The latest Consumer Reports mattress ratings are out, and they present a mixed bag for bedding manufacturers. There are some clear winners, like Avocado and Casper, and there are some big names that find themselves far down in the ratings.
Overall, the ratings, while flawed, portray a dynamic mattress marketplace, one in which several relatively new brands stand tall, pushing some legacy brands down the list. That reveals the opportunities that today’s bedding marketers are seizing.
I should hasten to note that I’ve been critical of the Consumer Reports mattress ratings for years. Mattresses, in my view, should not be rated like dishwashers, coffee makers and toaster ovens, all of which were also rated in the same Consumer Reports issue that included the mattress ratings. Mattress comfort is subjective and can’t be determined by test results.
I’ve not only shared my views in print and online, but I’ve also communicated directly with key members of the Consumer Reports team. All of that being said, I also recognize that Consumer Reports has a substantial following and is viewed as a trusted source by many consumers. Simply put, it matters what Consumer Reports says about mattresses.
The latest ratings, as printed in the March issue, cover three categories: innerspring, foam and adjustable air.
The seven highest-rated innerspring mattresses are the Avocado Green, the Denver Mattress Doctor’s Choice Plush, the SleepFresh Hybrid, Casper’s Original Hybrid, the Charles P. Rogers Lifetime 8 Hybrid, the Parachute Eco Comfort, and Ethan Allen’s EA Signature Platinum Plush. All of those are recommended by Consumer Reports.
The three highest-rated foam mattresses, all recommended by Consumer Reports, are the Essentia Stratami, the Earthfoam Organic Medium and Casper’s Original. They are followed by the Sleep on Latex Pure Green Firm, Avocado’s Latex Mattress, Spindle’s 10-inch Organic Latex model, Essentia’s Classic REMS Organic 8-inch model, Tempur-Pedic’s Cloud Medium and Cocoon by Sealy’s Chill Memory Foam model.
The only adjustable air mattress rated is Saatva’s Solaire. Sleep Number is not listed because its new models are being tested, Consumer Reports notes.
Avocado and Casper are rated among the highest-scoring mattresses on both the innerspring and foam lists. That’s great news for those brands.
Beautyrest’s BR-800 12-inch Medium Firm is listed in the10th position on the innerspring list, while Tempur-Pedic’s Cloud Medium Hybrid is in the 14th position. Sealy Posturepedic models and Serta Perfect Sleeper and iComfort models are lower down in the innerspring ratings. So is a Stearns & Foster mattress.
On the foam list, Serta, Purple and Sealy Posturepedic models are also in the lower range of the ratings.
Again, mattresses don’t lend themselves to a precise scoring system that reduces each mattress to a single number. But that, for better or worse, is what Consumer Reports does.
Say what you will about these ratings, but the fact remains that Consumer Reports is an influential source of information for many consumers. It spotlights several relatively new brands high on its rating lists. And that says to us that it’s a new day in Mattressville.
