Coil turmoil: Sealy and Simmons go to the mattresses

Mattress coils may be causing some executives in the bedding business to lose sleep. For Sealy?s new Posturepedic line, the manufacturer switched from coils held together by wire to coils covered in fabric, something its competitor Simmons has been doing for 86 years. It may not sound like a big deal, but The New York Times reports that Sealy?s move has led to bitter infighting as these two companies struggle to keep their top spots. The newspaper quotes Simmons? chief executive, Gary Fazio, as saying that Sealy?s shift is major, adding that ?after having one brand and one promise to their customers and their employees, they?re suddenly switching to the Simmons system.? The Times reports that Sealy?s switch is legal, while Simmons holds patents, other mattress manufacturers have also used coils encased in fabric. This showdown is taking place in Las Vegas, a city built on sleepless nights, at a home furnishings trade show. In some ways, the mattress business has changed dramatically over the years as memory-foam mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic, have become popular, despite their steep price tag, and bedding is now sold online and by phone. But one thing hasn?t changed. As the Times tells it, ?Consumers have a certain and unhealthy level of mistrust for the mattress industry,? said Rick Anderson, president of Tempur-Pedic North America. Now that?s a bedtime story we?ve heard before. Our readers tell us that shopping for a mattress can be a nightmare. Many retailers sell similar mattress models under different names, making it nearly impossible to comparison shop. Before heading out to the stores, pick up a few tips from our buying guide. In addition to cutting open 11 mattresses from popular brands, such as Sealy and Simmons, to see how they were constructed, 54 staffers took part in blind comfort tests (subscribers can see the findings in our mattress comparison chart). We do not rate mattresses because of the role played by personal preference and the fact that competing retailers typically do not carry the same models. But our survey of 17,444 online subscribers, available to subscribers, reveals their satisfaction with brands and stores. --Kimberly Janeway

Source: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2011/01/coil-turmoil-sealy-and-simmons-go-to-the-mattresses.html

Mitsubishi Heating Lennox Heating Climate Master Goodman Heating