In today’s mattress industry, there is no shortage of different types of mattresses and different price ranges. Spend $500 or spend $5,000—each pricing tier promises a better night’s rest, better durability, and better materials. But is the extra cost worth it?

This comparison is going to look at the classic Tempurpedic versus the modern, budget contender, Tuft & Needle.

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Tuft & Needle Mattress Review

Construction

The Tuft & Needle mattress uses two layers of foam to make up the 10” thick mattress.

• Top layer (comfort) – 3″ of poly foam. This top layer is the main comfort layer and its main function is to provide comfort, cooling, and that initial support for the mattress. This layer has a density of 2.9 PCF (pounds per cubic foot).
• Bottom layer (support + foundational) – 7″ of poly foam. This bottom layer serves as the foundation for the mattress—the support for the top layer as well as deep compression support for the sleeper. This layer has a density of 1.8 PCF.

Cover

The Tuft & Needle cover has a very simple design. It is all white and has the Tuft & Needle logo embossed on a diagonal across the mattress. It is very thin and extremely breathable.

The thin cover, although great for cooling, leaves me a little hesitant on durability. I could easily see this cover getting a snag or tear if you’re not careful.

Firmness, Feel, & Support

The Tuft & Needle mattress has a medium to medium-firm feel, around a 6-6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This mattress was built with the goal of “universal comfort” and at a price point that most sleepers could afford.

At first when I lay on this mattress, there was some good pressure relief and a comfortable level of sinkage, but then I ran into some strong push-back. Sinkage for me on the Tuft & Needle landed in the range of 1-2”. That strong push-back is due to the relatively thin comfort layer, which is 3″ thick.

The base foam is significantly firmer than the 3” top poly foam layer, making it less receptive to pressure points on your body. In addition, the nature of a poly foam (versus a memory or latex foam) is to sink directly down. In general, this type of a foam provides a more generalized type of a hug and body contouring. In the case of Tuft and Needle’s proprietary foam, it feels a bit “dead” to me. There is not a significant contour or hug, but more of a basic foam compression feel.

More distressing however is Tuft and Needle’s comfort foam layer thickness. Tuft & Needle only uses 3” of comfort foam in its top layer. In my opinion, this is simply not enough comfort foam. The problem with only 3″ of comfort foam material is that sleepers sink through this comfort material and engage more notably with the support / base foam. This support foam is very firm. Heavier sleepers and / or side sleepers are more likely to sink through the 3″ comfort layer and engage the base foam.

The more you engage the base foam (due to body type, weight, sleeping position, etc.) the more likely you are to experience pressure points, in my opinion, as the base foam isn’t as soft or comfortable as the top layer.

Heavy sleepers and side sleepers are especially prone to being dissatisfied with this thickness of comfort foam. When on my side (and even a bit on my back), I noticed pressure point irritation when I slept on this mattress.

Regarding cooling, Tuft & Needle does perform pretty nicely. The thin cover keeps this mattress breathable and the poly foam material (which I suspect is infused with graphite to help with cooling) contributes to the coolness of this mattress. Please bear in mind, my speculation on the graphite infusion is just that, speculation. Tuft and Needle has not confirmed that, as they do not disclose the specific formulation of their proprietary poly foam.

Lastly, the Tuft and Needle is quite responsive, much more so than Tempurpedic, or really any memory foam for that matter. The added response does mean more bounce as well, however, I would not describe the Tuft and Needle as having strong bounce.

Pricing

Other Details

• Shipping – Free shipping, comes compressed in a box in 2-5 days
• Warranty – 10 years
• Trial Period – 100 nights
• Made in the USA
• Weight Limit – Holds up to 500 pounds per side (according to manufacturer)
• Weight – Queen-size mattress weighs 72 pounds

Read the full Tuft & Needle mattress review here.

Tempurpedic Mattress Review

Construction

For this comparison, we’re going to be looking at the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze, which is one of Tempurpedic’s most popular mattresses.

The Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze is a four-layer memory foam mattress that equals 11.5” in total height.

• Top layer (comfort) – 2” of viscoelastic memory foam. This top layer is what gives Tempurpedic its classic feel and creates a lot of hug, contour, and pressure relief for the sleeper.
• 2nd layer (comfort + support) – 2” layer of viscoelastic memory foam. This layer—although very similar to the top layer—is slightly firmer, providing a combination of comfort and support. This dual-purpose foams help to ease the transition into the base support foam.
• 3rd layer (support) – 4” layer of polyurethane foam. Again, this layer provides a nice transition into the base support foam, which is the firmest of all the layers.
• 4th layer (support + foundation) – 3.5” layer of polyurethane foam. This foundational layer provides deep compression support and helps the mattress maintain its shape.

Cover

The Tempurpedic cover is a blend of polyester (94%) and spandex (6%), creating a stretchy, soft, and breathable feel. When I pulled this cover in all directions, it had no problems snapping right back into shape and resuming its original look. The combination of polyester and spandex is what helps to make this cover so durable and elastic.

Firmness, Feel, & Support

The Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze is around a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the most firm. The entire Tempurpedic line spans from around a soft 3 up to as firm as a 9. This makes Tempurpedic a model than nearly any sleeper can enjoy, as long as his or her budget can afford it.

Regarding sinkage, I noticed a variation the longer I lay down on the mattress. Initially, sinkage was about 1.5-2”, but after 15-20 seconds, sinkage was closer to a solid 3”. Some sleepers may enjoy the additional hug and contouring that this kind of sinkage can provide, while others may view it as a con.

This deeper sinkage is very common of traditional memory foams and Tempurpedic is no different. Sleepers who don’t enjoy memory foam will likely think this mattress has a “stuck” or “trapped” feeling as your body sinks farther into the mattress.

FAQ: Best Memory Foam Mattress

If you like the feeling of memory foam, Tempurpedic definitely executes it well. While the sinkage is more than what you would find in an innerspring or latex mattress, it was evenly spread across my body. Although my back and core midsection sank the most, the lighter parts of my body also sank in, which evened out the mattress a bit and prevented awkward angles along the spine.

For stomach sleepers like myself, this level of sinkage was a little uncomfortable and did not provide adequate back support. But that being said, when lying on my back and side, the support was there and the mattress provided deep contours without sacrificing support.

In general, memory foam is going to be a great choice for side sleepers due to the extra support and contouring that sleepers need in this position.

Regarding cooling, the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze performed well for a memory foam. It is cool to the touch when you first lie down. After a few minutes, it is no longer cool to the touch, but it is still comfortable.

Heavier sleepers or sleepers who get warm at night may not find this level of cooling to be enough based solely on the deep sinkage. This much sinkage can result in decreased air flow and circulation while you sleep.

But, all that aside, considering my weight, I cannot say that I was uncomfortably warm at any point during the night. The Tempurpedic did a nice job of remaining cool and comfortable for me.

Bounce and motion transfer were basically non-existent. This is something that classic Tempurpedic mattresses are well known for and the Cloud Supreme Breeze was no exception. When sleeping with a partner, the limited motion transfer makes it easy to get in and out of bed without disturbing him or her. But, keep in mind, the low level of bounce and slow response time may put a slight damper on sex.

Pricing

Prices based on US-mattress.com.

Other Details

• Shipping – Shipping costs vary by retailer.
• Warranty – 10 years (you must pay transportation costs of new mattress)
• Trial Period – 90-night trial on Tempurpedic.com, other trials may vary by retailer; company will reimburse purchase price, less the initial shipping cost
• Made in Mexico & USA – Cover made in Mexico, foam made in the USA
• Weight Limit – There is no weight limit (according to live chat with manufacturer)
• Weight – Queen-size mattress weighs 92 pounds

Note – shipping, warranty, trial period, and other service options may differ depending on where you buy. Tempurpedic mattresses are available through many sources. You’ll want to double check all of these with whichever retailer you purchase from.

Read the full Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze mattress review here.

Tuft & Needle vs. Tempurpedic Mattress Comparison

Below is our side-by-side comparison of the Tuft & Needle vs. Tempurpedic mattress:

Should I buy the Tempurpedic or Tuft & Needle mattress?

You’ve seen the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze and you’ve seen the Tuft & Needle—so who is the winner of this mattress comparison? We’re going to have to call this mattress battle a draw.

There is no doubt that Tempurpedic is a significantly better mattress, but it is also significantly more expensive. If we excluded price as a factor, or if the Tempur-pedic mattress was closer to $1,500, Tempurpedic would easily win this.

However, price definitely is a factor. At $600 for a Queen size the Tuft and Needle’s price point is quite compelling. It’s not the absolute best at this price point, but for those who enjoy the feel of Tuft & Needle’s custom foam it can be an okay option. 

Both of these mattresses are incredibly different and designed with very distinct and different feels. Trying to compare them is difficult because their design and feel vary widely. All things considered, I feel like there are better choices on the market than both of these mattresses.

• If you’re simply looking for the best value foam mattress on the market I would recommend you take a look at eLuxurySupply, Love & Sleep, Leesa, and Brooklyn Bedding.
• If you’re looking for high-performance high-density memory foam mattress I would recommend you take a look at Loom & Leaf, Amerisleep, and Novosbed.

If you still think Tuft and Needle or Tempurpedic is the best choice for your needs, desires, and budget consider the following to help you make a final choice:

I would recommend the Tempurpedic mattress to sleepers who:

• Want a true medium feel – The Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze is about a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, a true medium. Some sleepers may even consider this to be slightly soft since many “medium” mattresses are closer to a 6.
• Want a pronounced level of hug and sinkage – One of the most recognizable feels to a Tempurpedic is that classic contoured hug and deep sinkage. While some sleepers enjoy this type of deep compression, other sleepers report feeling “stuck” or “trapped” in the mattress.
• Want a slower response time – As with many memory foams, the response time is going to be a great deal slower than with other types of foam. Slower response time commonly equates to less bounce and less motion transfer.
• Do not need to consider budget – The Queen Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme Breeze mattress is $3,599, over 5 times more expensive than the Tuft & Needle mattress. Number aside though, this is a great option if you are looking for that classic memory foam feel with the high quality that a Tempurpedic will provide.

For more information on Tempurpedic check out Tempurpedic on US-Mattress.com.

I would recommend the Tuft and Needle mattress to sleepers who:

• Want a medium firm feel – The Tuft & Needle mattress is about a 6-6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest.
• Have a tighter budget – Tuft & Needle strips out many of the bells and whistles to keep costs lower. Without these added features, the manufacturer is able to reach a price point that is extremely low compared to the Tempurpedic.

For more information on Tuft & Needle check out Tuft & needle on Amazon.com. 

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