Stearns and Foster Estate review identified 5 pros: age of the company, two firmness options in one mattress, pillow top options, luxurious feel, and three firmness options. Cons: only sold in stores, durability, expensive, and many negative reviews.
Wow, This is the first time I have seen a mattress on Amazon with a 5.0 star rating, and it is for this Lux model here.
Scott Boyd
Stearns and Foster is a recognizable name in the industry, and their Estate collection is given entry-level pricing. Does this mean that an Estate is a gateway for you to enjoy a superior night’s sleep?
As we’ll see, the answer is, “Not necessarily.” While Stearns and Foster appear to have introduced innovations into these mattresses, reviews from consumers show that this product line is plagued by problems with durability.
These models are entry-level for Stearns and Foster, a company that specializes in mid-to luxury-category options. This means that even their economy line of Estate mattresses is expensive.
Still, there are consumers out there who sleep on the Estate and love it. Should you become one of them?
An Overview of Stearns and Foster
The company has been in business for nearly 200 years, and on their website, they describe each of their products as being built by “Certified Master Craftsmen.”
Stearns and Foster is not a small-time organization. In fact, for the last several years, they have been owned by Sealy, a corporation that owns other mattress brands such as Sealy Posturpedic and Bassett.
As such, the corporation owns more than two dozen factories across the country. Nonetheless, Stearns and Foster emphasizes the hands-on, personally crafted nature of its products.
Considering that the Sealy Corporation also claims to manufacture more mattresses than any other company in the world, this kind of personalized attention seems unlikely.
An Overview of the Estate Collection
The Estate Collection is a line of hybrid mattresses, which means that they consist of foam and coils for comfort and support. Consumers may choose from the Estate Hurston or the Estate Rockwell.
Stearns and Foster advertise that each of these is made with superior materials and craftsmanship that provide “exceptional, long-lasting quality.”
Each Estate Collection mattress is covered with a quilted fabric featuring a cashmere weave for elegance and softness.
Also included is the company’s PrimaCool Performance Fabric which is a sturdy yet soft double-stretch knit that incorporates Tencel fibers that keep moisture away from your body.
These materials ensure that you sleep cooler.
The foam utilized in the Estate Collection is called Advanced Adapt Foam. Adaptive foam is a subcategory of memory foam that has a slower response time to give the sleeper a sensation of being “hugged.”
TIP: Some people hate the feeling of being hugged by their mattress, which causes them to steer clear of memory foam. If you aren’t sure that memory foam is for you, buy one from a retailer that offers a generous return policy.
Or find a local store where you can test the mattress, or one very similar, before ordering one online.
Estate Collection also has the company’s IntelliCoil Advanced coil system that relies on outer and inner coils.
Outer coils support the body yet remain soft and cozy while the inner coils adapt to the size and weight of the sleeper.
The PrecisionEdge System is incorporated into every Estate Collection mattress. This technology ensures not only better edge support but also maintains breathability through its edges.
S&F Air Vents are built into the sides to help increase breathability and airflow, which means that you’ll stay cooler overnight.
Products from the Stearns and Foster Estate Collection
Initially, you have two choices from this collection. These are the lower-priced Estate Hurston and the more luxurious Estate Rockwell.
The Estate Hurston
This model is available in all sizes from a twin long up to a split California King. Once you’ve chosen the size, you’ll need to choose from “Standard Luxury Feels” or “Pillow Top Luxury Feels.”
Standard Luxury Feels has three options: Firm, Cushion Firm, and Plus. These categories relate to just how soft you want the top layer of your mattress to be.
In the Pillow Top Luxury Feels options, you’ll find Pillow Top Firm and Pillow Top Plush. Either of these is more expensive than the choices in the Standard Luxury Feels category.
The Estate Rockwell
If you spring for this model, you’ll have the same choices with regard to size, Standard Luxury Feels, and Pillow Top Luxury Feels.
However, you can expect the baseline of these mattresses to cost at least a few hundred dollars more than the Hurston Estate mattresses.
The Stearns and Foster website describes the Rockwell as being like the Huston with the addition of their Indulge Memory Foam. This material is touted as being exclusively made for the company by Tempur-Pedic.
Surprisingly little about this expensive, exclusive memory foam is revealed on the Stearns and Foster website, so it’s difficult to judge whether or not the extra money is worth it.
I guess you’ll have to find a retailer that carries them both so that you can try them.
Are Estate Mattresses Any Good?
Some people praise these products while others find them lacking. This company seems to incorporate some luxurious materials into this line, and the appearance of the products is upscale.
Additionally, the initial comfort level is good. The problem is that it appears to be a short honeymoon period.
Within a year or two, or perhaps even just months, many consumers report an unacceptable level of sagging and degradation. When you’ve spent this much money on a major, brand-name, you don’t expect that kind of a quick let-down.
I also don’t like that the Stearns and Foster website is less-than-transparent about all of the innovations that purportedly go into their mattresses.
If their proprietary, exclusive features are so advanced and revolutionary, why not more fully describe them on the website?
My suspicion is that there really is not a lot of cutting-edge technology going into the Estate Collection, which means that it’s all the same old, same old.
Stears and Foster Pros and Cons
Every mattress that I have reviewed to date has good and bad points and I try to identify and highlight the ones that I think are helpful to those doing research for their next bed.
Pro 1: Company History
Today the majority of companies started operations in the past five years. So who knows if their “20, 25, and Lifetime” warranties can be supported if the company is only a fraction of the age compared to the warranty time.
Stearns and Forster have been around since dinosaurs shopped for mattresses so that sets them apart from most of their competition.
Pro 2 Two Firmness in One
The King and California King are available as split so you and your significant other can each get the firmness level of your choice, no fighting required.
Pro 3: Optional Pillow Top
You can add a pillow top with a choice of two firmness levels, firm, and plush. This option will lighten your wallet an extra $200 for all sizes.
Pro 4: The Estate Collection Feels Luxurious
At least initially, things like the cashmere-infused fabric and the comfort are great. You’ve spent a lot of money, and the feel of the mattress supports this.
Pro 5: Firmness Options
I really like it when companies offer firmness options and Stears and Foster’s Estate Collection offers firm, soft, or ultra-plush models.
Con 1: Only Sold in Stores
This is not a mattress from an online retailer. They are mostly found in brick-and-mortar stores where they are unlikely to have both of these models with all of the attendant options.
You can probably order the one that you think you want, but it’s a hassle.
Con 2: Poor Performance over Time
Too many reviews from disappointed consumers suggest that these do not hold up over time so it gets an F for durability.
TIP: This may be a consequence of using lower density foam to help them save on the cost of materials. Ask the salesperson to provide literature for the materials and type of foam used in the mattress that you are considering for purchase.
Con 3: Expensive
Trading on their reputation as a company that makes superior mattresses, Stearns and Foster charges a pretty penny, and there’s considerable retailer markup.
If you’re paying this much, it should last for at least a decade with no issues.
Con 4: Negative Reviews
There are many less than flattering reviews all over the Internet, too many to include them in this short review.
I usually spend more time sharing my research findings and customer’s experience, but I don’t feel that this deserves more of my time.
Should You Buy from the Estate Collection?
My advice is to proceed with extreme caution. While the initial feel of these mattresses tends to be favorable, that feeling degrades with remarkable speed.
