Better than Ambien or a Kick in the Head

How much does it cost to get a really good night’s sleep?   Right now it’s $33,000, but if you wait til next year, it's $44 grand.  That’s the hand-tufted, king-size Palais Royale mattress and box spring from E.S. Kluft and Co., the most expensive  made in America.

It's even got a fancy Wedgewood label printed in the center. 

But the Europeans got one better.   For $69,500 (below)—roughly the price of a Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV—the Vividus, made by Hastens in Sweden--takes 160 hours to assemble by hand.

What’s going on?  All of a sudden there’s a run on out-of-this-world mattresses?   Who knew?

There's a mattress store on every corner next to a nails’ salon, but Earl Kluft, chief executive of E.S. Kluft, will have none of that.  He says it takes 10 craftsmen 3 days to make Palais Royale, which contain 10 layers and more than 10 pounds of cashmere, mohair, silk and New Zealand wood that has been washed, dried, and crimped.

Their customers swear by them, say it’s like sleeping on air.

Funny thing is, there’s not a single study that gives any conclusive evidence of what surface is better for the most productive sleep.  It simply has to do with individual preference.

Industry rivals agree.   Rick Anderson from Tempur-Pedic International, Inc. claims, “Hand-made doesn’t mean better sleep…  I think you have to look for meaningful differences.”

Basically speaking, the more stuff they pack inside, the higher the quality.

But one study did find that people who purchased new mattresses slept better than those on old ones. This meant ANY new mattress purchased, not just top-of-the-line, which might explain why unhappy customers are rare.

However, the price is also part of the appeal.  It separates the hand-made mattress from the pack, makes it special, unique, and demonstrates its scarcity.   As Mr. Kluft maintains, “You spend more time on your bed than anywhere else.”

Well… maybe.  I guess... 

Let me sleep on it and I'll let you know.