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SleepRanked

How We Research

SleepRanked is committed to transparent, research-based recommendations. Here's exactly how we evaluate and recommend mattresses.

Our Methodology

We research mattresses using publicly available information from manufacturers, retailers, and established third-party sources. Our process includes:

1. Manufacturer Specifications

We pull product specifications directly from manufacturer websites whenever possible. This includes construction details, materials, available sizes, heights, and feature descriptions. When a manufacturer provides firmness ratings, we note them as "brand-reported."

2. Verified Pricing

We verify pricing from manufacturer websites as our primary source. When manufacturer pricing is not publicly listed, we check authorized retailers. Every displayed price has a traceable source and a recent verification date. Prices can change at any time — we do our best to keep them current.

3. Trial, Warranty, and Policy Verification

Trial periods, warranty terms, return policies, and shipping information are verified from manufacturer FAQ pages and policy documents. We record the source for each of these data points.

4. Feature Assessments

For qualitative assessments like cooling, motion isolation, edge support, and durability, we rely on a combination of:

  • Manufacturer-provided specifications and technology descriptions
  • Construction analysis (materials, layer composition, coil types)
  • Consensus from established third-party reviews

These ratings are our editorial assessments based on available information, not laboratory measurements.

5. Financing Information

We verify financing availability and providers from manufacturer checkout pages and financing partner information. Terms, rates, and availability may vary and are subject to credit approval.

What We Do NOT Claim

  • We do not claim hands-on testing unless explicitly stated otherwise. Our evaluations are research-based.
  • We do not use fake review counts or ratings. When we reference ratings, they are clearly sourced.
  • We do not use original product photography unless specifically noted. Product images are sourced from manufacturers.
  • We do not guarantee that our assessments match your personal experience. Mattress comfort is subjective.

Data Freshness

Every product in our database includes a "last verified" date. We aim to re-verify pricing monthly and specifications quarterly. If you notice outdated information, please let us know.

How We Make Recommendations

Our mattress matching tool uses a scoring algorithm based on your stated preferences. It considers your sleep context, size needs, priorities, budget, and problem areas, then scores each mattress in our database against those criteria. The algorithm is deterministic — the same inputs always produce the same results.

Editorial Reviews & Scoring Rubric

For top-traffic mattresses we publish long-form editorial reviews written by the SleepRanked Editorial Team. Each review is grounded in verified manufacturer specifications, certification documents, warranty and trial terms, materials, and published owner-feedback patterns from independent sources. We do not claim first-hand testing — we explicitly disclose this on every review.

A mattress receives a catalog score only when all five performance ratings are present and recognized and a finite positive Queen price is listed. The score is a weighted calculation on a 0–10 scale, rounded to one decimal place, using the same six factors for every brand:

  • Pressure relief (23.5%) — the pressure-relief rating recorded in our catalog, not a pressure-map test.
  • Motion isolation (23.5%) — the motion rating recorded in our catalog, not an independent motion-transfer test.
  • Cooling (23.5%) — the cooling rating recorded in our catalog, not a measured sleeping temperature.
  • Edge support (11.8%) — the edge-support rating recorded in our catalog.
  • Durability (5.9%) — the durability rating recorded in our catalog, not a measured lifespan.
  • Price and policies (11.8%) — a lower recorded Queen price earns more points, with limited bonuses for a recorded trial of at least 100 nights and a warranty of at least 10 years.

We do not add brand, affiliate, product-specific, or high-price bonuses. Category words and valid ratings out of 10 are translated with the convention published on our full methodology page. Displayed percentages are rounded; the exact calculation uses relative weights of 20 for cooling, motion isolation and pressure relief, 10 for edge support, 5 for durability and 10 for price and policies, divided by 85. Mattress pages display all six factors beside a complete score. When information is incomplete, they show only known factors and withhold the overall score.

Softer or firmer feel does not raise or lower the general catalog score. Firmness describes feel and changes which mattress may suit you; the quizuses your sleep position and feel preferences. Missing, custom or multiple firmness choices do not prevent a score when the performance ratings and price are complete.

What the Editorial Score Is — and Isn't

  • It is a comparison aid computed from recorded catalog ratings, price and purchase terms, with its rubric disclosed. Complete fields do not establish that every underlying claim has been independently verified.
  • It isn't a hands-on test score. We do not claim to have slept on these mattresses for a number of nights and measured the results. Anyone telling you they did is making a claim we cannot verify.
  • It isn't a guarantee of personal fit. Mattress comfort is subjective. Use the score as one input alongside the written review, the spec sheet, and the manufacturer's trial period.
  • It isn't influenced by affiliate relationships. The rubric is deterministic and the data fields are published on each mattress page.

Body Copy Standards

Editorial review bodies use research-friendly language: “preferred by,” “popular with,” “commonly chosen by.” We deliberately avoid “best for X” language because the objective evidence we have access to supports population-level preference patterns, not individual-fit guarantees. Every editor review also includes a named byline (the SleepRanked Editorial Team) and a publication and last-updated date.

User Reviews — A Note

We collect user reviews and moderate them before publication. Each mattress holds collected user reviews until a per-product threshold is met (default five), at which point they go live alongside the editorial review. This prevents single-data-point ratings from misleading buyers while still surfacing real owner feedback as it accumulates.

Affiliate Relationships

SleepRanked earns affiliate commissions when you purchase through links on our site. Our affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or scoring algorithm. Products without affiliate relationships are included in our database and recommendations when they are relevant. See our full affiliate disclosure for more details.