What to look for when choosing a bed?

Knowing how to choose a bed can be a little more complex than you would first expect. With Potters we have summarised in a comprehensive manner, the X most important factors to consider when making your bed purchase. 

Size and Space

The first thing to consider is the size and space you have in your bedroom.  This seems obvious, but bear in mind that some bed frames are larger than others, and you’ll need to allow enough space to walk around the bed without the risk of bashing your knees on a regular basis. Take a look at the table below for details of popular mattress dimensions. Depending on the type of bed frame, it may take up a bit more space than this, especially if you opt for a bedstead.  

If the bedroom is too small, a large bed such as a super king won’t be right for the room.  At Potters, we recommend that you need to have a reasonable space around your bed. If you’re improving a multifunctional space, we consider you view our range of ottoman beds which offer a multifunctional purpose for sleeping and storage.

Type of Mattress

Choosing the right mattress can be the difference between starting the day in a good or bad mood.  A top-quality mattress does not have to break the bank and at Potters, we always say that we all have different supporting needs and so one bed isn’t made for everyone.  People’s requirements for support will differ depending on their weight and build, so you need to be really comfortable with your decision.

Today you can get many different types of mattresses.

Foam Mattresses

Foam mattresses are a broad category that includes many types of mattresses, including memory foam, latex foam, and cooling gel.

• Benefits: Budget-friendly, often the cheaper option for mattresses. Features hypo-allergenic properties, blocking the likes of pollen and dust mites.
• Best For: small budgets, side, back, and front sleepers, and back support.

Memory foam mattresses

Designed to contour to a sleeper’s body, memory foam mattresses relieve pressure on joints and help to maintain posture by aligning the sleeper’s spine.

• Benefits: Recommended for those who need support or suffer from a bad back. Features hypo-allergenic properties, helping sleepers suffering from allergies. Absorbs movement, helping sleepers rest easy even with restless sleeping partners or pets.
• Best For: side, back & front sleepers, back support.

Pocket sprung mattresses

Pocket-sprung mattresses contain individually nestled springs within small pockets that move separately from each other. The number of individual springs can vary from mattress to mattress, with a higher count often translating to a higher quality mattress.

• Benefits: Individual springs help distribute sleeper weight, absorbing individual sleepers’ movements to limit one sleeper from disturbing the other. Designed to adapt and contour to sleepers’ bodies, helping support and relieve pressure on joints and backs.
• Best For: back & front sleepers, couples.

Open Coil mattresses

Your standard, traditional mattress, open coil mattresses feature internal springs that are connected by wire and covered by fabrics. Often chosen as orthopaedic mattresses due to constantly being extra firm mattresses, many open coil mattresses feature additional elements to improve comfort and durability.

• Benefits: Easily the most affordable option for new mattresses. Highly supportive mattresses often prioritise firmness.
• Best For: small budgets, lightweight sleepers.

Hybrid mattress

Combining the comfort of memory foam and the back support of pocket-sprung mattresses, hybrid mattresses offer the best of the best of both worlds, providing plenty of sleeping benefits.

• Benefits: The combination of materials reduces the movement felt from one side of the mattress to the other, making them good choices for couples. Designed to be highly breathable, helping sleepers remain cool throughout the night.
• Best For: side & front sleepers, people with allergies, and people who overheat at night.

Key Tip:  Everyone has different preferences when it comes to the firmness of their mattress, some prefer it soft and others prefer it much firmer.  Here at Potters, we say that heavier sleepers should opt for firmer mattresses, as a sleeper’s weight determines how deeply they’ll sink into a mattress.  However, many factors can determine what type of firmness you should choose with your mattress, such as height, build, and preferred sleeping position.  Come visit us as Potters to speak to our expert Beds Leicestershire team. 

Spring mattresses are ideal for spring beds, while slat beds are more likely to be teamed up with foam mattresses. Where possible, you should buy a new bed and a new mattress at the same time, because a new mattress on an old bed won’t last as long as it would on a new one.

The National Bed Federation recommends changing your mattress every 7 years to ensure it’s still in peak condition and gives you the most restless night’s sleep. We are proud to say we have a huge range of beds in our Leicester store.

Brands and Affordability?

Nowadays all you need to do is google bed brands and you will have access to more information about different bed brands than you know what to do with.  There are often new and different brands that enter the market all telling you that they have engineered the best quality mattresses and beds.  However, at Potters, we know that the best brands are usually those that have been making beds for over 100 years and have a strong reputation.  We know everyone has different needs, below are some of the best brands that Potters have been partnering with, come visit our showroom to view our fantastic collection. 

• Relyon: 
• Sealy: 
• Rest Assured: 
• Furmanac: 
• Shire Bed: 
• Silentnight: 
• Divine sleep: 

What else is included with my beds?

Whilst you don’t have to break the bank to buy a good quality bed and mattress, what you get for your money may vary depending on the retailer.  That is why at Potters, we often have many different promotions across our catalogue of beds and mattresses. Make sure to check, for example:

• Any deals or offers that may be available with pillows, bedding, and duvets.
• Do divan beds come with a headboard?
• What does the bed guarantee cover, and for how long?

What else should be considered?

Beds with storage – if you don’t have enough space to have your ideal bed along with other furnishings for your bedroom, then you could always consider an Ottoman bed.  This is ideal for those individuals that are not looking to compromise too much on space whilst also having the practicalities of having storage hidden away under the bed.

Beds for kids – Cot beds are for smaller children and are convertible cots that can help your little one make the transition from cot to bed.  whilst bunk beds are for slightly older children.

Don’t buy without seeing it – Never buy a bed without seeing it.  At Potters, we don’t recommend buying a bed online without seeing it in real life.  In fact, we always recommend our customers to come to our showroom in Anstey and test the bed out by lieing on it.

Where to buy – Potters are Leicestershire’s number 1 choice and experts of beds and mattresses.  We understand how important it is for you to get the perfect night’s sleep.  We have a large selection of beds in Leicestershire and mattresses to suit any individual’s needs. Check here!  

Potters will be happy to assist you with your customized mattress requirements. Follow us on Facebook for more updates.