Do you hesitate to bring guests over to your house for a sleepover because you don’t have any beds for them to sleep in? Or, do your kids sometimes want to go over to the master bedroom with you for the night even though your master-sized bed can’t hold that many people at one time? And maybe you’re just tired of using the mattress you have right now and want a better alternative? 

One possible solution to situations like these is buying futon mattresses that can easily be stored in a closet when not in use.

Let’s figure out how you can shop for the best futon mattress that can address your many sleeping needs then.

What’s A Futon Mattress?

A futon is a type of mattress that was only being used in Japan but is now used all around the world. Nowadays, it’s made up of different layers of material, such as cotton, latex, or wool. When manufactured and cared for the right way, you can expect a futon mattress to last up to 15 years of daily usage.

Here are some tips on how you can find the best futon mattress for your sleeping needs.

1. Check Reviews of Futon Mattress Brands Online

You can easily shop around for the best futon mattress through various websites, especially websites that offer their own reviews of different brands of futon mattresses. 

When comparing brands point by point, take note of important factors, such as comfort, pricing, durability, ease or difficulty of maintenance, and length of warranties. Take note also of some factors that are not-so-common like adherence to traditional ways by which futons are made and craftsmanship standards.

2. Figure Out What You Need it For

Some people need a futon mattress because they may have sleeping problems that require firm yet comfortable support. Others may want to buy one because their guests need a folding type of mattress that can easily be stashed away in a closet or under a traditional Western bed. 

If you know why you need a futon, it gets easier to shop around for it.

3. Choose Between Traditional Japanese Futons or Western Style Futons

A traditional Japanese futon has three parts – the actual mattress, a pillow part, and a part that serves as a blanket. 

On the other hand, a Western-style futon is usually made similar to a big fluffy comforter that you sleep or sit on. Western-style futons also often double as a couch for daytime use and are just adjusted so people can sleep on them at night. 

Though both types are available in many online stores, you may need to make the effort to look for them in physical stores. Though, the traditional Japanese kind is not that common among brick-and-mortar stores in the US and other Western countries. 

If you really want a traditional Japanese futon, you may try looking for websites originating in Japan that may offer this to the public. Just be sure you can afford the shipping fees.

4. Depending On Function, Choose Between Thick and Thin Futons

Some people want futons simply as a version of a folding mattress – meant to be folded and stored away in the morning after sleep. Others like futons as an alternative to a couch, used daily to sit on. 

If the function is clear, then you can make an educated choice between thick or thin futons. Check with the manufacturer whether they claim that their product can maintain its shape even when carrying human weight daily for many hours at a time. 

If you have friends or family who used certain futon brands for years, then ask them for recommendations about the brands that performed well for them.

5. Check for the Length and Size of the Futon

Nowadays, since many futons are being made via traditional craft techniques, you may need to determine if the length and width of the futon you want to buy will match the height and mid-section of the person who’ll be sleeping on it. 

Even if the thickness is suitable, the person using the futon might be a very tall one, so the futon might be too short to serve as a suitable mattress.

6. Look For Pictures of the Actual Futon to Determine Aesthetics

Some futons may look nice in pictures online but are actually not so nice when the actual mattress is in front of you. For this reason, you may want to prioritize futons that are in physical mattress stores because you can hold and examine these up close. 

If you’re buying your futon online, ask about their policy, specifically if they allow replacements or even refunds if the product is not to your liking when delivered to your home. You may have to examine the product right away when it’s delivered to you, to avail of this kind of policy.

7. Ask About Maintenance of the Futon Mattress

You should also inquire about the manufacturer’s recommendations as to the care and maintenance of the futon. 

Some futons have to be flipped over at least once a week to maintain its shape. If children will sleep on the futon, you may need it to be made of waterproof materials (or else buy a waterproof mattress cover) in case the children wet the bed. Do you need to have the futon washed? If yes, does it dry by itself or will you need to put it under direct sunlight to dry out completely?

8. Check for Allergies

If some people in your household are allergic to certain materials, you should bear that in mind too when you shop for a futon mattress. This is especially true for child sleepers. 

But, this can only be determined if the person who’ll be sleeping on the futon is able to touch the actual mattress. So, if your child will be sleeping on it, bring along the child to the mattress store so you can see if the child gets a rash just by touching the futon. If that’s not possible to do, check diligently about the materials used to make the futon before buying any.

Futons are made from a wide variety of materials these days. Some commonly used materials are polyurethane foam, metal coils (also known better as springs), wool, cotton, and polyester. The futon you see in shops might be made from a combination of these different materials. It’s often not possible to sneak a look inside a futon so you need the staff of a mattress shop to inform you what is in their products while you’re shopping.

9. Check if Frames Come With the Futon Purchase

Some futon brands are sold with wooden frames, so do check with the mattress store if your purchase has an appropriate frame as well. Your choice will depend on why you need a futon in the first place. 

If, for example, you need a futon as a replacement for a Western-style couch, then most likely you need a wooden frame, too. Those who simply want a futon as a type of folding bed will probably not require a wooden frame at all.

10. Check for Length of Warranty

Like any mattress, a futon does carry a warranty depending on the manufacturer that made it and the merchant that sold it. Some websites claim that their futon mattresses are of good quality because they’re handcrafted or were made using certain materials that hold up well under regular usage. 

You’ll need to weigh such factors carefully so that you know which brand you’re inclined to buy and why.

11. Check for Pricing Per Brand

You’ll naturally want to check how each brand is priced because you probably have a budget in mind for your purchase. 

Some brands may be more high-end in appeal so be prepared to pay a premium price for such products. Other brands might be of lesser quality so their price is much lower. If the futon is paired with pillows, do you have to pay extra for the pillows or do they come as a freebie?