Hi Carol - The short answer to your question is no, a higher number of coils does not necessarily make for a higher quality bed.

Keep in mind that the most important functions of the "support core" of a mattress are the following:

1. Keep your heaviest parts (eg, your hips) from sinking too far into the bed, which throws your spine out of alignment
2. Allow for some amount of conforming to your body's curves, which again helps keep your spine in it's proper shape while you are laying down
3. Provide a consistent level of support over a long period of time

The more coils there are in a bed, the smaller each coil will be, which theoretically allows the bed to conform better to your body's curves. This is the primary advantage of more coils, but it helps with only one of the 3 coil functions listed above. And, having more coils isn't even the only way to increase conforming ability -- e.g., the shape of the coil can affect conforming ability as well.

Net, in order to know how good a coil unit will be at the three functions listed above, it's important to look at coil construction, coil shape, and number of coils. Check out this Coil Guide (the article is right at the top of the page) for more detail on each of these factors.

Carol, the good bed admin above stated very good points on what you need to look for in coil systems. Another thing to keep in mind is the gauge or thickness of the coils. The thicker the coils, the stronger and more durable the mattress will be. However, with thicker steel coils the firmness of the mattress is increased. 12 1/2 gauge coil systems are very strong and provide an extra firm support core. Whereas 14-15 gauge coils are thinner which conforms better to your body. These tend to be individually wrapped or "pocketed coils". If you are sharing a bed with someone, you may appreciate individual coils more. They feel less like a spring and won't disturb your partner when you get in and out of bed.

With any mattress, be sure to ask the sales associate to specify the specs on both the coil system (gauge of steel, number of coils etc) as well as the density of the foam in the bed. The higher the density of the foam, the more durable it is and lessens the chance of an extreme body impression. Don't hesitate to ask them!

Good luck.

NN

The other posters did a great job explaining the coil count's meaning. To add, in pocketed coil beds, more coils will cause you to feel each other move or get in and out of bed less at night. If you take the same exact coil and put 600 in a queen size, and 1000 in another, the 1000 coil bed will be firmer and transfer less motion.