Any bad experiences with Brooklyn Bedding mattress?

[TSR]

Folks, I'm in the market for a new mattress. After reading themattressunderground and other sites, as well as all recent mattress posts on this site, I think I'm settled on the Brooklyn Bedding mattress. I also think I'm settled on the medium firmness (I am a side sleeper, but I have lower back problems that are aided by firm bedding, so split the difference?). I just need you to help me pull the trigger.

My question is simply: has anyone had any negative experience with these beds? I'm happy to hear about positive experiences too, but I'm especially interested in the negative ones.

Thanks!

[kgressler]

I'm in the same boat as you. I am leaning towards Brooklyn Bedding for my next bed.
I havent seen one report where they wouldn't refund your money on the first bed in you werent happy.
The only issue I see is if you send the first one back and instead of getting your money back you exchange for a different bed then the money back guarantee is no longer valid.

I did there online chat on the website and was on there with them for 30-40 minutes and they were helpful and answered all of my questions.

I feel pretty comfortable with the purchase just worried about the comfort of the bed and the time delay between them picking up the bed if im unhappy and crediting my card and then purchasing a new bed.

[TSR]

I'm in the same boat as you. I am leaning towards Brooklyn Bedding for my next bed.
I havent seen one report where they wouldn't refund your money on the first bed in you werent happy.
The only issue I see is if you send the first one back and instead of getting your money back you exchange for a different bed then the money back guarantee is no longer valid.

I did there online chat on the website and was on there with them for 30-40 minutes and they were helpful and answered all of my questions.

I feel pretty comfortable with the purchase just worried about the comfort of the bed and the time delay between them picking up the bed if im unhappy and crediting my card and then purchasing a new bed.

It sounds like we had a very similar conversation. I spoke with them on the phone and they were very helpful. That said, I left a little confused about the best mattress to get. The gentleman suggested that the soft would likely be firm enough in its base layer to avoid any back difficulties, but better for side sleepers than the medium. However, I like a very firm mattress, so I'm just not really sure how to feel about the whole thing. Anyway, I think I'll definitely get something, but now I have to figure out which. Best of luck to you!

[corysold]

We just returned a Brooklyn Bedding mattress.

The bed itself was very comfortable to sleep in. However, there is almost no support on the side of the bed. It is very different than our traditional spring mattress. I didn't mind too much, but my wife always felt like anytime she would roll over that she was going to roll right out. Woke her up a few times.

She also likes to sit on the bed to put socks on. She said it was uncomfortable due to the lack of support. We returned it for that reason.

So the bed itself was great for sleeping, but the lack of side support was a deal breaker for my wife.

However, the whole buying process was great. I have no issues with that. When you order, look online for promos. I think we go 5% off the bed and free pillows if we shared our purchase on Twitter.

[TSR]

We just returned a Brooklyn Bedding mattress.

The bed itself was very comfortable to sleep in. However, there is almost no support on the side of the bed. It is very different than our traditional spring mattress. I didn't mind too much, but my wife always felt like anytime she would roll over that she was going to roll right out. Woke her up a few times.

She also likes to sit on the bed to put socks on. She said it was uncomfortable due to the lack of support. We returned it for that reason.

So the bed itself was great for sleeping, but the lack of side support was a deal breaker for my wife.

However, the whole buying process was great. I have no issues with that. When you order, look online for promos. I think we go 5% off the bed and free pillows if we shared our purchase on Twitter.

Interesting. I saw this issue discussed on The Mattress Underground, with some people like your wife saying it was disconcerting. I guess there's a TON of side support in traditional spring mattresses, none of which shows up in these. I doubted it would affect me, but your comment about her feeling like she was falling off the bed is disconcerting.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[froman118]

Probably saw my post in the recent thread. Been on a medium Best Mattress Ever since October and really like it. I'm a side sleeper and the medium is just right, any firmer and it might cause pressure points. I prefer firmer beds and a soft bed at a hotel is a guaranteed sore lower back for me. It could be a bit softer and probably not cause back issues, but if I wanted it softer I could use a 1" latex topper to accomplish that.

Responding to the edge support from corysold, we haven't had an issue with this. I had our average quality 8 year old inner spring mattress still setup with the BME next to it and there was very little difference sitting on the edge with the BME actually being slightly better. I don't feel like I'm going to roll off and I often sleep right on the edge if our daughter is between us. Weight could be a factor with edge support and we're both under 170 lb.

[TSR]

Probably saw my post in the recent thread. Been on a medium Best Mattress Ever since October and really like it. I'm a side sleeper and the medium is just right, any firmer and it might cause pressure points. I prefer firmer beds and a soft bed at a hotel is a guaranteed sore lower back for me. It could be a bit softer and probably not cause back issues, but if I wanted it softer I could use a 1" latex topper to accomplish that.

Responding to the edge support from corysold, we haven't had an issue with this. I had our average quality 8 year old inner spring mattress still setup with the BME next to it and there was very little difference sitting on the edge with the BME actually being slightly better. I don't feel like I'm going to roll off and I often sleep right on the edge if our daughter is between us. Weight could be a factor with edge support and we're both under 170 lb.

Great, thank you. I did see your post and I appreciate the additional info about side-sleeping. Sounds like the medium may be right for me. I'm tall and about 175 lbs, so probably not too far off from your situation.

[kgressler]

If you look on their facebook page you can get the 5%of and free pillows promo code emailed to you. I believe it said it was good until June 30th.

[TSR]

If you look on their facebook page you can get the 5%of and free pillows promo code emailed to you. I believe it said it was good until June 30th.

They have this promotion on their website as well. Somewhat oddly, you don't get to choose the color of the sheets or the firmness of the pillow (it's just one, apparently), but the price is right!

[kgressler]

I placed my order this morning. I went with the Medium King.

I report back when we receive the bed if you like?

[kgressler]

Received our bed on Friday. Zero issues with it not expanding to full size. It took maybe 2 minutes to expand and maybe 20 to get to full size.
The bed itself is nice looking. After 3 nights the wife isnt hating it yet but so far its too firm for her. Reading online it can take a few weeks to soften up some. For me it a huge upgrade from our old bed that i awoke each morning in pain and was woken up several times each night due to either my wife moving the dog jumping on and off or just being uncomfortable.
The pain in the morning is less the consistent waking up all night has decreased some. BUt even for me its a tad too firm.
We have to keep the bed for 30 days before they will return the bed but after speaking to them they seem to think over the next week the firmness could fall 10 % or so. Not sure how they come to this number but I will wait the 30 days as written in the agreement and see how it goes. If it doesn indeed get a little softer over the next few weeks it might be a good fit since we just need a little less firm.
Doubt we would take the risk of getting the softer bed since they wouldnt allow for a return after the second bed so a refund it probably out only option if thats the case.

[retiredjg]

Thanks for the update. Let us know what happens at 30 days.

[LadyGeek]

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (bed).

[pennywise]

After 3 nights the wife isnt hating it yet but so far its too firm for her. Reading online it can take a few weeks to soften up some. BUt even for me its a tad too firm.
We have to keep the bed for 30 days before they will return the bed but after speaking to them they seem to think over the next week the firmness could fall 10 % or so. Not sure how they come to this number but I will wait the 30 days as written in the agreement and see how it goes. If it doesn indeed get a little softer over the next few weeks it might be a good fit since we just need a little less firm.
Doubt we would take the risk of getting the softer bed since they wouldnt allow for a return after the second bed so a refund it probably out only option if thats the case.

I have a soft BB mattress and I think you should try that--it's not soft in the sense of mushy or non-supportive. I have found it to be ideal; it definitely has the ahhh, this is so soft immediate impression but I don't sink in so far that spine, knees, etc are out of alignment. I bet you will like the soft better than firm, but of course all this is very subjective. Good luck with your decision.

[bloom2708]

One point to add here. When you go to a firmer mattress, your old pillow may not work. When we went to a Tempurpedic I had to switch to a flatter pillow. I am a side sleeper.

With a softer mattress, you can have a fatter pillow due to your hip sinking in more and allowing that different angle. Experiment with different pillows for getting the correct angle.

Perhaps someone can explain this better. Changing pillows was the trick to getting a mattress that initially felt "too firm" to being very comfortable.

[aj76er]

I just received mine (soft version) with free pillow and bedding. Last night was my first night sleeping on it. Night #1 was wonderful - woke up with virtually no back pain (for the first time in ~5yrs). Need to give it more time, obviously, but so far so good. For me, 2 or 3 consecutive nights are needed to truly gauge how well it is on my back.
For reference, I am 5'8", ~145lbs, with broad shoulders for my height; side sleeper. I'm very happy I went with the soft, as it feels just right (for my body type / sleep style). I'm actually hoping it doesn't soften any further, but we'll see. After trying out multiple latex beds in stores, it seemed like they all trended towards a little firmer than advertised - so I figured soft was a good bet.
The free pillow is very soft and comfortable, but a bit high. I'm hoping it compresses a bit over time. But as another poster said, the price was right .
Also, FWIW, I currently have the mattress directly on the (wood) floor.

[aj76er]

After 3 nights the wife isnt hating it yet but so far its too firm for her. Reading online it can take a few weeks to soften up some. BUt even for me its a tad too firm.
We have to keep the bed for 30 days before they will return the bed but after speaking to them they seem to think over the next week the firmness could fall 10 % or so. Not sure how they come to this number but I will wait the 30 days as written in the agreement and see how it goes. If it doesn indeed get a little softer over the next few weeks it might be a good fit since we just need a little less firm.
Doubt we would take the risk of getting the softer bed since they wouldnt allow for a return after the second bed so a refund it probably out only option if thats the case.

I have a soft BB mattress and I think you should try that--it's not soft in the sense of mushy or non-supportive. I have found it to be ideal; it definitely has the ahhh, this is so soft immediate impression but I don't sink in so far that spine, knees, etc are out of alignment. I bet you will like the soft better than firm, but of course all this is very subjective. Good luck with your decision.

+1
I totally agree with this. "ahh" factor without too much sinking in . Of course, it will be body weight/type dependent, but I would guess that anyone <=150lbs would have similar experience with the soft version

[alpenglow]

A recent thread:

viewtopic.php?t=165614

[protagonist]

I bought a Brooklyn Bedding mattress (estimate: about a year ago) and have no real complaints.

It is my second latex mattress.

The price was excellent and it arrived in a very timely manner.

It's not the most beautiful mattress (exterior), but that is not what I was seeking.

I shopped around, figured out the stats of the most comfy mattress I tried in the showrooms, and tried matching it.

Though the BB "soft" came closest to my desired mattress, I purchased a medium, and added a 3" soft 100% natural Talalay topper.

I did this because I I concluded from reading that 100% natural Talalay was potentially more hypoallergenic (an issue for me), and I wanted 100% natural on top. I also figured this combo would have the advantage of being a higher bed (which I like), and if necessary it would be easier and cheaper to replace the topper in the future rather than the whole mattress. Plus, if ever necessary, the topper could stand alone, and the mattress would hopefully last longer. So I wound up paying I think about $300 or maybe $400 extra.

I found the owner of BB to be very helpful and responsive in phone conversations, and, to my knowledge, honest as well.

I do appreciate what posters above are saying about the compressability of the edges being greater than desired, though I found this to be true with my previous latex mattress as well, and yes, I do find it a bit of a downside to latex (at least softer latex....I don't know about "firm"). I imagine any latex mattress of the same type and ILD would do the same.

That said, my prior latex mattress lasted well over 20 years, no boxspring is necessary, and when I switched to latex 20-30 years ago my allergies almost disappeared. I would never go back to a conventional mattress, and I find it much more comfortable than memory foam, particularly when two people are sharing the mattress (we are both relative lightweights).

So yes, I would not feel hesitant about buying from BB, and you can't beat the price. They have a great return policy. And if it doesn't work out exactly for you after you can no longer return it, you still have a great guest bed at a good price.

[kgressler]

I bought a Brooklyn Bedding mattress (estimate: about a year ago) and have no real complaints.

It is my second latex mattress.

The price was excellent and it arrived in a very timely manner.

It's not the most beautiful mattress (exterior), but that is not what I was seeking.

I shopped around, figured out the stats of the most comfy mattress I tried in the showrooms, and tried matching it.

Though the BB "soft" came closest to my desired mattress, I purchased a medium, and added a 3" soft 100% natural Talalay topper.

I did this because I I concluded from reading that 100% natural Talalay was potentially more hypoallergenic (an issue for me), and I wanted 100% natural on top. I also figured this combo would have the advantage of being a higher bed (which I like), and if necessary it would be easier and cheaper to replace the topper in the future rather than the whole mattress. Plus, if ever necessary, the topper could stand alone, and the mattress would hopefully last longer. So I wound up paying I think about $300 or maybe $400 extra.

I found the owner of BB to be very helpful and responsive in phone conversations, and, to my knowledge, honest as well.

I do appreciate what posters above are saying about the compressability of the edges being greater than desired, though I found this to be true with my previous latex mattress as well, and yes, I do find it a bit of a downside to latex (at least softer latex....I don't know about "firm"). I imagine any latex mattress of the same type and ILD would do the same.

That said, my prior latex mattress lasted well over 20 years, no boxspring is necessary, and when I switched to latex 20-30 years ago my allergies almost disappeared. I would never go back to a conventional mattress, and I find it much more comfortable than memory foam, particularly when two people are sharing the mattress (we are both relative lightweights).

So yes, I would not feel hesitant about buying from BB, and you can't beat the price. They have a great return policy. And if it doesn't work out exactly for you after you can no longer return it, you still have a great guest bed at a good price.

Thanks for the info. Like I mentioned I am worried about the bed not softening up much. I believe i read somewhere that before you return the bed after the 30 days if you contact them they may offer some type of mattress topper to help with the firmness?
I do really think following Mario's suggestion of going with the medium was the wrong call and we should have went with the soft. But its too late now.
I guess we will see in a few weeks.

[protagonist]

Thanks for the info. Like I mentioned I am worried about the bed not softening up much. I believe i read somewhere that before you return the bed after the 30 days if you contact them they may offer some type of mattress topper to help with the firmness?
I do really think following Mario's suggestion of going with the medium was the wrong call and we should have went with the soft. But its too late now.
I guess we will see in a few weeks.

I decided to use a topper before I ordered the mattress....medium mattress plus soft topper was my plan. I ordered the topper from a separate source. I didn't recall Mario offering 100% natural Talalay toppers....or if he did, maybe I just shopped price, I forget.

Good luck with the mattress. I did try the medium mattress before I put the topper on and I thought it was too firm for myself as well. Let us know if you are satisfied please.

[William4u]

Though the BB "soft" came closest to my desired mattress, I purchased a medium, and added a 3" soft 100% natural Talalay topper.

Specifically, which 3" Talalay latex topper did you use? I'm looking for one and there are so many to choose from.

[protagonist]

Though the BB "soft" came closest to my desired mattress, I purchased a medium, and added a 3" soft 100% natural Talalay topper.

Specifically, which 3" Talalay latex topper did you use? I'm looking for one and there are so many to choose from.

^checking receipt* "Queen Topper- Pure Latex Bliss 3" with Organic Cotton Cover. 100% NR Natural Talalay Latex Line", purchased 7/2015 from Mattresses to Go for $417. www.matt-to-go.com .

[William4u]

Though the BB "soft" came closest to my desired mattress, I purchased a medium, and added a 3" soft 100% natural Talalay topper.

Specifically, which 3" Talalay latex topper did you use? I'm looking for one and there are so many to choose from.

^checking receipt* "Queen Topper- Pure Latex Bliss 3" with Organic Cotton Cover. 100% NR Natural Talalay Latex Line", purchased 7/2015 from Mattresses to Go for $417. http://www.matt-to-go.com .

Thanks!

[krannerd]

Had a good experience.....got a firm queen...sleeps well. No complaints at all.

Moving the box in does require 2 people.

[kgressler]

Had a good experience.....got a firm queen...sleeps well. No complaints at all.

Moving the box in does require 2 people.

How long have you had it? Did you notice it softening as time went on?

[TSR]

This thread got away from me -- apologies for not thanking everyone for their replies! (Thank you!)

I went ahead and ordered a "medium." The quality is great. The firmness is, well, firm. I can't imagine what a firm is like if this is the "medium." There is very little sinking into it. I can't decide yet if I like that, though I probably should have gone with the soft. (I'm a side sleeper, for which they usually recommend soft, but I typically like my mattress firmer than most people.) I will say that my lower back has been MUCH better over the last week, so maybe I should just suck it up? I'll see if it does any more expanding over the next couple of weeks -- that's good information. I have also struggled to find my right pillow combination with the new bed. Regardless, the experience has been excellent on a customer-service/shipping/quality level.

One thing that is strange about their sheets/pillow/5% deal is that they don't give you their "perfect sheets/perfect pillow" product. They're clearly trying to offload old stuff. The pillow is latex shavings rather than the typical full latex, and the sheets are microfiber rather than the bamboo rayon sateen they're currently selling. Again, totally free and good quality, so I shouldn't complain, but it wasn't 100% clear that that's what they were doing. I also agree that the pillow (again, not the one that they currently market) is a little too full. I was considering seeing if I could dump out some of the shaved latex and then sew it back up. Anyway, just a note -- not a real complaint about the experience.

[retiredjg]

Regarding a latex topper….I got a 2" topper from Amazon have liked it quite a bit. It is just over 3 years old and seems just like new.

(Back story - had an expensive pillow top mattress that developed a dent and could not be sent back. Did mattress surgery and cut off the pillow top and put the later topper where the pillow top had been.)

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Blended-M ... ge_o08_s00

[krannerd]

Had a good experience.....got a firm queen...sleeps well. No complaints at all.

Moving the box in does require 2 people.

How long have you had it? Did you notice it softening as time went on?

10 days so far....too early to tell. However...it is firm. Little motion transfer when I move. The side of the bed squishes when I sit on it (as others mention).

[amd2135]

I've had my Aloe Alexis for about 3 years now. Looking at their website it looks like they've dramatically simplified their offerings. The price point of their mattress is lower than what I paid but the materials aren't as nice either.

The mattress I have is still great and the service was too. Delivery was tough though as Fedex required me to be on hand for the delivery. The driver couldn't physically lift the box to deliver it.

[SpaceCowboy]

Have had a firm queen Brooklyn Bed for 8 months now. Quite happy with it. I sleep on my side and wife on her back, and the firm works for us.
Regarding the side support issue, on the Brooklyn Bed the side support is adequate. With a prior Tuft & Needle mattress the lack of side support was one of the primary reasons we returned it.
I think all these new mattress companies are great with their customer service and liberal return policies. You really have to sleep on the mattress for a few weeks to see if it really fits your needs. It's a 10-20 year purchase and the long trial period is a great innovation to the business model. Just wish car companies would let you test drive their vehicles for a week or longer.

[protagonist]

This thread got away from me -- apologies for not thanking everyone for their replies! (Thank you!)

I went ahead and ordered a "medium." The quality is great. The firmness is, well, firm. I can't imagine what a firm is like if this is the "medium." There is very little sinking into it. I can't decide yet if I like that, though I probably should have gone with the soft. (I'm a side sleeper, for which they usually recommend soft, but I typically like my mattress firmer than most people.) I will say that my lower back has been MUCH better over the last week, so maybe I should just suck it up? I'll see if it does any more expanding over the next couple of weeks -- that's good information. I have also struggled to find my right pillow combination with the new bed. Regardless, the experience has been excellent on a customer-service/shipping/quality level.

One thing that is strange about their sheets/pillow/5% deal is that they don't give you their "perfect sheets/perfect pillow" product. They're clearly trying to offload old stuff. The pillow is latex shavings rather than the typical full latex, and the sheets are microfiber rather than the bamboo rayon sateen they're currently selling. Again, totally free and good quality, so I shouldn't complain, but it wasn't 100% clear that that's what they were doing. I also agree that the pillow (again, not the one that they currently market) is a little too full. I was considering seeing if I could dump out some of the shaved latex and then sew it back up. Anyway, just a note -- not a real complaint about the experience.

Curious....did you, or do you plan to, exchange your mattress for a soft? Or maybe buy a soft topper?
My mattress seemed to do all of its expanding quite rapidly, if my memory serves me well.

[kgressler]

Update:

Well after 4 weeks my wife just wasnt happy. I talked with one of the reps "Mario" via their online chat and told him about the issue she had with the bed being too firm. He suggested trying a topper. I really wasnt very interested to doing this but figured they offered to send us one free of charge so why not. After 3 weeks with the topper we decided it just wasnt what we wanted. It did help soften the mattress some. But I just dont like the look of having a $100 topper on a bed I spent $1000 and then having to purchase a new topper every few years.
I contacted them last week about returning the bed and it was hassle free....So far. Its scheduled to be picked up this afternoon. Once its picked up I need to contact them to let them know and they will refund my CC.
Not sure what our next move is. We are considering trying the soft version once the refund gets applied.
I wouldn't hesitate recommending them to anyone looking for a bed.The medium just wasnt the right bed for us.

[TSR]

Update:

Well after 4 weeks my wife just wasnt happy. I talked with one of the reps "Mario" via their online chat and told him about the issue she had with the bed being too firm. He suggested trying a topper. I really wasnt very interested to doing this but figured they offered to send us one free of charge so why not. After 3 weeks with the topper we decided it just wasnt what we wanted. It did help soften the mattress some. But I just dont like the look of having a $100 topper on a bed I spent $1000 and then having to purchase a new topper every few years.
I contacted them last week about returning the bed and it was hassle free....So far. Its scheduled to be picked up this afternoon. Once its picked up I need to contact them to let them know and they will refund my CC.
Not sure what our next move is. We are considering trying the soft version once the refund gets applied.
I wouldn't hesitate recommending them to anyone looking for a bed.The medium just wasnt the right bed for us.

This is helpful information. I'm still sort of evaluating on mine -- I'm guessing that a topper would do the trick for me, but as you say, it's an unfortunate thing to have to put on top of an otherwise very well constructed mattress. I'm just having a few pressure-points that are yelling at me a bit, but overall I'm very happy (again, my lower back is infinitely better than it was).

[Jamieson22]

I have been trying to pick a new mattress from all the online options as well. My biggest fear is picking the wrong firmness. I had been leaning towards Novosbed, as I like the way they will send you a topper that zips onto top of mattress to adjust firm/soft if you are not happy. While I know most companies do a free return, there is some guilt to this on my part as it seems wasteful.

Any opinions on this mattress?

[kgressler]

I have been trying to pick a new mattress from all the online options as well. My biggest fear is picking the wrong firmness. I had been leaning towards Novosbed, as I like the way they will send you a topper that zips onto top of mattress to adjust firm/soft if you are not happy. While I know most companies do a free return, there is some guilt to this on my part as it seems wasteful.

Any opinions on this mattress?

I agree. I told the rep I felt bad because it seems like they "lost" revenue on this purchase.He didnt seem to bothered by the return. But I have to beleive they must be able to either write of the loss or get something back from donating it. No way they can stay in business if they are giving back sales very often.

You can check out themattressundergrounddotcom there is a ton of info on all of the internet bed companies.

[LAC]

I bought the soft two weeks ago, it has not softened up much and is quite firm for a side sleeper. I am 5' 8" and 130lbs. That said it is amazing for when I do sleep on my back, tons of support and no back pain.