Molecule Mattress Review – Will You Wake Up Recovered?

The Molecule mattress is a very new addition to the bed-in-a-box mattress market. It is an all-foam mattress designed to keep people cool and help you recover.

It has a thick comfort layer, so I was interested to see if it would also relieve pressure well.  This review will go over everything consumers should know about this mattress, including a full breakdown of the construction, the pros and cons, comfort, support, durability, breathability, and much more.

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

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5

3.9

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4.5

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3.5

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5

Note: Looking for a mattress with stronger support and durability? Check out our Best Mattresses That Won’t Sag.

Note: Looking for a mattress with stronger support and durability? Check out our Best Mattresses That Won’t Sag.

Who Might Like The Molecule…

• Average-weight side sleepers- This is a softer-than-average mattress with a thicker comfort layer. This means it could be a good choice for some side sleepers. People should feel nice pressure relief on their shoulders and hips.
• People who sleep hot- This mattress has very breathable components which help keep the mattress cool. The cover is designed to wick away moisture, the top layer is open-celled and breathable, and the transition layer has channels for airflow. People shouldn’t be overheating on this mattress at all.
• Those who prefer to sleep “in” their mattress- Lying down on this mattress, people definitely sink in quite a bit. This has a bit of that classic memory foam feeling where people slowly compress into the mattress. If people like the feeling of sleeping “in” their mattress, the Molecule could be a good choice for them.

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MOLECULE 1 Mattress

The MOLECULE 1 is an all-foam mattress designed to keep sleepers cool at night.

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Mattress Clarity Score

3.90 / 5.0

 

RELATED: Best Mattresses For Side Sleepers

Who May Not Like The Molecule…

• Back or stomach sleepers- This mattress is quite soft and may not provide people with the necessary support when they are on their back and stomach. People may feel their hips sinking in, taking their spine out of alignment. If this is the case, people should consider a mattress that is firmer overall.
• People who are on the heavier side- Especially when on their sides, larger people may press through that soft upper layer and feel the firmer layers beneath. This may mean people don’t get the best pressure relief on their shoulders or hips. Also, larger people often require more support on their backs and stomachs. This softer mattress may be too soft in those positions.
• Those who need a more supportive mattress- Again, this is a softer mattress, so if someone is a larger person or just want some extra support, they may want to look for a firmer mattress.

RELATED: Best Mattresses For Stomach Sleepers

Construction Overview

• The mattress is 12” tall and features a fairly simple construction with three separate foam layers.
• The cover is soft and cool to the touch, and it doesn’t affect the overall feel of the mattress significantly.
• The first layer is 3” of a very soft, open-celled memory foam, which gives the mattress great softness, pressure relief, and body contouring.
• Then there are 2” of a slightly firmer transition layer that acts as a buffer between the memory foam and support layer.
• Finally, there is a 7” polyfoam base layer, which is a pretty standard base layer in the industry.
• The foams in this mattress are CertiPUR-US® certified, meaning they are more eco-friendly than standard foams.

Construction Takeaways

• The Molecule is available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King, basically any size a consumer could want.
• The top layer is soft but fast to respond, so people will sink in, but they shouldn’t feel “stuck” in the mattress.
• This layer is also quite breathable, which helps ensure this mattress stays cool while people sleep. In addition, the transition layer has air channels built in to promote airflow, so people shouldn’t be overheating on the Molecule.
• The soft comfort layer on the Molecule is quite thick, so it could be a great match for some side sleepers, even heavier ones. The mattress should relieve pressure on the shoulders and hips for average-weight side sleepers.
• However, heavier sleepers may press through the soft upper layer and feel the firmer transition layer and base layer beneath. They may feel some pressure on their shoulders and hips.

Firmness/Feel

For me, the mattress felt like a 6 out of 10 on a firmness scale, or a bit softer than average compared to other mattresses reviewed on this website. I think this is because the mattress has a very soft upper layer and then a firmer transition layer and firm base layer beneath. These combine to give the mattress that somewhat softer-than-average firmness.

When I laid on my back and my stomach, I definitely needed more support and firmness, as I could feel my hips sinking in both of these positions. I think a firmer mattress would be a better fit if people sleep primarily on their back or stomach.

The mattress felt best when I was on my side, and there was some decent pressure relief on my shoulders and hips. However, I did feel a bit of firmness in those areas. I think heavier people may feel this firmness even more as they press through the soft upper layer and feel the firmer layers beneath.

The Molecule has a balanced foam feel overall where it isn’t too difficult to move around. At the same time, that soft upper layer has more of the classic memory foam feel. People will definitely sink so that they sleep more “in” the mattress instead of “on” the mattress.

Motion Isolation

The Molecule is an all-foam mattress, so I expected it to perform well with motion isolation. I put a water glass on the mattress and rolled around on the other side of the mattress. I also pressed into the mattress in the area around the glass. In both instances, the glass was barely disturbed, which is a great sign for couples.

We also asked our staff writer Marten to move around on one side of the mattress while I was lying down on the other side. He got in and out of bed and rolled around as well. This was all meant to mimic the motions someone’s partner might make during the night.

I barely felt Marten’s motions on my side of the mattress, which makes me think this could be a good mattress for couples who don’t want to be disturbed by their partner’s movements.

Edge Support

All-foam mattresses aren’t always the best with edge support. They tend to collapse when people sit near the edge, and this was definitely the case with the Molecule.

I felt like I might fall off if I needed to lean forward and tie my shoes. When I was on my back, I didn’t feel like I was going to be thrown off the mattress. However, I have definitely felt more secure on other mattresses. Overall, the edge support isn’t a highlight of the Molecule given that it is all-foam and softer-than-average.

People can see the edge support in the photo below and how easily the mattress collapses.

Marten’s Take

Marten is a staff writer for us and has a much different body type: He is 6’7″ and weighs about 230 lb; I am 5’9″ and 160 lb. Here is what he thought about the mattress and how appropriate they are for heavier sleepers:

Joe thought it was a 6/10 for firmness and I thought it was a 6.5/10, most likely because of the soft upper layer. When I’m on my side, I press through the upper layer and feel the firmer layers beneath.

On my back, my hips sink in probably too far. On my stomach, I also feel my hips sink in and I feel my back bowing in.

I think, overall, I was too heavy for this mattress, so if someone is a larger person, this might not be the best match for them.

Marten’s experience was not surprising to me. He is a larger person, so when he was on his side, he pushed down to the firmer bottom layers. When he was on his side and back, he needed more support. We also seem to agree that this mattress may not be a good fit for most back and stomach sleepers.

What Makes This Mattress Stand Out?

• This softer-than-average mattress has a thicker comfort layer. This means it could be a good mattress for some side sleepers (particularly side sleepers who are not on the heavier side).
• The very soft top layer allows people to sink in quite a bit. This could be a good choice for those who prefer sleeping “in” their mattress instead of “on” their mattress.
• At the same time, this foam is responsive, so people should be able to move around on the mattress with no real issues. People get pressure relief without feeling “stuck.”
• The cooling components of this all-foam mattress should keep people from sleeping hot. Overheating is often an issue with memory foam mattresses, but I don’t think that is the case here.

Unboxing This Mattress

The Molecule mattress is a bed-in-a-box mattress, which means it will come compressed and be shipped straight to the shopper’s door. People will want to begin by removing the rolled up Molecule mattress from its box. Then, preferably with another person’s assistance, position the roll on the bed.

Carefully cut away the first layers of plastic until the still-compact mattress can be laid down flat. Then, pierce through the final layer of plastic and the Molecule will expand. Simply clear away the excess plastic and allow the mattress to breathe and fully expand.

The Molecule could be a nice fit for some side sleepers as well as those who prefer to sleep “in” their mattress rather than “on” their mattress. Also, while this is an all-foam mattress, it handles the issue of overheating very well. People shouldn’t be sleeping hot on this mattress.

That being said, if someone is a larger person, they may have a different experience. When someone is on their side, they may press through the soft upper layer and feel those firm layers beneath. Also, back and stomach sleepers of many sizes may need more support than this mattress has to offer.

The Molecule comes with a 365-night risk-free trial, Limited Lifetime Warranty, and free shipping. Financing is also available.