While my comment is based on personal knowledge from other Select Comfort owners that is pretty limited (no where 1600+ participants), the research done by Sleep Like the Dead was taken from comments on various online sources such as forums, many of which were forums not even close to being related to beds and mattresses. (That from some of their own reporting.)
http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/matt...thodology.html
I can honestly say that almost all the owners that I have either met personally or conversed with online have good things to say about their beds. Regardless of the product, there will always be detractors of that product. Note the differences between SOITC and 5th Wheel Forums.
What I can say is that Jo needs a soft bed because of her back and I prefer a firm bed because I will get a major backache on a soft one. Like I mentioned before, this is a case where people with two different preferences can BOTH rave about their bed.
As for warranties on the beds and the pump system, how many of the "bad reviews" come from folks who weren't happy with their bed to begin with?
Terry