What You Need to Know Before You Buy an Extra-Deep Mattress

There are plenty of perks to owning an extra-deep mattress, one of them being extra-deep sleep (they can feel like clouds!)—but there are a few things you need to know before you splurge on one. We talked to Karen Levine, the founder of and chief marketing officer at PeachSkinSheets, to find out what you need to know.

Not all mattresses were created equal.

It's easy to assume that all extra-deep mattresses are the same, but according to Levine, that couldn't be further from the truth. "There are so many extra-deep mattress brands that create mattresses with varying thicknesses, differently designed corners (some mattress corners are more rounded, while others have closer to a 90 degree angle), and unique piping," she explains. The main issue with these types? It can be difficult to find a one-size-fits-all fitted sheet, she adds. Essentially, your extra-deep mattress may not be exactly the same as someone else's.

There's extra-deep—and then there's oversized.

An extra-deep mattress is going to have different dimensions than a standard one, which means you'll be dealing with a different fit with everything, including how high it sits against your headboard. Before you purchase an extra-deep iteration, you should measure your existing mattress so you can compare how it will work with your furniture. That includes your headboard, footboard, and even your nightstands.

Don't forget about your linens.

If you currently have a standard sized mattress, you're going to need new linens (that includes a mattress pad) to fit your extra-deep one. According to Levine, you will want to make sure your new sheets to have a "bonnet construction," which means the elastic runs all the way around the length of the fitted sheets (as opposed to only being located in the corners). "It's also important for the elastic to be strong and fit tightly, so that the sheet does not pop off during the night," she explains. Find them online by searching for "deep pocket fitted" sheets—and you should make sure they indicate they will fit mattresses that are 16 inches or greater.

Handle your sheets with care.

While bigger sheets can be more expensive (after all, they use more fabric), Levine says you can still find economically priced options that will work with your new mattress. To care for your larger sheets, you'll want to follow the directions on the tags—and be mindful that some things may be different than they were with your standard sized sheets. "They are not more difficult to wash in traditional washers, but the drying time depends more on the fabric type," she says, adding that when you're buying sheets that are made out of certain fabrics, you may need to account for shrinkage. "Cotton can also shrink, so you may find that your deep pocket sheet just got a little less 'deep' after washing and drying," she says. Moisture wicking, or smart fabrics, will take less time to dry than normal fabrics do, and they don't run the risk of shrinkage.