If you’re looking for a high-quality mattress from a legacy brand, chances are you’ve considered both Stearns and Foster and Sealy. Two of their most popular mattresses are the Stearns and Foster Lux Estate and the Sealy Posturepedic. While these are both comfortable mattresses, they aren’t identical. So which one is best for you?
To help you find out, I personally tested both mattresses and assessed their firmness levels, cooling capabilities, durability, motion isolation and overall feel. Keep reading to learn which mattress will best meet your sleep needs.
Editor’s Note: I tested the Medium Pillow Top model of the Stearns & Foster Lux Estate mattress as well as the soft model of the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid.
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Stearns and Foster Vs Sealy Overview
Both Stearns and Foster and Sealy have been in business since the 1800s, and unlike many modern companies, these manufacturers don’t compress beds into boxes. If you purchase from either company, you can sleep on the mattress right away—no need to wait for the bed to off-gas and expand.
Both companies sell a variety of mattresses in many different firmness levels. For this comparison, I’ll focus on the two most popular models: The Stearns and Foster Lux Estate in the Medium Pillow Top and the soft model of the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid.
| Who Should Get Stearns and Foster | Who Should Get Sealy |
| People who want a particularly luxurious mattress | People who want to save money |
| Those who like beds with tufted pillow tops | Those who want a mattress with a balanced hybrid feel |
| People who want more firmness options | People who want either a soft or a firm mattress |
Stearns and Foster Vs Sealy Mattress Video Comparison
Stearns and Foster vs Sealy: Similarities and Differences
Before I dive into all of the details, I’ll go over the main similarities and differences between the Stearns and Foster and Sealy mattresses
| Similarities | Differences |
| They’re both hybrid mattresses, which means they have coils at the bottom and foam on top. | The Stearns and Foster Lux Estate mattress costs more than the Sealy Posturepedic. |
| These are not bed-in-a-box mattresses. | The Stearns and Foster mattress is available in three firmness levels, while the Sealy is only available in two. |
| These mattresses work well for hot sleepers, because the coils promote airflow. | The Stearns and Foster Lux Estate mattress is available with and without a pillow top. |
| Both mattresses isolate motion well, which makes them good options for couples. If you share a bed with a partner, you shouldn’t feel their movement come over to your side of the bed. |
Firmness and Feel Differences
The standard firmness scale ranges from 1-10, with 6.5/10 representing medium-firm. This happens to be exactly what the Stearns and Foster mattress feels like. The medium pillow top model offers a bit of cushioning, while still providing ample lumbar support.
The Sealy Posturepedic feels slightly softer than the Stearns and Foster, coming in at 6/10 on the firmness scale. The soft model of the Posturepedic has a plush foam layer, which allows sleepers to gently sink into the top of the bed. If you need a bit more pressure relief, this may be a good choice.
Sleeping On the Stearns and Foster and Sealy
As an average-weight person who is 5’3”, I felt very comfortable on the Stearns and Foster mattress. The supportive coils helped me maintain the proper spinal alignment while back sleeping, and I didn’t feel any back pain.
I also felt great pressure relief whenever I slept on my side, but this greatly depends on your body type. Marten, who is 6’7”, said he felt some tension along his shoulders and hips in this sleeping position. If you’re an average-weight side sleeper, like myself, the Stearns and Foster could be a good choice.
If you’re a stomach sleeper, you may want to opt for the firm model of the Stearns and Foster. The medium pillow top option wasn’t supportive enough to keep my hips elevated in this position. Over time, I would probably develop lower back pain.
In my experience, the Sealy Posturepedic mattress is decent for back sleepers. When I slept in this position, I felt my hips sink out of alignment slightly. This won’t be too much of a problem for lightweight sleepers, but many back sleepers will prefer the firm model.
I felt great whenever I slept on my side on the Sealy Posturepedic. The soft foams cushioned my shoulders and hips, and I felt no pain whatsoever.
I wouldn’t recommend the soft model for stomach sleepers, though. Because it feels like a 6/10 on our firmness scale, the Sealy Posturepedic mattress doesn’t offer enough hip support for stomach sleepers. If you rest in this sleeping position, you may want to get the firm model instead.
What Do The Stearns and Foster And Sealy Mattresses Feel Like?
These two mattresses feel pretty similar. The Stearns and Foster mattress has a classic pillow top feel. There is a thick layer of TEMPUR foam on top, but it doesn’t have a traditional slow-moving feel. The coils make this mattress feel responsive and bouncy, so it’s easy to move around on top of the bed.
The Sealy Posturepedic mattress has a balanced hybrid feel. It’s more slow-moving than the Stearns and Foster, but the coils make it feel fairly responsive. When I rested on top of this mattress, I felt the foam layer cushion my joints and the coils support my spine.
Stearns and Foster
| Sleeper Weight | Back Sleepers | Side Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Lightweight (Under 130 lb) | Excellent | Excellent | Fair |
| Average (130 – 230 lb) | Excellent | Good | Fair |
| Heavyweight (Over 230 lb) | Good | Fair | Bad |
Sealy
| Sleeper Weight | Back Sleepers | Side Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Lightweight (Under 130 lb) | Excellent | Excellent | Fair |
| Average (130 – 230 lb) | Good | Excellent | Fair |
| Heavyweight (Over 230 lb) | Fair | Fair | Bad |
Average Weight Sleepers – 130 lb – 230 lb
The Stearns and Foster mattress (in the medium pillow top option) works well for average weight back and side sleepers. The coils are supportive enough to promote the proper spinal alignment, and the TEMPUR material helps alleviate pain along pressure points. This mattress isn’t quite firm enough for average weight stomach sleepers, though. In this sleeping position, average weight people may feel their hips sinking out of alignment. If this is your preferred sleeping position, you may want to get the firm model.
The Sealy Posturepedic is also a good match for back and side sleepers. However, back sleepers who weigh closer to 200 lb may need a bit more lumbar support, because the soft foam layer may not promote the proper spinal alignment. Side sleepers should feel lots of body contouring and pressure relief on the Posturepedic soft model. But like the Stearns and Foster, this model of the Sealy Posturepedic isn’t supportive enough for stomach sleepers.
Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230 lb
The Stearns and Foster mattress could work well for heavyweight back sleepers who weigh closer to 230 lb, but people who weigh over 300 lb may need to get a mattress designed specifically for heavy people. Even the firm model of the Stearns and Foster mattress probably won’t offer enough lumbar support for heavier people. I also don’t think the Stearns and Foster mattress works particularly well for heavyweight side and stomach sleepers. Heavyweight side sleepers may feel some pressure along their shoulders and hips, and stomach sleepers will probably develop lower back pain because they won’t get enough hip support.
The Sealy Posturepedic is too soft for most heavyweight people. If you weigh more than 230 lb, you may feel yourself sinking into the thick foam layers, which could put pressure along your joints. The firm model of the Posturepedic may be a better option or check out our page of the best mattresses for heavy people.
Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130 lb
Both mattresses work well for lightweight back and side sleepers. People who weigh less than 130 lb won’t compress the top layers too much, so they should feel supported and comfortable. Because these mattresses fall within the medium-firm range, they aren’t the best choice for lightweight stomach sleepers. If you fall in this category, you may want to consider getting one of the best firm mattresses.
Mattress Construction Differences
Now, let’s see how these mattresses differ in terms of construction. I’ll peel back the covers and explain each layer.
Cover
The Stearns and Foster mattress has a cover made out of cooling Tencel fabric. This material feels particularly luxurious, and it helps dissipate body heat.
The Sealy Posturepedic has a stretch knit cover that feels cool to the touch. This material is also antimicrobial, which helps the mattress stay clean longer.
Comfort Layers
The Stearns and Foster mattress has a thick layer of TEMPUR-Indulge Memory Foam on top, which is similar to what you’ll find in many TEMPUR-Pedic mattresses. This dense material offers both comfort and support.
The Sealy Posturepedic has two comfort layers. The first one consists of Sealy’s ComfortSense Gel memory foam, which has a slow-moving feel. The gel-infusion is meant to help pull heat away from the body. Underneath this sits a transition layer made with dense SealySupport Gel Foam. This section helps prevent sleepers from “bottoming out” on the mattress.
Support Layer
The Stearns and Foster mattress has a thick layer of coils at the bottom. These don’t just promote airflow—they also strengthen the mattress’s edge support.
The Sealy Posturepedic’s support layer is similar. There’s a layer of encased coils at the bottom, which helps keep the mattress cool and gives it a bouncy feel. The Posturepedic also has a layer of DuraFlex coils around the edge, which helps strengthen the sides of the mattress.
Mattress Height
The Stearns and Foster mattress is 16” tall, and the Sealy Posturepedic is 13” tall.
Stearns and Foster and Sealy Performance Differences
In addition to assessing each mattress’s construction, firmness and feel, I ran them through a number of tests to see how well they performed. Keep reading to learn more about each mattress’ cooling features, motion transfer, edge support, durability and more.
Sleeping Hot or Cold
Both mattresses have cooling covers and airflow-promoting coils, so they don’t trap a lot of body heat. However, the Sealy Posturepedic has a slight advantage over the Stearns and Foster because it contains gel-infused memory foam. This material helps pull heat away from the body, so if you’re a particularly hot sleeper, you may want to consider the Posturepedic.
Motion Transfer
Both mattresses isolate motion well, thanks to their thick comfort layers. If you share a bed with a partner, you shouldn’t feel their movements come over to your side of the bed—no matter which mattress you choose. For this reason, these are two of the best mattresses for couples.
Edge Support
Edge support is another element that couples may want to consider; if a mattress has poor edge support, it forces both people to sleep closer toward the center of the mattress.
Both mattresses have reinforced edges, which make the sides of the mattresses feel particularly supportive. That said, the Stearns and Foster’s edge support is slightly better. I felt myself sink deeper into the Sealy Posturepedic mattress, because its comfort layer isn’t very dense. I didn’t feel like I would roll off the side of the Sealy mattress, but its edge support definitely wasn’t as strong as what I felt on the Stearns and Foster.
Durability
The Stearns and Foster mattress is 3” taller than the Sealy Posturepedic, and its comfort layer is more dense. For this reason, I expect the Stearns and Foster mattress to last longer than the Posturepedic. The Stearns and Foster mattress could last over a decade, while the Sealy may only last 7-10 years.
Off-Gassing
Bed-in-a-box mattresses often emit a chemical smell after they’re opened, which we call “off-gassing.” But because the Stearns and Foster and Sealy mattresses aren’t ever compressed into cardboard boxes, you won’t have to worry about this.
Noise
When I tested both mattresses, I didn’t hear any noise. It’s possible the coils could start to squeak as the years go on, however.
Sex
Couples looking for one of the best mattresses for sex typically want beds that are easy to move around on. Both mattresses have a bouncy and responsive feel, which should work for sexual partners. But because the Stearns and Foster’s comfort layer is less slow-moving, it may have a slight advantage over the Sealy in this department.
Stearns and Foster vs Sealy Mattress Size Options and Price
Take a look at our charts for the most up-to-date pricing and size information. Please note: These charts reflect prices before any discounts or promotions.
Stearns and Foster Lux Estate
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
| Twin Long | 38″ x 80″ | $2899.00 |
| Queen | 60″ x 80″ | $2999.00 |
| King | 76″ x 80″ | $3599.00 |
| California King | 72″ x 84″ | $3599.00 |
| Split King | 521270 | $5798.00 |
| Split California King | 72″ x 84″ | $5798.00 |
Sealy Posturepedic
|
Size |
Dimensions |
Price |
|
Twin |
38″ x 74″ |
$1149.00 |
|
Twin XL |
38″ x 79″ |
$1189.00 |
|
Full |
53″ x 74″ |
$1199.00 |
|
Queen |
60″ x 79″ |
$1249.00 |
|
King |
76″ x 79″ |
$1579.00 |
|
California King |
72″ x 83″ |
$1579.00 |
Company Policies
Though it may be tempting to quickly add one of these mattresses to your cart, I always urge shoppers to read the fine print before purchasing. Here’s a quick overview of the Stearns and Foster and Sealy company policies.
Warranty
Both mattresses are backed by 10-year warranties.
Sleep Trial
Both mattresses come with a 90-night sleep trial period, which gives customers about a three-month window to issue a return.
Return Policy
If you’re not a fan of either mattress, you can issue a return during the 90-day trial window and receive a full refund. Please note: You may not be able to return either mattress if you purchase from a third-party retailer. Make sure to order directly from the brand’s website for the best customer service experience.
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FAQs
Which mattress is better, Stearns and Foster or Sealy?
Both mattresses work well for most back and side sleepers, and they both offer a great balance of comfort and support. The Stearns and Foster mattress has a higher price point, though, because it’s made with luxurious and long-lasting materials.
How long will the Stearns and Foster and Sealy mattresses last?
The Stearns and Foster mattress is more durable than the Sealy Posturepedic, because it is 3” thicker and contains higher-quality materials. I expect the Stearns and Foster mattress to last at least a decade, while the Sealy Posturepedic may only last 7-10 years.
Can you flip a Stearns and Foster or Sealy mattresses?
No, neither mattress is flippable. They both contain coils in the support layer and comfort foams on top. If you flipped either mattress, you wouldn’t feel comfortable.