The typical mattress shopper puts lots of time and effort into figuring out the just right mattress for them. However, what about the base your mattress sits on? In our experience, not so much. How about you? Have you considered an adjustable base vs box spring / mattress foundation?
Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, we confidently believe that informed consumers make better buying decisions and are ultimately happier with their purchases. Keeping that in mind, do you know which type of mattress base is right for you? If not, today we’re going to learn the pros and cons of each option so that you can make the decision that’s best for you!
Why Adjustable Bases & Mattress Foundations Are Important
Unfortunately, discussions about the different bases – adjustable bases and mattress foundations or box springs – are often an afterthought. But they shouldn’t be. Would you say that the foundation of your home is important? Of course! It literally supports the entire house. Well, the base or foundation of your mattress isn’t all that different.
This often-overlooked component of your “sleep system” is critically important to the quality of your sleep. This is because it allows the mattress to work exactly as designed. And in the case of adjustable bases, it can actually add a ton of features that are convenient and beneficial to your health.
Perhaps most importantly, an old, worn-out, or otherwise broken foundation can ruin both your sleep and your mattress. When your mattress isn’t adequately supported, it can damage the integrity of the mattress and cause it to wear unevenly or wear out much sooner in its life-cycle. This can result in neck and back pain, headaches, nerve pain, and frequent, nightly, toss-and-turn sessions.
There are two main categories that these bases fall into – adjustable bases and stationary foundations, commonly known to consumers as “box springs”. Most stationary foundations these days don’t have spring coils anymore, so “box spring” is a bit of a misnomer. In the mattress industry, we usually call them mattress foundations. Regardless of what we call them, we’ve broken down the benefits and drawbacks of adjustable bases vs box springs / mattress foundations below!
[Editor’s Note: One other alternative to traditional mattress foundations and adjustable bases is the platform bed, but that deserves an explanation of its own. Be sure to read here if you’d like to learn more about platform beds!]
Pros & Cons: Adjustable Base vs Box Spring / Mattress Foundation
Right up front, let’s acknowledge that adjustable bases (also known as adjustable beds, adjustable bed bases, or adjustable bed frames) are more expensive on average than traditional mattress foundations or box springs. While there are budget-conscious adjustable bases available with fewer features, the perception among consumers is that adjustable beds are much more expensive. As a result, many shoppers find themselves asking, “Are adjustable bases worth it?”
However, there are many differences between an adjustable base vs box spring beyond just the price tag. Our goal is for you to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and then you can decide whether an adjustable base is right for you!
Pros & Cons: Box Springs / Mattress Foundations
Let’s start with the benefits of a traditional stationary mattress foundation.
Mattress Foundation Pros
- Mattress foundations are extremely affordable
- They don’t require electricity or being plugged into an outlet
- Simple, lightweight design with fewer components that can fail
- If you do have a failure, traditional foundations can usually be replaced easily and affordably
- They are user-friendly in the sense that they don’t really do anything beyond providing support
Mattress Foundation Cons
That leads us to the drawbacks of box springs and mattress foundations.
- Stationary or flat foundations just sit there, quietly providing support and structure for your mattress. While it’s true that may be all that you need, you miss out on the many additional benefits of adjustable bases
- Construction and materials for box springs and mattress foundations can be a bit less sturdy and less durable than adjustable bases
- Mattress foundations add additional height to your mattress, so if keeping a low-profile bed height is important to you, that may be worth considering
- Foam and hybrid mattresses can have serious issues with some box springs and foundations because the slats are spaced too far apart to adequately support memory foam or similar materials. This can cause dips or ridges and destroy your mattress in the long-term
Pros & Cons: Adjustable Bases
Now onto adjustable base benefits and drawbacks. The benefits of adjustable bases can really be broken down into two category – health benefits and other benefits. As with everything, there are some trade-offs as well.
Adjustable Base Health Benefits
- By elevating your head, adjustable bases can help sleepers manage issues from sleep apnea, to snoring, to acid reflux and GERD
- By elevating your legs, an adjustable base can relieve discomfort and ease pain stemming from restless leg syndrome, arthritis, lumbar and back pain, and can reduce inflammation in the legs
- Zero Gravity settings available on many adjustable bed bases mimic the feeling of weightlessness. Through spinal decompression and improved spinal alignment, this can improve circulation as well as help manage health issues like chronic back pain from slipped or herniated discs, osteoarthritis and sciatic nerve pain
- Much like a lift chair, it’s easier to get in and out of an adjustable bed. This is especially helpful for sleepers with limited mobility
Other Adjustable Base Benefits, Features & Options
- Adjustable bases are more comfortable and convenient for other non-sleep activities – from watching TV, to reading in bed, to sex, to working from your laptop or scrolling on your phone
- Since these bases are powered, many models include extra conveniences like underbed or bedside lighting, USB charging ports, or massage functions
- When paired with a split king mattress, adjustable bases are able to provide custom adjustments for both sides of the bed. This is useful for spouses who snore or partners with different sleeping preferences
- Adjustable base models like Tempur-Pedic’s ERGO base with Sleeptracker AI, include built-in sleep tracking. This feature gives you feedback about your breathing, whether you snored and for how long, or whether you tossed and turned in your sleep. These smart bases can even make fine adjustments to your mattress automatically if they detect snoring or other issues
Adjustable Base Cons
- Not all mattresses are compatible with an adjustable bed frame. Most modern mattresses are adjustable base compatible – including gel memory foam, hybrid, latex, and models from brands like Tempur-Pedic, Purple, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, DreamCloud, Nectar, etc. However, with some traditional innerspring mattresses you may be out of luck
- As we discussed above, adjustable beds are usually more expensive than flat foundations. However, there are models on the market with head-only incline available for close to the same price as some stationary foundations.
- Unlike simple stationary foundations, adjustable beds are much more complex. This means there are motors or other components that can break (although most manufacturers address this with generous manufacturer warranties)
- Adjustable bases require an outlet or other electrical source to function
- Some adjustable base owners report having a harder time making the bed or getting the sheets to stay on. Make sure that your sheets have enough stretch to move with the mattress, and that the corner pockets are deep enough for your mattress
- Vibrations from adjustable bases with massage function can be noisy if bed is placed directly on hardwood flooring
Adjustable Base vs Box Spring / Foundation : Which Type of Base Do You Think Is Right for You?
There you have it – every pro and con our mattress experts could think of between stationary foundations and adjustable bases. Which way are you leaning when it comes to adjustable base vs box spring / mattress foundation? Which of the features above do you think is most important to you? Let us know!
Now that you’re equipped to assess what type of base is right for you, it’s time to take the next step! If you think an adjustable bed is right for you, come by any of our 6 North Georgia furniture and mattress stores to try some of the mattress industry’s best adjustable base options. We have the best adjustable bases from brands like Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Nectar and Purple!
