new mattress or just a topper?

[libraryfreak]

Let me start by saying that my mattress is not in bad shape. But one day while bumming at the mall I laid on a new one. WOW!! Amazing!! I went home and did some research, then went looking at new mattresses. I found that I loved the pillowtop ones the best. My research, and the salesman, both said that the fluffiness of the pillowtop won't last - 5 years is average. Now I'm thinking about just buying a topper. Not memory foam, I've heard they make you too hot. Maybe feathers or a down-alternative one?

Have you ever had one? Had friends use one? Can you offer me pro's and con's of them? They're very inexpensive, at least compared to a new mattress.

Thanks so much for any input you can offer me.

 

[redlawyer]

I have a down featherbed on top of my mattress. I have a crappy mattress and can't afford a new one. You can actually see the impressions on the bed where DH and I sleep. The impressions were there after the second year. The featherbed really helps a lot. I shake it out in the morning when I make the bed (ok, most mornings) and it really helps!

 

[Justsyd2]

We just bought a Beautyrest Jefferson Park Plush, and it is fantastic! You may want to try it next time you're near a store. It's not firm, and it's not pillow top, it's a combination, and they have a 10 year warranty. We love ours!

 

[windycitymom]

A mattress topper is a nice budget saver until you can afford a new mattress. We need a new mattress, but I want a more expensive fluffy mattress (think California King plush top), so in the mean time we got a mattress topper. We've probably had our topper a couple years now. The topper slides around some, but it is comfy to sleep on. I bought the topper and case at Overstock for around $100.