Instead of a box spring, you can get a bunkie board for your platform bed. You can get them in various heights to raise the mattress to your desired level. The "give" depends on the mattress you buy.

For 30+ years we've used the box spring/mattress style bed. Six months ago, we replaced it with a Puffy Monarch mattress and a platform for underneath. Mattress is 14" deep, and our platform is at 15" height, so pretty close to what we had before. The Platform legs can be raised or lowered close to the desired mattress height. Also, our platform is adjustable to raise the head or feet up. I've been sleeping like a baby and love it!

Depends on the mattress you have and how you like your bed to perform.

Foam mattresses are better with platform beds or with an actual foundation due to their weight.

Innerspring mattresses can be on either.

Regarding the height, this is personal preference. I do not like my bed to be sky high. My current bed frame is not a platform, so I had to buy a foundation for it. My foundation consists of a metal frame with metal slats (amazon sells these very reasonably), and I bought it so the bottom of my mattress is right at the level of my bed's side panels (don't want to see the foundation, and want the mattress accessible for changing sheets). I think the foundation is maybe 6" high, and my mattress (foam) is maybe 10".

I bought a platform bed for my guest room - and that one ended up being WAY too high. Looked like a captain's bed. So platforms can be tall as well. Check your measurements before you buy.

Totally depends on you. We have a platform bed that previously had no spring and my husband found it really hard. We ended up getting low profile box springs and now it works better for us. So really it’s whatever suits you

I went from a traditional mattress and box spring to a mattress on a platform bed, and it's great- and I am very picky about my mattresses. The most important thing is to get a knowledgeable salesperson who can help determine what is the best mattress for you - for your size, the way you sleep, your comfort, etc. A box spring isn't necessary if the bed has a platform. Mattresses also come in different thicknesses, so you have options with that as well. Mattresses are actually thicker than they used to be, which, I think also contributes to why box springs aren't necessary.

We prefer a firm mattress so the platform we had was
comfortable. However it was created by replacing the box springs with plywood to accommodate a new and very thick mattress. This caused a “lip” making it quite difficult to change sheets. Resolution was a 2” bunkie.
Insignificant elevation while enabling bed making.

definitely consider the height when picking a platform bed. If you're keeping your mattress, then you can figure from there how tall of a platforom bed you can use or if you'll need a thin bunky board to give you more height if the platform bed is super low. I went from having a box spring to a platform bed with several slats across it that my mattress sits on. I don't notice a difference in term of "firmness" without the boxspring. But my mattress is SUPER thick/tall.

Box springs are an American invention by the mattress companies to make larger sales and profits.

A box spring is exactly what is says a box filled with springs none of which have much to do with how the mattress feels . I have always had a platform bed and always been comfortable . Box springs are how mattress com panies get lots of money for nothing that affects comfort .

Box springs are an easy way to raise a bed a bit higher which some people enjoy for various reasons. They serve a purpose for sure.

Thank you all. Yes, I would think the thickeness of today’s mattress might mitigate the

”give” issues that box ”springs” have. Looks like I will be visiting mattress stores to see how platforms feel.

BearBev—now I am intrigued by adjustible frames which I had not considered. Could be very useful with the aches and pains of old age!

@elluviga my dad & his girlfriend (too old to marry at this point, I think? LOL) both got sleep number beds. My dad's girlfriend got an adjustable one and they think it's the best thing ever.