Leesa Reserve Mattress Review

Written by Kenny Timper, Staff Writer

Our Methodology

Our Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 300 mattresses in our lab, testing each one on its materials, comfort, cooling, support, and other categories.
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In This Review

I’ll be sharing my experience with the Leesa Reserve hybrid mattress. This 14-inch bed features a cooling cover, high-density memory foam, and individually wrapped coils. Overall, I found that it was a great option for lightweight sleepers and side sleepers with sensitive joints, but not for couples or combination sleepers.

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With Leesa’s latest and most innovative mattress, the Leesa Reserve, the brand would like you to believe that good things come in twos. It ships in two separate pieces and comes loaded with features that think outside the box — both of them.

This luxurious, 14-inch tall mattress comes in three different comfort levels and aims to elevate your sleep experience with its top-of-the-line features. But does it live up to its premium price tag? Find out below.

Short on time? Click here to skip to my review summary.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Overview

The Leesa Reserve mattress is a new luxury hybrid mattress from Leesa. It’s 14 inches thick and features a premium cooling cover. Throughout the rest of the construction, it has three layers of high-density memory foam and individually wrapped coils for extra responsiveness and support.

When the Leesa Reserve first showed up, I found its two-piece setup to be a little challenging to handle alone. Thankfully, the brand offers professional setup via LoadUp for those who need help setting up their new bed.

After testing the Leesa Reserve, I found that it was a great option for lightweight sleepers and side sleepers with sensitive joints. However, I would not recommend this mattress to couples or combination sleepers due to its less-than-stellar motion isolation.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Review Video

Want to see the Leesa Reserve in action before reading the full review? Check out my colleague Nichole’s video review to watch her perform specialized tests in categories such as cooling, support, materials, and more to help buyers like you make an informed decision.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Sleepopolis Score

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Overall, the Leesa Reserve is a solid mattress for hot sleepers and folks who tend to gravitate toward the edge of the bed. However, individuals with restless partners and pets might prefer something with better motion isolation. For these sleepers, I recommend looking into one of our best memory foam mattresses.

What Is the Leesa Reserve Mattress Made Of? 

The Leesa Reserve comes in three different comfort levels: Soft, Medium, and Firm. In this review, we’ll be looking at the Medium model. Here’s how it breaks down, layer by layer.

Cover – The Leesa Reserve’s cover feels plush and cool to the touch. When Nichole and I first laid on top of it, we immediately noticed how soft it was. I also thought the cover did a great job of keeping things cool overall during testing.

Comfort Layer – The Leesa Reserve features not one, not two, but three layers of high-density foam for added pressure relief and body contouring, so it’s no surprise that it offers lots of sinkage. When Nichole and I tested this mattress, we thought it was incredibly soft, especially for the Medium version of the bed. We felt a lot of sinkage around our hips and shoulders while lying on our backs.

Transition Layer – Up next is a transitional layer of thin memory foam to reinforce the pressure relief and support of the springs in the support layer beneath it.

Support Layer – Finally, the Leesa Reserve’s support layer has 8 inches of individually wrapped springs with zoned support, followed by another thin layer of high-density memory foam. While testing this mattress, I thought the edge support was impressive despite being such a soft bed. Unfortunately, I felt that support falter a bit as I gravitated toward the center of the mattress.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Firmness 

Before I start talking about the firmness and feel of the Leesa Reserve, it’s important to note that firmness is subjective. A mattress will feel firmer or softer to different sleepers depending on their body weight, shape, and preferred sleeping position. 

To get a better understanding of how firm the Leesa Reserve feels, Nichole and I took turns testing the mattress and gave it a firmness rating between 1 and 10. For reference, the industry standard is 6.5 out of 10, or medium-firm.

Although we tested the Medium version of the Leesa Reserve, Nichole and I found that it was much softer than medium firm. When I laid down on the bed, I initially felt a lot of sinkage around my hips and shoulders. Over time, Nichole and I noticed our bodies sink into a “V” shape the longer we stayed on the mattress.

I gave this mattress a 5.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, meaning it’s below the industry average of 6.5, or medium-firm. I think the Leesa Reserve feels more like a traditional memory foam bed than a hybrid mattress.

Sleeping Position and Body Weight

We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).

As a general takeaway, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.

As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.

Is the Leesa Reserve a Good Mattress for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?

• Light Back Sleepers –  Most lightweight back sleepers should enjoy sleeping on the Leesa Reserve. I don’t think these sleepers will experience as much sinkage as average and heavy back sleepers, meaning they likely won’t sink too much around the shoulders and hips. I think these individuals will get a good mix of support and cushioning from the numerous layers of high-density memory foam.
• Light Side Sleepers – I think the Leesa Reserve is a great option for lightweight side sleepers. These sleepers should get plenty of body contouring and cushioning around their sensitive joints, thanks to the bed’s multiple layers of plush memory foam.
• Light Stomach Sleepers – Since lightweight stomach sleepers will likely experience less sinkage than average and heavy stomach sleepers, the Leesa Reserve should offer them plenty of support to keep their spines in a neutral position as they sleep.

Is the Leesa Reserve a Good Mattress for Average Weight Sleepers (130–250 pounds)?

• Average Weight Back Sleepers – Unfortunately, I don’t think the Leesa Reserve is the best fit for most average weight back sleepers. These sleepers will likely experience too much sinkage around their hips and shoulders overnight, which could throw their spines out of alignment. Instead, I would recommend one of our best mattresses for back sleepers.
• Average Weight Side Sleepers – I think the Leesa Reserve is a great fit for average weight side sleepers. These sleepers will enjoy great sinkage around the hips and shoulders. The majority of side sleepers with sensitive joints will get the pressure and relief they need from this mattress.
• Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – Average weight stomach sleepers should sleep comfortably on the Leesa Reserve. As someone who falls into this category, I was pleasantly surprised to find minimal sinkage and good pressure relief around my lower lumbar spine. I also felt a lot of plushness around my chest, which made me feel even more comfortable.

Is the Leesa Reserve a Good Mattress for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?

• Heavy Back Sleepers – I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to heavy back sleepers, especially those who gravitate towards the center of the bed. I think these sleepers will sink too far into the mattress and feel the coils beneath them.
• Heavy Side Sleepers – Heavy side sleepers who prefer a softer mattress might enjoy sleeping on the Leesa Reserve. These sleepers would likely get more pressure relief than average and lightweight side sleepers. However, I would still recommend one of our best mattresses for side sleepers over this one.
• Heavy Stomach Sleepers – I would steer heavy stomach sleepers away from the Leesa Reserve. These sleepers would likely experience too much sinkage around their hips, putting their spine in an uncomfortable position.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Performance

Now that I’ve gone over the firmness and feel of the Leesa Reserve, it’s time to dive into some of the other tests I performed. I run numerous tests on every mattress we review to help readers get an objective view of what it’s like to sleep on them every night.

See how the Leesa Reserve performs in areas such as motion transfer, cooling, and more below.

Leesa Reserve Mattress Pain Relief Performance

Pressure relief refers to how a bed eases tension at pressure points at the hips, shoulders, and back. People who suffer from shoulder or hip pain need to sleep on a mattress that provides good pressure relief. These beds feel gentler around those sensitive pressure areas.

To test the Leesa Reserve’s pressure-relieving abilities, my colleague and I placed a specialized mat across the mattress and slept on it in different positions. The mat uses thermal imaging to show how much pressure builds on our bodies.

It changes from blue and green for low pressure (with blue signaling no pressure at all) to orange and red for high pressure (with red being the highest pressure). We cover three areas: back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain.

While testing the Leesa Reserve with our pressure map, Nichole and I found minimal pressure buildup on our backs. However, we saw some green creeping into our lower backs, meaning that pressure began to build up in this area while lying on it. For that reason, I would not recommend this mattress to sleepers with chronic back pain.

The Leesa Reserve also performed well when we switched to our sides to see how it would work for hip pain and shoulder pain. Our pressure map results showed a lot of blue and green in this position, which is not uncommon across most hybrid mattresses.

Motion Transfer

Motion transfer measures how much movement you will likely detect from one side of the bed to the other. If you sleep with a restless pet or have a partner who tends to switch between sleeping positions throughout the night, you’ll want a bed that can effectively trap motion. Prioritizing low motion transfer, or what we also call good motion isolation, can help you sleep soundly, no matter who’s moving around next to you.

Human Test

For the first motion transfer test, I lie on the mattress with a colleague, switch between different sleeping positions, and see how much they feel me from their side of the bed. During this test, my colleague and I take turns moving around on the bed while the other stays still to estimate how much motion someone might detect while sleeping with a partner or pet.

When testing the Leesa Reserve, Nichole and I could feel everything the other person was doing. I could feel her get in and out of bed and change between sleeping positions from my side. Based on this test, I would not recommend this bed to individuals with restless bedmates or pets.

Water Test

The next test is the “water test.” For this test, my colleague and I place a full glass of water on the mattress and see how much the liquid moves around with us. If the water has zero to little movement, it is safe to say that the mattress has low motion transfer, which is what you want to see.

During this test, Nichole and I saw the water move around quite a bit in the glass. We saw the most movement when we were switching positions and getting in and out of bed.

Seismometer Test

The last motion transfer test is our seismometer test. This test involves dropping a 10-pound steel ball from heights of 4 inches, 8 inches, and 12 inches, then measuring the disturbance it causes. In this case, the bigger the lines on the graph, the bigger the disturbance and the higher the motion transfer.

The graph above shows a good amount of motion at the impact site that travels to the other side of the bed. Overall, the Leesa Reserve isn’t the best at isolating motion. Although it feels like a memory foam bed, I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to sleepers seeking the motion-canceling properties of an all-foam mattress.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness refers to how quickly a mattress reverts to its original shape after applying pressure. Memory foam usually has a low response to pressure, while hybrid mattresses with coils tend to have a high response to pressure.

Unfortunately, if you’re like me and enjoy switching between your stomach and side from time to time, you might find it challenging to do so on the Leesa Reserve. I think this mattress gets more responsive as you move toward the edge, thanks to its individually wrapped coils and zoned support system, but the center of the bed is a different story. I found that I had to put in more effort to switch between different sleeping positions when lying in the middle of the bed.

Overall, I would not recommend this mattress to combination sleepers who frequently change positions at night. These sleepers might find it tedious to switch between different sleeping positions.

Cooling

Many factors determine how cool a mattress stays when you sleep on it. The materials inside the mattress largely contribute to whether it traps heat or releases it. The Leesa Reserve’s cooling cover and breathable coils help prevent it from absorbing too much heat.

I tested the Leesa Reserve mattress with a thermal gun, a device that uses color-coded imaging to measure how much and how quickly a mattress heats up when someone lies down on it.

If it heats more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, I consider it to have poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.

After taking turns laying on the Leesa Reserve, Nichole and I saw the temperature go up less than 9 degrees, meaning it should keep most sleepers cool at night.

Edge Support

Last but not least, I tested the edge support on the Leesa Reserve mattress. Edge support measures whether you can sleep on the edge of the bed without feeling the side of the mattress collapsing under your weight. It can also help you determine a mattress’s durability and whether it may sag over time.

When sitting on the edge and the corners of the Leesa Reserve, I found that it had surprisingly strong edge support, especially for a mattress this soft. As I sat on the edge of the bed, I didn’t feel it sink too much beneath me. There was no point where I felt as if I was going to fall off of the bed during testing, even while lying down on the edge.

So all in all, the Leesa Reserve is a good option for couples and individuals who tend to gravitate toward the edge of the mattress. However, I still wouldn’t recommend it to folks with mobility issues. These sleepers might want to find something with better support throughout that will keep their spines in a healthy position at night.

Leesa Reserve Performance For Couples

I don’t think the Leesa Reserve mattress is the best choice for couples. It doesn’t have the best motion isolation, which is especially important for couples who toss and turn at night. It also isn’t the most responsive mattress, meaning it’s probably not the best bed for sex.  However, I could see this mattress potentially working for couples who gravitate toward the edge of the bed and want something with a memory foam feel.

My Final Thoughts about the Leesa Reserve

Now that we’ve checked out everything from the Leesa Reserve’s construction to how it feels, it’s time to answer the most important question: should you buy it? Check out my final thoughts to help you decide!

Who I Recommend the Leesa Reserve For

• Most lightweight sleepers should enjoy sleeping on the Leesa Reserve, regardless of sleeping position. These sleepers should get ample support from the numerous layers of plush memory foam and individually wrapped steel springs.
• I think average weight side sleepers and stomach sleepers will love this mattress. Side sleepers will get enough pressure relief and cushioning from the bed’s plush memory foam, while stomach sleepers should find that they have enough support to keep their spines in a healthy position as they sleep.
• Average and lightweight side sleepers with joint pain should find relief on the Leesa Reserve. These sleepers should get ample body contouring and cushioning around their hips and shoulders to wake up feeling renewed.
• The Leesa Reserve has great cooling capabilities for a bed with this much foam. I would recommend this mattress to hot sleepers who have to have an all-foam bed.

Who I Don’t Recommend the Leesa Reserve For

• I would not recommend the Leesa Reserve to most couples. This mattress does not isolate motion well, meaning you will likely feel your partner toss and turn while you’re trying to get some shuteye.
• I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to combination sleepers. These sleepers need something more responsive so they can swiftly switch between different sleeping positions at night.

Leesa Reserve Pricing and Sizing

Take a look at the chart below to compare sizes. Prices listed will be before discount or offer on each size. And don’t forget to visit our coupon page for a great deal on your next bed.

Size	Measurements	Price
Twin	38″ x 75″ x 14″	$2,399
Twin XL	38″ x 80″ x 14″	$2,649
Full	53″ x 75″ x 14″	$3,249
Queen	60″ x 80″ x 14″	$3,699
King	76″ x 80″ x 14″	$4,399
California King	72″ x 84″ x 14″	$4,399

Leesa Reserve Policies and FAQs

Does the Leesa Reserve come with a mattress warranty?

The Leesa Reserve comes with a 10-year warranty.

Does the Leesa Reserve come with a sleep trial?

Leesa offers a 100-night home sleep trial, allowing you to test it for a little over 3 months. If it isn’t the best fit for you, you can return it within that time period.

Are you supposed to rotate a Leesa mattress?

No, you don’t have to rotate the Leesa mattress. However, if you’re worried about wear and tear, you can rotate it 180 degrees every six months or so to prevent it from sagging in certain areas.

Are Leesa mattresses made in the USA?

Yes, every Leesa mattress is designed and assembled in the USA.

Does the Leesa Reserve have fiberglass?

No. The Leesa Reserve is protected by a chemical-free and fiberglass-free fire barrier.

Leesa Reserve Vs

Now that we’ve gone over every inch of the Leesa Reserve mattress, let’s take a minute to compare it to some of its stiffest (or firmest) competition from other brands.

Leesa Reserve vs Saatva

The Leesa Reserve has foam. Tons and tons of foam. Meanwhile, the Saatva’s foam-to-spring ratio skews heavily toward more springs. Although the Saatva Classic is technically a hybrid bed that features memory foam and springs, its coil-on-coil construction makes it feel like a true innerspring bed. It’s also a lot firmer than the Leesa Reserve at 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: The Leesa Reserve is much more expensive than the Saatva Classic. A queen-sized Leesa Reserve costs $3,699 before discounts — roughly $1,600 more than the Saatva Classic.
• Sleeping position: Thanks to its coil-on-coil construction, the Saatva Classic is a much better choice than the Leesa Reserve for back sleepers. However, side sleepers will likely find that the Saatva is too firm for them, especially if they have sensitive joints.
• Cooling: The Leesa Reserve only performed a little bit better than the Saatva in this category, likely because of its chilly cooling cover.
• Body weight: The Saatva takes the crown for heavy sleepers, thanks to its innerspring feel. However, the Leesa Reserve is by far the better choice for lightweight sleepers across the board.

Read more in our full Saatva Classic mattress review.

Leesa Reserve vs Helix Midnight

The Helix Midnight is a hybrid mattress that features plush memory foam over pocketed coils. It also happens to be the most popular bed in the Helix mattress line. The Helix Midnight is also much firmer than the Leesa Reserve at 6.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale.

• Price: Before any discounts on either mattress, a queen-sized Leesa Reserve is around $2,300 more than a queen-sized Helix Midnight.
• Sleeping position: The Leesa Reserve is hands-down the best choice for stomach sleepers. However, the Helix Midnight is a better option for back sleepers. Both beds are good options for side sleepers.
• Cooling: The Helix Midnight sleeps much cooler than the Leesa Reserve, likely because it has less memory foam. 
• Body weight: The Leesa Reserve is the better choice of the two for lightweight sleepers. Average stomach sleepers across all sleeping positions would likely prefer the Helix Midnight. Neither bed is ideal for heavier sleepers.

Read more in our full Helix Midnight mattress review.

Leesa Reserve vs WinkBed

The WinkBed is a 13.5” hybrid mattress that contains gel-infused memory foam and pocketed coils. The original WinkBed is a lot firmer than the Leesa Reserve. We gave the WinkBed a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: The WinkBed is cheaper than the Leesa Reserve. A queen-sized WinkBed starts at $1,799 before any discounts — about $1,900 less than the Leesa Reserve.
• Sleeping position: The WinkBed is better for back and stomach sleepers because it offers more support than the Leesa Reserve. However, the WinkBed is way too firm for side sleepers.
• Cooling: The WinkBed only performed a little bit better than the Leesa Reserve in cooling, likely because the Leesa Reserve has a lot more memory foam.
• Body weight: Lightweight sleepers across the board will likely be more comfortable on the Leesa Reserve. However, heavier sleepers will probably fare better on the WinkBed.

Read more in our full WinkBed mattress review.

Other Models from Leesa

The Leesa Reserve mattress doesn’t just face stiff competition from other brands. It also has to compete with other beds in the Leesa line. Here are some of the other popular Leesa mattresses.

Leesa Reserve vs Leesa Original

The Leesa Original is an all-foam bed-in-a-box that offers gentle pressure relief and responsive support. It’s just as soft as the Leesa Reserve at 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: The Leesa Original starts at $1,332 before any discounts for a queen-sized bed. The queen-sized Leesa Reserve is $3,699 before any deals.
• Sleeping position: The Leesa Original should be a good fit for most back and side sleepers. However, stomach sleepers will likely find it too soft. Meanwhile, the Leesa Reserve is a good fit for most side and stomach sleepers.
• Cooling: The Leesa Original has impressive cooling for an all-foam mattress. However, I think the Reserve wins here because of its breathable coils and cooling cover.
• Body weight: Both beds are great for lightweight sleepers. Neither bed is ideal for heavier sleepers. Average sleepers will enjoy both beds depending on what position they prefer to sleep in.

Read more in our full Leesa mattress review. 

Leesa Reserve vs Leesa Legend

The Leesa Legend is another hybrid bed from Leesa. Like the Leesa Reserve, the Legend offers soft zoned support that’s perfect for side sleepers. We gave both beds a 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: Before any discounts, a queen-sized Leesa Legend is $1,100 cheaper than the Leesa Reserve.
• Sleeping position: Both beds should be a good fit for side sleepers. However, most stomach sleepers will be better off on the Leesa Reserve. Neither bed is the best option for back sleepers.
• Cooling: The Leesa Legend performed the same here as the Leesa Reserve, likely because they both use a similar combination of plush memory foam and individually wrapped springs.
• Body weight: I would recommend both beds for lightweight sleepers. However, neither bed is great for heavier sleepers. I think average sleepers will enjoy both beds depending on their preferred sleep position.

Read more in our full Leesa Legend mattress review. 

Our Review Process

At Sleepopolis, our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches personally test each mattress. We start by unboxing the mattress to figure out how difficult (or easy) it is to get the mattress from the box to the bed. Then, we spend time laying on the bed in different positions, taking time to assess it on our backs, stomachs, and sides. Next, we perform our Sleepopolis tests, using specialized tools to measure qualities like motion transfer, bounce, and pressure relief. Our last step is to open up the mattress and take a look at each layer. These steps allow us to give our final verdict on the mattress.

Kenny Timper

Staff Writer

About Author

Kenny is a Staff Writer at Sleepopolis. He tests the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things sleep, so you can skip the trial and error and jump straight into a good night’s rest. Kenny graduated from William Peace University with a degree in English and a minor in communication. Outside of testing and writing about mattresses, he enjoys hiking, biking, and avoiding the pit at your local heavy metal concert.

Stomach Sleeper