Mattress Review
Purple Mattress
Details
Type: Foam
Firmness: Medium Firm (6)
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Price Range: $799 – $1,998
Warranty: 10 Year, Limited
Highlights
- Very good pressure relief
- Excellent temperature neutrality
- Includes free shipping and free returns in the contiguous U.S.
Ideal For
- Back and side sleepers who weigh under 230 pounds
- Hot sleepers
- Couples looking for a quiet bed with minimal motion transfer
Purple Mattress: Our Verdict
The Purple Mattress is a medium firm (6) all-foam bed featuring Purple’s GelFlex Grid technology. We found the bed’s construction offers moderate contouring and good support for back and side sleepers who weigh less than 230 pounds. Stomach sleepers under 130 pounds on our testing team also enjoyed its gently conforming design.
During our sleep lab tests we found that it provides excellent temperature neutrality that surpasses the performance of many other foam mattresses on the market. And like other all-foam beds, the Purple Mattress is nearly silent when bearing weight and transfers little motion across the sleep surface.
The Purple Mattress comes with free shipping within the contiguous U.S., a 100-night sleep trial, free returns, and a 10-year limited warranty. Coupled with the bed’s high-performing construction, the Purple Mattress represents an excellent value.
Purple Mattress: An Introduction
The all-foam Purple Mattress is the company’s flagship model. The bed features the company’s distinctive sleep technology, called the Purple GelFlex Grid. This hyperelastic polymer is a form of buckling column gel that’s engineered to provide responsive contouring without trapping too much body heat.
To help you decide whether the Purple Mattress is the best mattress for your needs, we performed a battery of in-house tests. Our diverse team of testers evaluated how the Purple Mattress feels and performs for all types of sleepers, taking into account both body type and sleep position.
What's It Like to Sleep on a Purple Mattress?
The Purple Mattress offers a moderately contouring sleep surface that hugs the curves of your body while supporting proper spinal alignment and preventing heat retention. We found that the GelFlex Grid comfort layer relieves pressure from key areas like the hips and shoulders, but it also remains remarkably cool.
The bed’s unique construction also provides many of the strengths associated with all-foam mattresses, including a low noise rating and very good motion isolation. However, the Purple Mattress isn’t ideal for everyone.
Purple Mattress Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good balance of support and contouring for side and back sleepers under 230 pounds
- Excellent temperature regulation, particularly for a foam-based mattress
- The best value of all the Purple models
Cons
- Lacks support for sleepers who weigh over 230 pounds
- All-foam construction is not as durable as a hybrid model
- Slightly more expensive than the average foam mattress
Sleeping Positions, Body Weight, and Firmness
Finding the best mattress with the right balance of support and cushioning depends on several factors, including your body weight and preferred sleep position. To get an accurate view of the Purple Mattress’ feel, our testing team includes a wide range of sleepers with different body sizes and sleep styles.
We gave the Purple Mattress a score of 6 on our 10-point firmness scale. This corresponds to a medium firm feel. Overall, we found that the mattress is generally most comfortable for side and back sleepers who weigh less than 230 pounds, as well as stomach sleepers under 130 pounds.
Purple Mattress Sleeper Ratings
Under 130 lbs. | 130-230 lbs. | Over 230 lbs. | |
|---|---|---|---|
Side Sleepers | 5/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
Back Sleepers | 5/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
Stomach Sleepers | 5/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 |
Side Sleepers
The Purple Mattress strikes a good balance between support and comfort for most side sleepers under 230 pounds. The bed’s GelFlex Grid material offers moderate contouring that relieves pressure from the hips and shoulders while promoting proper spinal alignment. However, side sleepers over 230 pounds may want to consider the Purple Hybrid or the Purple Hybrid Premier 3 for additional support.
Back Sleepers
Most of the back sleepers on our testing team found the Purple Mattress did an excellent job of supporting the lower back and cradling the curves of their body. However, our testers who weigh over 230 pounds found their lower backs sinking too deeply into the bed’s surface. The Purple Hybrid, Hybrid Premier 3, and Hybrid Premier 4 perform better for back sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or more.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers tend to need a firm sleep surface as they are at a greater risk of misalignment and lower back pain. The Purple Mattress provided excellent comfort and support for our testers who sleep on their stomachs and weigh less than 130 pounds. On the other hand, stomach sleepers who weigh more may need a firmer bed with added support.
Our Performance Ratings
Our team of sleep experts personally tests each mattress we review using a strict product testing methodology across a wide range of categories to capture how a bed will perform under real-world conditions. We score each category using a five-point scale from poor to excellent to help you choose the right mattress.
Pressure Relief
Rating: 4/5
Pressure relief refers to how well a bed cushions your body and relieves tension from key pressure points. Like most all-foam mattresses, the Purple Mattress offers ample pressure relief. Purple’s unique GelFlex Grid comfort layer does a very good job of cradling the curves of your body while remaining supportive and promoting proper spinal alignment.
Temperature Neutrality
Rating: 5/5
The Purple Mattress goes above and beyond many other all-foam mattresses with its excellent temperature neutrality. Some foam materials have a tendency to absorb and retain body heat. However, the gridded design of Purple’s top comfort layer contains air channels designed to improve airflow, prevent heat retention, and keep you cool as you sleep.
Motion Isolation
Rating: 4/5
Motion isolation refers to how well a mattress limits the transfer of movement from one side of the bed to the other. This is an important consideration for couples, as poor motion isolation can mean disturbing your sleep partner when you change sleep positions or get in and out of bed.
The all-foam design of the Purple Mattress isolates motion very well. Our sleep testers experienced minimal vibrations even when another tester was tossing and turning on the other side of the bed.
Edge Support
Rating: 3/5
When it comes to edge support, the Purple Mattress performs on par with other quality all-foam mattress models. Strong edge support makes it easier to sit on the edge of the bed and can increase the usable surface area of your mattress. Hybrid beds tend to offer superior edge support. However, our testers found that the Purple Mattress does a good job of supporting body weight around its perimeter with minimal compression.
Ease of Movement
Rating: 3/5
Highly contouring foam can sometimes give the feeling of sinking into the bed, making it harder to move on the surface of the mattress. However, the Purple Mattress offers slightly above-average ease of movement compared with other pressure-relieving all-foam models. The bed’s combination of high-density polyfoam and gridded buckling column gel hugs the body without feeling like quicksand.
Sex
Rating: 4/5
The Purple Mattress is better than most all-foam beds when it comes to conduciveness for sex, since it offers a good balance between cushioning comfort, ease of movement, and breathability.
Off-Gassing
Rating: 3/5
Off-gassing refers to the odor that results from the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from newly opened foam-based products. VOCs are generally harmless, but the smell can be bothersome for some people. The Purple Mattress uses materials that are CertiPUR-US certified, indicating that they meet standards for low VOC emissions. As a result, our testers found that the off-gassing smells were fairly mild and dissipated a few hours after unboxing the mattress.
What Is the Purple Mattress Made Of?
The Purple Mattress features a 2-inch top layer of the company’s unique GelFlex Grid buckling column gel. This hyperelastic polymer is moderately contouring while remaining responsive and breathable. Two additional polyfoam layers help add stability and support to the mattress. The soft knit cover is made with a viscose, polyester, and lycra blend.
Purple Mattress Construction Layers | |
|---|---|
Cover Material | Viscose, Polyester, and Lycra |
Comfort Layers | 2″ Buckling Column Gel |
Support Core | 4″ High-Density Polyfoam |
How Much Does the Purple Mattress Cost?
The cost of the Purple Mattress is slightly above average for an all-foam bed but on par with other mid-range mattresses. This price represents a good value considering its unique features and strong overall performance. The company’s generous customer service policies — including free shipping in the contiguous U.S., a 100-night sleep trial, free returns, and a 10-year limited warranty — also add a great deal of value to the bed.
Size | Dimensions | Height | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Twin | 38″ x 75″ | 9.25″ | 65 lbs. | $799 |
Twin XL | 38″ x 80″ | 9.25″ | 70 lbs. | $999 |
Full | 54″ x 75″ | 9.25″ | 81 lbs. | $1,199 |
Queen | 60″ x 80 | 9.25″ | 110 lbs. | $1,399 |
King | 76″ x 80″ | 9.25″ | 140 lbs. | $1, 799 |
California King | 72″ x 84″ | 9.25″ | 140 lbs. | $1,799 |
Split King | 38″ x 80″ (2 pc.) | 9.25″ | 140 lbs. | $1,998 |
Which Purple Mattress Is Right for You?
Purple’s flagship model, the Purple Mattress, is perhaps the best value. However, the company offers a range of mattress types, including hybrid models.
Our testers found Purple’s other models offered better pressure relief and support for most stomach sleepers and people who weigh over 230 pounds. The Purple Hybrid and Hybrid Premier models are also more durable and provide better ease of movement than Purple’s all-foam beds.
Purple Mattresses at a Glance
Model | Firmness | Mattress Type | Height | Price (Queen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purple Mattress | Medium Firm (6) | Foam | 9.25″ | $1,399 |
Medium (5) | Foam | 11″ | $1,899 | |
Medium Firm (6) | Hybrid | 11″ | $2,399 | |
Purple Hybrid Premier 3 | Medium Firm (6) | Hybrid | 12″ | $2,999 |
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 | Medium (5) | Hybrid | 13″ | $3,799 |
Discounts and Coupons
Purple offers frequent promotions, sales, and discounts that significantly reduce the final price of the Purple Mattress. Try checking for sales around major holidays like New Year’s, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. You can also get additional savings when you bundle your mattress purchase with a Purple bed frame or foundation.
Where Can You Buy the Purple Mattress?
You can buy the Purple Mattress online and in stores. Shopping directly through the Purple website comes with several advantages over in-store shopping, including frequent sales and discounts, direct-to-consumer pricing, free shipping, and generous sleep trial policies.
For those who like to shop in person, you can also find the Purple Mattress at one of Purple’s retail stores or retail partner locations.
| Buying Information and Customer Policies | |
|---|---|
| Availability | The Purple Mattress is available for U.S. shoppers through the Purple website. Purple also sells its mattresses in Canada through the company’s Canadian website and Sleep Country Canada. For in-store shopping, Purple operates a network of stores in major cities across the United States and Canada. You can also shop in person at one of Purple’s retail partners. |
| Shipping Options | The Purple Mattress ships for free to the contiguous U.S. and to Alaska and Hawaii for an added fee. The company partners with Sleep Country Canada, which offers free shipping to most Canadian locations. Once you place your order, the Purple Mattress typically takes three to five business days to leave the warehouse. It ships via FedEx or UPS, depending on your location. Standard ground shipping typically takes three to five business days for deliveries within the contiguous U.S. The carrier places the Purple Mattress box on your doorstep. No assembly is required, but you will need to unbox the mattress and give it time to decompress. |
| Additional Services | Purple offers several additional shipping services with the Purple Mattress for an added fee. With in-home setup, Purple’s partners will unbox and set up your new mattress in the room of your choosing. You can also select old mattress removal if you would like Purple’s partners to dispose of your old bed. |
| Sleep Trial | The Purple Mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial that includes a mandatory 21-night break-in period. If you’re not happy with your Purple Mattress, the company will arrange a free return and give you a full refund. |
| Warranty | Purple provides a 10-year limited warranty that protects against certain defects in the bed’s materials and construction. For approved claims, Purple will replace or repair your mattress for up to 10 years after the purchase date. |
Purple Mattress FAQ
The Purple Mattress is a high-performing all-foam bed that offers excellent value with generous customer service policies. However, you’ll need to decide whether the bed meets your personal comfort preferences and fits in your budget.
With Purple’s 100-night sleep trial, you can try the Purple Mattress in the comfort of your own home. If you’re not satisfied, you can return the bed for a full refund. You can also try the bed in a Purple store or at one of the company’s retail partner stores.
Thoroughly vacuum and spot clean your Purple Mattress as needed. Frequently washing your bedding and using a mattress protector can also help keep the mattress clean.
Purple does not currently offer a mattress topper. If you’re interested in a Purple mattress topper, the company has a page on its website to gauge customer interest that requires you to provide your email address.
About The Author
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Alison is a health writer with ample experience reading and interpreting academic, peer-reviewed research. Based in San Diego, she is published in the journal PLOS Genetics and the Journal of Biological Chemistry and has been a copywriter for SmartBug media. With a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Davis, she has nearly a decade of academic research experience in life sciences. She enjoys helping people cut through the noise to understand the bigger picture about sleep and health. Alison likes to stay active with rock climbing, hiking, and walking her dog.
- POSITION: Stomach Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Neutral Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Bear
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