What most people get wrong
You know what’s funny? We spend a third of our lives in bed, yet most of us only think about replacing it once every decade. It’s one of those “I’ll get round to it” jobs - until you start waking up sore or find yourself eyeing the spare room mattress and wondering if it might actually be better.
The truth is, buying a new bed or mattress can be confusing. There’s so much noise out there - hybrid coils, memory foam, orthopaedic, “cooling technology” - and it all sounds impressive until you realise you don’t actually know how any of it feels.
That’s where we come in. At Slumbers, we’ve been helping people across Essex and South Suffolk sleep better for over 20 years. We’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what mistakes people regret most. So, before you make the same ones, here’s what to watch out for.
1. Buying your bed online and hoping for the best
Yes, we sell beds online. But if you ask us whether that’s how you should buy one - not really. Because here’s the thing: you can’t feel comfort through a screen.
Mattresses look remarkably similar in photos. You can’t tell how the springs respond when you move, or how the edge feels when you sit down to put on your socks. You can’t compare the bounce, the support, the quietness.
At Slumbers, you can. You can actually lie down, shift about, even close your eyes for a minute if you want to. There’s no rush, no awkward sales pitch, just honest advice from people who’ve done this for years.
And here’s the bit that surprises most people - the one that feels best usually isn’t the most expensive. It’s the one that suits you. Your shape, your weight, the way you sleep. You only discover that by trying them side by side.
A bed is a long-term relationship. It deserves more than a click and a courier.
2. Falling for the “big name” illusion
You’ve seen the adverts - slow-motion shots of movie stars stretching in spotless bedrooms while a deep voice tells you about “the science of sleep”. It’s slick, it’s glossy, it’s persuasive. But what’s really being sold there?
Big brands spend big money convincing you that their name equals quality. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: often, you’re paying more for the marketing than for the mattress. And when the product’s shipped from halfway around the world, with cheaper materials and thinner fabrics, it’s not hard to see where corners might get cut.
At Slumbers, we stick with British-made beds from trusted manufacturers who’ve spent decades refining their craft. They care about stitching as much as structure.
They build for comfort, not for commercials. You won’t see them on primetime TV, but you will feel their work every night you sleep on one.
If we sound a little proud of that, it’s because we are. Buying British means better quality control, shorter lead times, and designs made for our climate. Plus, you’re supporting local craftsmanship that still values doing things properly.
3. Getting caught in the delivery waiting game
We hear this one all the time. Someone finds a bed online that looks perfect, hits “buy now”, and only then sees the small print: “Delivery time 8–10 weeks”. By the time it finally turns up, they’ve spent more nights on the sofa than they’d care to admit.
Why does this happen? Because those huge online retailers rarely keep stock. They wait for your order, then send it off to a factory overseas to start production. It saves them storage space - but costs you time and patience.
At Slumbers, we do things differently. Many of our bestsellers are already in stock, ready to deliver. If you pick something from the showroom floor, we can often have it in your bedroom by the end of the week. Even made-to-order designs from our British partners arrive in a fraction of the time most big names take.
We believe when you’re investing in better sleep, you shouldn’t have to wait months to get it.
4. Forgetting the joy of a ready-made bed
We’ve all seen those delivery photos: flat-pack boxes stacked in the hallway, Allen keys everywhere, a mattress vacuum-packed into a sausage. The retailer calls it “easy assembly”. We call it “a weekend lost”.
Building a bed might sound straightforward until you’re knee-deep in bolts and instructions written in five languages. And even then, you’re still left wrestling a heavy mattress up the stairs and hoping the courier didn’t fold it in half on the van.
At Slumbers, we believe your new bed should arrive ready to enjoy, not ready to assemble. Our trained installers bring it straight into your room, put it all together properly, and take away every bit of packaging - neatly, quietly, efficiently. You don’t lift a finger.
No hidden charges, no mess, no panic. Just a perfectly made bed waiting for its first good night’s sleep.
5. Buying from someone who disappears after the sale
Here’s one you don’t think about until something goes wrong. Maybe the mattress feels firmer than expected. Maybe a slat creaks, or you just need some reassurance. So you ring customer service… and end up on hold to a call centre 5,000 miles away.
Sound familiar? At Slumbers, you’ll always speak to a person - someone who probably helped deliver your bed or shook your hand in the showroom. We’re open seven days a week, and we actually want you to pop back in if you’ve got a question. That’s how we’ve built a loyal community of customers who trust us, not just for their first bed, but for their next one too.
It’s that old-fashioned thing that’s somehow become rare: genuine service.
Ready for a better night’s sleep?
The right bed doesn’t just make sleep easier. It changes how you wake up, how your back feels, even how your mornings start. You can read reviews, check specs, and compare prices for hours - but the truth is, you’ll know within seconds of lying down whether it’s right.
At Slumbers in Stanway, Colchester, we’ll help you find the one that feels right - not the one we want to sell. There’s free parking right outside, a calm showroom where you can take your time, and people who’ve been doing this long enough to care more about your sleep than your sale.
Come in, stretch out, and feel the difference for yourself.
Slumbers - helping Essex sleep better for over 20 years.
