Dietzville.TV #003: “Do You Still Love Your Essentia Bed?”
It’s been a year since we bought our natural memory foam mattress…
And Julie wants to know, “Do you still love your Essentia bed?”
Here’s Julie’s entire comment:
Hi, just checking in to see if you still love your Essentia bed? I stumbled on the IntelliBed by reading the same blogs you mentioned [in this post]. Then I stumbled onto this one and numerous others who have varied opinions (including the blogger that did the opposite of you — bought an Essentia but ended up with an IntelliBed). SO…needless to say, I am thoroughly confused — not to mention that I read all the comments under each of these blogs & have a list of no less than 15 other ‘natural’ companies that were recommended. It looks like the Essentia can be returned but with losing shipping costs + a 9% fee so it is definitely a gamble as well. But something about the Intellibed marketing is making me uncomfortable. ALL of that to say…would love to hear an update on how your bed is working for you. Thanks.
Well, Julie, you’re not the only reader who’s asked if we’re loving our Essentia bed. In fact, I got a text from my mother-in-law the other day, asking the very same thing!
Before I share whether or not we are loving our bed, let’s review a few things…
Our Natural Mattress Journey
In 2014, it was time for a bed change. We’d been sleeping on the same mattress for 12 years, and we were long overdue for a new one.
The Hubs and I knew we wanted a bed that wasn’t going to off-gas harmful chemicals, such as formaldehyde and fire retardants, into our room — chemicals that have proven to be detrimental to people’s health.
It took me months of research to narrow down our choices. We decided on Essentia…
but then the grass started looking greener elsewhere, causing us to question our choice. After the recommendation of a few other bloggers, we changed our minds and finally decided on the Intellibed.
Yet, after less than a week of not sleeping on the Intellibed, we realized it was NOT the bed for us. Thankfully, Intellibed does have amazing customer service, and we were able to return the bed without complication.
Back went the Intellibed, and the Essentia Classic8 bed was ordered.
Why The Essentia Bed?
- All memory foam mattresses currently produced are made of petroleum-based products… except Essentia. It’s natural memory foam, made from the hevea milk of the rubber tree. So it’s naturally sourced. No springs or metal parts. No chemically laced stuffings. No bi-products.
- The hevea milk is sustainably sourced from plantations in Indonesia that provide safe working conditions for its workers.
- The beds themselves are made in Canada, not overseas and then imported. The hevea milk is imported to the production site, the beds are produced, then shipping occurs. None of this “Made in China” business.
- Because Essentia is importing hevea milk and not beds, less transportation and less fuel are used. This is not only better for the environment, but also the economy.
- All plant-based materials are used to produce these beds, including essential oils and natural plant extracts.
- The beds passed all the tests from the EuroLatex Eco Standard — tests which check levels of heavy metals, pesticides, VOCs, and more in latex beds.
- The bed covers are 100% organic cotton, and certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
- There is a 60-day money back guarantee.
What’s The Catch?
In her comment, Julie mentioned the gamble of paying for the return shipping + a 9% recycling fee.
Here’s a breakdown of Essentia’s warranty:
- Depending on the model you choose, there is a 10- or 20-year warranty.
- This warranty is pro-rated.
- If during the warranty period the mattress is found to have a defect that is the result of faulty workmanship or structural defects, Essentia will either replace or repair the bed.
- The customer must provide the proper base for the bed to rest upon. Using an improper base which damages the quality of the bed is not covered under the warranty.
- Accidental or purposeful damage, including burns, cuts, water stains, mold, bodily fluids, and abnormal use are not covered under the warranty.
- You can read the complete warranty policy here.
Here’s a breakdown of Essentia’s return policy:
- You have 60 days to try your bed.
- Only the mattress is eligible for return and refund during this 60-day period. The cotton mattress cover, pillows, and dog beds cannot be returned.
- A 9% transport and recycling fee (18% for their lowest model bed) is charged upon return. Because beds cannot be re-sold or reused by other customers, they must be disposed of properly. Thankfully, Essentia beds are recyclable! This 9% fee also covers return transport. (The fee is slightly different for customers outside the contiguous U.S.)
- The 9% transport and recycling fee is 9% of the price of the mattress itself, not 9% of the entire order (if pillows or other accessories were ordered as well).
- You can read the complete return policy here.
Here’s an example:
- The bed we purchased is the Essentia king-size Classic8, which currently costs $4,189.00. It ships for free, every day, to the 48 contiguous United States.
- We had 60 days to either fall in love with the bed or hate it.
- If we hated it, we could return the bed within the 60-day period and receive a full refund, minus 9% — $377.01.
- Essentia would refund all of our money, except the $377.01 because that amount covers the partial cost of transporting the bed back to Essentia, plus recycling the bed.
- If you buy a bed from Intellibed, you receive the bed for free shipping, but you lose the shipping if you return it. It is very common for mattress companies to have a return shipping and/or recycling fee.
So, do we still love our Essentia bed?
YES!
A thousand times, yes! Sending the Intellibed back (and losing some money on a recycling and shipping fee) was absolutely worth it to ensure a good night’s sleep on our Essentia Classic8!
We would buy our Essentia Classic8 again in a heartbeat! 🙂
What exactly do we love about it?
- No “hills and valleys”. It’s still just as level as the day we got it. Our original inner spring, pillow top mattress was already indented with hills and a valley in the middle after just a few months!
- Absolutely no smells or off-gassing ever. It didn’t even have a “new” smell or even smell like the box it was shipped in.
- The organic cotton cover conveniently zips on and off for easy washing.
- We rolled it up like a burrito to move it 1,200 miles from Texas to Minnesota — and it made the move perfectly.
- It has stood up to David and the peeps and the dogs wrestling on it.
- No partner disturbance. When he moves, I don’t feel it and vice versa. It’s like we don’t even share a bed! 😉
- The Hubs no longer complains of neck pain, and I no longer have lower back pain!
- My hips and sacrum don’t go numb when I stay in the same position all night…which I frequently do. 🙂
Worth Mentioning Again
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