We receive free products to review and participate in affiliate programs, where we are compensated for items purchased through links from our site. See our disclosure page for more information.
The WinkBed and the Helix are both popular bed-in-a-box mattresses. They’re also both hybrid mattresses that layer foam over coils. But don’t let those similarities fool you; each of these beds is best suited to particular types of sleepers.
Which is right for you: the WinkBed or the Helix? Find out in our comprehensive WinkBed vs. Helix comparison! We’ve pitted the WinkBed Luxury Firm model against the Helix Midnight and personally tested everything from firmness and feel to construction, performance, and more. Let’s see how these beds stack up!
The WinkBed Luxury Firm and the Helix Midnight are both quality hybrid mattresses, but they’re each better suited to certain types of sleepers than others. Here’s a quick look at who’s most likely to prefer sleeping on each bed.
Who Should Get The WinkBed?
People who want a slightly more luxurious mattress
Those who love a traditional innerspring feel
People who need more support
Learn more about the WinkBed in our in-depth WinkBed mattress review.Who Should Get The Helix Midnight?
People who are looking to spend less
Folks who enjoy a slower-moving feel on top
Side sleepers
Get up close and personal with the Helix in our comprehensive Helix mattress review.
WinkBed Vs. Helix Mattress Video Comparison – 2024
Want to see these beds in action? Check out our WinkBed vs Helix in-depth video comparison! Our reviewer, Marten, will assess each bed’s construction and share his experiences with sleeping in all positions on each mattress.
Key Similarities Between The WinkBed and Helix Midnight
Even though the WinkBed and the Helix are made by different mattress brands, they have several things in common. Here’s a quick overview.
Both beds are sold by companies with great customer service terms.
These are both hybrid mattresses that feature coils underneath some plusher layers. That being said, we sometimes classify the WinkBed as an innerspring mattress because of its traditional innerspring feel.
They’re similar in terms of firmness.
Both mattresses should be very breathable.
Key Differences Between The WinkBed and Helix Midnight
While the WinkBed and Helix have several similarities, they’re certainly not the same bed. Here’s a glance at some of the ways in which these beds differ.
The WinkBed mattress comes in four firmnesses, while the Helix Midnight is one of many Helix models with different firmnesses and feels.
Speaking of feel: The WinkBed has more of a classic innerspring mattress feel, while the Helix has more of a slow-moving feel on top.
The WinkBed features zoning for added lumbar support, while the Helix does not.
At full price, the Helix costs less than the WinkBed.
Firmness and Feel Differences
One of the fastest ways to identify key similarities and differences between two beds is to look at their firmness and feel. These factors play a big role in determining whether a mattress will be well-suited to your preferred sleep position(s) and other sleep needs. So let’s take a look at the firmness and feel of both the WinkBed and Helix!
How Firm Are The WinkBed and Helix Midnight Mattresses?
We ranked both the WinkBed Luxury Firm and the Helix Midnight around 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The industry standard for average firmness is 6.5/10, so this suggests both beds are a bit firmer than average.
Of course, firmness is slightly subjective. Depending on your body weight and personal preferences, you might find that one or both of these mattresses feels a touch firmer or softer than our assessment.
Sleeping On The WinkBed and Helix Midnight Mattresses
We personally tested each of these mattresses. Here’s an overview of our experience in every position.
WinkBed
While back-sleeping on the WinkBed Luxury Firm, we enjoyed a pleasant balance of comfort and support. The zoning provided extra lumbar support that helped keep our spine aligned all night long.
We experienced a bit too much pressure while side-sleeping on this mattress. Side sleepers will probably want to consider the Softer model or another mattress for side sleepers.
We enjoyed decent support while stomach-sleeping on the Luxury Firm model of the WinkBed. If you spend all night in this position, you might want the extra support of the Firmer model.
Helix Midnight
We felt great while back-sleeping on the Helix Midnight. We enjoyed a good balance of comfort and support in this position.
We experienced better pressure relief while side-sleeping on the Helix than we did on the WinkBed. That’s probably because of the slower-moving comfort layers, which offer some body contouring around the shoulder and hip.
While stomach-sleeping on the Helix, we didn’t obtain quite enough spinal support. Folks who spend a good portion of the night on their stomachs will want to look for a more supportive mattress for stomach sleepers.
What Do The WinkBed and Helix Mattresses Feel Like?
The WinkBed has an innerspring feel with a plush pillow-top. The bed is fairly bouncy and responsive, and sleepers should find it easy to move around on top of this mattress.
The Helix has a balanced hybrid feel. Its top layers have a bit of the slow-moving feel that’s associated with memory foam. While it’s not quite as responsive as the WinkBed, sleepers shouldn’t feel stuck in this bed thanks to the bounce from the coils.
Average-Weight Sleepers: 130 lb–230 lb
Average-weight back sleepers should enjoy a bit of pressure relief and plenty of spinal support on the WinkBed Luxury Firm (including especially good lumbar support). Average-weight side sleepers will probably want to look for a mattress that offers more pressure relief; the Helix could do the trick. The WinkBed should be a great, supportive match for average-weight stomach sleepers.
Average-weight back sleepers should find a balance of comfort and support on the Helix, though they’ll find a bit more spinal support on the WinkBed. Average-weight side sleepers should obtain adequate pressure relief on the Helix Midnight. The Helix is probably not supportive enough for average-weight stomach sleepers.
Heavyweight Sleepers: Over 230 lb
Heavyweight sleepers could obtain adequate support on the WinkBed Luxury Firm, although some folks might want to consider the WinkBed Plus model (which is made specifically for larger people). The WinkBed will probably feel a bit too firm for heavyweight side sleepers, who are likely to press through the softer comfort layers into the firmer support layers underneath. Heavyweight stomach sleepers who weigh close to 230 pounds might find enough spinal support on the WinkBed, but for the most part folks in this category will probably prefer the more supportive WinkBed Plus.
In general, the Helix Midnight is probably not the best match for heavyweight sleepers. It almost certainly isn’t supportive enough for stomach-sleeping; it might not be supportive enough for back-sleeping; and it will probably feel too firm for side-sleeping. Heavyweight folks might want to check out our best mattresses for heavy people.
Lightweight Sleepers: Under 130 lb
The WinkBed Luxury Firm should be a decent match for lightweight sleepers overall. It’s supportive enough for back and stomach sleepers, and it should offer enough pressure relief for side sleepers. That said, note that lightweight side sleepers will probably obtain even better pressure relief on the Helix Midnight.
The Helix Midnight should also be a solid match for all types of lightweight sleepers. Back and stomach sleepers should obtain adequate spinal support, while side sleepers should enjoy some nice pressure relief on this bed.
Mattress Construction Differences
Thus far, we’ve been familiarizing ourselves with what it feels like to sleep on the surface of the WinkBed Luxury Firm and the Helix Midnight. Now, let’s dive beneath the surface and take a close look at the construction on each of these beds! We’ll assess each mattress’s construction layer by layer and share how different materials influence performance and feel.
Cover
The WinkBed Luxury Firm comes with a Tencel cover that’s tufted with multiple layers of gel-infused foam. This creates some softness right off the bat, while the Tencel and the gel infusion both help the surface of the mattress sleep cool
The Helix Midnight boasts a Breathe Knit cover that is soft to the touch. You can also upgrade to a GlacioTex Cooling Pillow Top.
Comfort Layers
The WinkBed’s comfort layer is combined with its cover, above, in the form of a pillow-top made from gel-infused foam. Again, this foam adds some softness to the surface of the mattress and is infused with gel to help with cooling.
The Helix Midnight’s primary comfort layer consists of Memory Plus Foam, a proprietary Helix blend with the slow-moving feel of memory foam. Underneath this Memory Plus Foam, there are two layers of Helix Responsive Foam that add some bounce to the top of the mattress and keep you from bottoming out.
Support Layers
The WinkBed’s support layer is made up of individually wrapped coils, which are zoned to provide extra lumbar support.
The Helix Midnight’s base layer also consists of individually wrapped coils, which are reinforced around the perimeter to provide extra edge support. These coils rest on a layer of high-density base foam that offers overall structure to the mattress.
Mattress Height
The WinkBed is 14” tall, while the Helix is a bit shorter at 12”.
WinkBed and Helix Mattress Size Options And Price
Curious about the size options and pricing for the WinkBed and/or Helix mattress? You’ve come to the right place! Simply take a peek at the charts below.
WinkBed
Before you make up your mind about either of these mattresses, there are still a few key factors to consider. We ran both beds through a wide range of tests to assess their temperature regulation, edge support, motion transfer, and more. Let’s see how they stacked up!
Sleeping Hot Or Cold
This was basically a tie! Both mattresses include several features to help them sleep cool. The WinkBed uses cooling Tencel in its cover and a gel infusion in the memory foam, while the coils allow for plenty of airflow through the mattress. The Helix also features a cooling cover and coils that allow for lots of airflow. If you are a hot sleeper, make sure to check out our other best cooling mattresses.
Motion Transfer
The Helix Midnight is the clear winner here. Its memory foam comfort layer does a great job of absorbing motion and minimizing disturbances across the surface of the mattress. Because of this, it could be the better mattress for couples.
Edge Support
Even though the Helix Midnight has a reinforced perimeter, in our experience the WinkBed offers better edge support overall. We felt more secure while sitting and lying down near the edges of this mattress.
Durability
The WinkBed should win out. It is a more substantial mattress that shouldn’t sag too quickly. This is reflected in WinkBed’s longer warranty.
Off-Gassing
We observed a bit of off-gassing from both the WinkBed and the Helix. This should dissipate within a few days.
Noise
At the time of our review, we didn’t observe any notable noise while moving around on these mattresses. That said, because both mattresses include coils, it’s possible the coils could start to squeak a bit over time.
Sex
The best mattress for sex makes it easy for partners to change positions. Because the WinkBed is bouncier and more responsive, it should be a better match here.
Company Policies
Ready to purchase the WinkBed or the Helix? Here’s a quick look at the company policies that you’ll encounter.
Warranty Info
The WinkBed comes with a Lifetime warranty, while the Helix comes with a 10-year warranty.
Sleep Trial
The WinkBed comes with a 120-night sleep trial. The Helix’s sleep trial is almost as long at 100 nights.
Return Policy
The WinkBeds brand offers free shipping and returns. If the mattress is not working for you, WinkBeds could set up an exchange. If you want to return the mattress, they will coordinate with recycling or a donation center to come pick it up.
If you decide you don’t like the Helix Midnight mattress, you can return it for a full refund during your 100-night sleep trial. Because it takes time to break in a new mattress, Helix asks that customers try the mattress for 30 days before initiating a return.
Subscribe to Mattress Clarity!
Get special coupons, discounts, and giveaways!
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.
We experienced a bit too much pressure while side-sleeping on this mattress. Side sleepers will probably want to consider the Softer model or another mattress for side sleepers.
We enjoyed decent support while stomach-sleeping on the Luxury Firm model of the WinkBed. If you spend all night in this position, you might want the extra support of the Firmer model.
Helix Midnight
We felt great while back-sleeping on the Helix Midnight. We enjoyed a good balance of comfort and support in this position.
We experienced better pressure relief while side-sleeping on the Helix than we did on the WinkBed. That’s probably because of the slower-moving comfort layers, which offer some body contouring around the shoulder and hip.
While stomach-sleeping on the Helix, we didn’t obtain quite enough spinal support. Folks who spend a good portion of the night on their stomachs will want to look for a more supportive mattress for stomach sleepers.
The Helix Midnight’s primary comfort layer consists of Memory Plus Foam, a proprietary Helix blend with the slow-moving feel of memory foam. Underneath this Memory Plus Foam, there are two layers of Helix Responsive Foam that add some bounce to the top of the mattress and keep you from bottoming out.
