Columnist Muriel Stevens: Seen one mattress? You haven't seen 'em all

BUYING A NEW mattress was not a priority until last week, when I sat on my bed and was displaced by a spring that suddenly sprang.

A quick count of the years I'd had the mattress made it evident I hadn't been paying attention to the lumps and bumps that were developing on my once wonderful bed.

It is recommended that a mattress and the box springs be replaced every 10 years. Mine was almost 20 years old! True, I had done all the recommended maintenance, turning it monthly to maintain the shape and flipping it every three months or so. But even a good mattress can only last so long. Most better mattresses come with a 10-year replacement guarantee, but mine had long ago outlived its warranty.

Things had certainly changed since I last purchased a mattress. There are new upscale brands that cost as much as $1,500 or more for a king size set (my preference). Some have soft pillow tops that add to the thickness and make it necessary to buy new fitted sheets that can accommodate them, adding even more to the basic price. But one salesperson confided that those pillow tops bunch up after awhile and did not recommend them. I appreciated that helpful bit of info, even though I had no intention of buying a pillow top.

Does it pay to purchase the so called top-of-the-line mattresses? Only if you find them so superior to the others that the cost is justified. That was not so for me. After sitting and lying down on dozens of mattresses, I found that none of the highest-priced mattresses felt right for me.

Neither did the cheaper ones. The differences in quality were obvious in the lower-priced sets, especially in the ticking, handles and inner spring construction.

I wanted a firm mattress. Firm means different things to each company, so what it says on the label is meaningless unless you personally test the one you think you want -- sort of like test-driving a new car.

Because such a long time had elapsed since my last purchase, I checked the guidelines set by the Consumer Reports 1998 Buying Guide for buying a mattress. My own guidelines were pretty much in line with it, but I learned an important fact: Even if the box spring is still in good shape (mine was) resist the temptation to buy only a mattress. Buy a complete set. Many companies do not give a warranty when a mattress is purchased separately.

For most major purchases, it's easy to comparison shop to secure the best buy. Not so with a mattress. Nearly identical mattresses are sold under different names at different stores. This gives retailers a lot of leeway in pricing. Consumer Reports said that prices can vary hundreds of dollars for the same mattress, so in order to comparison shop you've got to learn various construction details to make sure you're getting a comparable product.

So that's what I set out to do.

My first stop was Montgomery Ward. It was celebrating the redesign of its stores, and as part of the grand reopening was having a big sale on mattresses. I've bought appliances and small electronics at Ward's and have always been pleased with the service, but those were all name brand items I could compare. Not so easy with a mattress.

The first problem I encountered was an indifferent salesperson who lacked the knowledge to answer my questions. Not a good start, especially when she left me for another customer. Yet I stayed because I like to wander on my own. Ward's seemed to have a good selection at fair prices. Finally, I narrowed my choice down to a set that was reduced considerably. By now the salesperson could tell my interest was real.

Back she came, but to no avail. She couldn't answer my questions about the construction and couldn't explain the store policy about phone orders. I told her I wanted to comparison shop, and rather than return it if I decided to choose its mattress, I would order it by phone. In spite of her meeting me, seeing my Ward's charge card and other identification, she said she was following the rules (she was). Now I wanted to know why they had such inflexible rules and asked to see the manager.

After two attempts to reach a manager with no response, I left.

Macy's Home Store on Spring Mountain Road was my next stop. It, too, was having a sale, only it was the following week and would include an additional reduction on the already-on-sale merchandise.

The selection of mattresses was large. As I made my way through the aisles, reading the information on the tickets, I thought how simple life used to be. Mattresses came in soft, medium and firm. Twins and doubles were the only choices. It was sheer luck if you liked the ticking. Now there is queen size, and two sizes of king. Mattresses can be as thick as 15 inches, requiring special sheets. Normal size is about 7 to 10 inches.

It didn't take long to know I had come to the right place. I found the mattress I wanted after testing a large number, and a salesperson, Phil, who renewed my faith. Phil answered all of my questions and explained the differences in construction. He also demonstrated what made one bed frame better than another. Between what I knew and what I learned from Phil, my decision was easy. I was sold on both the mattress and a new frame.

The sale could not be finalized before the sale date, but the paper work was completed. A few days later I received a call from Phil advising the date my purchase would be delivered.

Later I called Ward's to share my story with manager Brian Waltman. He was understanding and rightfully concerned that after months of training, one inefficient salesperson had blown a sizable sale. As he said, "It's back to training sessions for the department."

The reason for the "no phone orders" policy? There have been so many fraudulent phone orders, even with those shipped to the same address, Ward's now requires in-person shopping only. Inconvenient? Yes. But Ward's feels it's necessary.

Most stores offer free delivery for some mattresses, set up the bed and take away the old mattress and springs. Don't settle for less. Some even include a basic frame at no cost, but the one I bought has large brass casters that roll, making it easy to move the bed for cleaning.

A number of mail-order sources sell mattresses at greatly reduced prices. A friend who purchased hers that way was pleased. The delivery fee from California was $40 and her mattress, said to be comparable to mine, was $400 cheaper. There's no way to really check the quality, and you can't sit on it or inspect it until it arrives. If something is wrong, back it goes. They did take away her old mattress.

Regardless of what you pay for a mattress, most are durable and will last for a reasonable number of years. A good way to judge a mattress is by the length of the warranty. When a company offers a complete replacement for up to 10 years, they know it will last that long.

Just remember to leave on the "do not remove" tag. You'll need that and your purchase receipt if you do have to make a warranty claim.

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