Stearns and Foster

Quality craftsmanship has been the biggest draw to Stearns and Foster brand mattresses since the 1800s. Two men, G.S. Stearns and Seth Foster began building a business together handcrafting top quality upholstery for horse drawn carriages for the elite.

They were so successful they decide to branch out and began making mattresses for hotels. They’re still recognized today for creating and hand crafting the very first luxury mattress. What makes this brand of mattress so unique?

Stearns & Foster mattresses are still built by hand by certified and experienced craftsmen. The mattresses appear very luxurious and expensive with features like hand-tufted finishes, beautiful embroidery, and stylish handles that not only work well to move the mattress but look pretty too. The peek-a-boo fabric feature makes the mattresses look very high end and fancy.

Styles of Stearns and Foster Mattresses

There are three main styles: Traditional, Silver Dream, and Golden Excellence.

Traditional

• VRT or Variable Response Technology - ensures you're softly supported
  
  
• Coils are individually wrapped
  
  
• Seamless edge system
  
  
• LTD foundation
  
  
• Optional memory foam or latex layers
  
  
• 10-year warranty
  
  
• Price for queen begins at $1,299

Silver Dream

• Intellicoil™ - a smaller coil inside a larger coil and then individually wrapped
  
  
• Two inches natural latex
  
  
• New Zealand Joma wool for a luxurious sleeping surface that won't heat up
  
  
• Cashmere infused woven fabric on top layer
  
  
• Hand-tufted finish
  
  
• 10-year warranty
  
  
• Price for queen begins at $2,999

Golden Excellence

• Intellicoil™ - a smaller coil inside a larger coil and then individually wrapped
  
  
• Three inches natural latex
  
  
• New Zealand Joma wool for a luxurious sleeping surface that won't heat up
  
  
• White wool and white cashmere fabrics
  
  
• Woven fabrics of silk, merino wool, and cashmere on top layer
  
  
• Mongolian horsehair fibers - excellent for wicking away moisture from body
  
  
• Hand-tufted finish
  
  
• 10-year warranty
  
  
• Price for queen begins at $3,999

Other styles of S&F mattresses include: Deacon Ridge, Queen’s Gate Ultra Firm, Hearthstone Luxury Pillowtop, Mulberry Green Luxury Firm, Roseau Plush, Delinda Plush Euro Top, Grenoble Firm, Rhone Cushion Firm, English Meadows Luxury Plus, and Kersell Plush Top, to name a few.

What Do People Like About This Mattress Brand?

Praises for this mattress include comments about the beauty and appearance of the mattress; that it looks very expensive and luxurious. Great care seems to go into making each mattress with the hand tufting, careful stitching, and soft-to-the-touch fabrics.

Another praise for the S&F mattress is the excellent motion isolation. The individually wrapped coils seem to help keep motion from one person transferring to the other on the mattress.

What Don’t People Like about S&F Mattresses?

The most common complaint about this brand of mattress is the sagging of the mattress within a short period of time. Some owners reported that it sagged within one month where others said it took a year or two, but many said that their mattress was not supportive and developed a dip or trench on their side of the bed along with a high ridge in the middle of the bed.

Due to the sagging of the mattress, back pain and neck pain increased rather than improving.

Other negative comments included difficulty rolling over, difficulty maintaining intimate relations due to sagging mattress, and difficulty flipping the mattress because it is so heavy.

Allergic Reactions to Stearns and Foster

All innerspring mattresses seem to attract dust mites and other allergens much more than other types of mattresses. S&F mattresses aren’t any different even though they feature individually wrapped coils. This could be a drawback for anyone suffering from dust mite allergies. On a good note, very few people mentioned any odor or off gassing from this brand of mattress.

Anyone who could be allergic to memory foam should avoid the Traditional S&F mattress unless the optional memory foam layers are left out. It's possible that you could have an allergic reaction by sleeping on or near memory foam.

The Conclusion about Stearns and Foster Mattresses?

The overall feeling from consumers who bought this brand of mattress has been frustration and disappointment because the bed looks amazing but doesn’t hold up to short term or long-term use. Pricing seems high for the quality received. Customer service is not rated highly either – returns seem to be very difficult and fees applied to the returns are hefty.