Welcome to How I Pick My Picks — a kind-of-regular series where we check in with the Strategist staff on the stuff they’re using day to day, the products they’re testing for stories, and the things their friends and family won’t stop asking them about. Consider it a peek into the always-whirring brain of a Strategist writer. Today, we talk to sleep writer Amelia Jerden.
Sometimes I joke that reviewing mattresses and pillows has ruined my ability to sleep just anywhere. My standards used to be so low, but now I know too much to happily rest on a crappy hostel mattress or a cheap Airbnb’s too-flat pillow. Testing these products has also made me realize you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune to sleep comfortably. No doubt certain items, like a mattress, will set you back at least $500 — even if you go ultrabudget. But for most people, I think a good sleep setup is very achievable for a reasonable price — please don’t feel like you have to spend $5,000 to get a nice mattress. One of my favorite sleep products is actually a $20 weighted dinosaur pillow after all.
My family likes to joke that I get to sleep for work, which in a way is kind of true. It’s a fitting job for me, because I am a pretty sleepy person. It’s a blessing and a curse — handy if I want to test how a product works with a quick nap, less so at 3:00 p.m. on a workday (the sleepiest time of day, in my professional opinion). But I have always loved to sleep, so I’m happy to have an excuse to do it in the name of research, especially if that means I might be able to help others sleep better too.
What’s the product that friends and family always ask for your advice on?
Mattresses, for sure. If I tell someone what I do, they almost always ask me what mattress they should buy … or tell me about their back problems. I’m not qualified to give advice on that, since I am a writer and not a medical professional. I even had my chiropractor uncle ask me for a mattress recommendation last Thanksgiving (I advised him toward the Saatva Classic, which I think can be a good match for just about anyone).
Do you have any strongly held opinions that have changed after testing?
The rule of thumb for choosing a pillow as a side sleeper is generally to pick something firm and with a higher loft for neck support. But through testing lots of pillows, I’ve realized that advice is a lot more variable than I originally thought. I’m a back-and-side sleeper and I usually am happiest with a medium firmness and a medium loft (such as my beloved Purple Harmony pillow, which I also named the best pillow for back sleepers). That’s part of what makes choosing a pillow (or mattress) kind of tricky: Everyone is different, so it’s hard to make one-size-fits-all rules and recommendations.
What’s the least amount of money you should spend on, for example, a mattress?
I think the sweet-spot price range to get good value without spending too much is usually between $1,000 and $1,500 for a queen-size mattress. Some beds I like in that price range include the Leesa Original, the Helix Core line of mattresses (six hybrids ranging in firmness but all the same price), the Avocado Eco Organic, and the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid. But there are good under-$1,000 options out there — especially if you take frequent mattress sales into account. For an under-$1,000 mattress, I’d pick the Zinus Ultra Cooling Green Tea Hybrid or the Nectar Original (which is listed just above $1,000 but is almost always on sale for less).
What are you currently testing and researching?
A lot of pillows! I’m working on a few material-specific stories about pillows, including latex pillows, memory-foam pillows, and down-alternative pillows, so I’ve been switching between different pillows lately. And I’m getting ready to test some super-techy cooling products — perfect timing with the summer heat. I’m also sleeping on a Zinus mattress I’d previously never tried before. It’s too firm for my liking, but my fiancé has reported that he actually quite likes it and thinks it might have reduced his neck pain. As someone who loves a soft mattress, this was tough news for me. Sounds like we’ll have to look for something more medium-firm as a compromise.
What’s the last thing you bought?
This past weekend I picked up two board games at Target that I’ve wanted for awhile — Hues and Cues and Herd Mentality. I love board games of all kinds, but I especially like silly party games. I also impulse-purchased a pink cowboy hat claw clip because I think it’ll be the perfect accessory for an upcoming Chappell Roan show.
What’s the most expensive non-sleep product that you own?
The most expensive thing I’ve bought for myself is probably my pair of AirPods Pro (2nd generation). I really hate spending money on tech products, so I had resisted buying AirPods for years. But I have to admit, the noise canceling is worth the hype. I did buy them refurbished on Back Market, though, which ended up being a good bit cheaper than the listing price.
If you had to spend $1,000 on sleep stuff at Target what would you buy?
If I were starting from scratch, the first thing I’d buy would be a Casper Element mattress in a queen size for $506. I haven’t tried this exact Casper model, but Casper’s stuff is usually pretty good quality. Then for pillows, I would get these Casper Original pillows. They’re $119 for a two-pack, which is a good deal in my book, and they come highly recommended by my colleague Brenley Goertzen.
That leaves me about $375 for everything else. I’d put $160 toward this Zinus platform bed frame — it’s actually really similar to the one I have, which I think has been discontinued.
Then, for some bedding, I’d pick up these Threshold Tencel sheets for $75 — I like how silky and cool Tencel feels. And I’d finish with something like this Threshold Earthy Vines quilt for $69. That puts me at $929 for a mattress, two pillows, a bed frame, sheets, and a quilt, so with my last $71 I’ll add this Casaluna Chunky Knit blanket in natural. Not too shabby!
What are some open tabs on your computer right now? What’s on your list but you can’t bring yourself to buy it just yet?
I’ve been debating buying these tomato-red Vans mary janes. Recently, I’ve bought quite a few new pairs of shoes, so the “saving-money” portion of my brain feels like it might be overkill to get another pair. But these are just so cute!
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