Zippered mattress covers are popular in many homes today when it comes to preventing allergies, dust mites, and even bedbugs.  If you are dealing with bed bugs, you are probably wondering if those cheap zippered mattress covers will work to keep the bed bugs out.  Since this seems to be a common question for people looking for mattress encasements, we should look at a few popular products on the market to see how well they work.

Over at Amazon.com, they have a mattress encasement going by the name of White Vinyl Zippered Mattress Cover by American Textile.  This looks like a steal of a deal because it only costs $11.99.  As we look further down the page, we notice that a reviewer there has given this product a terrible review.  You basically states that the thing tore as soon as he tried to put it on his bed.  If you are dealing with bedbugs, I am here to tell you that this product is completely worthless.  You should never use a cheap product that tears when dealing with bed bugs. 

The AllerZip Waterproof Bed Bug Proof Zippered Bedding Encasement normally runs for $161.  This is a much more popular zippered mattress cover.  This cover also is designed especially for use with bedbugs infestations.  The reviews on this mattress cover are mixed, but they are generally positive.  I think we can see that this is a much safer product when it comes to picking a mattress cover.  This might seem kind of expensive, but you would spend a lot more money buying a new mattress.

I also looked at the Stretched To Fit Mattress Cover with Zipper at Amazon.com.  This appears to be a generic version of some of the other products.  The reviews on this mattress cover are also mixed, but the cover is not designed specifically for bedbug bite prevention.

As you can see, only specific zippered mattress covers are effective for keeping out bed bugs.  It is my professional opinion that you are going to be much safer by spending a few more dollars to protect yourself against bedbugs.  If you decide to buy a mattress with a zipper encasement, make sure it is a quality cover that will not break.