We just bought a Sealy Brennan II, queen in soft, also side sleepers. I will get it tomorrow so I will report back with a review in the sub after a few nights. But preliminarily, it beat out all the ones we tried at several stores. We almost went with a Tempurpedic Hybrid, but my wife did not like how slow the gel was to return to shape. Basically, it didn't give her enough push back (I know, they aren't supposed to push back) for her to off the bed comfortably. We tried the Nectar Luxe, Purple (didn't like any), Beautyrest Medium Hybrid, several Tempurpedics, and some Stearns and Foster over several days and kept coming back to the Serta and the Beautyrest. We are moving from a 10 year old Beautyrest Recharge Medium Hybrid which wasn't cutting it. We didn't like any of the plush tops we tried.
Ultimately the Serta won, mostly (but not \*only\*) because we got it for $40/month zero interest....which almost feels like free. I spend $40 on stupid wasteful stuff all the time, lol.
I recently purchased a Sealy elite hybrid Brenham II in firm. It absolutely KILLED my back from night one because it was too squishy. I could not return it so I cut it open to figure out why a firm mattress that felt great in the store was so soft. Lo and behold, the top layers were rubbish. They completely compress to the thickness of paper where weight is greater (ie your hind end) which caused a ton of low back pain for me.
I tore out these two layers and ordered a medium Dunlop latex layer from Sleep EZ and fixed the issue.
The springs were very nice, the cover is nice. But their comfort layer at the top is way too soft for someone seeking low back support.
https://preview.redd.it/tqhx74j9zz9g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73850c3054f1f20c401ec8fd494d1701aba98c2a
The 2 you mention are very sinky yet firm. You definitely get stuck in place.
If your decide to try one anyway, consider getting from sealy.com with a 100 day return option for a $175 fee (i think).
Fwiw, i tried the Brenham ii hybrid soft and hated it as a 200 lb side sleeper.
I had the plush, and it felt like play doh that would gradually sink over the course of the night. Pressure all around.
Perhaps the medium is a touch better, but it still felt like dense dough to me in the store. They do not have the soft but not gooey feel of the previous generation sealy hybrids.
Sealy Posturepedic Elite Brenham II. Had lots more foam layers, and you sink into it. Not for us, but sleepers who are looking for that + warmth will like it.
i know there are cooling mattresses, cooling mattress toppers, but i'll also mention cooling sheets. best sheets i ever got, that i actually had to switch out for jersey sheets in winter, were sijo eucalyptus sheets. i've seen very similar sheets on amazon, but not the same quality. they almost made me too cold, they were so breathable and cooling. natural fibers and even wool can help with temperature regulation. idk what kind of mattress you are looking for, but i recently got a sealy posturepedic elite brenham II and the quilted top is really damn comfy and plush even at medium firmness, and it's really breathable.
You can select any mattress with a good coil support system (preferably zoned) and then get whatever comfort layer you want on top. The top comfort layers can be one of three designs (Quilt, Euro, or Hybrid) and that will determine the thickness and types of foams you get as well as the density. While this applies to most foam over coil mattresses, I will just use Sealy as an example.
Their PRO and elite lines use their best coil system. Let's just use elite for example...
You can get a Sealy elite in all three configs for the comfort layer. I would stay with their firm choice and try all three top types. (Ie: Albany II or Brenham II)...
The Euro top will give you a thicker layer of non memory foam for cushion, the quilt top a bit less and the hybrid top will be a thick layer of memory foam (my least favorite).
Good luck!
The Sealy Elite series are my top choice in the Sealy series (Pro series as well if you want to save a few bucks). These two lines carry Sealy's best and most supportive coil support system. I personally prefer Firm (Albany II) but my wife would go for the Brenham II all day long. All in all if I bought Sealy, I would choose this mattress line all day. I think it's a great choice if he likes it and should be good for years to come.
Whether you get a hybrid (definition is Memory foam over coils) or a spring series (Traditional poly foams over coils with Quilt or euro top) is decision one. I personally hate the thick memory foam that slowly sinks in and traps you in the impression, but that is subjective and some like it. Decision 2 is firmness level and medium will be a good fit as the foams will be dense enough to comfort you without letting you sink to the coils while still providing the conformance you need on your side. Decision 3 will be budget based as the luxury models that are 15 or 16" thick with multiple layers of different foams and sometimes micro coils can get pretty pricey. Someone mentioned Helix Midnight Luxe and that is a good mattress for side sleepers and uses a fairly dense 4Lb foam which is good. Step up to the elite and you get a couple more inches of comfort layer and 7lb density foam which is really good. As well the Elite models come with a swappable fully encased comfort layer that you can swap down the road for a refresh or different feel. 3Z Brands is the parent company and makes a lot of the popular bed in a box brands out today (www.3zbrands.com). They are an American made company and make quality products. One of their brands, Brooklyn Bedding recently released a model called Thermobalance Elite which has both 3lb and 5lb foams and is getting good reviews. I was definitely going to buy 1 of 3 mattresses when I was doing all my research. 1. Helix Twilight Elite. 2. Sealy Posturepedic Elite Brenham II. 3. King Koil Natural Line Glacier. I went to a few stores several times and spent 20-30 minutes on them to the point the salespeople all knew me. Then I went to an independent store and ended up buying a Diamond Mattress Black Diamond Whirler.
All the mattresses I looked at were not Hybrid by definition (Did not have the thick flat memory foam tops) and we're all luxury quilt top spring type mattresses. (People call them hybrids too but they are really not).
Lots of good choices out there...
Look here:
What makes a "Pro" a "Pro" - [https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/](https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/)
If you have the materials and specs of a "Pro" you can be a "Pro" However, you can change how many layers or the density of the layers outside of those requirements to meet a price point.
Comparison (You will notice a 1" difference in the mattress heights):
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310)
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1)
Sorry you went through this. I think probably your biggest mistake was getting the hybrid series of Sealy Elite as they have those thick flat memory foam tops that sink in and trap you and your heat. I hate memory foam mattresses for that reason. The Sealy Elite spring series are more traditional foam over coil and don't sleep nearly as hot or sink in like that. If you do ever try another mattress purchase look for traditional foam over coil with quilt tops. Like a Sealy Elite Brenham II or literally any model that is not thick layers of memory foam on the top. You said you were in MD, I am in PA and I can't say enough about the crew at Gardners Mattress and More in Lancaster, PA. Great store, great owners that are very involved in their community, run a podcast, wrote 2 books on sleep, etc. They carry a bunch of brands with plenty of floor models. Drew was my rep and was great. Good luck and stay away from memory foam :)
Mattresses are so subjective and every person is different. I can tell you I had a 6 month journey, visited at least 6 mattress stores and some of them 4 times. I had a top 5 list which included:
Helix Elite Twilight
Sealy Elite Brenham or Albany
King Koil Natural line
Sterns Lux Estate
Then I went to a local store that is not a national brand and the salesman there listened to me and steered me to a brand I had not seen in the other stores - Diamond. Specifically the Black Diamond line. It was nice because it looked and felt the same quality as the others was $800 fell in the priceline of the middle of the others. I bought it and have only been on it for about 37 days. It was definitely firmer but has just started feeling a bit more like the showroom model. My wife and I just talked last night again about exchanging for a medium model but we both agreed that either our bodies are starting to adjust or it's getting better...we aren't sure yet. It's not perfect yet but definitely better. We love the looks and quality materials, it just exudes premium. We don't like the deep sink in and get trapped feeling of memory foam so we opted for the Luxury Quilt top model instead of the Hybrid Top model. We also opted for the Firm retail version called the Vail and if we exchange it will be for the same company and line but the medium model called the whistler. Really nice product. If you can find the Black Diamond in a store it will be an order and build and it will have their best coil system as opposed to the online version which is not different coil system. Retail version are not rolled and boxed they are delivered flat so they can put their strongest coils in them.
All the mattresses I listed felt very premium and had quality materials. Sealy Elite has a great coil system, Helix Elite has incredible foams (8lb and 5lb) and the King Koil with its latex layers and micro coils was awesome.
Good luck...
The one mentioned above is not the pro or elite line of Sealy (Prossur?). The ones you mentioned are. They are good mattresses with the absolute best coil system that Sealy makes. Personally I don't like the hybrid top as it's too much memory foam for me (sink in). But their quilt tops are better for me. I think the Sealy Elite line is a strong choice for you.
That being said, when you are on the higher side of your scale for weight, you are getting into territory where some recommend mattresses for heavier customers like Big fig, Helix Plus (Elite), Titan, etc...you could still opt for firm/medium.
I am currently sleeping on a Black Diamond Vail Lux Quilt top but it might be a bit too firm for some...
They have different model names. The Pro only needs to include the pro series coil support and cover. Nothing about the Pro calls out the foams. The Costco models are thinner overall (not much like 3/4") indicating a change in foam. However it should still have the Pro coils. There is absolutely no basis for any wrongdoing here.
Look here:
What makes a "Pro" a "Pro" - [https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/](https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/)
If you have the materials and specs of a "Pro" you can be a "Pro" However, you can change how many layers or the density of the layers outside of those requirements to meet a price point.
Comparison (You will notice a 1" difference in the mattress heights):
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310)
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1)
Which Sealy Model? The retail pro and elite versions do very well and don't get returned often at all due to the incredible coil system they use. I definitely do not recommend soft mattresses. Both of my contacts at different stores have a lot of returns on Serta, BR and Purple, hardly ever on Elite and Pro series Sealy. Don't sell as many King Koil but very few returns on those as well. Bear in mind things like "Costco" versions are not the same. They are manufactured using cost cutting measures to meet a price point. (Less foam, etc..)
Sorry you went through this. I think probably your biggest mistake was getting the hybrid series of Sealy Elite as they have those thick flat memory foam tops that sink in and trap you and your heat. I hate memory foam mattresses for that reason. The Sealy Elite spring series are more traditional foam over coil and don't sleep nearly as hot or sink in like that. If you do ever try another mattress purchase look for traditional foam over coil with quilt tops. Like a Sealy Elite Brenham II or literally any model that is not thick layers of memory foam on the top. You said you were in MD, I am in PA and I can't say enough about the crew at Gardners Mattress and More in Lancaster, PA. Great store, great owners that are very involved in their community, run a podcast, wrote 2 books on sleep, etc. They carry a bunch of brands with plenty of floor models. Drew was my rep and was great. Good luck and stay away from memory foam :)
BeautyRest World Class series which is actually my preferred series in their line as it's higher quality than the two lines below it and doesn't seem to have as many QA issues as the Black series above it has. I think this line is solid. (Series 3 or 4)
Sealy - as long as you stick with the Pro or Elite line there, you will get Sealy's best coil system and you can choose what kind of comfort layer you want (plush, medium, firm) and the top layer format (hybrid, quilt, euro). That would also be a solid choice. (I would choose an Elite Series)
Sterns - I like their Lux Estate models and again you can choose your comfort layer and top format.
Helix - Gets a lot of love in the community and specifically they make a lot of models that are designed for the different sleeper positions. I would consider their luxe models for a bit more comfort over the core models. An example of how much they offer is if you want a luxe model that is Firm, they make one for side sleepers and one for back sleepers...the difference is they simply replace one layer of foam with another or swap those layer orders. Helix makes an Elite line and if I were to buy one it would be one of those...not because the comfort layer is thicker or it has micro coils and foam, but for the flexibility of the comfort layer swap. The entire comfort layer (several layers) is encased in a cotton cover that simply slips into the Top cover. You can swap just that layer later when your needs change for much less than buying a new mattress. Start off with Helix Midnight Elite and feel you need it firmer? Just have them send you a Dawn or Twilight comfort layer and swap it. Pretty convenient.
Diamond - Ultimately my wife & I choose the "Black Diamond" series from Diamond Mattress. It had everything we wanted (just enough give on the top layer without being soft, a good coil support system and cooling features. We bought the Black Diamond Vail (Lux Hybrid Quilt Top in Firm). If we dont like it (Not here yet), The Helix Twilight Elite is my next go to.
Good luck!!
Run down to your Mattress store and lay on some Sealy Pro or Elite series mattresses. They have one of the best coil support systems. The Elite will have more/thicker foam and some cooling tech, but if it's out of budget grab a Pro series. I recommend medium firmness, spring series, Pro or elite line, and quilt top. Half the price of previous recommendation.
Look here:
What makes a "Pro" a "Pro" - [https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/](https://www.sealy.com/sealy-posturepedic-collection/)
If you have the materials and specs of a "Pro" you can be a "Pro" However, you can change how many layers or the density of the layers outside of those requirements to meet a price point.
Comparison (You will notice a 1" difference in the mattress heights):
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-15-medium-euro-top-mattress/5637547470.p?variantid=5637548310)
[https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262](https://www.mattressfirm.com/posturepedic-pro-lacey-ii-14-medium-mattress/5637547462.p?variantid=5637548262)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-highland-manor-13-medium-mattress/4000363508?langId=-1)
[https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1](https://www.costco.com/p/-/sealy-posturepedic-pro-lincoln-heights-14-firm-or-plush-mattress/4000383457?langId=-1)
Which Sealy Model? The retail pro and elite versions do very well and don't get returned often at all due to the incredible coil system they use. I definitely do not recommend soft mattresses. Both of my contacts at different stores have a lot of returns on Serta, BR and Purple, hardly ever on Elite and Pro series Sealy. Don't sell as many King Koil but very few returns on those as well. Bear in mind things like "Costco" versions are not the same. They are manufactured using cost cutting measures to meet a price point. (Less foam, etc..)
Sorry you went through this. I think probably your biggest mistake was getting the hybrid series of Sealy Elite as they have those thick flat memory foam tops that sink in and trap you and your heat. I hate memory foam mattresses for that reason. The Sealy Elite spring series are more traditional foam over coil and don't sleep nearly as hot or sink in like that. If you do ever try another mattress purchase look for traditional foam over coil with quilt tops. Like a Sealy Elite Brenham II or literally any model that is not thick layers of memory foam on the top. You said you were in MD, I am in PA and I can't say enough about the crew at Gardners Mattress and More in Lancaster, PA. Great store, great owners that are very involved in their community, run a podcast, wrote 2 books on sleep, etc. They carry a bunch of brands with plenty of floor models. Drew was my rep and was great. Good luck and stay away from memory foam :)
CapnLazerz
