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Just about everybody's heard about memory foam mattresses but, unfortunately, not everyone can afford one. That's why buying a visco elastic foam topper (the correct term for memory foam) can be a great option. Tempurpedic was the original memory foam mattress but now it has many competitors - and usually at lower prices. So, should you spend the extra and buy a Tempurpedic mattress topper? The answer is, yes.

Any quality memory foam mattress is essentially composed of an inner core of high-density polymer foam (traditional foam) with upper layers of memory foam. Depending on which memory foam mattress you buy, the upper layers can consist on one, two or more layers of visco-foam of varying densities.

The density of memory foam is important, for two reasons. First, the lower the density, the softer the foam feels but the less it supports the sleeper. Secondly, the lower the density, the cheaper it is to make as the mattress contains more air and less foam than those made with a higher density.

Most orthopedic practitioners agree that the most optimal density is between 5 and 5.3lbs - cheap versions are often of a density of only around 4lbs. Tempurpedic mattresses are made with memory foam of this density - as do other reputable brands like Restonic, Sealy and Serta. However, not all memory foam is the same. The memory foam made by Tempurpedic is proprietary whereas as most other brands are patented - when the patent expires then everyone else can copy the formula; this will never happen with Tempurpedic.

Also, the tiny air bubbles found in the Tempurpedic mattress are of uniform size. When pressure and heat is applied the air passes from one cell to the next - this is what makes visco foam unique (traditional foams merely compress the cells when pressure is applied). This special property means that the mattress will conform to the exact shape of the sleeper, therefore providing the best support possible.

The Tempurpedic mattress topper is made from exactly the same memory foam as the company's mattresses.

Taking care of the topper is easy too. Like its mattresses, the cover can be removed and cleaned. The company recommends a cold temperature setting for machine washing and a cool setting for machine drying. Air-drying is best. You should never use chlorine products and NEVER wash the Tempur material itself.

Before you buy a topper you should also ensure that your existing mattress is suitable. It should be firm to hard and not have deep depressions or sagging. Fitting any memory foam topper to such a mattress is pointless; consider replacing it altogether.

Finally, I would like to make one more point about why the Tempurpedic mattress topper is the best. Just about all other brands currently on the market compare their product to that of Tempurpedic. They do this because they know that Tempur sets the standard. You'll never find any other brand comparing its product with any other brand except Tempurpedic. If that isn't the best recommendation for Tempurpedic I don't know what else is.