If you’ve spent time looking for a new bed online, chances are you’ve come across the Purple mattress. It’s a truly unique bed that has earned a ton of devotees (and its share of cynics) for its innovative construction. The bed contains something called the Purple Grid layer, which makes it feel different than any other mattress — almost like you’re floating.
We’ll take a closer look at the Purple Grid layer and more in this Purple mattress review, where I put the bed to the test and assess it for quality, feel, and performance. I’ll share my results and let you know whether or not I think the Purple might be right for your sleep needs.
Short on time? Skip down to my review summary.
Purple Mattress
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Purple Mattress Overview
Purple is known for their famous proprietary foam, which is represented in their flagship mattress as something called the GelFlex Grid. This layer works in tandem with cushioning foams to create a contouring feel without trapping too much heat. It attempts to defy the aspects of memory foam that get a bad rep, but it’s also made to excel in the things that memory foam is good at: pressure relief, comfort, and adaptivity.
This all-foam bed-in-a-box arrives compressed into a box at your doorstep, which is typical of online mattresses. When you open the Purple, it’s best to unbox it in the room in which you’re using it. You may find it has a standard off-gassing period of about 24 hours, as foam layers need a bit of time to release any trapped odors. Read more about off-gassing and other mattress terminology in our mattress glossary.
Purple Mattress Video Review
In addition to our full written reviews, we also make sure to dive deeper in our video reviews. Each video review dives deep into our testing methods and provides scores for individual categories, from responsiveness to cooling. For the original Purple mattress, I gave it a total score of 4.2 out of 5. You can see my individual scores for all of our testing categories at the end.
Purple Mattress Sleepopolis Score
The Purple scored high in many of our categories, but received some lower marks in edge support, trial period, and warranty — all categories related to longevity. For some options that have more generous warranties and trial periods, as well as stronger edge support, see our list of the best mattresses that won’t sag.
What Is the Purple Mattress Made Of?
The Purple mattress is an all-foam bed with a height of nine inches. It’s made with a combination of foams and, of course, the Hyper-Elastic polymer Purple Grid. Let’s take a look inside.
Cover – The mattress cover is made from a blend of polyester, lycra, and viscose. It has a nice, soft feel and is breathable.
Comfort Layer – The main event. This layer is made up of the Hyper-Elastic polymer Purple Grid. This layer has a waffle-like design, allowing for plenty of airflow. It has a soft, squishy, and stretchy feel, and offers some soothing initial pressure relief.
Transition Layer – Next up is a layer of comfort foam meant to provide a little bit of softness and contouring.
Base Layer – The base layer is made from support foam that has a higher density than the foam layer above it. This gives the bed a strong foundation and added durability.
How Firm is the Purple Mattress?
Now that you have a good idea of whether or not you’d like this mattress, let’s get into the good stuff: firmness. Firmness is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a new mattress. Keep in mind that firmness is subjective, and depends on factors like your body type and how you sleep. To give you the most objective idea of firmness possible, I averaged my firmness score with a few of my colleagues’. We all took turns lying down on the Purple and really getting a feel for the mattress in different sleeping positions.
After spending some time rolling around on the Purple, we decided to give it a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. Since 6.5 is the industry standard for medium-firmness, this is a slightly firmer mattress.
In addition to its firmness level, I’d say this bed has a decidedly “on top” of the bed feel, almost like you’re floating over it. You’re not going to feel yourself sinking deep into this mattress (like you would on a memory foam bed). Instead you’re going to feel lifted up and out of the structure. This is a nice feature for anyone worrying about feeling “stuck” in their mattress.
Purple Mattress
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Sleeping Position and Body Weight
There is no one-size-fits-all mattress for everyone. What’s most important to consider above all else is your body weight and which sleeping positions you prefer.
Before we dive into our recommendations, though, we want to 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 Purple a Good Mattress for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?
- Light Back Sleepers – I think light back sleepers would be quite happy on this bed. They’ll experience some great pressure relief, and enough support to keep their spine in a neutral alignment.
- Light Side Sleepers – I also like this bed for light side sleepers. When in this position, I found that my hips and shoulders sank into the GelFlex Grid material nicely.
- Light Stomach Sleepers – This bed should be just firm enough for these sleepers. Stomach sleepers need to make sure their hips stay in line with their shoulders, and light sleepers should get that on this bed.
Is the Purple a Good Mattress for Average Weight Sleepers (130–250 pounds)?
- Average Weight Back Sleepers – I think the Purple bed is a good choice for average weight back sleepers. They should enjoy the conforming feeling they’ll get around their lower back.
- Average Weight Side Sleepers – I don’t think the polymer layer provides a ton of sinkage, which side sleepers really need at their shoulders and hips, since that’s where they put the most pressure. I think most average weight side sleepers should probably seek out a softer mattress.
- Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – I don’t think this bed is firm enough for stomach sleepers. They need a firm mattress to keep their hips propped up, preventing their spines from curving.
Is the Purple a Good Mattress for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?
- Heavy Back, Side, and Stomach Sleepers – I don’t think this mattress has the level of support heavy sleepers need. I’d recommend looking for a bed that’s specifically designed for higher body weights.
Purple Mattress Performance
A big part of what we do here at Sleepopolis is run a series of tests on each mattress we review. This helps our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches get an objective view of what it would be like to sleep on them. These tests also allow us to make even more specific recommendations, in addition to sleeping position and body type. Below, see how the Purple mattress performs in areas such as pain relief, motion transfer, cooling, and more.
Purple Mattress Pain Relief Performance
To determine the Purple’s pressure relief (a measurement of a bed’s cushioning and how well a mattress relieves sensitive areas), I placed a pressure map on top of the mattress and tested out a few different sleeping positions. The results are shown live on a graphic that tracks thermal imaging: red and orange for higher pressure, yellow for moderate, and green and blue for low. We cover three different areas: back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain.
Before looking at the results below, consider your sleeping position first. If you have hip pain and shoulder pain and sleep on your side, you’re really going to want this mattress to show little to no pressure buildup.
In each sleeping position, we saw almost no pressure buildup. The map graphic presents all blue. Because of this, the Purple should be a good mattress for back pain, hip pain, and shoulder pain. The grid layer does a magnificent job of cradling the body.
Motion Transfer
Motion transfer is the amount of disturbance one can feel when another moves around on a mattress. This is an especially important consideration for partners and pets.
In our mattress lab, we have three different tests for motion transfer. Our simplest one involves one of us lying on a mattress with a colleague, rolling around, and thinking about how much movement we can feel from one another. Secondly, we place a full wine glass on the mattress and test how it moves around with us. If the liquid has zero to little movement, then it’s a safe bet that the mattress has low motion transfer.
Our final test involves dropping a 10 pound steel ball from the following heights: four inches, eight inches, and 12 inches. With a seismograph, we measure the disturbance it causes: the bigger the lines on the graph, the bigger the disturbance and the higher the motion transfer.
These are low motion transfer results for the Purple. We also didn’t see the wine sloshing around too much, so we think this mattress excels at isolating motion. You’re unlikely to feel your partner’s movements, even if one or both of you are light sleepers.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness is tested by pressing down on its top layer, removing our hand, and seeing how quickly the surface returns to its original shape. All-foam beds usually have a lower response to pressure. Mattresses with coils, such as hybrid mattresses and innerspring mattresses, normally have a higher response to pressure.
Responsive mattresses are usually good for sex since they make it easy to change positions and move around. These traits also make them good for combination sleepers who switch sleeping positions at night. The Purple has just that. You shouldn’t have any issue switching positions on this bed. Even though it’s all foam, its polymer grid is a lot springier and more responsive than traditional memory foam.
Cooling
When we test mattresses for cooling, we take a look at the construction. The Purple has a super-breathable polymer grid, allowing air to flow easily through the mattress. From this, we can guess that the Purple should sleep really cool.
Our second and more quantitative cooling test involves a thermal gun, which uses color-coded imaging to measure how much and how quickly a mattress heats up when we lie down on it. If it heats up more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, we 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.
When I laid on the Purple for five minutes, it increased 4.8 degrees. This indicates some excellent temperature regulation. Considering this and the additional cooling features, I feel that the Purple is one of the best cooling mattresses, especially for an all-foam bed. Also, your body temperature drops when you sleep, so chances are that the Purple will have a lower temperature in your home at night.
Keep in mind that several outside factors can affect cooling, including the temperature of your bedroom, how close your bed is to an air vent or window, and your body’s own temperature, which can vary from person to person.
Edge Support
Good edge support indicates durability and the overall strength of a mattress’s perimeter. This should be an appealing feature for couples who like to spread out, heavier people wanting to avoid premature sagging, or simply anyone spreads out over the entire surface of their bed.
Unfortunately, the Purple mattress doesn’t have strong edge support. When lying on the edges, I did feel it collapsing below me.
Purple Mattress Performance for Couples
If you sleep with a partner, there are a few specific features you’ll want to look for in a new mattress. You’ll want to see if it absorbs your partner’s movements, if it’s responsive enough for sex, if it sleeps cool, and how strong its edges are.
From our testing results, the Purple has high marks in all of these categories except edge support. We think most couples should be sleep very comfortably on the mattress, but if you and your partner love to spread out and use the entire surface of the bed, you may want to look elsewhere.
Purple Mattress
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
My Final Thoughts About the Purple Mattress
We’ve arrived at the end of my Purple mattress review. I hope I’ve given you an idea of whether or not the Purple is right for you. Though I can’t make your decision for you, I’ll leave you with a few final thoughts.
Who I Recommend the Purple Mattress for
- Sleepers with pain issues should be happy on this mattress. The Purple’s top layer of proprietary GelFlex Grid material is pressure-relieving, which helps reduce pain.
- Hot sleepers should be happy on this bed. The Purple Grid allows for airflow and assists with temperature regulation throughout the night.
- Shoppers on a budget will love how affordable this mattress is compared to comparable beds on the market.
- I think it’s a good choice for combination sleepers. It has a bouncy, buoyant feel that makes switching positions easy.
- Back sleepers should enjoy the spinal support they get from the Purple.
Who I Don’t recommend the Purple Mattress for
- I wouldn’t recommend this bed to heavy people. I don’t think the Purple has enough support for anyone over about 250 pounds. If that’s you, I’d recommend checking out our best mattress for heavy people roundup, which has tons of super supportive beds.
- This mattress isn’t firm enough for strict stomach sleepers. These folks need a firm mattress to prevent their hips from sinking out of line with their shoulders.
Purple Mattress Price and Sizing
Price can be one of the most important factors for buying a new mattress. Take a look at our pricing chart for the Purple mattress below and be sure to check out our Purple mattress coupon page for the latest discounts.
Price listed will be before discount or offer for each size.
| Size | Dimensions | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38″ x 75″ x 9.25″ | 65 lbs | $799 |
| Twin XL | 38″ x 80″ x 9.25″ | 70 lbs | $999 |
| Full | 54″ x 76″ x 9.25″ | 81 lbs | $1,199 |
| Queen | 60″ x 80″ x 9.25″ | 110 lbs | $1,399 |
| King | 76″ x 80″ x 9.25″ | 140 lbs | $1,799 |
| California King | 72″ x 84″ x 9.25″ | 140 lbs | $1,799 |
| Split King | 38″ x 80″ x 9.25″ | 2 packages (70 lbs each) | $1,998 |
Purple Mattress
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Purple Mattress Policies and FAQs
How does the Purple ship?
The Purple is a bed-in-a-box mattress, which means it will ship compressed in a box to your door. The Purple ships for free.
Does the Purple have a trial period?
Yes, the Purple has a 100-night sleep trial.
Does the Purple have a mattress warranty?
Yes, the Purple has a 10-year warranty.
How to return a Purple mattress
You can return the Purple after testing it for a minimum period of 21 days and before the end of the 100-night trial to receive a full refund.
Do I need a box spring with the Purple?
Nope, you can place the Purple on any bed frame, including box springs, adjustable bases, platforms, and more.
Where is the Purple made?
All Purple mattresses are made in the USA.
How long does the Purple mattress last?
Given the durability of its materials (especially the polymer grid), you can expect the Purple mattress to last between 7 and 10 years. The 10-year warranty is a testament to this.
Is the Purple mattress good for back sleepers or side sleepers?
We think the Purple mattress’s blend of comfort and support is a great match for both back sleepers and side sleepers.
Purple Mattress Vs
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| Purple Mattress | Casper The One Mattress | Nectar Mattress | Purple Hybrid Mattress | Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress | |
| Rating | |||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Firm: 7/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Firm: 7/10 | Medium-soft: 6/10 |
| Material | Hybrid | Foam | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | |||
| Best For |
Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers,
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Back Pain,
Seniors, Couples |
Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Back Pain, Couples
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Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Back Pain,
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Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Hip Pain,
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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.
Bridget Chapman
Former Senior Product Editor
About Author
Bridget is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and senior editor here at Sleepopolis. From testing mattresses to writing about various sleep health topics, her goal is to help you get a good night’s sleep. You can also find her in videos on our YouTube channel. Bridget graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a degree in journalism and a minor in English. Before joining the Sleepopolis team, she was a TV news reporter and worked in cities across the country. She loves spending time outdoors, checking out new restaurants, snuggling with her pets, and of course — getting some quality Zzz’s.
Combination Sleeper