Brenham II Firm Pillow Top 16" (SKU: SEA-BRE-4M-FPT-25, MPN: 53200440, GTIN: 748369693210)

Glad your Brenham worked out for you. I bought the same in Queen but it's already lumpy and slopes to the left. I can see where it might be comfortable for some, but I'm a petite, 117 lb, side-sleeper and after one month, there's a visible pit when I get up from the bed. It also runs hot.

Agreed! Went through several sets of sheets, too. Settled on lower thread-count percal cotton and that made a big difference. Cheaper, too! Though more sheer than lux brands... Cotton sheets from Portugal worked, too (if you can find them at Home Goods). Even the gorgeous full-zip mattress protector I bought that was 100% cotton and not that high of thread count (300?) but tightly woven was way too hot. Slept 3 nights with and then without to confirm it was the protector. Trying a thin wool one now that seems a little better but still have woken hot. The only thing that I know doesn't contribute to heat is just a second set of sheets below fitted sheet (in same percal cotton). It's not as "protective" but the point is moot if all the others make me sweat :/

It's not a one size fits all (Medium for side and firm for back). It is seriously dependant on you and your conditions. What is most important is spinal alignment and comfort which can be achieved with a firm mattress with a good coils system for support, even if it has a padded type cover with a little bit of foam or natural material for just a bit of conformance. I would look for a hybrid with solid coils system support and a tight padded quilt top (not necessarily a big euro top although that is an option) Mattresses like the Sealy Elite series in Firm with quilt or padded tops and Helix Twilight Elite... The beauty of Helix Elite is the comfort layer is encased and easily swappable while keeping the solid coil support system. Good luck.

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 :)

I will just add that the two mattresses that were mentioned by dark night (Thermobalance Elite and Helix Plus Elite) both are made by 3Z in the USA and have the unique feature of being able to swap only the comfort layer on the top which is really nice. I think either one of these two would be great. As far as the big brands, while I agree with the assessment on the BR, I actually think that the Sealy Elite line (Spring series) are also very good mattresses. Those are the three I would lean towards.

Sealy Elite Spring series are a good series and have a great coil system for support. You are light enough that the pillowtop may not compress/fail but I tend to go for straight quilt top mattresses. Brenham II is made in quilt top & pillowtop so you could do either.

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...

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 :)

I’m a side sleeper. We got a Novaform from Costco last year when we bought our King bed and it completely destroyed my back. I’m 34 and 175 lbs. Just switched to a Sealy Posturepedic Brenham pillow top and it’s soooo much better. Highly recommend a pillow top for a side sleeper. We got the medium firmness. Mattress was just over 2K I believe.

Dang that stinks it didn’t work out for you. We’re hot sleepers too but I don’t find it runs that hot but our sheets have generally helped with that part.

Sealy Posturepedic Brenham II Pillow Top. Had it for almost 4 months and I love it. I’m a big guy and a side sleeper and it has alleviated my back pain.

Typically when a customer is trying to choose between two beds one softer and one firmer but they can’t decide I will recommend the softer bed as long as it gives them proper support because generally it’s going to give better pressure relief. Do you know what the models of the posture pedic are because it could make sense like a high point or brenham firm will contour more and maybe feel softer than an Albany or Pro medium. At the end of the day trust your body.