Mattress shopping is not for the meek. First, it’s complicated. There are lots of different types of mattresses on the market. Even if you can sort through them, there are many different brands, different models, and, of course, very different prices! Mattress advertising tends to be mattress frenetic and you may notice that some mattress sales people are a little, well, overcaffeinated. Finding your way through the maze without overspending or buying the wrong mattress can be tough. Here are a few brief tips to help you before you step foot in your first mattress show room.

Mattresses are not cheap. Even a relatively low-end product is still going to cost you hundreds of dollars. Before you start comparing prices, figure out what you will need. Delivery of the new mattress, and removal and disposal of your old mattress are not necessarily mattress delivery included in the price. Always ask. (And if you can arrange to transport the mattress yourself and deal with your old mattress on your own, you may be able to get a better deal.)

Next, narrow down the type of mattress you want. There are four main types of mattresses: the inner-spring mattress, waterbeds, foam, and air.

Airbeds are increasingly popular and are a good choice for a guest room or for a bed you need only a few times a year. Don’t think of the old air mattress. Some airbeds are regular height and can be made up to look just like a regular bed. They also inflate quickly and easily. But most people don’t want to make an airbed a permanent bed, so this is not likely the choice you’ll make if you’re shopping for you main new mattress.

Foam mattresses, including the famous TempurPedic® mattresses, are made of a dense foam material. They mold themselves to the body’s shape. They don’t transfer motion well, meaning that one person can roll over and the other person not feel it. They’re also good mattresses for folks with allergies, since they don’t harbor dust mites and other nasty allergens. If you’ve never tried a foam mattress, you need to sprawl out on a couple in some show rooms to see what the fuss is about.

Of course, there are some downsides to the foam mattress. Some people say they are hot, which is probably not a problem if you live anywhere outside the sun belt. They are also fairly heavy, which makes transporting them yourself a bit of a hassle. (They’re not the best mattress to pick if you move constantly.) And they’re expensive.

Back in their original heyday, waterbeds were really just giant vinyl water balloons. If that’s what you think a waterbed today is like, you need to take another look. Waterbeds today look like regular beds but do require some special framing. They use an inner system of baffles and chambers to reduce transfer of motion (you know, that old tsunami-like effect when two people were in a waterbed and one got up). If you haven’t tried a waterbed lately, you really ought to check them out.