Stearns & Foster Mattress Reviews and Comparisons

Stearns & Foster offers four collections of high-end mattresses that increase in amenities and price, from lowest priced to highest they are—Estate, Lux Estate, Lux Estate Hybrid, and Reserve. 

Estate is the “affordable” line. Roughly an additional $800 puts you in the Lux Estate Collection, and then for an additional $500, you’d find yourself in the Lux Estate Hybrid collection, you get hybrids with similar construction and different pillow tops. The added cost comes from the amount and the high-quality materials used in each mattress.

The Reserve collection is the most expensive. You take another $1300 step up to get into this range. Reserve mattresses are thick and luxurious with cooling and support features, as well as luxurious fabrics. You can pay up to the equivalent for an OK used car (just south of $10,000) for the biggest, most tricked out Reserve mattress they offer.

The Stearns & Foster approach to mattresses also offers a wide selection of firmness levels. And every single mattress measures at least a thick 13.5 inches. 

Stearns & Foster mattresses, as a result, do a great job isolating motion for couples sharing a bed and the reinforced edges also allow couples to use the entire mattress surface as they sleep.

Stearns and Foster Mattress Models

Which Stearns & Foster Model Is Best for Me? 

Estate Might Be Good For You If….

• You are a side, back or stomach  sleeper who is lighter side or of an average weight
• You enjoy tempur-pedic beds

Lux Estate Might Be Good For You If….

• You are a side or back sleeper and prefer a medium firm mattress
• You have back pain

Lux Estate Hybrid  Might Be Good For You If….

• You are a side or back sleeper
• You have back pain
• You stick to the more firm versions

Reserve Might Be Good For You If….

• You are a heavier side sleeper
• You love a more plush mattress
• The expense doesn’t send you running from the room

Best Stearns & Foster Mattress by Sleeping Position

Side Sleepers who are average-sized will like that there is plenty of foam and conforming for the hips and shoulders, in the top layers of all of these hybrids throughout the four collections.

Back Sleepers might find the Stearns & Foster Estate mattress set to their liking. Just so long as you’re not too heavy, you don’t need that much contouring around your booty.  Any of these mattresses with a medium-firm + feel should work.

Stomach Sleepers have it rough. You need a mattress type soft enough to cradle your tummy as you sleep face down, but not so much that your hips fail to align with the rest of your spine. The Reserve luxury plush mattress might be good for you.

Pros and Cons of Stearns & Foster Mattresses

PROS

• Name-brand recognition with Sealy parent company
• An additional feature to strengthen the edges; great for couples
• Useful for all sleep positions if you’re an average-weight person
• Very thick profiles

CONS

• Customers say they’re not very durable
• Not necessarily made for bigger people

Stearns & Foster Mattress Construction 

Estate Construction 

The comfort layers at the top have standard memory foam with a layer of gel foam (gel = cooling). The craftsmanship includes a support layer with innerspring pocket coils that are encircled with a polyfoam to enhance edge support and overall durability. They also have a cover made of Tencel® fabric.

Lux Estate Construction

The Lux in this iteration comes from an extra portion within the comfort layer. The comfort layers at the top have standard memory foam at the top, a pillow top layer in the middle with a layer of gel memory foam (gel = cooling) at the bottom. See: Best Pillow Top Mattresses. The support layer, again, is made of pocket coils that are encased with a polyfoam to enhance edge support and overall durability. This luxury mattress includes a cover with side air vents to help with circulation and a stretch-knit fabric called Tencel® lyocell blend.

Lux Estate Hybrid Construction

The Lux Hybrid has two layers of memory foam at the top of the comfort section. And then there is a layer of gel memory foam (gel = cooling) at the bottom. The support layer, again, is made of pocket coils that are encased with a polyfoam to enhance edge support and overall durability. Master craftsmen made sure to include a cover with side vents to help with air circulation and a stretch-knit fabric called Tencel® lyocell blend.

Reserve Construction

There are four sections in the Reserve comfort layers a “hybrid, pillow-top layer” on top of gel memory foam, another pillow top layer, and standard memory foam at the very bottom. Again the coil system that makes up the support layer is wrapped in polyform. The cover has side vents to help with air circulation and a stretch-knit fabric called Tencel® lyocell blend.

The Stearns and Foster Mattress Buying Experience

Stearns & Foster Trial-Period 

Please check with the store from which you purchase your mattress as to whether or not they offer a trial period. A rule of thumb for new mattresses is to sleep on them for at least 30 days before you make a decision about returning it. It takes that long for your body to adjust to a new sleep surface.

Stearns & Foster Mattress Warranty

Stearns & Foster has a 10-year limited warranty on their Sealy-backed mattresses (if you buy it at a Sealy Store).

If you receive a mattress with some sort of manufacturing defect, bad materials or workmanship, Sealy will decide whether it’s enough to warrant a repair or replacement for the 10 years of the warranty. 

You have to use it on a firm, solid or adjustable base. (No box springs!) If you don’t, you void the warranty. Also, the warranty doesn’t cover a change in your comfort preference, physical damage you cause, or any damage that results from you using the wrong foundation.

If you buy from a third-party retailer, you should ask about their warranty before your purchase.

Shipping and Delivery

Varies by the seller. 

Availability

You can find Stearns & Foster mattresses at retail stores throughout the country and online through Amazon, US-mattress.com, Macy’s, etc. The mattress company is a Tempur-Sealy subsidiary so you won’t have trouble finding these models.

Stearns and Foster Store Comparison

It’s somewhat difficult to compare Stearns & Foster, not just because they’re sold under different names everywhere, but because they’re a “MAP” product, meaning there is a Minimum Advertised Price retailers are allowed to sell them at. So, you’ll generally find them at that minimum price. Some retailers have that as roughly the normal retail price, and others will have a “list” price that is double the MAP price, and perpetually have it on a “50% off sale.” Regardless, you’re unlikely to do better than the minimum price.

So, as you’re comparison shopping, consider things like the delivery charge, how quickly they can deliver, the exchange policy and sales tax (US Mattress doesn’t charge it in most of the country, for example) to help break the tie.

Conclusion

The Stearns & Foster line is a hybrid mattress line from the mattress experts at Sealy. There is no doubt that the S&F line does all it can to build luxurious options. In fact, the Reserve in the largest size (Split CA King) costs nearly $10,000.

You’ll find glowing reviews about the mattress’s comfort from newer customers. And it would be human to assume that means you will get a mattress with a good shot to last well over 10 years. But there is no trial period for these mattresses and the warranty is only 10-years long. Dig a little deeper and you will also find customers reviews that voice misgivings about how long these mattresses can and do last without developing indentations. 

And that’s when you start thinking, “Do I need a new mattress? Didn’t I just spend thousands of dollars on this one?”

With Stearns & Foster, just be very clear about how much you’re spending and what you expect to get in return for that price.