In the world of foam mattresses, the Purple Mattress has taken an interesting detour with its proprietary hyper-elastic polymer material. That layer of polymer is what makes the Purple Mattress unique, and gives it a distinctive feel. Foam and polymer duo make the Purple what it is, and for the most part, this combination seems to be working exceptionally well. We’ll take a closer look at what makes this mattress work so well with our Purple Mattress review.
As a mattress, Purple goes beyond the established world of memory foam mattresses. As a foam mattress, it of course has to compete with the world of memory foam, and it does so by highlighting its hyper-elastic polymer. Arranged in a lattice, this polymer is essential for Purple, and for a Purple Mattress review. Let’s dive in and see what makes the Purple special.
Purple Mattress Review — Pros And Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent value for money | Poor edge support (Purple Original) |
| Purple smart grid polymer layer is comfortable, supporting and relieves pressure | The mattress is quite heavy |
| 100 Night trial, 10-year warranty | The New Purple range can be fairly expensive |
| Good range of sizes to choose from | |
| Temperature neutral |
Purple Bed Review — Construction And Overview
Purple Hyper-Elastic Polymer
The purple-colored hyper-elastic polymer is what gives the Purple mattress its name and its USP. It certainly is different from other products available on the market, a distinction it carries proudly. This polymer makes a gel-like top layer, or as Purple calls it, the Smart Comfort Grid, works to give pressure relief and support to the body.
Polymer lattices collapse or bend under the weight of the body, providing adequate pressure relief. This natural displacement of body weight allows the mattress to present better pressure relief to areas like shoulders and hips – areas that generally bear the brunt of pressure. Purple does its job admirably, the bending of the polymer under weight, and hugging the body where necessary transfers the pressure to the mattress rather than have your body bear it.
Distribution of the weight works wonders for your body. The spine is better aligned when you sleep, you don’t have to worry about waking up sore, and you can sleep better. Since the polymer is arranged in a lattice, there’s plenty of open space. Even as the lattice collapses, there is enough space for the air to move and keep the mattress ventilated. This keeps the Purple Mattress temperature neutral, and rids it of the sleep hot problems that plague many memory foam mattresses, including Purple’s competition.
Polyurethane Foam Layer
Placed right under the polymer layer is 3.5-inches of polyurethane foam layer. This layer provides transitional support in conjunction with the polymer layer. Made from high density plush comfort foam this layer, this layers job is to transition the sleeper from the top comfort layer, to the bottom support layer, managing the difference between the layers to keep the sleeper comfortable.
High Density Polyurethane Support Foam
The last layer is the support foam, a denser polyurethane support foam that is designed to work as a solid foundation and provide structural support for the mattress.
Fabric Content
A thin, breathable fabric is used to wrap the mattress, allowing air to easily pass and enter. While this obviously helps breathability, it also provides an easy path for air to move as the polymer lattice compresses or collapses. The thin, soft Purple Mattress cover is made from a blend of viscose, polyester, and polyester-lycra.
Full Construction Of The Purple Mattress
The total thickness of the Purple Mattress is 9.5-inches. Here’s how the aforementioned layers are arranged to that effect:
- The fabric cover
- Two-inches of hyper-elastic polymer in “smart-grid” design
- A 3.5-inch polyurethane comfort foam layer
- Finally, 4-inches of high-density polyurethane support foam
Purple Mattress Review — Features And FAQ For The Purple Bed
How Firm Is The Purple Mattress?
The Purple mattress can be ranged at 6-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This puts the mattress at medium firmness, which is suitable for most sleep preferences and positions. Purple’s polymer grid does not respond slow like memory foam, and in fact presents a faster response than the (relatively) slow acting memory foam. That means even if weigh enough to sink a bit into the mattress, you will be able to move and turn.
The firmness setting and the polymer layer work for most sleep positions and weights. While the Purple mattress is especially good for back sleepers, side and stomach sleepers will have a good experience as well. The lowest benchmark scores in Purple mattress reviews is “fair” for stomach sleepers who weigh more than 240 pounds. And let’s be clear, that’s a very good indication. Purple works, all the way from a lightweight side sleeper to being an excellent choice of mattress for overweight people.
Heavier sleepers will obviously sink deeper into the polymer and foam combination. The sinkage is directly related to the “hugging” feel from the mattress as the top polymer layer and the comfort foam contour to the body shape and provide support for heavier points like the hips and shoulders, while keeping the spine in good alignment.
How Does The Purple Mattress Score On Motion Transfer?
Purple Mattress fares quite well on motion isolation. It won’t be very comfortable if your sleep was disturbed every time your partner moved or got on/off the bed. A good score on motion isolation or low motion transfer works well for most sleepers. It’s a godsend if you are a light sleeper or have a partner who often changes position or moves during sleeping.
There’s a good chance you will get a slight feeling when your partner gets on/off the bed. However, it is mostly simple, and rarely enough to disturb your sleep. Purple’s motion isolation is pretty good, and it can work beautifully for couples with different weights or sleep preferences.
What’s That Powder On The Purple Hyper-Elastic Polymer?
If you remove the covers, you may notice that there’s a white powder coating that goes throughout the hyper-elastic polymer layer. Purple says this is a non-toxic proprietary plastic powder that prevents the polymer from sticking to itself. Since the job of the polymer is to get crushed and roll over, it is possible that the material might start sticking to itself. The powder coating prevents that possibility and helps add longevity to the mattress. Purple claims that the plastic powder is food-contact grade material and does not pose any health risk.
Does The Mattress Smell?
Purple is a foam mattress and does have a (faint) chemical smell that should go away in a few days. That is unfortunately the cross to bear for foam mattresses, especially mattresses that ship compressed. The company points out that their mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified, and there are no toxic components used.
Does Purple Mattress Sleep Hot?
The mattress is well ventilated, and its polymer smart grid plays an important role in keeping the mattress temperature neutral. All that empty space in the grid holds air and gives the mattress plenty of room to breathe.
Do I Need To Buy A Purple Platform Base?
Purple offers a platform base and a power base for its mattresses. However, it is not necessary to buy either for the mattress. All the mattress needs is to be set up on a sturdy base. Even the floor would do!
Longevity And Care Of The Mattress
Taking care of your mattress certainly can help increase its longevity and keep it comfortable for longer. The conventional wisdom of flipping the mattress won’t fly for purple, as the polymer side must stay on top. However, it is a good idea to rotate the mattress about twice a year.
By all indications, Purple is a durable mattress and you can expect it to last several years. It’s easy to care for and the longevity of the mattress is not suspect. We believe the Purple mattress should last for 7-10 years.
Size, Shipping, And Installation
The Original Purple Mattress is available in the following sizes:
- Twin XL
- Full
- Queen
- King
- California King
It is available for purchase online, though the company has recently also partnered with several brick and mortar stores to provide physical Purple mattress store locations. In some locations, you can also expect the white glove treatment, where Purple’s representatives will bring in the mattress, place it, and if necessary, remove your old mattress as well.
In case you don’t have the white glove delivery option, the mattress will reach you in a box. It will be compressed, so take it to the intended, preferably well-aired room, and lay the mattress on the bed. It should regain its full size within a few hours.
Purple Mattress – Does It Provide Value For Money?
Going with the data and research for our Purple Mattress review, it can be said that the Purple Mattress provides good value for money. Pricing for the mattress is in the mid-range, with the Twin XL placed in the $700 range, while the California King comes in at slightly below $1300. Now the prices are in no way cheap, and Purple also offers financing for your purchase.
However, given the benefits of the mattress, the advantages of support and pressure relief, and the expectation of longevity from this mattress, it can very well be placed as an excellent investment for your sleep, and one completely worth the expense.
The New Purple Mattress
Purple has recently launched a new, updated Purple mattress. The new Purple is a hybrid mattress that does away with the support foam layer, and replaces it with support coils with the aim of providing dynamic pressure relief. Addition of coils increases the edge support the mattress has to offer, and since the coils are individually packed, the Purple retains its good motion isolation properties.
Apart from the different sizes, the New Purple Mattress is also available in different variants. The mattress now includes the option to purchase it in 2-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch top layer variants. Basically, more the depth of the hyperelastic polymer smart grid, greater is the plushness of the mattress. Theoretically, these options should work great for all kinds of sleepers, from lightweight to overweight people. The initial New Purple Mattress.reviews don’t seem to agree, especially given the higher price point.
Purple Mattress Reviews — The Verdict
Time to put our cards on the table. As you may have guessed from the general tone of this purple mattress review, this is a mattress to consider. It has great features, provides good value for money, and its quirky ads do help pique our curiosity. The mattress offers an innovative new approach with its hyperelastic polymer smart grid, and succeeds in making it provide excellent pressure relief and support. This exceptional performance is what puts Purple in a position where it can compete with well-established memory foam brands, and you’ll often hear comparisons like purple mattress vs tempurpedic. That’s quite a feat for a relatively new brand and technology, and that’s what wins our recommendation for this mattress.