Have a limited budget? => Bonnel Coil
Bonnel coils have the simplest coil structure of all innerspring mattresses. Also known as open coils, these mattresses are composed of hourglass shaped coils made of steel. The coils are designed to be thinner in the middle, allowing them to compress at soft pressure.
This simplicity translates to a much lower cost than other innerspring mattresses, making Bonnel coils the perfect choice for those looking for a budget-friendly option. At the same time, the level of support and comfort is not comparable to other variants like offset coils or encased coils.
Want something that avoids motion-transfer? => Continuous Coil
A persistent problem faced by many couples are the disturbances created by their partner's movements on the other side of the bed. In low-cost mattresses, these movements tend to create ripples that affect the whole mattress.
A simple yet effective measure to combat motion transfer is the continuous coil.
Basically, rows of continuous steel springs are attached using helicals to get a seamless structure that evenly distributes pressure without causing ripples through the mattress. Not only does this prevent motion transfer, but it also comes without increasing the price range of the mattress to expensive levels.
Looking for the best contouring and support? => Encased Coil
Memory foam generally wins over innerspring mattresses are far as contouring and support are considered. If you want the best possible features in your innerspring mattress, you should go with the encased coil.
Encased coil, or pocket coil, as it is also sometimes called, is the highest quality of coil type that you can find in an innerspring mattress. As you might have guessed from the name, this type consists of individual springs encased in fabric.
A mattress might be composed of hundreds to even thousands of such 'pockets', giving it an unprecedented level of support. Furthermore, as these encased coils are not connected with one another, they also help give you almost perfect motion isolation, not to mention much better contouring than other mattresses in the market.
The only factor against buying an innerspring mattress with pocket coils is the cost. These tend to be the most expensive mattresses, but with good reason; the longevity and comfort offered by these coils is unparalleled.
Need to strike a balance between quality and affordability? => Offset Coil
If encased coils are too expensive for you, but Bonnel coils too simple, offset coils might just be the thing for you.
Structurally speaking, the coils are similar to open coils. The difference is that these coils are connected by a network of hinges, which greatly improves load sharing, as well as the response to soft pressure.
As a result, offset coils are much better than Bonnel coils or continuous coils in supporting your weight as well as limiting motion transfer. While this also makes it more expensive than those types of coils, the cost is still less than that of an encased coil mattress, making offset coils an attractive alternative.