Every single mattress in my house is a version of this one. We have 3 in 12 inch & 1 in 10 inch. The oldest is 4 years old & the newest less than a month. Every single one is so comfortable.
you can get great mattresses on amazon for around 250. check out any of the zinus memory foam mattresses and read the reviews. amazon's return policies have you covered if you end up not liking it.
my wife and i have this one and love it https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Supreme-Cloud-like-Mattress/dp/B012H0JTMA
I can't imagine sleeping on an air mattress every night - I think I'd rather sleep on a stack of blankets and a sleeping bag.
Splurge on a $250 memory foam mattress on Amazon. I've had a 10" one for 2.5 years and I absolutely love it.
This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012H0JTMA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Okay so this probably sounds too good to be true but I decided to try a "mattress-in-a-box" thing too and my budget was a tad lower (by like 600 haha I'm a student) BUT I Think I've found the hidden-gem of mattress brands: Zinus. I got mine from amazon, and if you have prime shipping is free.
This is the one I have:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012H0JTMA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1
Would give it 7/10 on the 0-10 Firmness scale (which is my personal preference), maybe 5/10 on that memory-foam sinking in feeling, and its held up super well, and only ~$250.
Total satisfaction out of 10 - I'd give it 9/10
Here are some nicer ones:
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Also - if you don't already have Honey - it is the best app/add-on for coupon codes.. like for real I'm not a rep for them haha, just crazy good deals. It automatically tries a bunch overtime you're checking-out online. Link to that is: joinhoney.com/ref/bk7a4o if you wanna check it out!
We have the Zinus brand from Amazon on every bed in our house. I also bought the box spring & they're working out great. (Both in queen)
ZINUS 10 Inch Cloud Memory Foam Mattress / Pressure Relieving / Bed-in-a-Box / CertiPUR-US Certified, Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012H0JTMA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_977ZYARZZ0VXHJT2V3CE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
ZINUS 7 Inch Metal Smart Box Spring / Mattress Foundation / Strong Metal Frame / Easy Assembly, Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBPG0LL/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_2776BHVC3ECGZ2M59ND2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1