My husband owns a retail mattress store, and based on my experience there I have a couple bits of advice. First, don't buy based on a brand name. You're paying for advertising. Many less expensive brands are the same thing as the pricey ones. Try out every kind of mattress you can. Get as many opinions as you can from people you trust (guess you are doing that here, hunh?) Second, consider WHO you are buying from. Would you trust that person to make a problem right? No matter how great the line/brand is, sometimes you just get a lemon. You are, in my opinion, more likely to get better after-the-sale service from a local dealer, even if his/her showroom isn't as big and impressive as the chain stores. Many of the big stores also come and go quickly. A family-owned store that is part of the community and has been for many years is a better bet to be there when the mattress bites the dust five years before the warranty expires.