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Sometimes, the hardest mattress buying decisions happen while looking at two beds from the same brand. After all, both beds are likely to feature the same customer service terms and at least some of the same materials, which can make it hard to tease out the differences. Such is the case with the original Purple and Purple Hybrid Premier mattresses.
Not sure how to choose between these two high-quality beds? We’ve got you covered. Read on for full Purple vs Purple Hybrid Premier comparison.
[Editor’s Note: The Purple Hybrid Premier is no longer available. Check out our Purple Original mattress review to learn about other Purple options.]
Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Overview
Even though both of these beds are sold by Purple and feature the brand’s proprietary Purple Grid, they’re better suited to different types of sleepers. Here’s a quick overview of which kinds of sleepers are best matched to each mattress.
Who Should Get The Purple?
Folks who want to save some money, as the Purple is more affordable than the Purple Hybrid Premier
Sleepers who prefer a firmer mattress
Medium-weight people who don’t require as much support
Who Should Get The Purple Hybrid Premier?
People who are in the market for a higher-end mattress
Folks who prefer a mattress that’s a touch softer
Side sleepers, who will benefit from additional pressure relief
Larger folks who need plenty of support
Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Video Comparison
Want to take a deep dive into these beds? Check out our in-depth video review! Our reviewer, Marten, will assess each mattress’s construction and share his experiences with sleeping in multiple positions on both the Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier.
Similarities Between The Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier?
As noted above, these beds have several factors in common.
They’re both sold by the Purple brand, so they come with the same customer service terms and warranties
They both feature a proprietary hyper-elastic gel grid polymer that creates a unique feel
They both have the same feel overall, which is squishy-yet-firm thanks to the Purple Grid
They both are very breathable mattresses that should sleep cool
Firmness And Feel Differences (Including Firmness Rating)
To really understand whether a mattress is a good fit for a particular sleeper, it’s critical to consider the bed’s firmness and feel. These factors will determine which types of sleepers are most likely to feel comfortable on a given bed. So let’s take a look at the firmness and feel on both the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier!
How Firm Are The Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Mattresses?
We ranked the Purple around a 6.5/10, and we ranked the Purple Hybrid Premier around a 5.5/10. The industry standard for medium firmness is 6.5/10, so this suggests that the original Purple is right around medium-firm while the Purple Hybrid Premier is on the softer side.
That said, note that a person’s perceptions of a mattress will vary a bit depending on their weight. For that reason, these rankings aren’t an exact science.
Sleeping On The Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Mattresses
Now, we will talk about what it feels like to actually sleep on these two mattresses:
Purple
We found the Purple to be a fantastic mattress for back sleeping. The gel grid collapsed a bit under our butt and hips to offer some pressure relief, while the rest of the mattress remains supportive to help keep the spine aligned.
While side sleeping on the original Purple, our heavier reviewer found that he activated the gel grid, collapsing the grid underneath pressure points and enjoying some cradling relief. However, note that lighter-weight folks could find that the mattress feels too firm in this position because they might not be heavy enough to activate the gel grid.
The original Purple gave us the support we need while stomach sleeping. It helped keep the hips elevated and aligned with the spine, which supports healthy spinal alignment.
Purple Hybrid Premier
For us, back sleeping on the Purple Hybrid Premier felt a lot like back sleeping on the original Purple: Our hips sank into the gel grid for some pressure relief, but not so far that they pulled the spine out of alignment. The gel grid stays upright everywhere else, and that combined with the coils provides plenty of support.
We felt amazing while side sleeping on the Purple Hybrid Premier. The thick Purple Grid made us feel weightless, and we didn’t experience any pressure at all. We definitely experienced better pressure relief in this position on the Purple Hybrid Premier than we did on the Purple.
Moving to our stomachs, we enjoyed good support overall. Our hips stay aligned with the spine, so we’re not worried about developing back pain in this position.
What Do The Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Feel Like?
Both the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier have a unique feel that’s simultaneously squishy and firm. That’s thanks to the proprietary Purple Grid, which is also very responsive and has a bouncy feel. The Purple Hybrid Premier comes with a thicker layer of the Purple Grid, which creates a softer feel overall.
Average Weight Sleepers – 130 lbs – 230 lbs
The original Purple mattress could be a great fit for average-weight back sleepers, particularly those who are on the heavier end of the spectrum. Lighter-weight folks might find that the mattress feels too firm. Same goes for side sleepers: Folks on the higher end of the spectrum might be heavy enough to activate the gel grid and enjoy some pressure relief, while sleepers on the lighter end of the weight spectrum might find that the mattress feels too firm. The original Purple should provide adequate support to average-weight stomach sleepers.
As with the original Purple, the Purple Hybrid Premier could be a great match for average-weight back sleepers, particularly folks on the heavier end of the spectrum. It should be ideal for most average-weight side sleepers because the thicker Purple Grid creates a softer, more pressure-relieving feel. The Purple Hybrid Premier should offer plenty of support to average-weight stomach sleepers thanks to the gel grid and coils.
Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230 lbs
Heavyweight back sleepers should enjoy a balance of comfort and support on the original Purple. Heavier side sleepers should activate the original Purple’s gel grid to enjoy some pressure relief around the shoulder and hip. The Purple should feel supportive enough for some heavyweight stomach sleepers, although folks who weigh more than 300 pounds might want to look for a more supportive mattress with coils.
The Purple Hybrid Premier is a great match for heavyweight back sleepers, and its coils add even more support. It’s also a stellar choice for heavyweight side sleepers, because the thicker Purple Grid provides tons of pressure relief. It is one of the best mattresses for heavy people, especially if they sleep on their sides. While this mattress should be supportive enough for some heavyweight stomach sleepers, others might find that the mattress feels too soft in this position.
Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130 lbs
Lightweight back and side sleepers will likely find that the original Purple feels too firm in these positions, because they won’t activate the gel grid in order to obtain pressure relief. The supportive nature of this mattress should be a great match for lightweight stomach sleepers.
As with the original Purple, the Purple Hybrid Premier might feel too firm for lightweight back and side sleepers. It should provide plenty of spinal support to lightweight stomach sleepers.
Mattress Construction Differences
Alright, now that we’ve taken a close look at what it feels like to sleep on top of the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier, let’s dive deep into what’s inside of these beds. We’ll assess each bed’s construction layer by layer and evaluate how these construction elements impact each mattress’s performance.
Cover
Both the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier are wrapped in a SoftFlex cover that is soft and breathable. The cover is also stretchy and flexible so that it can move with the gel grid. This means it shouldn’t impact the grid’s performance.
Comfort Layers
The top layer of the original Purple consists of 2″ of the brand’s proprietary Purple Grid, which is made from a hyper-elastic gel polymer. The grid is designed to collapse when enough pressure is applied (for pressure relief) and to stay upright everywhere else (for support). A thick foam encasement surrounds this layer and helps shore up the mattress’s edge support. Beneath the Purple Grid, the original Purple features a foam transition layer that eases the sleeper into the firmer support layer below.
The Purple Hybrid Premier’s top comfort layer is made from the same material as the original Purple’s, but instead of being 2″ thick the Purple Grid on this mattress is 4″. This thicker layer provides more pressure relief and creates a softer sleeping experience. Around the Purple Grid, there’s a thick foam encasement to strengthen the mattress’s edge support. As with the original Purple, the Purple Hybrid Premier features a foam transition layer underneath the grid.
Support Layer
Beneath the original Purple’s foam transition layer, there’s a base layer of high-density foam that provides support for the mattress overall.
The Purple Hybrid Premier’s support layer is much different than the original Purple’s because it’s made from individually wrapped coils. These coils add extra support to the mattress and are also very durable.
Mattress Height
The original Purple is 9.5″ tall, while the Purple Hybrid Premier is significantly taller at 13″.
Purple And Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Size Options And Price
To see the most up-to-date size and pricing information for the Purple and Purple Hybrid Premier mattresses, check out the charts below.
Purple
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 Hybrid Premier 4″
Size
Dimensions
Price
Twin XL
38″ x 80″
$3249.00
Full
54” x 75”
$
Queen
60″ x 80″
$3699.00
King
76″ x 80″
$4399.00
California King
72″ x 84″
$4399.00
Split King
Two 38” x 80” pieces
$6498.00
Purple Vs Purple Hybrid Premier Performance Differences
So far we’ve looked at what it feels like to sleep on top of the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier, and we’ve also assessed each bed’s construction. But we’re not done yet! We put these mattresses through a range of tests to assess their performance when it comes to motion transfer, edge support, temperature regulation, and more. Let’s see how they stack up!
For more information regarding how the Purple brand compares to others like Saatva and Nectar, make sure to also check out our mattress comparison page.
Sleeping Hot Or Cold
Both mattresses are very breathable, and the Purple Grid is made from temperature-neutral materials. It’s unlikely that folks will overheat on either mattress, but they’ll find even more breathability on the Purple Hybrid Premier thanks to its coils, which allow for lots of airflow through the mattress.
Motion Transfer
Neither mattress excels when it comes to motion transfer. Because the Purple Grid is bouncy and responsive, it doesn’t do a great job of absorbing motion. Folks who sleep with a partner might want to look for a different mattress for couples.
Edge Support
Both the Purple and Purple Hybrid Premier feature a foam encasement around the perimeter of the Purple Grid, which strengthens the edge support on both mattresses. They both have decent edge support as a result, so we’re calling this a tie.
Durability
The hyper-elastic gel polymer is a very durable material, so both the Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier should be long-lasting mattresses that don’t sag. That said, the Purple Hybrid Premier is likely to be even more durable thanks to its individually wrapped coils.
Off-Gassing
We didn’t notice significant off-gassing from either the Purple or the Purple Hybrid Premier.
Noise
Neither one of these beds is a noisy mattress. However, there might be a touch of noise on the Purple Hybrid Premier because it includes coils.
Sex
The best mattress for sex is usually one that makes it easy to move around on top of the mattress and that doesn’t make partners feel stuck in the bed’s comfort layers. Both the original Purple and the Purple Hybrid Premier should be a good fit, because the bouncy and responsive Purple Grid makes it easy to move around on top of each mattress.
Warranty Info
Both the original Purple mattress and the Purple Hybrid Premier come with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
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Marten Carlson
Lead Mattress Reviewer
About Author
Marten has been writing about mattresses and sleep health for six years. He is the lead reviewer at Mattress Clarity where he tests mattresses, bedding, and sleep accessories.
In his role here, Marten’s reviewed over 500 mattresses and 150 sleep accessories (so you can rest assured that if he recommends a product, it’s been put through the wringer in our Austin studio). In addition, he has written more than 400 articles reviewing the quality of sleep and sleep products as well as sleep health. He’s especially interested in the correlation between sleep and mental health.
Marten’s also got a personal stake in sleep health. After writing dozens of pieces on the dangers of sleep apnea, he decided to get tested for the condition. Realizing he did, in fact, suffer from sleep apnea, he immediately started using a CPAP machine. He knows all too well the importance of a healthy night’s sleep and is passionate about helping others get the healthy, restorative sleep they deserve.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Film Production from Denison University and his master’s degree in Film Studies from Emory University.
The original Purple gave us the support we need while stomach sleeping. It helped keep the hips elevated and aligned with the spine, which supports healthy spinal alignment.
Purple Hybrid Premier
For us, back sleeping on the Purple Hybrid Premier felt a lot like back sleeping on the original Purple: Our hips sank into the gel grid for some pressure relief, but not so far that they pulled the spine out of alignment. The gel grid stays upright everywhere else, and that combined with the coils provides plenty of support.
We felt amazing while side sleeping on the Purple Hybrid Premier. The thick Purple Grid made us feel weightless, and we didn’t experience any pressure at all. We definitely experienced better pressure relief in this position on the Purple Hybrid Premier than we did on the Purple.
Moving to our stomachs, we enjoyed good support overall. Our hips stay aligned with the spine, so we’re not worried about developing back pain in this position.
The Purple Hybrid Premier’s top comfort layer is made from the same material as the original Purple’s, but instead of being 2″ thick the Purple Grid on this mattress is 4″. This thicker layer provides more pressure relief and creates a softer sleeping experience. Around the Purple Grid, there’s a thick foam encasement to strengthen the mattress’s edge support. As with the original Purple, the Purple Hybrid Premier features a foam transition layer underneath the grid.
