As promised in my last Kibanda post, this is my review of the Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress we ordered a few weeks back.
As you will recall from that post, we didn’t move our beds or mattresses to Kibanda last year, opting to save the moving cost and instead order new ones. The clear choice for the mattresses was Tuft & Needle, based on our experience with them for the last four years. As you can tell from that post, we love their products and we love the way they do business.
Tuft & Needle being Tuft & Needle, our two queen mattresses arrived within a couple of days. Unfortunately, Tuft & Needle didn’t offer bed frames back then. We ordered ours from another source.
This other source told us the frames were in stock. But, once our money was received, we we told they were out of stock for a few days. Then a few more days. Then still more. It was two months, and much aggravation, before they finally arrived.
The frames themselves, once they arrived, were fine for the money. They were tedious to assemble but fortunately for me, Mrs. jlcollinsnh has the patience for such things. All I had to do was tighten everything down once she had it together. She’s the brains. I’m the muscle.
As you might imagine, I was thrilled to learn that Tuft & Needle now offers a beautiful walnut frame that is exactly the style and color we were looking for.
As reported in that last Kibanda post, we recently finished our freshening of the guest loft over our garage. My neighbor Al and I, moved our Tuft & Needle queen mattress and its “other source” frame from our master bedroom up there. This required partially dismantling the frame, a reminder of what a pain it is.
At the same time, we ordered our new King Size Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress and Walnut Frame. We’ve never had a king size bed before. Pretty exciting in itself. Along with getting to try the two latest products from my friends at T&N.
Now, for full disclosure:
The story of how I became aware of T&N is told in this post, and it was only after trying their mattress I accepted them as a affiliate on the blog. This meant each time a reader clicked thru to the T&N site and bought something, this blog earned a commission.
Then, in August of 2016 they disbanded their affiliate program.
After a month or so, it occurred to me to offer them the banner advertising spot at the top of each page. As of November 1, 2016 T&N took over that spot, replacing those sometimes awful Adsense ads that used to rotate there.
Now they pay a flat fee each month for the ad placement and no commission is earned if you chose to buy.
From my perspective, it doesn’t make any difference. Anytime I mention a company, service or product on this blog, you’ll be reading my unvarnished opinion. It doesn’t matter how, or if, they pay me.
Tuft & Needle being Tuft & Needle, our Mint mattress arrived in a couple of days. The frame, however, took an extra week. But I can’t really fault T&N for this. They had the frame in stock, as promised, and they shipped it promptly. However, we live in a fairly remote location and the shipping company only delivers to our area once a week.
That would have only delayed the frame’s arrival by about three days after the mattress. But then they failed to deliver it on the appointed day.
Now, mistakes happen. It is the nature of life. What matters is how the mistake is handled after it occurs. This delivery company handled it well. Just when I realized the frame wasn’t coming on the expected day and just as I was preparing to track down someone to call, my phone rang. The very nice man explained what had happened, took responsibility, apologized and arranged for a new delivery day and time. This one went off without a hitch.
The frame arrived as promised and we put it together on a Saturday. We have been sleeping on a T&N Mint and Frame ever since. I won’t keep you in suspense:
We love it!
The Walnut Frame
The frame is a sleek and elegant looking piece, just like in the photos. It is also very solid. It is the most secure feeling bed I have ever slept on.
It went together both more easily and more difficultly than our previous and less expensive frame.
More easily in the sense that it is a far more elegant and simple design. The frame was a pleasure to put together. Everything fit snuggly and without hassle. There are six support boards, each ~9.5″ wide, providing a very solid foundation upon which the mattress rests.
More difficult because the support boards screw into the frame. On such a wide frame, like a king, it seems this serves to hold the rails together. This being the case, the predrilled holes didn’t quite line up. This required some muscle to push the rails toward each other to line up the holes and drive in the screws. A bit of a pain, but the result is a very tight and sturdy bed. So, well worth the extra effort.
In contrast, the previous frame has three inch slats held together with cloth strips. Once unrolled they just lay in frame, held in place with some strategically positioned adhesive strips. Much easier, but no additional structural strength.
The Mint Mattress
cutaway showing the three layers
The truth is, I had misgivings about ordering the Mint Mattress. It didn’t help that my friends at T&N had misgivings about sending me one.
As they said, the Mint mattress is initially much softer than the original. And I like a firmer bed. But I definitely wanted to try this new technology, if only for the benefit of being able to report back to you my readers. But mostly, for myself.
The idea is, with three distinct layers, it is soft and plush on top with firm support below. Plus, as promised, the edges are nice and firm. This combo works a treat.
For those of you who care, I’ll let you delve into the details and specs here. For my part I’ll just say it is the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. The original T&N got my then highest praise when I said, “I never think about my mattress. It just disappears under me.”
This one, every time I get in bed, I think about how comfy it is. And then it disappears under me.
Kibanda is now all T&N all the time. Those who visit will get to sleep on a T&N original. It is very likely to be the best mattress they have ever slept on. As long as we can keep them off our Mint.
Coming…
When I asked T&N for some photos to use for this post, they sent me this one by mistake:
Mint Mattress on Light Frame
This is the same frame we have, but in a lighter colored wood. It is not out yet and not on their website. Figure 2019 if this suits you better.
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Addendum: International
In the comments, the question came up about whether T&N ships internationally. I asked, and here is their reply:
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Other blog affiliates
As long as we are talking about companies I recommend, you might be interested in a rundown of them. In order of revenue generated for the blog:
Personal Capital is the biggest revenue generator here. Not surprising. The affiliate payout to blogs like mine is generous, the service is free when you sign up and people who use their tools tend to love them.
Tuft & Needle.
Amazon. In the right hand column of the blog you’ll find a button that takes you there. If you use it, anything you buy will generate a commission for the blog. The price to you is the same. If you value the content here, this is a painless way to support it.
Google AdSense ads. While T&N displaced these ads in the “Leaderboard” spot, there are still some imbedded in a few old posts.
Betterment still provides a small flow (>$1000 per year) of affiliate income.
Republic Wireless is last with ~$500 in annual affiliate income. I still use their phone and service. It is cheap and just works for me.
YNAB use to have an affiliate program, but it never paid much of anything. Seems that is gone now. No matter, I still love this company and highly recommend them. Doesn’t matter if I get paid.
Vanguard. For excellent reasons, this is the company I recommend most around here. They have never had an affiliate program and have never paid me a dime. No matter, other than the fact I am routinely accused of being on the take from them. Oh, the irony!
Here’s the unvarnished truth:
I have never received a penny in compensation from Vanguard. Other than the fact I hold all our investments there, I have no other relationship with them. The opinions I express about them are purely what I believe.
Jack Bogle did send me a very nice email about my book, which I posted about here: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2016/12/05/mr-bogle-and-me/
If Vanguard were to offer an affiliate program I’d definitely sign on. Then I would be getting paid and my critics would have a field day. But, as now, I would still write exactly what I think: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2016/09/15/stocks-part-xxx-jlcollinsnh-vs-vanguard/
Truth is, while there’d be money in it for me, I rather like that Vanguard doesn’t do affiliate programs. It is more in keeping with their ethic of keeping expenses down.
If you’ve had your own suspicions on this score, I’m not sure if this puts your mind at rest or not, but it is the truth.
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Recent Interviews & Projects
Bigger Pockets Money Show: JL Collins Edition
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Chautauqua
Next month, October, we head to Greece for Chautauqua. So very excited! Both weeks have long been sold out. But if you want to add this to your bucket list, please feel free to put yourself on the:
Here’s what it is all about:
Millennial Revolution — Chautauqua: Come Join the Family (This is a brilliant post with all the details!)
1500 Days to Freedom — Meet some awesome people… (Another brilliant post, this one with dinosaurs!)
ChooseFI — Oh, the Places we will go Chautauqua in the words of the speakers who will be in Greece. There is nothing quite like hearing the voices behind the words.
Also, be sure to listen to this incredible episode with Travis Shakespeare. Travis is a master story teller and, among other things, he shares how the FI movement fits into the cultural fabric of America and its traditions of rugged individuals charting their own course.
Mad Fientist — Money Talks panel discussion at Chautauqua UK Attendees discussing FI and also a great inside look at the Chautauqua experience.
JL Collins — Greece 2018 Mount Olympus
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I’ve joked that we bought Kibanda because I needed more aggravation in my life. Turns out, that’s a real thing:
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JD Roth takes us for a ride in his way-back machine:
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The coming Singularity…
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Kinda like a more interesting version of Downton Abbey.
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Old Post
Every now and again I get a comment on an old post. It is always nice to see those getting some attention and it is fun, for me anyway, to re-read them. Maybe you too. Here’s one:
What the naysayers are missing
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Kibanda Hummingbird