Leesa Mattress Review 2024

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Mattress and Sleep Product Reviewer

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 600 mattresses, 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 discuss the Leesa mattress including firmness, feel, and who it’s best for, and I’ll help you decide if this is a good pick for you.

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The Leesa Original is a memory foam mattress that delivers the pressure relief and contouring I expect from this mattress type. It does feel bouncier and cooler than many of its all-foam competitors, though, thanks to a serious upgrade Leesa made to the foam used in its comfort layer. That said, it does still have some of the typical drawbacks I find in all-foam beds, including lower durability, unimpressive temperature regulation, and disappointing edge support.

I’ve been testing mattresses since 2018, and I’ve seen the highest and lowest levels of luxury when it comes to sleep products. The Leesa Original strikes a happy medium, though, as a relatively simple, affordable bed with broad appeal.

I Recommend the Leesa Original For…

• Sleepers who want a good value mattress. This isn’t the cheapest mattress on the market, but it’s one of my favorite all-foam beds around the $1,000 price range.
• People looking for a responsive foam bed. I didn’t have any problem switching between sleeping positions on the Leesa Original, so I wasn’t surprised when it scored well on our responsiveness test.

I Don’t Recommend the Leesa Original For…

• Shoppers ready to invest in their forever bed. The Original is a pretty basic option, but Leesa and other brands also offer some (more expensive) top-tier models. Check out Mattress Clarity’s list of the best mattresses that won’t sag for our favorite durable and supportive beds.
• Anyone who needs (or wants) a firm mattress. If you experience chronic back pain, sleep on your stomach, or weigh more than 230 lbs, I recommend looking at options on our best firm mattresses page. I’m a heavyweight sleeper myself, and I found the mattress didn’t provide as much support as I would suggest a mattress for heavy people should, especially when sleeping on my stomach. 

How Firm is the Leesa Original Mattress?

Thanks to its mix of soft and firm foam layers, the Leesa Original offers a medium-firm feel. Mattress firmness is typically measured on a scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (firmest). Based on the level of sink vs. support I felt on this bed, I consider it a 6.5/10, which is the industry standard for medium-firm.

Leesa Mattress Test Performance: My Overall Rating

Now, let’s get into the details. I rate every mattress I review using the same seven categories, and the Leesa scored above average in every category except edge support and cooling. It also earned one of the highest responsiveness scores I’ve ever given for an all-foam bed.

You can hover over the icons for a quick overview of each testing category and to see how this bed compares to your other options.

Mattress Performance Ratings

Poor

Average

Excellent

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1

2

3

4

5

3.9

4

3.5

3.5

4

4

4

4.5

4

Note: Looking for a mattress that sleeps cooler? Check out our Best Cooling Mattresses for options with cooling features and great airflow.

Leesa Mattress: Performance

Support

Support is the measure of how well a mattress keeps certain areas of the body elevated. In order to gauge this, all of our mattress testers rest in each sleeping position and we observe how far they sink into the mattress. The Leesa Original is a medium-firm bed, which is a good fit for sleepers of a variety of sizes and sleeping positions. Particularly, our lightweight mattress tester felt good on her side, back, and stomach, and in all three of these positions her hips and shoulders were supported enough for her spine to remain properly aligned. 

Edge Support

Sitting or lying at the edge of this mattress, I didn’t feel very secure. I was able to lean over to tie my shoes but would’ve felt much more comfortable with more support. The edges of the Leesa dipped considerably when I rested on them, which is bad news for anyone who likes to dangle an arm off the bed as they sleep. 

To further test its edge support, I sat along the side and measured how much the mattress sank. The Leesa mattress sank 5″ during my testing, which is more than most mattresses sink.

Cooling

The Leesa is an all-foam mattress, so it will inevitably trap some heat. Those who are looking for a cooling mattress usually want to find a hybrid or innerspring mattress that promotes good airflow. See our list of the best innerspring mattresses for some good options.

That being said, the Leesa sleep quites cool for a mattress of its kind. The cover is breathable and the LSA200 is designed to sleep cooler than standard memory foam. When I slept on the Leesa, I did not wake up feeling hot and sweaty.

I also tested the mattress using a heat gun. The starting temperature, without me sleeping on it, was 71.7 F. After I rested on top of it for five minutes, the temperature increased to 78.5 F, or about seven degrees. For a memory foam mattress, this isn’t too bad. But if you’re a particularly hot sleeper, you may want to opt for a mattress that has coils.

Motion Transfer

If you sleep with a partner or a pet, this is probably an important factor for you. Beds that score well in motion transfer help dampen movement disturbances across the mattress.

I tried lying on the mattress as another tester, Danny, continuously switched sleeping positions on the other side. My side of the bed wasn’t completely still, but I didn’t feel disturbed by his movements, and probably would have slept right through them.

Response

When you’re mattress shopping, you’ll generally have a hard time finding a mattress that excels in both motion isolation and responsiveness, as the bouncier a mattress is the less successful it tends to be at isolating motion. The Leesa Original, however, scores well in both categories.

I found it easy to move around on the surface of this bed, which can be good for couples looking for a good mattress for sex, or for combination sleepers who move between sleeping positions at night.

Durability

The Leesa’s LSA200 foam and memory foam are both 3 lb density foams. With these high-density foams, I expect the Leesa to last for between seven and 10 years, which is about average for a memory foam bed. Prior to the construction upgrade, Leesa used something called Avena foam, which is durable but responds quite slowly to pressure. The new LSA200 foam provides a similar level of durability while also performing better when it comes to responsiveness and temperature regulation. Basically, for an all-foam mattress the Leesa is quite durable, but compared to materials like latex or steel coils, this is not your longest-lasting choice for a mattress.

Leesa Mattress – Policies

Trial Period

The Leesa Original comes with a 100-night, risk-free trial to help determine if you love the Leesa mattress.

It may take some time for your body to adjust to your new mattress, though, so the brand requires you to wait at least 30 days before initiating a return. Folks in the contiguous United States are eligible for a full refund, but there is a $100 return fee for customers in Alaska and Hawaii.

Warranty

Your Leesa mattress is covered by a 10-year limited warranty. This includes issues like visible indents larger than 1.5” and manufacturing defects, but only if they’re related to normal use. For more information, check out Leesa’s full warranty terms.

Two-Hour Nap Test

When I napped on the Leesa, I went to sleep on my back, and I woke up on my back. I didn’t notice any strain in my lower back and, even as a bigger guy, I didn’t feel a lack of support.

And even though I’m a hot sleeper, this wasn’t too much of an issue on the Leesa. I often wake up hot and sweaty but, paired with breathable sheets, the Leesa did not make me overheat.

Leesa Mattress – Other Factors

The scored categories aren’t the only factors that matter when it comes to choosing the right mattress. Here are a few other aspects of the Leesa Original that our team considered when evaluating it in the studio. 

Off-gassing

The Leesa is a bed-in-a-box mattress, so there was some initial off-gassing when I took it out of the box. A slight chemical smell is normal with an all-foam mattress, and it dissipated when I left the Leesa in a well-ventilated room for 48 hours. This is on the low end of off-gassing, as I typically find that the smell will last anywhere from three to seven days after unboxing a mattress.

Noise

When I moved around on the Leesa and switched positions, I didn’t hear any significant creaking or squeaking. Memory foam beds are typically very quiet, so the level of noise you experience will likely depend on the frame or foundation you use.

Sex

Couples who want a good mattress for sex will typically want to prioritize responsiveness. Given that the Leesa features bouncy LSA200 foam right on top, it shouldn’t be difficult for sexual partners to move around. In fact, it’s one of the best mattresses for sex.

Mattress Height

The Leesa mattress is 10″ tall, which is about average height for an all-foam option. There are mattresses in the 12” to 14” range, but these tend to be more expensive than the Leesa.

Price

A queen-size Leesa mattress costs $1299.00 at regular price, which is on par with most online mattress prices. But remember: With Mattress Clarity coupons, you can save even more.

Sleeping Position and Weight

In general, the Leesa Original is going to be a better fit for lighter back and side sleepers. Its all-foam and medium-firm construction mean heavier sleepers likely won’t get the support they need. Lightweight sleepers and most average-weight sleepers, on the other hand, should find plenty of support on the Leesa. Our lightweight mattress tester specifically felt good in all three sleeping positions. 

Interested in whether the Leesa will work for you? I worked with our team of testers to find out how each weight category, sleeping in each position, experiences the bed. Here’s what we found.

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

Average-weight Tester – 5’3”, 150 lbs

“While on my back and sides, I felt good on the Leesa. My body was properly supported, but, thanks to the top layer of comfort foam, there was still a good deal of conforming around the curves of my body. Stomach sleeping was a different story, however. If I were closer to 130 lbs the Leesa might be firm enough for this position, but at my weight I found that it didn’t provide enough support for my hips.” — Elisa

Heavyweight Tester – 6’2”, 235 lbs

“The only sleeping position in which I felt good on the Leesa was on my side. It was too soft for me to feel supported while on my back or my stomach. I suspect that those closer to 300 lbs wouldn’t be comfortable in any position on the Leesa.” — Daniel

Lightweight Sleepers

Lightweight back and side sleepers should feel lots of support. The high-density base foam should help keep the spine aligned, while the softer foam layers cushion pressure points. People who weigh less than 130 lbs might feel supported while stomach sleeping, but some people may prefer a firmer mattress.

Leesa Mattress Construction

Throughout this review, I’ve repeatedly referenced the Leesa Original’s all-foam construction. But what exactly does this memory foam mattress look like under the hood? And what’s so exciting about the upgraded LSA200 foam in the most recent version? I unzipped the Leesa’s cover to get a closer look.

Cover

The Leesa Original’s cover makes it one of the most easily recognizable mattresses on the market. Its light gray background with four signature white stripes stands out in a sea of mattresses draped in simple, white covers.

It’s also one of the softest mattress covers I’ve tested. The fabric is a twill knit, which means you’ll notice thin, raised diagonal lines on the surface, and it’s made of 87% polyester and 13% viscose. 

Leesa doesn’t recommend removing the cover. Instead, the brand recommends spot cleaning or using a mattress protector to keep it clean.

Comfort Layers

When I unzipped the Leesa cover, I saw three slabs of white memory foam. The first two layers are each 2” thick, but they serve different purposes. 

The very top layer is the main attraction: Leesa’s upgraded LSA200 foam. The LSA200 foam provides a similar level of support as the previous foam used, but I found the this version of the Leesa better contoured to my body. When I pressed into this material, it didn’t give too much resistance. Then, when I lifted my hand back up, the foam responded right away, following right behind my fingers. 

The next layer was a slower-moving material. It gave a bit more resistance when I pushed down, and took a second longer to return to its original form. 

Together, these layers create a mattress surface that gives the “sink in” feel of a traditional memory foam bed, while still offering enough bounce to make it easier to move around.

Support Layer

The Leesa’s bottom layer of foam doesn’t inspire as much praise, but it is an important component. The base of this mattress is 6” of standard polyfoam, a firm and supportive material that gets the job done. This isn’t as durable as the steel coils you’d find in a hybrid or innerspring mattress, though, and it isn’t as breathable.

How to Try and Buy Leesa Mattress

There’s a lot you can learn about a mattress from online research, and Leesa offers free returns within the 100-night trial period, but if you insist on trying it out before you order it there are options available. Leesa partners with West Elm and Pottery Barn to provide locations across the U.S. where you can try their mattresses in person. Check out their store locator to find the nearest store.

Once you’re ready to purchase, you’ll simply visit the Leesa website, select your preferred size of mattress, and click “Add to Cart.” Leesa’s online check-out process is straightforward, and even includes two express options, PayPal and Shop Pay. They also offer discounts for several groups, including military members, nurses, and teachers, through ID.me.

Sizes and Prices of the Leesa Original Mattress

Take a look at this chart for the most up-to-date size and price information for the Leesa mattress:

Size	Dimensions	Price
Twin	39″ x 75″	$849.00
Twin XL	39″ x 80″	$899.00
Full	53″ x 75″	$1099.00
Queen	60″ x 80″	$1299.00
King	76″ x 80″	$1599.00
California King	72″ x 84″	$1599.00

How the Leesa Compares

I’ve talked a lot about how the Leesa Original fits into the all-foam mattress market as a whole, but now I’m putting it head-to-head against some of its direct competitors. Here’s what you need to know about each of these options.

Firmness

Price

Score

Leesa Original Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Price

$849 – $1599

Score

3.9 / 5

Check Price

Read Leesa Original Mattress Review

Studio by Leesa Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Price

$549 – $999

Score

3.6 / 5

Check Price

Read Studio by Leesa Mattress Review

Purple Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Price

$999 – $2198

Score

4.1 / 5

Check Price

Read Purple Mattress Review

Casper Original Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Price

$895 – $1695

Score

3.7 / 5

Check Price

Read Casper Original Mattress Review

Leesa Original vs Studio by Leesa

The Leesa Original is what I would consider an affordable mattress, but it’s not the cheapest bed Leesa has to offer. For a Queen-size mattress, the Leesa Studio’s MSRP is about $500 lower than the Original, making it accessible for people who need to stick to a tighter budget.

The main difference between the Original and the Studio is the foam used in the top two comfort layers. While the Original features that uniquely responsive and cool LSA200 foam, the Studio opts for two layers of standard memory foam.

Although each bed is the same height, there’s only 3” of comfort foam in the Studio compared to 4” in the Original. As a result, the Original feels softer than the Studio. The Original also offers a bouncier, cooler surface, while the Studio gives the traditional “hugged” feeling of an all-foam bed and only scored a 3 out of 5 on our cooling test, which is lower than the Original – and the majority of the memory foam beds I’ve tested.

Just like not everyone wants all the bells and whistles of more expensive beds than the Original, there are certainly shoppers who may find the Studio to be a better fit. If you’re looking for a bed for your guest room, if you’re a strict back sleeper who weighs less than 230 lbs, or if you have a budget that won’t budge, the Studio could work for you.

Read our full Leesa Studio mattress review.

Leesa Original vs Purple Mattress

The Purple mattress is another popular bed-in-a-box option that’s just a few hundred dollars more expensive than the Leesa. The main difference between the Leesa and Purple mattresses can be found in their comfort layers. The Leesa features responsive LSA200 foam and memory foam, and the Purple features a unique gel grid that naturally excels at temperature regulation.

These materials give both mattresses a different feel – the Leesa boasts a responsive, balanced foam feel while the Purple has a squishy yet firm gel feel that provides different levels of pressure relief depending on how much weight is applied to it. It is easy to move around on both mattresses, but the Leesa offers more of a recognizable feel, while the Purple is very unique. 

Because of these differences, the Leesa and Purple should work better for different types of people. The Leesa will work better for lightweight people, side sleepers, and those who prefer a balanced foam feel. The Purple will be a better choice for larger people, hot sleepers, and those who want something more durable.

Read our full Leesa vs. Purple mattress comparison.

Leesa Original vs Casper Original Mattress

Like the Leesa, the Casper Original is an all-foam bed that works well for lightweight sleepers, though the Casper is slightly firmer than the Leesa. In general, these two mattresses have more commonalities than differences—they’re priced similarly, they’re both good for most back sleepers, and they’re both more responsive than the average all-foam bed. 

However, there is one area where the Leesa clearly excels over the Casper, and that’s in durability; the Leesa scored a 4/5 on this test, while the Casper scored a 3/5. The materials used in the Leesa, specifically the LSA200 foam, are more robust than those used in the Casper. I imagine you can expect the Leesa to maintain its structural integrity for several more years than the Casper mattress. 

Read our full Leesa vs. Casper mattress comparison.

Leesa Mattress FAQs

Are Leesa mattresses good?

The Leesa mattresses are indeed good and feature some high-quality components. That being said, they are a better match for certain types of people. Those who like a balanced foam feel and sleep on their back or side will enjoy the Leesa. Stomach sleepers and those who prefer more of a slow-moving memory foam feel should look elsewhere.

Do you need a box spring with a Leesa mattress?

According to the company, the Leesa mattress does not need a box spring. It can be used with any flat bed frame or foundation.

Is the Leesa mattress good for side sleepers?

The Leesa mattress should be a good fit for the majority of side sleepers. Light- and medium-weight side sleepers should feel very little pressure on their shoulders and hips. Heavyweight side sleepers, however, might press in further and feel some uncomfortable pressure in those areas.

Should you rotate a Leesa mattress?

It’s best practice to rotate your Leesa mattress once every three months. Rotating your mattress ensures even wear on all sides. It is important to note that the Leesa Original mattress is not intended to be flipped since they are designed with specific layers in a systematic order.

Leesa Mattress Video Review