The Bedroom Essential You Should Never Buy From Amazon

Understandably, many people prefer to shop online for almost everything these days. It's just so convenient to browse when it suits you, hit add to cart, pay with your credit card, and have the item delivered directly to your door. And these days, you can get just about anything you want from Amazon. But while you could get a fairly good deal, there's one bedroom essential you should never buy from Amazon: a mattress. To choose the best mattress, you really want to see it and try it in person.

You have to remember that Amazon is a marketplace for a whole range of individual sellers, from large companies to small businesses you've probably never heard of. And buying a mattress that you're going to invest a fair bit of money in, hoping it will last for many years to come, is a very personal experience. It's the type of purchase you want to see and touch to make sure it's just right for you. 

Think about it — you spend around eight hours out of every 24 sleeping on your mattress. Wouldn't you want to make sure that it's going to be just right by at least lying on it first? Plus, you should want to see firsthand and speak with the retailer to see what goes into your mattress's construction and ensure it doesn't contain any fiberglass or other harmful material.

Unless you can see it in person, you have no idea about the quality of the mattress, especially if it's in the more budget-friendly price range. That's probably why shoppers who buy a mattress on Amazon don't expect it to last more than four years. However, a quality mattress at a proper bedding store should last you around seven to 10 years, which will give you an idea of how often you should replace your mattress. It also means that the mattress you got at a bargain price may cost you far more in the long run because you have to replace it more often.

Another problem with buying your mattress on Amazon is, what if you put it on your bed and find that you hate it? It might be too soft, too hard, or just not that comfortable. Amazon's policy on mattresses, which states that you have 100 days to return them, only applies to those that haven't been removed from their packaging. And speaking of this packaging, your mattress will arrive compressed, tightly rolled, and vacuum-sealed, which will shorten its lifespan anyway. 

On top of all of this, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued warnings about certain mattresses sold on Amazon that violate the Federal Flammability Regulations and could pose a fire hazard. According to Consumer Reports, the best place to buy a mattress is The Original Mattress Factory, but any reputable bedding store can supply you with a quality one at a price you want to pay.