Mattresses and toppers.(Home and Yard: Reap the Savings)(Buyers guide)

Shopping for a mattress can be a challenge. It's hard to tell one box of metal, foam, and fabric from another, making you vulnerable to a sales pitch. Model names differ from store to store, making it hard to comparison shop. And prices vary so much that the $1,300 mattress set you look at one day can cost $2,600 the next.

The good news: Years of testing have shown that all but the cheapest mattresses are apt to be sturdy. While there is no best bed for everyone, you can learn a lot simply by trying a mattress for 15 minutes.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Innerspring mattresses are the most widely sold type. Sealy, Serta, Simmons, and Spring Air are the top-selling brands. Highly hyped alternatives to conventional versions include Duxiana (springs galore, in layers); Select Comfort (air-filled, with adjustable firmness for each partner); and Tempur-Pedic (polyurethane "memory foam").You'll also find foam- and feather-filled mattress toppers designed to improve a too-hard bed. Price: $500 to more than $5,000 for mattresses; about $70 to $800 or more for queen-sized toppers.

FEATURES THAT COUNT

Most stores have a cutaway or cross-section of at least some mattresses. Here's what matters:

Ticking, the outermost layer, is typically polyester or cotton-polyester, while fancier mattresses may use damask, jersey knit, microsuede, wool, cashmere, or silk. What really counts is the stitching that binds the ticking to the top padding, which affects how the mattress feels. Look for a large quilt pattern if you like a deep, cushioned sensation; smaller patterns tend to create a slightly firmer feel.