Stearns & Foster was the original luxury mattress, with its origins dating back to 1846. It was not uncommon to see people sleep on their Stearns for 20 years and pass it on to their children. For most of their history, they were the one of the very best mattresses on the market. Joining forces with Sealy gave them national distribution, a marketing boost and teamed two of the best brands in the business.

I loved the S&F product line and sold them successfully for many years. But it was obvious that the quality was slipping and the attention to detail that made them famous was declining. This allowed other brands to step up their game and compete for the luxury mattress dollars.

It is with great happiness I report that Stearns & Foster is back with what I believe is one of their best lines in the last decade. Durable titanium coil systems, luxury fabrics, pre-compressed foams along with many other features, puts them back on top of the luxury innerspring pack. In fact, my only complaint is the dark colors being incorporated throughout the line. But this seems to be happening with every mattress manufacturer these days. Dark colors have historically been problematic in my experience on the showroom floor. But apparently some focus group feedback or research data is compelling all the mattress companies to introduce darker treatments and boxes. We will see how consumers react to these changes.

If you like “old school” comfort, backed up by the Stearns & Foster name, check them out. The 2012 models are hitting the stores right now.

As always, almost any mattress brand or model may work for you. Make sure you test each one on your back, side and sleeping position if different. Check for alignment issues and pressure, along with overall comfort. Make sure you find a sleep expert who will fit you properly on a mattress and remember comfort trumps everything else.