Bowles vs. Serta

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The Best Mattress!
This is a great mattress! My husband and I moved to our new house and bought this mattress for our room. The first bed that came did not open up all the way and was basically a taco. We called Amazon and they sent a replacement. We have been sleeping on this bed for about 3 months now and we can feel the difference from the traditional mattress we had prior. Our sleep is a lot better, we no longer feel sore, and we don't notice each other's movement during the night. Definitely get this mattress!

Firm enough for a big man like me!
I weigh a lot in comparison to other people so I was initially hesitant to buy a memory foam mattress as I feared sinking to the bottom or drowning. This mattress not only held my weight stiffly but it is super comfortable and probably the best mattress I have ever used. I bought the double and it worked so well that when I bought a king bedroom set I decided to buy the bigger exact same mattress in king size. It come in a big box compressed so you will want to get it upstairs on the bedframe before you open it up and let it absorb all the air around.

Great Buy!
I was uncertain about purchasing a mattress on-line, but the price was so much below what I found in stores that I went ahead and made the purchase. I'm glad I did. The shipping was easy, the mattress quickly expanded once in place. I did not notice any odor. I'm sleeping much better through the night and wake with less back/hip pain. This mattress is a great buy, especially for the price!

Amazing
My wife and I were looking to upgrade our bed to a king during a recent move. We looked at all the big named stores for furniture / mattress and were taken back by the price of the memory foam mattress. We tried out the I-comfort mattress Raymour and Flanagan's and really liked it. After spending hours researching this mattress, I came to the conclusion that this is similar to the Serta I-comfort and about 1/4 - 1/3 of the price. This bed is exactly as advertised and feels identical the the I-comfort we tried in the store. We could not be happier and it sleeps so much better than a traditional spring mattress. I would recommend to anyone.

Remember, you also need a box spring or foundation. This will add another $200 - $400 for the total cost of the bed.

A most fantastic mattress
Our new mattress is comfortable beyond words and so much lighter than the Tempurapedic we had before for many years. It feels like a heavenly cloud and we have slept so well on it and could not be more pleased with our purchase. The price of it is unbelievably low, I recall we paid $2,000.00 for our old mattress over 15 years ago.

Maria & Ted Phillips

I snore less.
One of the best beds I have slept on. I usually sleep HOT and was leary of trying the memory foam bed, but i was amazed at how cool it sleeps. My wife has also said that I do not snore as much.
I could not give the bed a 5 for one reason. I like to sit on the edge of the bed and put on my shoes, but this bed does not have the support on the edges to do that.

Hard, hot, and bumpy
I've had this mattress for 3 weeks now and I am not happy. It is very firm for a memory foam mattress (maybe it will soften up over time), so firm that my body doesn't sink far enough to fill in the lumbar space of my back. I wake up sore every morning, and it reminds me of sleeping on the ground (I camp a lot, so I know). It was shipped in a shrink wrapped container, folded in half, so there is still a noticeable ridge down the center of the bed that divides the two halves. Also, even after airing it out for a week, it does still have a noticeable plastic smell. Lastly, it does trap a heat a little bit.

Overall, I am really unsatisfied, and am contemplating returning it.

Very good mattress
I have had this mattress for a year. The mattress is very good. I read a ton of reviews before purchasing this mattress. A lot of mixed reviews when I researched this mattress. I could not see spending 1500 to 3000 dollars for a similar mattress. I was a little skeptical because this mattress was so cheap. Amazon Prime was a factor in purchasing this mattress. The mattress is very good. No issues with smell or sagging. I am very happy

Hard as a rock
Wow, what a disappointment. Sure wish I'd listened to the reviews that said this mattress was HARD. It's not just firm, it's like sleeping on a stone slab. I can't imagine the hassle to pack it up to return it, so after a week of suffering, we bought a 4-inch memory foam topper, which has helped tremendously. However, as soon as we can afford it, we're buying a real memory foam mattress.

Way to firm for Foam!!
If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't have bought this. It needs to be listed as an Firm mattress. Since I have it, I tolerate it. I went out and bought a 1inch foam topper to put on it to reduce the firmness. What I do find is as you sleep on it and it warms up it gets softer. So I bought a heated mattress pad and put it on also. About an hour before bed time I turn it on low and it does soften the mattress somewhat. Over all I would never recommend this mattress nor would I by it if I knew what I know about it now.

Great Sleep
We were a little worried to buy the bed online, but took the plunge. We were pleasantly surprise at how quick it was delivered. The queen size bed was heavy, but being boxed up made it easier to move. Once in the bed room, we unpacked it and let it return to its original shape. About two hours. The bed sleeps great. My wife and I both enjoy the fact that it adjust to our size. It does not wiggle when I get out of bed at night. I was expecting to sleep hot, but the cool gel works. Great purchase and great value. We priced similar beds at retail stores and they cost $1200. Very happy.

I love this mattress
I bought this mattress almost 2 years ago and I still love it.

That being said, I must disclose that I am somewhat cold-natured, so I don't mind that it retains heat, as the new memory foam mattresses do. This is the only reason this mattress gets 4 stars instead of 5.

When I purchased this mattress, I had done quite a bit of research on prices and quality of memory foam mattresses, and found this one to be one of the most economic choices for the quality. I am happy that I chose this one.

It arrived in a big square box. WARNING: Do NOT open the box until after you drag it upstairs and into the room where you want to use it. Opening the box in another room will create a lot of unnecessary work for you.

The instructions said it would take about 24 hours to completely assume its proper shape and size. In reality, it was ready just a few hours later.

My husband complained that it was not as soft as he liked, so we bought a memory foam/gel mattress cover for it at Costco. This helped make it softer and provided some relief for my husband from the heat retention.

If I had to buy another mattress, I would buy this one again.

Smart buy
The full size mattress is really comfortable. Bigger then a normal full size mattress. We had to replace the old boxspring to a sleep master smart base because of the size if the new Serta. Now we have more room under the bed for storage as well.

Great for sleeping, but quality a bit poor.
I was already to give this a 5 star rating. We bought it in june for our summer place. We have a temperpedic and home and never sleep well with out it. We could not justify the cost to buy one for the summer place. When we found this we were excited! The negative reviews sounded like the negative reviews for temper pedic, so we were not too worried. The box made it really easy to transport ourselves to our place. It opened and inflated great! We had all the windows open and fans going, but we never really noticed an odor. We even slept on it the first night!. It was close to the temper pedic sleep wise. Not quite as cloud like, a little harder, but it worked for us!

This weekend, I took off the waterproof cover that we purchased to wash it with the sheets. I found 4 places on the mattress where the seams were split and you could see the foam inside. Very dissapointing! We expected a little more from a Serta!

Love this mattress
Excellent mattress through and throughout..Amazon was super quick and mattress was in perfect shape..As I sleep on this mattress 2 yrs later all I can say is I sleep like a baby..It feels like you're sleeping on a cloud ..I wake up refreshed from a great night sleep day in and day out..

I'm lovin' it!
Researched loads of beds in my desperate attempt to get a good nights sleep and deep six the pillow top that was aggravating my already ailing lower back...........decided on the Serta icomfort since many people commented on how hot the memory foam gets.....and tried it out at my local store where they were upwards of $1600 depending on the depth. Arrived promptly, NO SMELL, easy set up and was sleeping in it that night....however my husbands initial comment before he had slept on it, was that it was like a slab of concrete.......... but once you're in it this is not the case... It is firm, yet neither too firm nor too soft and extremely comfortable altho it did take me 3-4 nights to get used to it having been sleeping on a pillow top, and I did find I had to adjust my mediflow pillow somewhat so it was flatter and lower...........the only down side I can see, is that both myself and my husband have been lingering in bed much later than normal, I used to be up at the crack of dawn since my back would be complaining and I needed to get up, but its oh so comfortable, and I'm loathe to get up when its so very snuggly and cosy....I'm sleeping much better with less tossing and turning due to pressure points.... if you're considering one, I'd say go for it, we both love it and were not dissapointed in any way!
**UPDATE** Oct. 2014 No sagging....best bed EVER!

Serta 12-Inch Gel Foam 3-Layer King Mattress
We received this mattress packed in its box and we took it to the bed and unboxed it accordingly to the instructions. Here is a short video of the process. [...] We then waited only a few hours, made the bed, and slept that night on it. Its been great this first week! Highly recommended and I will write another review after a few more weeks along with an updated video of it. It was awesome to see it take its shape! Thanks

Intelwalk

Great mattress. Unbeatable price.
Bought this mattress after trying out several different foam beds at various stores. Macy's had the Serta line of beds and I liked them much more than the others that were there. So I was very pleased to find the mattress on here.

I bought the full sized bed and it came in a box that's roughly 4' by 2' by 2'. The factory folds the mattress several times and then compresses it in a plastic wrapper. I put it on my existing box spring and opened it up and left it sit for about 6 hours for it to reach its full shape.

There was a slight smell to it but nothing unpleasant and by the time I put the mattress pad and sheets on it, I was sleeping on it the first night without any issue.

If this is your first foam bed it will take a few nights to a week to fully acclimate to the difference between this and a spring based bed, so dont give up on it too quickly.

I sleep on my back and side a lot and used to have horrible shoulder and hip pain from a conventional mattress and the pressure points. I am pleased to say this is entirely gone with this mattress.

I normally like a very soft squishy mattress and when you first sit or lay on this bed (especially if it's a bit cold) it's very firm. I laid on it and thought, "this will never work". Then it begins to conform to your body and supports you so well, you'll understand why so many people are switching to this type of bed.

With any foam bed, they hold a little more heat than a normal mattress. I havent had an issue with this one other than during the colder months I had to turn my electric blanket down than where it's normally set and I am fine. I would HIGHLY recommend this bed and at this price you just cant beat it.

Best mattress I have owned
I have had this mattress for over 3 years now and it is just like new. Would highly recommend if you are looking for a quality memory foam mattress at a great price. I have back problems and this has been wonderful.

This is a great mattress!
I was very skeptical when I ordered the product, and when the mattress was delivered in a 3 ft box and I pulled out the mattress folded over and shrink wrapped, I became even more anxious. When you first open the mattress and flatten it out, it will be hard as a rock. This is only because the gel becomes cold and needs time to reach room temperature. I let my mattress straighten out for around 5 hours, and by that time the mattress was completely flat and much softer. I wish the mattress was a little firmer, but all in all I am very happy with my purchase. The mattress is extremely comfortable and I love that the mattress retains my body heat, especially during the winter. If you're looking for a comfortable mattress at an affordable price, I highly recommend this mattress.

So far so good
You have to let this bed have a break in period. It was shipped in a little box and expanded very quickly. My husband built a platform out of wood for the bed. The product only had a smell for the first night or two but nothing like some of the reviews had mentioned. Now it did have a high spot for the first two weeks but after it began to break in things got better. I waited to review this poduct because I heard that these type of beds need to be broken in before you can have a real good nights sleep. We are both sleeping better. I love it even more because my husband wakes up earlier than me and I never ever feel him moving or getting up before me. I love that part. This was a good buy. I didn't give it a five becuse I am a hard grader.

Just Right
I ordered this bed in the offset chance that it would be comparable to the beds in the big chains (i.e. Macy's, Sears, Etc.). I was pleasantly surprised when it arrive on schedule and was set up and ready in minutes. There was no smell that a lot of other customers spoke of. It did have a slight crease for the first few days. However it has fallen and I assumed it was due to packing. I've only spent two nights on it as I'm not moved in yet, but it made for a comfortable sleep. Especially with my girlfriend. Having my arm under her pillow didn't come accompanied with the "dead arm" that happens on most mattresses. All in all it was a good experience and saved a new home owner a lot of money. Thanks!!

Just like the more expensive mattresses
We went to a department store to try out memory foam mattresses and got sticker shoch at the prices. We came home found this Serta on Amazon we ordered it right away. When it arrived we were very surprised to find that it feels like a nuch more expensive mattress. We are very happy with purchase of this mattress. Thanks so very much.

I am in love with my new mattress
I am in love with my new mattress. It's a whole lot firmer than my old one, but a whole lot more comfortable. I had the luxury of testing it at my parent's home first. I have already recommended it several times.

I like it, wife hates it
I purchased this mattress 6 months ago after trying out the Gel mattress in a local store. This mattress doesn't seem as soft as the one in the store. My wife liked it at first, but after a few weeks changed her mind. She now says it is the hardest mattress she has ever slept on, but she seems to sleep well. I have back problems, and I do think the mattress is hard but I also think it helps my back. The gel does help keep you cool, but the foam mattress does hold some heat.

Amazing mattress!
Greatest mattress I've ever slept on. I am about 205 lb and it hasn't had the denting problem other foam mattress suffer from even after a year of use. The gel also helps to keep it nice and cool during the summer months.

Also, there was no noticible smell when I opened it.

Love it!
I had read a lot of reviews before purchasing this mattress and I am so glad I did. It does take two people to set this mattress up, but easy to place, remove the package, and let it sit to expand. There was a slight odor of chemical, but it wasn't that bad. I opened the sliding door to let natural air in and seemed to be kind of gone by the evening. The bed was comfortable, firm, and felt very relaxed as soon as I laid in it. This was definitely a good purchase for the price!

For a great night's sleep.
This mattress is very comfortable - no pain from pressure points. It is quite firm but we use a fluffy mattress pad which makes it just right for us. The mattress is barely a month old but so far, we love it.

Amazon told me to wait and now i can't return this item.....NICE!!!!!!!
I purchased this bed and the first one came to me falling apart... The replacement one seemed to be ok... we set up the bed and it seemed to take it shape over the next 24 to 48 hours... it had a very high spot in the center on the fold that they put in it to box this item.... the high spot never went away... i spoke with a amazon rep. and the said that it should relax and lay flat... it has been almost a year am I'm still waiting for it to lay flat...i have to lay in the middle of the bed to cuddle with the wife!!! this don't make me happy... so it looks like I have to spend more money and get a new one...i just spoke with a Amazon rep. and he told me that the return window was only a few weeks from purchase... so i waited as asked and now i can't return this item...I to me seems like i was told to wait so that they didn't have to return this item!!!!! Amazon is usually good with things like this but per there request that i wait i loose out??? this just don't seem right in my eyes... i guess I'm out the 581.94 that i paid... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED DON'T BUY!!!!!!

Gimmick product, period
I bought this in hopes of finally getting good night's sleep on a comfortable mattress. That didn't/hasn't happened. Hands down the dumbest purchased I've made off Amazon ever. This thing is HORRIBLE.
Main complaints:
*Stiff as a board.. No matter the temperature (they claim your body temperature will fix it as it heats up)
*Stinks of chemicals. Not sure what its made out of but WOW! Smells like I'm sleeping in an open can of paint.
*I weigh around 190lbs and I don't even make a dent in this thing. I don't sink in and it sure doesn't "form" around me.

Talking to a retail seller of these he told me more foam mattresses are returned than kept. The floor models are beat down versions of the real things so people can't feel the stiffness.

Gimmick product, period

Good company bad product.
This company is good but the mattress sucks. The first one we got we thought there was a defect because where we sleep there are large indentions but since they replace the mattress the same thing is happening .

If you buy this, don't plan on staying out of it for long.
If you buy this, don't plan on staying out of it for long. This mattress is so deliciously cozy that after the first night, I ordered one for my daughter as a birthday gift. No more legs cramps, neck pain from sleeping in the wrong position and the mattress doesn't heat up like the regular memory foam beds. SOOOO nice!

SERTA DOES NOT MAKE THIS MATTRESS. WARRANTY IS THROUGH OTHER MANUFACTURER. READ ISSUES BELOW
We purchased on 10/30/2011 and keep a protective mattress pad/cover and deep pocket fitted sheet on at all times. We paid $583 for a queen back them. We have just reported issues to Serta, who told us Sleep Innovations makes the mattress for them. Sleep Innovations are now Innocor Comfort out of New Jersey. We have to deal with them and not Serta. Wish I would of known that back then. The issues we are having is that the Gel Foam has shrunk 1.5 inches on the foot of the mattress and 1 inch on the one side, across the entire width and length of the mattress. In addition, the seams are coming apart and separating on the top of the mattress cover. Innocor emailed me a form to fill out and I have to send them a copy of the Amazon receipt and photos of the issues. We will see how the warranty comes into play and if they make good on a replacement or refund. Will keep everyone updated.

Not Bad for a Serta-ish Mattress
We had a spring mattress that was causing back problems, went to 100 stores and looked at the memory foam options, then decided to buy this one because it was less than half the price. The one caveat is - the mattress says it's Serta but it's not really. It's made by Sleep Innovations (who is not Serta). We talked to support about it when all the docs showed up in a Serta envelope but were labeled as Sleep Innovations and they seemed confused about it as well. Then we called Serta to ask about it and they said they sold the rights to Sleep Innovations to make the mattress and use their logo to help sell it. All very confusing and more complex than it needs to be - but at the end of the day, we like the mattress so far and it wasn't outrageously expensive. Now onto the actual mattress...

It's definitely pretty firm. I think we've had it long enough now that it's officially "broken in". We did add a topper to it to make it more comfortable. If you have a low bed platform, you'll probably want to buy a solid riser (unless you like doing an ab workout to get in an out of bed). So far, I'd say worth the money. Will come back and re-update in a few months.

4 years later and it's still wonderful
I waited to write a review ... and then I forgot about it. I bought the mattress in 2012 and today in 2016 it doesn't have dips or depressions where we sleep and is wonderfully comfortable. There are two things to consider about foam mattresses and it's a little confusing. 1) FIRMNESS - This is is ability of the mattress to support you body without sagging or forming depressions. This has to do with the density of the foam. That's why some reviewers talk about how heavy this mattress is - it's because it's so firm - and that's a good thing. It's why 4 years later the foam is still in good shape. 2) SOFTNESS - This is the Pillow Effect on the top of mattress that gives you comfort. This mattress is very Firm but not Soft on top. And that makes it feel a little "rock like" to some. If you like a lightly pillowed top I HIGHLY recommend a 2.5 inch gel mattress topper. (The one Costco sells is perfect). I know it seems like the whole mattress is now more expensive but too many other less expensive mattresses sag (are not firm enough) to hold up over the years, and that's false economy. Also trying to dispose of a heavy foam mattress is not fun. My husband and I think this mattress is wonderful.

Firm. Supportive. Not Plush.
We have been sleeping on foam mattresses for a long time and will never go back to springs. This mattress in particular has excellent support characteristics but if you are looking for a "plush" feel, you will need a topper. This is a firm mattress which supports the body. It is not a mattress you sink into like a cloud. Some will equate that firmness with being an uncomfortable mattress but really it is just for people who prefer firmness to plushness. Before you buy this one online, you should go to your local mattress store and ask to try their most firm mattress. You must lay on a foam mattress for more than a few seconds to give it time to adjust to your body. If the firm feels right, this will suit your needs. If you need plushness, keep shopping.

On a side note, another advantage to a foam mattress of this thickness is that you do not need a box spring. Whatever you put this on will be fine for a bed which means you can make a pretty cool artistic platform beds, or set it on a board or cinder blocks or whatever and as long as there is a flat surface directly under the mattress, the feel will be the same as if you used expensive box springs.

not for us
This gel foam mattress was really hard for me. I was 9 months pregnant when we got this mattress and I thought it would be good because it can help me get a good nigh rest by having a good support. Nope. I was wrong. It felt like I was sleeping on the floor. Every time I move it hurts. Plus it wasn't comfortable because it was hot. Don't know why since it's suppose to have a gel foam but I guess that doesn't work for me. If you prefer plush mattresses, this is not for you.

Comfortable
I've purchase memory foam toppers in the past and wound up very unhappy with them. I would sink in too much and wake up throughout the night just to turn over. I've had no problems with this and now realize there is a HUGE difference between toppers and a real memory foam mattress.

First off, this thing weighs a lot, nearly 100 lbs. If you don't have a strong man to help you with this, you will have trouble. UPS had to help me in the door with it on a dolly. It arrives in a box, contorted and airtight sealed. Unpacking was a two man job and we unpacked it right on the frame.

This mattress does not sink much when you lay on it and reminds me very much of quality mattresses of years past (prior to pillowtop.) No achy back from this mattress! The hardest thing we had was finding a proper platform for it. Wound up going with the Structures by Malouf HIGHRISE Folding Metal Bed Frame 14" High Bi-Fold Platform Bed Base, KING and didn't even need plywood or anything. We put the mattress straight onto it and this was an affordable option over a platform.

I will need a new twin mattress soon and I will definitely be getting one of these mattresses for that bed.

****UPDATE: Aug 14, 2012****
I now own two of these. After having owned the first one for quite a while, I felt the need to come back and clarify something.
Foam mattresses and toppers are hot to sleep on. I thought everyone knew this, but since they don't, I needed to let them know. If you are prone to being cold, you will like this mattress. If you are prone to being hot, you will hate this mattress and definitely wake up sweating.

GREAT MATTRESS
COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. I AM A SENIOR WITH SEVERAL ORTHOPEDIC ISSUES. BECAUSE OF PAIN IN MY HIP I WAS HAVING TO SLEEP ON THE COUCH, WHERE THE DEPRESSIONS BETWEEN SEAT CUSHIONS FIT MY CURVES. NOW I CAN SLEEP IN BED AND MY HIP DOES NOT HURT. I HAVN'T BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT FOR 2 YEARS. SHOULDER PAIN ON THE SAME SIDE DID NOT RESPOND AS WELL BUT IT IS ALSO IMPROVED. SINCE I AM MENOPAUSAL, HEAT WAVES -NOT FLASHES- KEPT ME FROM TRYING THE ORIGINAL TEMPERPEDIC TYPE MATTRESSES, BUT THIS SERTA GEL FOAM MATTRESS DOES NOT TRAP THE HEAT, JUST LIKE THEY SAID. SINCE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SMELL, (AND A SERTA PILLOW I PURCHASED DID HAVE A STRONG ODOR FOR A FEW DAYS) I CHOSE TO OPEN THE MATTRESS IN ANOTHER ROOM. THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY, ODOR WAS VERY LOW. I HAD LAID IT ON A SHEET AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE IT EASILY TO THE OTHER ROOM. GREAT PRODUCT!!