Purple Mattress Review

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer and Certified Sleep Science Coach

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief and more.

Learn more.

In This Review

I’ll go over my personal experience with the Purple mattress and explain its firmness, feel, construction and more.

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Innerspring mattresses feel responsive. Memory foam beds contour the body. The Purple mattress, however, is completely unique. Made with the company’s proprietary gel grid, the Purple mattress feels squishy and firm at the same time.

This versatile mattress adapts to each individual’s body type and sleeping position, but will it meet all of your sleep needs? Keep reading my unbiased Purple mattress review to find out! I personally tested this mattress and assessed its firmness, feel, durability, cooling features, price point and more.

Purple Mattress Video Review

Purple Mattress Review: General Overview

There’s nothing quite like the Purple mattress. The purple grid offers support and pressure relief and for some types of sleepers, it’s comfortable in all three sleeping positions. It’s also quite durable, so if you’re looking for a long-lasting mattress, this bed fits the bill.

Purple sells a variety of mattresses and sleep accessories, but for this review, we’ll focus specifically on the original Purple mattress. Here’s a quick overview of the bed’s pros and cons.

Pros of the Purple Mattress

• It works well for back sleepers, because the mattress offers a good amount of lumbar support.
• Heavyweight side sleepers will get the pressure relief they need on the Purple mattress.
• It’s a great match for hot sleepers, because the gel grid promotes airflow.
• It’s durable, which makes it one of the best mattresses for the money.

Cons of the Purple Mattress

• Lightweight and average weight side sleepers won’t compress the gel grid very much, so they may think the Purple mattress feels too firm.
• It has a unique feel, so if you’re looking for a traditional innerspring mattress or all-foam bed, you may want consider something else.
• It’s a heavy mattress that’s very difficult to move.

Overall Rating

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches personally test each mattress in categories such as materials, comfort, cooling, and support. Hover over the icons to learn more about these different topics, or scroll down for a more detailed analysis on each one.

Mattress Performance Ratings

Poor

Average

Excellent

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3

4

5

4.1

4.5

4

4.5

3

4.5

4

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Note: Motion transfer is beneficial for those who share the bed and don’t want to be woken up by another’s movements. Looking for a mattress that better absorbs motion? Check out our Best Mattresses for Couples.

Purple Mattress Firmness and Feel

When shopping for a new mattress, it’s critical to consider a bed’s firmness and feel. These factors have a big impact on whether a mattress will feel comfortable for different types of sleepers.

How Firm Is the Purple Mattress?

I ranked the Purple a 6.5/10 on our firmness scale, which is also the industry standard for medium-firm mattresses.

Because the Purple grid adapts to each person’s body weight, the mattress feels different to different types of people. Heavier people (like myself) tend to compress the grid quite a bit, while lightweight people do not. That’s why many heavy people think the mattress feels medium-firm, while some lightweight people think the bed feels firm.

Sleeping on the Purple Mattress

I’m a heavier person, so the Purple mattress felt great when I rested on my back. The Purple Grid collapsed under my pressure points and stayed upright everywhere else, creating a great balance of comfort and support.

When I switched to my side, I experienced some great pressure relief around my hip and shoulder. Lighter folks might not experience as much pressure relief in this sleeping position because they may not compress the gel grid as much.

The Purple mattress felt like a great match when I rested on my stomach. It offered plenty of support and kept my hips elevated and in the proper alignment. That’s why it made the lists of our Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers and Best Mattresses for Combination Sleepers.

What Does the Purple Feel Like?

The original Purple mattress has a unique feel that’s simultaneously squishy and firm. This is thanks to the mattress’s proprietary hyper-elastic gel polymer grid, which collapses when pressure is applied and stays upright everywhere else. This helps sleepers get the proper amount of pressure relief and lumbar support they need. There’s no other mattress that feels quite like this one.

Sleeper Weight	Back Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers
Lightweight (under 130 lb)	Fair	Bad	Excellent
Average (130 – 230 lb)	Excellent	Good	Good
Heavyweight (over 230 lb)	Excellent	Excellent	Fair

Is the Purple Mattress Good For Lightweight People (Under 130 lb)?

• Lightweight back sleepers won’t compress the gel grid very much, which could make the mattress feel particularly firm. For that reason, it’s not a great option for lightweight back sleepers.
• Lightweight side sleepers will feel some pressure along their shoulders and hips, so it’s not a good match for people in this category.
• Because the Purple mattress feels firmer to lightweight people, it’s a great match for stomach sleepers who weigh less than 130 lb. The Purple mattress should offer the necessary hip support for lightweight stomach sleepers.

Is the Purple Mattress Good For Average Weight People (130 – 230 lb)?

• Average weight back sleepers will feel a nice balance of comfort and support on the Purple mattress.
• Average weight side sleepers will compress the gel grid enough to feel some pressure relief along their shoulders and hips, so it’s a good match for people in this category.
• This mattress works well for average weight stomach sleepers who weigh less than 200 lb, but heavier people may feel their hips sinking into the gel grid. This can put pressure along the lower back and lead to lumbar pain.

Is the Purple Mattress Good For Heavyweight People (Over 230 lb)?

• Heavyweight back sleepers should feel plenty of support from the high-density foam layer, which will help keep the spine in a neutral alignment.
• It’s also a great choice for heavyweight side sleepers, who will compress the gel grid enough to feel some nice cushioning along shoulders and hips.
• It’s not a great choice for heavyweight stomach sleepers. People in this category will compress the gel grid and could feel their backs craning out of alignment.

Purple Mattress Construction

Now that we’ve assessed what it feels like to lie on top of the Purple, let’s take a look under the hood (or, er, fabric cover). We’ll assess the original Purple’s construction and review how these construction elements affect performance.

Cover

The Purple SoftFlex cover is thin, breathable and stretchy enough to move with the Purple’s gel grid. This means it shouldn’t interfere with the grid’s performance.

Comfort Layers

The first comfort layer is composed of 2″ of the proprietary Purple Grid. The grid is made from a hyper-elastic gel polymer that remains firm and supportive until enough pressure is applied, at which point the grid collapses and offers pressure relief.

Next, there’s a layer of soft, responsive foam. This layer offers some additional pressure relief.

There’s a foam encasement wrapped around the edges of the gel grid, strengthening the mattress’s edge support.

Support Layer

The original Purple’s base layer is made from a firm, supportive foam that provides structure and support for the mattress overall.

Mattress Height

The original Purple mattress is 9.25″ tall.

Purple Mattress Size Options and Price

To see the most up-to-date size and pricing information for the original Purple mattress, check out the chart below.

Size	Dimensions	Price
Twin	38″ x 75″	$999.00
Twin XL	38″ x 80″	$1099.00
Full	54” x 75”	$1399.00
Queen	60″ x 80″	$1499.00
King	76″ x 80″	$1999.00
California King	72″ x 84″	$1999.00
Split King	76″ 80″	$2198.00

Purple Mattress

Purple is an innovative mattress that is a great fit for all three sleeping positions and doesn’t sleep hot.

Up to $1000 off a mattress + base

Check Price

Mattress Clarity Score

4.10 / 5.0

Purple Mattress Performance

Here’s where the rubber really meets the road! I put the original Purple mattress through a range of tests to assess its temperature regulation, motion transfer, edge support and more. Let’s see how well it performed.

RELATED: Purple Pillow Review

Sleeping Hot or Cold

The Purple regulates temperature well. In fact, it should provide a temperature neutral sleeping surface. The gel grid and breathable cover allow tons of room for airflow, so this mattress shouldn’t overheat. This makes it ideal for folks who are prone to sleeping hot. See our list of the best cooling mattresses for more options.

Motion Transfer

Because the gel grid is responsive and fairly bouncy, the mattress doesn’t absorb motion well. Couples might feel their partner’s movements transfer to their side of the bed.

Edge Support

The Purple mattress has a foam encasement around the perimeter, which adds extra edge support. I could sit and lie down near the edge while still feeling secure. This is a great mattress for couples because it allows each person to fully take up space on their side of the bed.

Durability

Thanks to the durable hyper-elastic polymer grid, the Purple mattress should last a long time. We expect it to last at least 10 years. For reference, most mattresses only last seven to 10 years.

Off-Gassing

With some newly unboxed memory foam mattresses, it’s common to notice a chemical smell. Fortunately, we didn’t observe any significant off-gassing when we unboxed the Purple mattress.

Noise

This isn’t a noisy mattress at all. I didn’t hear any sound when I moved around or changed positions at night.

Sex

When people seek out one of the best mattresses for sex, they’re typically looking for a bed that’s easy to move around on top of. The Purple mattress is a great fit because its bouncy and responsive feel allows partners to easily switch positions.

Purple Mattress Company Policies

Now I’ll  walk you through the policies that come with the Purple mattress. You never know, the fine print may have a bigger impact on your purchase decision than expected.

Warranty

The Purple mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, which covers factory defects. The warranty may be voided if the mattress was not placed on a firm and supportive surface.

Sleep Trial

A 100-night sleep trial will give you enough time to decide whether or not the Purple mattress is the right fit for you.

Return Policy

If you’ve slept on the Purple mattress for at least 21 days and still don’t love it, you may return the mattress within the 100-night sleep trial. If the Purple mattress is clean and undamaged, you will be refunded the full product price of the mattress minus the value of any discount, interest accrued and/or shipping charges.

Purple Mattress Complaints

Many people love the Purple mattress because it contours their body and offers excellent support in all three sleeping positions. However, some lightweight people have complained that the mattress doesn’t offer enough pressure relief. Lightweight people don’t compress the gel grid very much, which can make the mattress feel particularly firm.

Some people were not fans of the Purple mattress’s feel. This bed doesn’t have a tufted pillow top or slow-moving memory foam comfort layer like many other mattresses do. For some people, the Purple’s squishy gel grid felt too unusual. We suggest reviewing our mattress guides before deciding what’s best for your body type and sleep habits.

Purple Mattress

Purple is an innovative mattress that is a great fit for all three sleeping positions and doesn’t sleep hot.

Up to $1000 off a mattress + base

Check Price

Mattress Clarity Score

4.10 / 5.0

How Does the Purple Compare to Other Mattresses?

Anyone who’s considering the Purple mattress probably took a peek at other major brands in the bed-in-a-box space, such as Casper or Nectar. Let’s review how the Purple stacks up against these other popular options.

Compare Purple to other mattresses on our mattress comparison page.

Casper vs Purple

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Casper Original Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Score

3.7 / 5

Check Price

Read Casper Original Mattress Review

Product

Purple Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.1 / 5

Check Price

Read Purple Mattress Review

The Casper and Purple mattresses vary significantly. The original Casper mattress features an all-foam construction and a zoned support system that’s firmer near the middle of the mattress and softer near the head and foot. As noted above, the Purple is primarily constructed from the brand’s proprietary hyper-elastic gel polymer.

These construction differences make the mattresses feel significantly different. The original Casper has a balanced foam feel, while the Purple has a squishy-yet-firm feel. These mattresses also differ in firmness levels. We ranked the Purple at 6.5/10, while we ranked the Casper at 7/10.

The mattresses are most similar when it comes to price. Depending on discounts and coupons, both mattresses should cost around $1499.00 for a queen.

Who Should Choose the Casper Mattress?	Who Should Choose the Purple Mattress?
People who like a balanced foam feel	Hot sleepers
Back sleepers	Those who want a more durable mattress
Lightweight and average weight combination sleepers	Heavyweight side sleepers

Curious about the Casper? Learn more in our in-depth Casper mattress review.

Nectar vs Purple

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Nectar Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Nectar Mattress Review

Product

Purple Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.1 / 5

Check Price

Read Purple Mattress Review

The Nectar and Purple mattresses have very different constructions and materials, which is most evident in their comfort layers. The Nectar features multiple layers of memory foam, while the Purple has a hyper-elastic gel polymer grid.

These materials create different feels. Thanks to its memory foam, the Nectar has a slow-moving feel that offers plenty of pressure relief and body contouring. The Purple is bouncy, responsive and simultaneously squishy and firm.

The firmness ranking for these mattresses depends a bit on the weight of the sleeper in question, but we ranked both of these beds around 6.5/10.

Who Should Choose the Nectar Mattress?	Who Should Choose the Purple Mattress?
People who prefer a slow-moving memory foam feel	Heavyweight sleepers
Lightweight sleepers	People who want a more durable mattress
Side sleepers who need plenty of body contouring	Combination sleepers

Want to know more about the Nectar? Check out our comprehensive Nectar mattress review.

Purple Mattress

Purple is an innovative mattress that is a great fit for all three sleeping positions and doesn’t sleep hot.

Up to $1000 off a mattress + base

Check Price

Mattress Clarity Score

4.10 / 5.0

The Takeaway

The Purple mattress is a unique bed made with a gel grid. It feels both squishy and firm at the same time, and it works well for a variety of people. However, lightweight people won’t compress the gel grid very much, which can make the bed feel very firm. For that reason, it’s not the best choice for lightweight side sleepers.

Purple Mattress FAQs

What is the Purple mattress made of?

The Purple mattress is made with hyper-elastic gel polymer. This forms the proprietary Purple Grid that is breathable, supportive and comfortable at the same time. This rests on two layers of foam.

How much does the Purple mattress weigh?

It does depend on which size mattress you purchase, but a queen-size Purple mattress weighs 110 lb.

How long do Purple mattresses last?

Purple mattresses are very durable thanks to the gel grid. They should last at least 10 years.

Do you need a box spring with a Purple mattress?

Nope! You do not need to use a box spring with a Purple mattress. It’s okay to put it directly on a base.

Can you flip a Purple mattress?

No, the Purple mattress is not flippable. Flipping the mattress would result in sleeping on the firmer base layer instead of the gel grid, which wouldn’t feel comfortable.