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Most reasonably intelligent individuals would think that a 25-year warranty is better than a 10-year warranty; that the mattress with the 25-year warranty should be better quality and last longer. Unfortunately, the mattress business doesn't usually work that way.
The ugly truth is that most 15, 20, and 25-year warranties are just marketing ploys intended to make the sale. Don't make the mistake of associating length of warranty to any sort of realistic indicator of how long the mattress is going to last. Always read the fine print.
Some background: What is a warranty meant to do?
A warranty is a written guarantee given to the purchaser of a new item by the manufacturer or dealer, usually specifying that the manufacturer will make repairs or replace defective parts free of charge for a stated length of time.
This all sounds great, but what happens when you throw in the added complexity of a “limited warranty” and a “pro-rated warranty?” These kinds of warranties provide less repair and replacement options the longer you own the mattress. As a result, the manufacturer is responsible for less as the item gets older.
Most manufacturers will have a schedule for the amount of proration of a warranty. Depending on what mattress model you purchase, the warranty schedule will tell you the length of time the company will repair or replace the mattress at no charge. It will also tell you what you can expect to be charged for repairs and/or replacement after that time frame has passed. Many times this cost is based on a percentage of the retail price you paid for the mattress multiplied by the number of years you've had it.
For example, imagine you purchased a mattress for $2000 with a 20-year warranty. You become aware of the mattress sagging during year 2, and contact the company to see what your options are. They send out an inspector who agrees that you have a problem, but then they tell you the warranty is only a full warranty for one year. Years 2-20 are pro-rated.
Since you've had the bed for 2 years, you must then pay 1/10th multiplied by 2 (the number of years you've had it) of the purchase price to get the issue resolved. You also have to pay for shipping of the entire mattress to and from the repair facility.
You thought the warranty was a safety net. Instead, you have to pay $400 plus shipping costs. Imagine what costs you'd incur at year 14 or 18! At year 10, you'd spend the same amount to get the mattress repaired that you originally paid for it-and then pay shipping costs too.
What to Look for in a Warranty:
Better mattresses will provide better warranties. Always ask to see the warranty in writing. You should be able to study it in detail. For the most part, you will get a significant amount of legalese, but it should be simple to filter through the important points. Look for phrases like “full warranty,” “limited warranty,” and “prorated warranty.”
Also look for phrasing such as “depth of mattress compression” and/or “body impression” usually followed by a measurement, such as 1.5” or 2”. These key terms will tell you what you”re dealing with.
The full non-prorated warranty is the best you can find. Period.
HOWEVER-Buyer Beware:
Most mattress manufacturers that offer a “full warranty” actually demand that certain requirements must be met before they will replace or repair their mattresses. Those requirements may or may not be included in the warranty handout. Always ask “what's the catch?”
Universally in our research on this subject, each company touting a “full warranty” will NOT repair or replace your mattress unless there is a body impression of a least x amount, usually 1.5”. They'll measure the depth of the indentation, and if it's not at least 1.5” , they'll do absolutely nothing to remedy the issue.
Keep in mind, a body impression measuring a mere half inch can actually be significant and can affect proper neutral alignment of your spine. So by the time the mattress compresses to that magical 1.5”, you could have been experiencing extreme discomfort the entire time.
Some companies have hybrid warranties, sometimes called “10-Year Full Warranty / 20-year Pro-Rated Warranty.” When you first read that, it's almost impossible to think it's not a great warranty. It sounds as though you have a 30-year warranty. But dig a little deeper, and you'll discover that even during the 10-year portion of the warranty, it's NOT a true full warranty. Once again, any body impression must be at least 1.5” deep for the warranty to go into effect....and there must be no staining on the mattress cover.
Stain on the mattress cover and your warranty:
Across the board, no mattress warranty will cover stains on the mattress cover.
Why? Because if you actually do have a valid issue like a body impression forming in the mattress after only a year of use, a stain WILL void the warranty under most manufacturer's guidelines!
So even if the mattress inspector agrees there's a warranty issue due to the huge 2-inch-deep body impression that's in your 1-year-old mattress, that barely perceptible sweat stain will completely void your warranty. At that point, you're trapped: you can either continue to sleep uncomfortably in that body impression or purchase a new mattress with the hope that it will hold up better than the last one.
What if I don't buy the box or foundation piece?
Staining isn't the only issue that will void your warranty. In many cases, if you didn't purchase a box spring or foundation piece along with your mattress, that too will void your warranty. Some companies even go so far as to stipulate the box or foundation piece must MATCH the mattress. What does that mean? If you've taken advantage of the 'mis-matched mattress and box' promotions so prevalent now, you may have no warranty at all.
The Sovn European Sleep Systems Warranty:
Our objective is to keep things simple. That's why we offer a true Full 10-Year Warranty. We don't measure body impressions. If there's a body impression in one of our mattresses during the warranty period, we determine where the problem lies (top component? bottom piece?) and replace it. Period. End of story.
How can we do this? First of all, our components are of vastly superior quality and durability. As a result, they don't develop body impressions, and we simply don't have warranty issues.
And since our mattresses come with a zippered cover, we can honor our warranty without taking any surface staining into consideration. We simply imbed the new component back into the same cover. And of course, if you'd ever like to purchase a new mattress cover, you're more than welcome to do that as well.
Lastly, our mattresses are designed to be used with or without foundation pieces. So if you purchase only a mattress and no box spring, you're still covered.
The bottom line is this: Sovn European Sleep Systems has the best warranty in the business. We aren't looking for a loophole in the fine print, we just want you to feel less anxiety about your purchase. If you have a problem, we'll figure out why, and if it's a faulty component, we replace it at no cost to you-for ten years.
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