Leesa vs Tempur-Pedic: Which Should You Get?

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Leesa and Tempurpedic are two very popular mattress companies that have seen great success using different business models. Leesa has been one of the main leaders of the online-only trend that seems to be growing in popularity every week, while Tempur-Pedic has experienced tremendous growth over the past couple of decades selling through retail stores.   People are starting to wonder how the Leesa compares to the various mattress Tempur-Pedic offers. I’ll try to go through the main highlights in this Leesa vs Tempur-Pedic comparison to help you make a better decision.

Leesa vs. Tempur-Pedic Mattress Overview

Related: Best Organic Mattresses

Key Similarities

  • Both have mattresses containing all foam (except for Tempur-Pedic’s Flex collection)
  • Both have memory foam in all or a portion of the comfort layer

Key Differences

  • Leesa sells just one mattress with one firmness level, while Tempur-Pedic has a full line of mattresses with different feels and a full range of firmness levels
  • Leesa sells its mattress for less than every single Tempur-Pedic model
  • Tempur-Pedic has been in business much longer, so you have the benefit of thousands of reviews over a long period of time

Main Construction and Feel

Leesa uses cooling foam in its top layer, making the mattress breathable.  The feel of this layer is pressure-relieving while being very responsive (like latex) at the same time.  This means when you move around, the foam immediately responds to your movement.  Check out the video for a quick demonstration.
This feel is quite different from the Tempur-Pedic models (except for perhaps the Flex collection).  With Tempur-Pedic, the memory foam in the top layer is slow-moving.  You will slowly sink into the mattress and have it contour around you. Is slower or faster-moving foam better?  Well, that just depends on your personal preference, so you should figure out which type of feel you like before you make a decision.

Motion Isolation

Tempur-Pedic is well known for the ability of its mattresses to isolate motion.  Leesa does a pretty good job with this as well, but I would have to say Tempur-Pedic has the edge on this factor.  Check out the video below showing off the motion isolation capabilities of the Leesa.

Breathability and Sleeping Cool

If you look at a picture of the different foam layers of the Leesa, you’ll see that the top layer of cooling foam is convoluted.  Because of that, the mattress is very breathable and in my experience provided a cool sleeping surface.  Tempur-Pedic has addressed the issue of sleeping hot with its Breeze models.  From reading tons and tons of reviews, people tend to agree it does a great job of keeping a cool sleeping surface (check out my Cloud Luxe Breeze review), but you have to pay $1,000 extra to get a Breeze model.

Price and Value

The Leesa is priced so much less than the Tempur-Pedic mattresses because of its online-only business model.  By selling direct-to-consumer, Leesa avoids all the costs and markups associated with selling into retail stores.  Because of this, you can probably get a better value from the Leesa.

Pick Leesa If:

  • You Want a Little More Value– Because Leesa only sells online, it is able to price its mattress at level much lower than Tempur-Pedic is able to.  For that reason, you can probably get a little more value from Leesa.
  • You Want a Breathable Mattress Without Paying Extra– The convoluted cooling foam that Leesa uses in its top layer is very breathable and makes for a nice and cool sleeping surface.  Tempur-Pedic has addressed the issue of sleeping hot with its Breeze models, but you have to pay $1,000 extra for them.
  • You Want a Balanced Feel– The Leesa has a medium firmness and I would describe the mattress as having a balanced feel.  You sink into the mattress just a little bit and it’s a good fit for most people in any sleeping position.

Leesa Original Mattress

the Leesa mattress sits on top of a bed frame

Made with responsive foam, the Leesa Original mattress works well for side sleepers and hot sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.9/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$849 – $1599

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review

Leesa Original Mattress

the Leesa mattress sits on top of a bed frame

Made with responsive foam, the Leesa Original mattress works well for side sleepers and hot sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.9/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$849 – $1599

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review
the Leesa mattress sits on top of a bed frame

Leesa Original Mattress

Made with responsive foam, the Leesa Original mattress works well for side sleepers and hot sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.9/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$849 – $1599

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review
Get the Highest Discount Available on Leesa HERE

Pick Tempur-Pedic If:

  • You Like Slow-Moving Memory Foam– If you like slowly sinking into your mattress and having it envelop you, Tempur-Pedic is going to be the way to go.
  • You Know the Exact Firmness You Want– Tempur-Pedic gives you a plethora of firmness options, so you should be able to pinpoint the exact firmness level that you like.
  • You Want to Buy From a Long-Established Brand– With Tempur-Pedic, you get to buy from a brand that has thousands of reviews spanning many years.  If you want to buy from a more established brand, then potentially Tempur-Pedic is the way to go.

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress

tempur cloud airtable

The Tempur-Cloud promises to provide the soft comfort consumers have come to expect from Tempur-Pedic mattresses, but for a more affordable price.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

90 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$1699 – $3398

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.4/5
Watch Our Video Review

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress

tempur cloud airtable

The Tempur-Cloud promises to provide the soft comfort consumers have come to expect from Tempur-Pedic mattresses, but for a more affordable price.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

90 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$1699 – $3398

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.4/5
Watch Our Video Review
tempur cloud airtable

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress

The Tempur-Cloud promises to provide the soft comfort consumers have come to expect from Tempur-Pedic mattresses, but for a more affordable price.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

90 nights

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$1699 – $3398

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.4/5
Watch Our Video Review
See All Tempur-Pedic Models HERE

Overall

The feel and price differences are pretty vast, so I think if you take a look at the main differences I’ve laid out, you should be able to make a more informed decision. Related: Best Tempur-Pedic Mattress

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Joe Auer

Joe Auer

Founder/Managing Editor

About Author

Joe is the founder of Mattress Clarity and has been reviewing mattresses and other sleep products for more than five years. Joe knows a lot about mattresses, having tested more than 100 personally. Through his experience, he has developed a straightforward and practical approach to making mattress recommendations.

Joe does not believe there is one best mattress for everyone and that a more tailored approach is often the most helpful to mattress shoppers. He tries to make clear what types of sleepers a particular mattress would be good for. He also notes what considerations people should make when looking at a particular type of bed.

His extensive knowledge of mattresses, and the mattress industry, has garnered him some media attention. He’s been interviewed and featured in several online publications, including Inc.om, Business Insider, New York Magazine, Huffington Post, and Forbes.

Thanks to his expertise, Joe has tested countless approaches to improving his own sleep quality. He has two top sleep tips that he’s benefitted from personally. He limits his caffeine consumption to 100 mg a day and meditates for 15 minutes daily.

Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University, where he studied entrepreneurship.

When he isn’t reviewing mattresses, Joe loves to play classical piano, read fiction and non-fiction, and travel.