Beds - what to spend your money on

I was looking at the prices of some of the more expensive orthopedic beds recently and contrasting them with what you could buy in terms of some other bed types.

It proved an interesting exercise since many of the more expensive beds with very high pocket spring counts, high density memory foam, or composite constructions have price tags of £2,000 ($3,500) or more for a standard double.

In real terms this is a heck of a lot of money and, despite paying this kind of figure for our current bed, it is worthwhile looking at some of the other options that are available.

The first thing that struck me is that you can buy a good quality water bed for this kind of money – and one that is baffled and offers no “wave effect”. Water beds offer the best possible support and their support structure, i.e. the water itself, does not deteriorate of wear over time. They look stylish, most have soft edges and they do not leak, neither are they particularly prone to punctures. (They also hold less water than most people think.)

The other big alternative is an electrically adjustable bed.

These beds can be purchased in a double-bed format, but with individual mattress and positioning adjustments for both sleepers and for the same kind of money. When you look at the technology and engineering that go into one of these beds you really have to ask the question-

Which is the better value, a high priced orthopedic style bed and mattress, or a fully automated remote control bed?

Given this same choice now I would opt for the latter. The problem however is that a modern memory foam beds is perceived as a luxury item whilst an electrically adjustable bed is considered as being an aid for someone who is mobility challenged or in the later years of their life.

The water bed is of course very heavy and, despite the irrationality of it, many people associate a water bed with a leak and a leak with costly repair work. All very unlikely, but these things play with the mind.

Anyway, foresight is a great thing, but I would certainly like to turn back time and go for a remote control bed. To start off it would be a partner to our remote control i-robot roomba vacuum and secondly I suspect that, with the infinite number of sleeping positions, I would get a better night’s sleep.

Always be sceptical about very cheap beds or beds that simply look like they are of low quality.