When buying a new mattress you are buying three major components:
- The upholstery layers (the layers of padding on top for comfort).
- The innerspring coil unit.
- The box spring or foundation.
The upholstery layers are the comfort layers in the mattress. Mattress manufactures have found that adding more and better quality of comfort layers of foam will give you a more comfortable sleeping surface and a longer life span for your mattress.
The different layers in mattresses can be man made foams or natural fibers. There are many different types of foams. Every bed can have approximately 3-8 layers of padding and each layer can be a different material. Wool, cashmere, silk, visco memory foam, and latex foam are more commonly known and usually mean a better quality padding, but keep in mind that there are different grades of each of these different materials, which can affect the price.