitting on the mattress’s edge will give you an idea of whether the support is adequate.
Conclusion
Testing and buying a mattress in store will provide you with the best mattress buying experience possible. When testing a mattress in-store, you can try out the mattress beforehand, get expert advice, and try out alternative options if the one you were looking at initially isn’t what you expected.
If you’re shopping for a new mattress and live near one of our SleePare showroom locations, make an appointment to test out the best and newest online mattresses. Don’t live near one of our locations? Read our sleep blog!
Shanir Kol, founder and CEO of SleePare, pioneered the “Try and Buy” model in eCommerce, enhancing mattress shopping by combining in-store trials with online purchases. Launching in 1999, his company focuses on customer satisfaction and eco-friendly practices, aiming to minimize mattress waste and expand sustainably.
Amazing experience! Valerio is super knowledgeable, friendly and he gives you space to try a lot in peace! We bought our mattress and made a great deal!
Fazi was excellent and so knowledgable about each mattress. Her patience and expert advice made me feel confidant in my decision, never feeling I was being pressured. Highly recommend!
Fazi greatly helped us in the search of our new mattress. Our experience with her was delightful. She did not only take her time to understand our needs but also took time to educate us on all the aspects and details around a mattress choice.
Have had a nightmare of a time navigating the mattress industry on my own, especially after a few bad purchases from online bed in a box brands. Thankfully, Malcom and Sleepare helped my partner and I pick out what will hopefully be the perfect mattress for us. Really appreciate Malcom's knowledgeability and patience in answering all of our questions and being incredibly accommodating.
I had a great experience at SleePare and recommend them wholeheartedly. I had developed back pain and sciatica on my old mattress even though it was in great condition, and my Physical Therapist recommended that I change to a mattress with more cushioning as well as more support. SleePare is not restricted to just one or two brands. In their large showroom I could actually try a variety of brands for as long as I wanted. I figured that having to spend 8 hours on a mattress required a long testing. Raveena helped me and she was perfect. She first took time to understand my particular needs. Then she guided me with great expertise toward the type of mattress that would fit my needs. I was impressed by how knowledgeable she was and I trusted her answers because she did not embellish them or push to make a sale. Their generous free return policy of 100 days allowed me to try my new mattress at home. I don't understand how people can buy something online as personal and sensitive as a mattress without even knowing if they like it in the first place, and then go through the trouble of having to return it. SleePare was the place I was looking for: they are straight shooters that offer a nice selection of many brands with expert and honest advice. I've been sleeping on this mattress for 8 months and back pain and sciatica no longer wake me up.
Valerio was so lovely, and extremely knowledgeable about the matresses! He energetically gave us details on each bed in the showroom. There was a wide range of mattresses on display including some that were not advertised on their website, so we were glad we came in. My partner and I felt comfortable enough to try some beds together, it was a very queer friendly space and we felt confident enough to make a decision. We ended up getting a great deal on a typically expensive mattress, and he was very accommodating to our drop-off schedule. We had so much fun. 🌈❤️
Went there on 5 days ago to look for a king size mattress. Made an appointment. Read a bunch of reviews on line and went to check out the mattress that was highly recommended. Valerio helped us understand how mattresses are made and encouraged to try them. We eventually chose a different mattress to the one we went to check out. Very positive experience. Would recommend you go before committing to a mattress type based on reviews on line like NYT or Forbes ranking etc
I was warmly greeted by Fazi, who listened to my concerns about the kind of mattress. I thought I might be looking for. She cordially offered information and insights relating to my search and then spent significant time with me showing a variety of mattresses that she thought would offer me good sleep and good value. It was an A+ experience.
Malcom was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. They’re to help but also patient and let me take my time, and happy to answer all my questions. A very positive experience, and I’m looking forward to improved sleep on my new mattress!
Visited Sleepare today. Valerio helped us out purchasing mattress. He was helpful, polite, and friendly. Got the mattress that we wanted with great price. Great experience.
Great experience. Store Manager, Fazi, is very welcoming and helpful. We were given enough information and time to make a decision with no pressure whatsoever. Made a daunting effort clear and simple. Would highly recommend.
Valerio helped my wife and I find the mattress we’ve been needing for months! He walked us through every option and told us the composition of each type! We would have been lost without him! We will only ever come back here for anything we need in terms of our bedding in the future! He made the process stress free and we’re walking out with exactly what we were looking for! 10/10
I feel grateful to live in an area where a showroom like this is available. After all, a mattress is one of the most important purchases we make in our lives, and it's certainly risky making a blind buy!During my appointment, not only was I able to physically test mattresses from companies that have no brick-and-mortar locations, but the associate named Fazi was absolutely instrumental in my ultimate purchasing decision. I was very impressed with her knowledge of the mechanics behind each mattress, and ways to distinguish between whether any bed-related accessories are worth the money. Even if you're not local to NYC, I'd highly recommend visiting here for a consultation. I'm glad the word is spreading about this place!
Wow, what a fantastic experience! The best customer service of any mattress store I've ever been too, bar none. Fazi was incredibly attentive, offering excellent feedback and advice throughout the process of exploring all the various products Sleepare has to offer. I was really impressed by her attention to detail, and the patience and care she showed me as I asked many (MANY) questions! I am very much planning on buying my mattress from SleePare -- can't recommend this store enough.
I had a great experience today when I visited SleePare Mattress Store in Manhattan on West 30th made all the more wonderful by Fazi. She is so knowledgeable, helpful, patient and kind. I had done a little research about beds over the last couple of weeks, but actually trying out the mattresses in this showroom with Fazi’s knowledge about each and her suggestions for me to ponder, I feel I am better equipped to pick the right mattress for me and my problematic lumbar spine. I would and will recommend highly to anyone looking to buy a mattress to go to SleePare. Thank you SleePare and Fazi!
I had a fantastic experience here. Had an evening appointment and the salesman, Valerio, spent 40 minutes with me explaining the differences between mattresses in great detail. He guided me to a choice that was both extremely comfortable and also not at the top end of my budget range. And he didn't even try to get me to buy something at the super high end. I didn't think I was going to make a purchase right on the spot, but he instilled so much confidence and comfort in the process that I walked out of the store having ordered my new mattress. Fantastic experience, thanks to Valerio!
I recently visited Sleepare for the second time to shop for a new mattress, and Valerio made the experience truly exceptional. From the moment I walked in, he was friendly, attentive, and genuinely interested in helping me find the perfect mattress for my needs.Valerio was incredibly knowledgeable, explaining the differences between various types of mattresses, firmness levels, and materials in a way that was easy to understand. He took the time to ask about my sleeping habits and preferences, ensuring their recommendations were tailored to me.What really stood out was he’s patiencethere was no pressure to rush or make a decision. He encouraged me to take my time testing out different options and answered all my questions thoroughly.Thanks to Valerio, I found a mattress that feels perfect, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. If you’re shopping for a mattress, I highly recommend working with Valerio he truly care about customers and go above and beyond to provide excellent service!
We walked in today at Sleepare in nyc and were greeted by Malcom. We told him what we were looking for (a good quality mattress that helps support hip injuries, is comfortable for back and side sleepers and is not too soft) and although we came in with a Dream Cloud, as soon as we laid on it we didn’t like how much we sunk in. We ended up lovingggg the Helix Dawn which to our surprise was a firm mattress with a plush pillow top and that’s the one we both liked. Malcom let us lay as long as we wanted and gave us insight on each mattress. He was cheerful and attentive and made us feel like the experience was worth it. He also told us about a bundle sale that was ending the same day as our visit and we chose to purchase and get the bundle. So we got a mattress and a mattress cover, pillows, and bedsheets for free! So excited to receive the mattress! Thanks Malcom!
Wow… just wow. Went to try some mattresses and didn’t think I would get such an amazing experience, and it’s all thanks to Valerio! He’s so personable and a great person. Super knowledgeable and professional, and makes you feel right at home. He has your best interest in mind and will not try to sell you the most expensive mattress, but the one that suits you the best. Thanks Valerio for an amazing experience!
Our Sleepare experience was enhanced by Valerio, who made shopping for a mattress a truly enjoyable experience! He had great advice and knowledge of all the different types of mattresses, which helped us make our final choice.
I had a wonderful experience at SleePare. I made an appointment the day before and included my budget along with some preferences and sleep habits (I recommend doing this as well if visiting). I was helped by Malcolm who was incredibly helpful and already had some beds lined up according to my appointment notes. Malcolm was super helpful and not pushy at all. He took great consideration of my constraints and helped me narrow down my choice as well as answer my countless questions. I had some brands in mind but with their help I was able to find a mattress that wasn’t even on my radar and I was much more happy with. This is a great spot to check out online mattress brands in person before committing to a purchase or sleep trial. Overall I was very happy with my experience and definitely recommend Malcolm to help you out!
What a great shopping experience! Valerio answered all our questions and held guide us to find the perfect mattress. On top of the great service, Valerio made us feel welcomed and we trusted his expertise! Very happy with our shopping experience!
Was recommended to come and I loved the experience!!! The service is great, great help in trying to find the perfect mattress explaining the differences between the different types of springs, gel, etc. If you are trying to find a new mattress I recommend going in person to find what you like.
I just walked in.Fazi was ready to help me out. She is smart easy to talk to and knows a lot about these mattresses. 30 minutes later I bought an amazing Helix Elite mattress.Fazi made the purchase easy.
I love this place. I was so clueless to what I wanted and needed. And Fazi i think the name of the guy he gave exceptional service. I would recommend 10/10
I had an absolutely incredible experience shopping at SleePare! I can't express enough how impressed and grateful I am for the outstanding assistance I received from Fazi. Despite not having an appointment, she went above and beyond to help me understand which mattress would suit my sleep style best. Her knowledge, patience, and attentiveness were remarkable.I visited the store multiple times—testing mattresses again and again, aligning payments, and even exploring pillow options—and every single time, I was treated with the utmost care and respect. The service was nothing short of exceptional, and I’m beyond thrilled to be finalizing my purchase with SleePare. Thank you for such an amazing experience!
I made an appointment online, went to the showroom and was assisted by Fazi. She was attentive, *not* pushy, the showroom and mattresses were clean and in great shape. Excellent service through the entire process from entrance to purchase (over the phone). Would HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking to try any popular online mattress brands!!
Best mattress showroom in town! customer service was perfect. Fazi was very knowledgeable about her work and was able to help me out with all of the questions i had about my purchase. highly recommend the mlily power cool!!!
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Test Top Rated Online Mattress Brands in Our SleePare Showrooms. Best Price Guarantee. Free Shipping.
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Meet The Author:
Shanir Kol
Shanir Kol, founder and CEO of SleePare, pioneered the “Try and Buy” model in eCommerce, enhancing mattress shopping by combining in-store trials with online purchases. Launching in 1999, his company focuses on customer satisfaction and eco-friendly practices, aiming to minimize mattress waste and expand sustainably.