Eco-Test
What is the Öko-Test?
Mattresses Stiftung Warentest very good: Comparison between Ökotest and Stiftung Warentest
No other purchase than the mattress purchase prompts consumers and people in Germany to seek the tips and advice of the two major German consumer institutions Öko-Test and Stiftung Warentest more frequently. Reports and test results from Öko-Test are used as guides and assistance to make a purchasing decision regarding certain products. Öko-Test is a consumer magazine for people. Since the founding of Öko-Test 25 years ago, over 100,000 products and services have been examined by people for people. Just like test, the other major consumer magazine for people, the magazine is published monthly at a fair price. Each issue of Öko-Test contains reports and tips on examined products that play a role in everyday life for people and can be purchased. So, if you are looking for goods to buy and need help, you are exactly right here. The reports and test results are published on the internet and in the magazine. The topics that Ökotest covers span a wide range, such as:
- Finances (overview of cost tips, cost information, reports on finances)
- Family and children (overview tips)
- Food (current overview, information, tips, and reports)
- Health (Information, reports, and major tips)
Mattresses Stiftung Warentest: Mattresses at Öko-Test
But household or topics related to bedding, which also include mattresses, comforters, and pillows, are included. There are various tips and information offers and additional series of brochures, such as the guide or the magazine. The first deals with special topics, e.g., everything related to family or the area of finances. The Ökotest guide or the Ökotest magazine are offers for people that can be accessed digitally or as a magazine. If you are not a big reader and cannot make much use of the magazines, you can now watch one or another video from Öko-Test on YouTube. Here is a selection of videos that you can watch on YouTube:
- Oeko-Test Mattress Video 12/ Year 2016 Children's mattresses (Tips: suitable for people with family)
- Oeko-Test Mattress Video 07/ Year 2016 Children's beds
- Oeko-Test Mattress Video 10/ Year 2016 Synthetic fiber blankets
- Oeko-Test Mattress Video September/2017 Pillows
Mattresses Stiftung Warentest: Tips and Service offerings from Öko-Test
Ökotest offers readers the best various tips and assistance services, for example, consumer advice tips online (family tips, building tips, legal tips, finance tips, etc.). The most important feature of Ökotest remains the product test and the publication of test results in the magazine. The media also regularly reports on test results, tips, or partial results from Öko-Test. Consumers have the option to purchase product tests and test results as individual goods on the internet. The products come not only from the current issue but also partially older articles are available online for readers in the archive. The test winners are of course also listed on the internet, so one can also inform themselves about tips on the corresponding internet pages when they want to buy something or are still unsure about which offer to purchase. This means that one often recognizes the note "test winner" on the packaging of a product. Due to the constantly increasing interest, especially in the topics of health and environment, Ökotest is one of the first and often best points of contact for consumer information.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Ökotest and Stiftung Warentest
Ökotest and Stiftung Warentest have come significantly closer in their test criteria over the years. Nevertheless, there are some differences. In comparison, the Ökotest criteria are more selective. It can happen that the two consumer institutions arrive at different test results for tested products of certain brands:
- Öko-Test: Environmental and health aspects (Determination of test winner)
- Öko-Test: Ingredients of tested goods (Determination of test winner)
- Stiftung Warentest: in food tests, for example, taste and smell are recorded (Selection of test winner)
- Stiftung Warentest: Products are examined more comprehensively to arrive at an overall judgment. (Selection of test winner)
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: The company Öko-Test Verlag GmbH
However, Stiftung Warentest and Ökotest differ not only in terms of the weighting of test criteria. While Stiftung Warentest was founded by the German Bundestag and receives financial support from the federal government, Ökotest is a company that is financed through advertisements and magazine sales. This is often where the criticism of the company, the Ökotest Publishing GmbH, arises. The sole shareholder of the company is Ökotest Holding AG. Since the company is also financed through advertisements from the industry, the question arises whether a company that is also financed through advertising can really be independent in its tests? They also select test winners just as the other company does.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Mattress tests at Öko-Test (Oekotest mattresses)
Ökotest regularly tests products for everyday use. This includes, for example, cold foam mattresses and innerspring mattresses with springs. Naturally, the tested goods also include mattresses made of different materials (latex mattresses Ökotest) or mattresses for allergy sufferers and children. But also mattress accessories like toppers and mattress protectors or bedding items like pillows and duvets are part of the tested bedding articles. A selection of Ökotest mattress tests from recent years:
- Children's mattresses in the mattress test, yearbook edition Small Children, 2017 (with test winner)
- Children's mattress in the mattress test, Eco-Test edition, December 2016 (including test winner)
- Latex mattress model made of latex and natural duvets for the bed in the mattress test, special edition Furnishing 2014 (plus test winner)
- Latex mattress model made of latex in the mattress test, special edition Building and Living, 2013 (including test winner)
- Foam mattresses (e.g. cold foam mattresses) in the mattress test, yearbook edition, 2013 (with test winner)
Mattress Foundation Warentest: Eco-Test bedding tests from recent years
Just like Stiftung Warentest, Ökotest regularly tests various bedding products. Consumers have the opportunity to orient themselves based on the results and tips before purchasing bedding:
- Ökotest pillows in the mattress test, September issue, 2017 (with test winner)
- Bed purchase, Öko-Test issue, April 2017 (with test winner selection)
- Mattress toppers in the mattress test, October issue, 2015 (including test winner)
- Ökotest duvets in the mattress test, issue guide construction, 2017 (plus test winner)
- Mattress covers - mite and allergen-proof for mattress (Ökotest mattress protector), 2011 (with test winner)
Mattresses Stiftung Warentest very good: What mattress test criteria do Ökotest and Stiftung Warentest use in mattress tests?
Since 1/2017, Stiftung Warentest has been working through a long list of test categories to determine the test winner. While Öko-Test only tested in two test categories for the test winner in a latex mattress test conducted in 2013, sleeping properties when sleeping and harmful substances. Test criteria at Stiftung Warentest are:
- Mattress test category in comparison: sleeping properties of the mattress when sleeping (e.g. in a spring mattress with springs)
- Mattress test category in comparison: durability of the mattress
- Mattress test category in comparison: health and environment (e.g. in a spring mattress with springs)
- Mattress test category in comparison: handling of the mattress
- Mattress test category in comparison: declaration and advertising
- Mattress test category in comparison: harmful substances in the mattress (e.g. in a spring mattress)
- Mattress Test Category in Comparison: Intensity of Odor
- Mattress Test Category in Comparison: Sleeping Comfort in Different Sleep Positions
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Which mattress types or models are tested by Öko-Test for a mattress?
In principle, Öko-Test regularly tests a variety of bedding products. These can be pillows and duvets or completely different bedding products. Mattress types that have been tested by Öko-Test in recent years include:
- Mattress Test Category in Comparison: Latex Mattresses for Sleeping
- Mattress test category in comparison: Foam mattresses for sleeping
- Mattress test category in comparison: Mattresses for children for sleeping
- Mattress test category in comparison: Mattresses for allergy sufferers for sleeping
- Mattress test category in comparison: Mattresses for sleeping from various brand manufacturers
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: How does Öko-Test test?
Öko-Test allows testers to anonymously purchase products. These items are then selectively tested for certain sleep properties and/or harmful substances. Goods and products from various manufacturers are sent to different test laboratories in Germany . Which chemical components are to be examined is not determined by the test laboratory, but by Öko-Test. Subsequently, the test results are classified by specialized editors according to comparison. These also write the comparison reports for the tested brands or the tested item. Chemical components that are hazardous to health lead to a downgrade in the rating. This also applies if the ingredients do not exceed the legally regulated concentrations in comparison.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Test criteria at Öko-Test
The test criteria at Öko-Test have changed over the years. This is mainly due to the fact that new ingredients are repeatedly used in production that could negatively affect health. Accordingly, the test criteria are adjusted and sometimes even tightened. If a comparison is made between two products and the cheaper category, which costs less, has more harmful substances, then the cheaper category, which costs less, is downgraded compared to the other product.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Test results at Öko-Test
Öko-Test tests various sleep products for harmful substances in mattress tests. According to Öko-Test, the regularly conducted mattress test shows that the concentration of harmful substances has decreased significantly in recent years. People are increasingly concerned about their health and the impact of chemical components on their bodies. With the knowledge of the negative effects of certain chemicals on the body, health is becoming increasingly important when choosing a product. People want to know what they are sleeping on in their bed, what the sleeping properties are when sleeping, and therefore want to get an overview. Companies and manufacturers are responding by offering more and more products and sleep goods for sleeping that take into account the environment and the health of people.
Mattress Foundation Warentest: According to Öko-Test, a high price says little about the quality of the mattress.
Media, Öko-Test, and various guides also contribute to bringing this topic to the forefront. One aspect often stands out in the test results from Öko-Test. In many mattress tests by Öko-Test, it is precisely the cheaper tested models that can show the best test results. A high price does not say much about the quality of the mattresses and offers. Therefore, one does not have to spend a lot of money for a good mattress.
- In general, there are always fewer pollutants in mattresses
- An expensive and high purchase price does not say much about the quality of the mattresses, even if it costs more
Mattresses Stiftung Warentest: Validity of Öko-Test and Stiftung Warentest
The Öko-Test mattress test examines mattress models, for example, latex mattresses made of latex, always only in a specific size. The Öko-Test label then refers exclusively to the tested mattress in this dimension and not to the same mattress model in other dimensions. The Stiftung Warentest tests mattresses exclusively in the size 90 x 200 and one degree of firmness. This limitation significantly reduces the test validity . If consumers are looking for a mattress with a different degree of firmness, these test results do not necessarily provide the best orientation.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Tips for dealing with test results from Öko-Test
Öko-Test tests selectively for certain ingredients and for individual sleep properties of the mattresses. It is rare for Öko-Test to come to an overall judgment. The pollutant load is the main focus here. Öko-Test and Stiftung Warentest usually test mattresses only in one version, that is, in one dimension and with one degree of hardness, as with mattresses in 90 x 200. One should not limit their choice solely to the mattresses tested:
- Check carefully what has been tested and evaluated.
- Expert assessments and assistance are a guide. However, experts do not necessarily know how you prefer to sleep.
- A mattress should be tailored to your own sleep needs and sleep preferences
- There are a number of other quality seals that are awarded after extensive examination of the goods, e.g. the Öko-Tex Standard certificate.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Individual sleep needs are not considered in tests
Expert assessments regarding pollutant exposure are the best guidance in terms of health. Other factors, such as your personal sleep habits and sleep needs, are not criteria. When buying a mattress, your individual sleep needs should be the focus.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: The Eco-Test label
Manufacturers of tested goods can advertise with the Öko-Test label. The Öko-Test label enjoys high esteem and trust in Germany, so manufacturers like to use it. Manufacturers and companies whose products have been rated as good or very good therefore like to use the Öko-Test label as a selling argument, and consumers in Germany are more willing to spend money on products with the Öko-Test label. Until recently, the Öko-Test label could be used as long as there was no new test for the same item. Or as long as the product had not been changed. Meanwhile, the duration of use of the Öko-Test label is at most 5 years. Users of the Öko-Test label long continued to use the label even though a new test had been conducted. After the media picked up on this issue and drew attention to this practice, the terms of use were changed.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: The term Eco in the Eco-Test label
The term eco establishes a connection to nature and the environment, but has nothing to do with the term bio. Bio means that no artificial elements are included in the value chain, meaning that the production and raw materials of a product are natural. Mineral oil, for example, is an artificial product used in many mattresses. There are, for example, many cold foam mattresses made of cold foam with 3 zones, 5 zones, 7 zones, or 9 zones that are labeled with Öko-Test. Cold foam mattresses consist largely of mineral oil (polyurethane). Mineral oil is obtained through the distillation of crude oil. Therefore, mineral oil is an artificial product. It is very difficult in the production of cold foam mattresses made of cold foam with zoned segmentation to replace the mineral oil with natural substances. Even products labeled as bio-cold foam mattresses made of cold foam with zoned segmentation consist of a natural oil content of a maximum of 30%. The remaining portion of cold foam mattresses made of cold foam still consists of mineral oil or chemical components based on mineral oil. Therefore, cold foam mattresses made of cold foam.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Certifications like Öko-Test are important
Whether foam mattresses or mattresses made from other materials, important are certifications regarding the safety of the ingredients. Unless one wants a mattress that is completely free of mineral oil. Then one should opt for a mattress without mineral oil, e.g. made from natural rubber or other natural fibers. Or one decides on an organic mattress that has a lower mineral oil content.
Mattress Stiftung Warentest: Organic labels for mattresses
Sustainable consumption is now an integral part of the lives of many people. Organic food and other organic certified products are a staple in the lives of more and more consumers. Companies and manufacturers often offer organic mattresses as well. However, if a consumer wants to get an overview of green certificates or organic labels, the result is often sobering. Because when it comes to green labels and organic certificates, the testing criteria are not uniform. If one wants to acquire an organic mattress, it is best to inquire directly with the retailer or mattress company about organic labels to get an overview. If one does not want to approach the companies, one can online get a overview of the various organic seals.
Mattress Foundation and Mattress Foundation: Certificates and quality seals for mattresses: Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, Class 1
When searching for a new mattress, one stumbles upon many information offers. But which mattress is really good? How can one know if the mattress is suitable for them? One can read various guide pages online about mattress purchase. Eco-Test provides information through articles in magazines, journals, and the internet on this topic. Another guide are labels and quality seals, such as the Eco-Test label.
Mattress Foundation and Mattress Foundation: Oeko-Tex certificate for textile products
In addition to the Öko-Test label, there are a number of other quality seals. A globally uniform testing and certification system is the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100. Oeko-Tex is an independent product label for textile articles, such as mattresses, bed covers, pillows, mattress protectors, etc. These articles are tested for harmful substances such as antimony and optical brighteners, which are classified as problematic by experts. Oeko-Tex certified articles contain no harmful chemical components and are therefore very suitable for children and infants. Test criteria at Oeko-Tex are:
- Legal regulations: Are there prohibited colorants, cadmium, nickel, etc. included?
- Non-regulated chemicals: Are there chemicals that are not regulated but are still questionable?
- Environmentally relevant substance classes
All Mister Sandman sleep products are Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, Class certified
All products (mattresses, pillows, toppers) that we offer in the Mister Sandman Web-Shop are Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, Class 1 certified. We at Mister Sandman place great value on the quality of our products. Therefore, our mattresses, pillows, and toppers do not contain any harmful substances. This makes our products very suitable for children and allergy sufferers.
According to Öko-Test, a high purchase price does not guarantee quality with money quality guarantee
The regularly conducted mattress test by Öko-Test and the Stiftung Warentest (see September/2017) repeatedly shows that a high purchase price says little about the quality of mattresses and mattress accessories. Mister Sandman offers sleep products where both are right: the quality and the purchase price for fair money! Therefore, the purchase price does not indicate whether the price-performance ratio is suitable. Sometimes the price is exorbitantly high and the performance does not match. Thus, one can often save on price and still get a high-quality model that is consistent in price and price-performance ratio.
Our mattresses are also available in these mattress sizes and are suitable for all sleep types and bodies (depending on individual body measurements and body needs) and do not cost a fortune!
- Mattress 80 x 200 (size 80 centimeters wide, 200 cm long)
- Mattress 90 x 200 (size 90 cm wide, 200 cm long)
- Mattress 100 x 200 (size 100 cm wide, 200 cm long)
- Mattress 140 x 200 (size 140 centimeters wide, 200 centimeters long)
- Mattress 160 x 200 (size 160 cm wide, 200 cm long)
- Mattress 180 x 200 (size 180 cm wide, 200 cm long)
- Mattress 200 x 200 (size 200 cm wide and 200 cm long)
But which mattress cover fits which Mister Sandman mattress? These covers can be found everywhere on the internet to buy:
- Cover 80 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 80 x 200
- Cover 90 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 90 x 200
- Cover 100 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 100 x 200
- Cover 140 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 140 x 200
- Cover 160 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 160 x 200
- Cover 180 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 180 x 200
- Cover 200 x 200 fits on mattress (cold foam mattress) 200 x 200
The mattress finder from Mister Sandman: What is a good mattress guide?
In search of the perfect mattress for a good and affordable price and a fair price-performance ratio, countless mattress guide options are available to assist you. Whether it's online mattress advisors or guide articles in magazines and journals that provide you with an overview of price categories and price-performance conditions. You can watch a mattress guide video and seek advice from mattress experts and other consumers who have tested a specific mattress or several mattress models from mattress surfaces. It's easy to lose track, as there is not just one mattress but various mattress types. You can look at current mattress evaluations and read the corresponding mattress articles in the Ökotest magazine or Ökotest guide in the mattress section. If you haven't lost track of all the cold foam mattresses, innerspring mattresses, and the like by now, you can then get your money for the mattress that, according to testers and experts, performed the best in all test categories - and still be dissatisfied. Because with your new mattress, you must feel comfortable. Often, magazines, opinions, and reviews dictate what suits us best. Acquiring a mattress should be well thought out. Always remember that you need to sleep an average of 8 hours on your mattress and mattress sleeping surface. Sleeping is a basic need, so it is even more important to get a proper night's sleep every day. Of course, this is often easier said than done. But with the right mattress and the suitable mattress surface, falling asleep will be easier for you than with a mattress that doesn't suit you.
Is the Mister Sandman mattress finder the right tool for you to find the suitable mattress?
You and your body know best which mattress suits you. This means that the sleeping properties of a mattress and mattress surface must be tailored to your sleeping needs and sleeping habits. The best mattress guide is one that captures your personal mattress sleeping needs and mattress sleeping habits. It recommends a mattress based on these mattress criteria that is not only certified free of harmful substances but also available at a fair and best mattress price. Mister Sandman has both: excellent mattress products and a mattress tool that helps you find the right mattress suitable for you with the best mattress sleeping feel for you: the best Mister Sandman mattress finder, which finds the suitable mattress plus mattress surface for you with the best competencies and professional character. Any potential problems in the back (e.g. back pain) are always taken into account by the mattress finder.
Find a mattress that suits you: The Mister Sandman Mattress Finder finds the right suitable mattress
The mattress quality and the mattress purchase price through money are one thing. Whether a mattress fits you, fits you best, and you sleep well on it, is another. The Mister Sandman Mattress Finder helps you find a mattress that is individually suitable for your sleep needs and sleep habits. Mister Sandman has three mattress models on offer:
- Offer: Liara Mattress, our latex mattress made of latex with the best mattress sleeping experience, suitable for all sleeping types (body) and with a soft firmness level to medium-soft firmness level
- Offer: Anea mattress, our cold foam mattress made of cold foam with zoned segmentation and lying zones (belongs to the category of cold foam mattresses) with the best sleeping feeling on the mattress surface, suitable as a cold foam mattress for all sleeping types (bodies) with firm hardness
- Offer: Serena mattress, our gel foam mattress with the best mattress sleeping experience, suitable for all sleeping types (bodies) with medium-firm to firm hardness
The mattress models from Mister Sandman: Find the suitable offer for your mattress
Liara mattress (latex mattress made of latex), Anea mattress (cold foam mattresses: cold foam mattress/cold foam mattress made of cold foam with 7 zones) and Serena mattress (gel foam mattress) have different mattress sleeping properties for sleeping in bed and fit very well to different sleeping needs and preferences. To help you choose the right mattress model, we have developed a mattress service tool, the Mister Sandman mattress finder. With the Mister Sandman mattress finder, you can easily find your new mattress (e.g. a cold foam mattress) with the best sleeping experience without long searching. Answer a few questions about mattress sleeping habits and body measurements, and the mattress finder quickly and competently recommends the right and suitable model, such as a cold foam mattress. Liara mattress, Anea mattress (cold foam mattress) and Serena mattress are available in all standard mattress sizes. If you have any questions about our mattress finder, feel free to contact our customer service.
30 days trial sleeping: Be your own mattress tester and find the right suitable mattress - Test the mattress without risk
Mister Sandman not only places great importance on an excellent (and affordable) price-performance ratio of your mattress, such as a cold foam mattress, and other mattresses, but also wants to provide you with excellent service. So you can be sure that you have invested your money well, Mister Sandman offers you the opportunity to test your new mattress for 30 days. If you have purchased a cold foam mattress, you can sleep on this cold foam mattress for 30 days. Try out how it feels to sleep on the cold foam mattress and how you lie on the cold foam mattress. Mattress experts and mattress advisors provide many useful tips when it comes to finding the right suitable mattress. However, only you can know which one that is. To find out if one of our mattresses suits you very well, you can best do this by extensively testing the mattress. Take this 30 days to thoroughly test the mattress. You need some time to get used to the new mattress, such as a cold foam mattress. Your body muscles, e.g. in your back, need time, between a few days and a week, to get used to the new conditions of the mattress. Once some time has passed, your body, spine, and back will have properly gotten to know the mattress, and you will experience a completely new mattress sleeping feeling, e.g. on our Mister Sandman cold foam mattress.