Why Cheaper Memory Foam Toppers are the Way to Go
A memory foam topper will definitely help you to sleep better. But if you only have a limited budget, should you save up so that you can buy the best? Frankly, I think that is not necessary. The best best memory foam mattress topper is way over-hyped, and does not offer much marginal improvement over the cheapest memory foam mattress. After all, why pay $500 if $50 will get you 90% of the same effectiveness?
Of course, you do need to know how to use your memory foam mattress pad right. If you buy, say, a 2″ memory foam mattress topper (the cheapest thickness still available in the market), it needs to be used on top of a firm mattress. If you do not currently have a firm mattress in good condition, you will have to factor in this extra cost into your budget. In this situation, you may prefer spending a bit more to buy a 4″ memory foam topper pad which can be used on its own.
These are points you only need to think about if you are keeping your old bed. If you intend to replace your old bed and mattress, you may want to consider splurging on an 8-inch double memory foam mattress. This is thick enough that you can lay it directly on the ground and still sleep on it comfortably. Because memory foam is a good insulator, you do not have to worry about the floor leaching heat away from your body when you sleep. If you look around patiently, you should be able to find one on sale for under $200.
But why save money on the bed frame to buy a double instead of the usual single? Why not choose a 12-inch mattress instead? Frankly, the bed frame is only useful to raise your mattress of the floor. With a normal mattress, and especially an inner spring mattress, this is necessary. These normal mattresses have large air spaces and allow lots of ventilation to cool the mattress down. If you lay them directly on the ground, they will leak your body heat through into the floor.
As for choosing the double over the single, that is because the full/double-sized mattress gives you more space to stretch out. A single is a bit cramped, isn’t it? And why (only) 8 inches rather than something thicker? Because an eight-inch memory foam mattress is good enough, and a 12-inch mattress is more expensive than warranted.
When buying your memory foam mattress or topper, it is not necessary to spend more than necessary. Pay for the basic type, and if you have many left over, see if you can buy a thicker or larger model.