When choosing a new mattress, be sure to take the following questions into account:

• What type of mattress do you want to buy? The five most common mattress types are foam, latex, innerspring, hybrid, and airbed models.
• What is the average lifespan of the mattress type(s) you prefer? Average lifespan ranges from five and a half years (innerspring) to eight and a half years (latex), but the average mattress needs to be replaced every seven years.
• What is the average price-point of the mattress type(s) you prefer? Foam and innerspring mattresses are much more affordable on average than latex, hybrid, or airbed models.
• How much do you (and your partner) weigh? Your weight may play a role in firmness and thickness preferences.
• What is your preferred sleep position? Your ideal mattress material, firmness, and thickness settings may depend on whether you are a side, back, stomach, or combination sleeper.
• What is your ideal firmness setting, and does it differ from your partner’s? Most people prefer ‘medium’ or ‘medium firm,’ but be sure to take your weight into account. If you and your partner have different preferences, then a ‘dual-firmness’ bed might be the best option.
• What mattress size and thickness do you need? A Twin, Twin XL, or Full/Double is suitable for single sleepers, while Queen, King, and California sizes are better for couples. In terms of height, lighter people may feel more comfortable on a thinner bed and heavier people may prefer a thicker bed; mattresses measuring nine to 12 inches (9-12″) have the highest customer satisfaction ratings.
• Do you sleep hot? If you tend to get too warm during the night, then a foam, latex, or airbed mattress may be uncomfortably hot. Airbeds also sleep too cool for some. Innersprings and hybrids offer the best temperature neutrality.
• Do you share a bed with someone? If so, then a mattress that produces little noise and isolates motion transfer (such as a foam or latex model) will be more suitable than louder beds that don’t absorb transfer (such as hybrids or innersprings).
• Are you sensitive to smell? Most mattresses produce some off-gassing, but models with foam layers are linked to the strongest and most persistent odors.
• Will you need to move the mattress on your own? All mattresses are relatively heavy and should be rotated once or twice per year in order to preserve the sleep surface. Foam, innerspring, and airbeds all average roughly 80 pounds or less in a Queen size, while latex and hybrid models average more than 100 pounds. Keep these weights in mind if you’ll be rotating the bed on your own.