“Out with the old, and in with the new” applies to many things, including replacing your mattress. However, your new mattress should be just new to you. While there are some items you can get away with buying as used or pre-owned, a mattress is not one of them. The lower price tag might be tempting, but this cheaper option could end up costing you more in the long run. Here are a few good reasons why you should not buy a used mattress:
Shorter Life Span
A used mattress is a low-cost investment that comes with a low life expectancy. On average, a mattress will last anywhere from 7 to 10 years. If the mattress you are getting has already been used for a few years, you will have to replace it sooner than if you purchased a new one. Mattresses go through normal wear and tear from being slept on each night. This means an old mattress will not last very long since it has already been worn in. Additionally, you won’t always be able to know how old or how well a mattress is when you buy it as used. If the previous owner didn’t take good care of their mattress, you might be replacing it even sooner than you originally thought.
Potential Bed Bugs
Whether you know it or not, a used mattress could be home to pesky creatures known as bed bugs. These small, brown insects feed on blood and are great at hiding, which makes them extremely hard to get rid of. Bed bugs move fast and multiply quickly, so one infested item can easily spread to other items in your room. They tend to live in dark, hidden areas of furniture, such as the cracks and crevices of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards and couches. It’s important to check for signs of bed bugs before you bring any used items (including a mattress) into your home. Read our list of helpful tips to learn how you can prevent bed bugs.
No Warranty
It’s very unlikely for a used mattress to come with a warranty. Most mattress companies offer buyers a warranty to protect their purchase from damage and defects. While these warranties are awesome to have as a safety net for big investments such as a mattress, they are often non-transferable. So if you were to buy a mattress from someone else, the original warranty would be voided and the mattress would not be covered in the event of an issue. Not only would you be out of luck, but you’d also be out of more money when you end up having to pay to repair the broken mattress or to pay to replace it with another one.
No Delivery
Depending on who or where you get it from, a used mattress typically does not come with delivery. More than likely, you will have to make your own accommodations to pick up the mattress from its previous owner’s location or pay to have it dropped off at your home. This inconvenience adds more time and stress to your secondhand-shopping experience.
At Mattress Firm El Paso and Las Cruces, we strive to make the process convenient for you. When you purchase a new mattress with us, you can receive same-day delivery on our largest in-stock inventory of top mattress brands, such as Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Mattress Firm Direct and Tempur-Pedic®.