Hi all, just to share my opinion... i'm also looking for a bed, have more or less shortlisted what i want... my budget was around $5K to $7K as my hubby says normal people spend 1/3 of their lives on the bed, but i spend 1/2 my life on bed, so he must buy better bed for me... haha... anyway here's what i realised, not sure whether you feel the same...
all the different brands have models that are called differently across different shops, especially for the more premium models... this allows them to differentiate and say only it's exclusive to them... generally look at the range under which it is classified, will give you a better idea, the range determines the coil support structure you get, then the main different is in the top... like for example you can find simmons backcare 1 and 2 almost everywhere, so this one will have a bit of price war between various shops and consumers can secure cheaper prices... but for the more luxurious comfy plush feel then they will have different names...
Simmons - best range is Simmons BeautyRest black label, available only in gallery... range around $20K super out of my budget... but the guy at the gallery said best price he can give with krisflyer credit card 25% discount is around $14K... this before all the department store credit card rebates...
next best range is the BeautyRest World Class... which includes the models like Rose Hall... this one costs around $6-7K... technically NxG belongs to the BeautyRest normal range, but since it's new product with advanced memory foam, i guess it's kind of separate...
after that would be the more generic BeautyRest series where you have all the different model names... this one is more affordable in the $3-5K range, didn't really bother to check out more on the names as the ones i tried didn't really leave enough of an impression for me to want to find out more; the Glendale is one of those under this range where the salesperson said that many hotels use this range as they purchase many beds so can't afford to go beyond the $2-3K range, it was ok for me but not "magical fall in love" kind of feeling... BackCare, according to the person at the Simmons gallery, is firmer for more of the mass market where they are comparing with KingKoil and Four Stars type but want a "branded" name, thus they are usually priced more afforably compared to the rest of the Simmons range... these are quoted from the salesperson NOT my words...
Sealy - ultimate range is the palatial crest... which is also around $20K range... the difference from this palatial crest range and the next level unicased range is that unicased range has the special Sealy coil, but the palatial crest range has the special Sealy coil and in addition, on top and below of the coil there is the small micro coil which is to respond better to your movement... so this micro coil is the reason why you are paying double or triple the Unicased range... the different models then reflect the different plush tops used... if not much plush will be cheaper, if more plush materials used like latex, memory foam, wool, etc then more expensive...
next range is the Unicased range... this one i can explain more cos it's one of the models i'm shortlisting... Robinsons has this "premium collection" range which is actually the Unicased range... Courts' "premium collection" is also this Unicased range... the price is around $4K to $6K... again, the different models is due to different specifications in the plush top... Robinsons plushiest top had latex, memory foam and wool... Courts plushiest top only had latex, a bit firmer...
Serta's best range that i saw was supposed to be the "Perfect Day" bed which i saw at Taka... didn't go to their gallery itself, so maybe they have a better model (it was always closed when i came across their gallery)... was quite decent in the $6-7K range... and Taka Serta has this 50% off promotion for their whole range so i think the price might be a high $5K or low $6K... wasn't really impressed by it personally so didn't really bother to find out much... hubby liked another model which was only $3K something, but i felt it was too firm for me... the only one i felt was acceptable was the Perfect Day, but compared to the Sealy Unicased at Robinsons, it was easily forgotten... but we liked the sheep! apparently it's $80 per sheep... ;p
Tempur - their latest range was their 25cm mattress, with foam designed with more space so it will act more like it has spring coils... was just over $5K... hubby liked it, but still a bit funny without coils... if you like this range, can go try Simmons new NxG range which is their advanced memory foam top with their spring coil system beneath, price around $6.9K, now got launch promotion (only launched in Nov 09) comes with free bedframe... supposedly will end before CNY...
all price ranges mentioned above is for King size... generally Simmons is more well known in Singapore as they have been around since the 1970s... but Sealy has only entered Singapore like in 2003 or something, so relatively newer to SG... but worldwide apparently they are the market leader... Serta has somehow "won" the title of World's Best Bed but not too sure the judging criteria or how the title was awarded...
was very confused by all the mattress names and models when i first started... so after my research (at Park Mall, Taka, Paragon, Courts, Robinsons), this is what i try to make sense out of it... do feel free to comment if i've got anything mistaken, since i'm also only a consumer and definitely subject to my personal preferences... most impt thing, MUST try it out... hubby and i went to the Simmons gallery at Park Mall, Paragon AND Marina just to keep trying to decide between their Rose Hall and NxG... finally now final decision between Sealy Unicased and Simmons NxG... sigh...