Tempur-Pedic Mattress Review 2023: The Classic Memory Foam Feel

8.5

Tempur-Pedic

$2,099 at TempurPedic

Like

• Pressure-relieving memory foam feel
• Offers hybrid and foam models
• Mattress firmness profiles that suit all sleeping positions
• Cooling abilities in its Breeze models

Don't like

• Expensive price tag
• Dense feel can be hard to switch positions on

Product details

• Type Memory foam hybrid mattress
• Firmness 6 or medium to medium-firm
• Trial 90 nights
• Warranty 10-year limited warranty

The Tempur-Pedic brand almost needs no introduction. Their special memory foam has a long history, getting its start with NASA back in 1966 in its airplane seats because of its ability to absorb shock and increase comfort. 

Since then, the foam made its way into the helmets of the Dallas Cowboys during the '70s and '80s, the insoles of uncomfortable shoes and the Tempur-Pedic mattress. These beds may cost a bit more than your average bed-in-a-box, but there's a lot to expect from the luxury Tempur-Pedic brand.

This TempurPedic mattress review will focus on the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress, the Tempur-Adapt collection and the Tempur-Breeze collection. I'll explain my honest thoughts while I tested them and whether I think TempurPedic is worth the money. 

Tempur-Pedic mattress first impressions 

Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud: As the entry-level option in the brand's catalog, it's a simple mattress that offers that memory foam feel you'd expect from Tempur-Pedic at a much lower price. Opposed to the Adapt and Breeze collections, this will be the only Tempur-Pedic bed that's delivered to you via cardboard box. It has a pretty balanced firmness, but it's very dense. Don't expect a light and fluffy memory foam feel like what you get from the Layla mattress. 

Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Series: There are three mattresses in this line, and the company says the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Pro is its most popular option. I liked the original Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt mattress, but I'm also a stomach sleeper who prefers a slightly firmer feel. If you're a side or combo sleeper, you will probably be a big fan of the Pro Adapt model because it is available in a soft firmness, which will be even more pressure-relieving against your hips and shoulders, but it's not quite as expensive as the Luxe model. 

Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Breeze Series: These Tempur-Pedic memory foam mattresses are meant for people who tend to sweat or feel warm during the night while they sleep. They stay true to their name and come with cooling tech you can actually feel. Though, they're the most expensive options in the bunch, so if you don't see the value in a cooling mattress, I'd suggest you save dollars where you can and go with a bed from the Adapt series. 

Video: Tempur-Pedic mattress review

Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the Tempur-Pedic mattresses.

Tempur-Pedic mattress firmness and feel

What do Tempur-Pedic mattresses feel like? 

I think of Tempur-Pedic mattresses as having an OG, traditional memory foam feel. Memory foam was first invented by NASA, and Tempur-Pedic was one of the first pioneers who took the material and incorporated it into mattresses. 

The foam is dense, slow-responding and very contouring. It takes a few moments for the foam to give, but once your body heat activates the foam, it starts to morph around the curves of your body. Regardless of the model of Tempur-Pedic you get, they will all have a prominent memory foam feel. 

How firm are the Tempur-Pedic mattresses?

• Tempur-Cloud: Medium, which I rated a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. 
  
• Tempur-Adapt: Medium, which I rated around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
  
• Tempur-Pro Adapt: Soft, medium and firm options available. 
  
• Tempur-Luxe Adapt: Soft and firm models available. 
  
• Tempur ProBreeze: Medium, which I rated around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. 
  
• Tempur LuxeBreeze: Soft and firm models available. 
  

Tempur-Pedic mattress construction 

The exact construction of your mattress will depend on the model you purchase. 

Tempur-Cloud mattress

This bed has a three-layer construction that is stacked as follows:

• The first layer is a dense slab of foam meant to maintain the structure of the mattress. This layer will not be the comfy one. 
• Next is the Tempur Support Layer, which is meant to add a bit more support to the mattress, but it's considerably softer than the dense layer below. 
• The last layer of this mattress is the cherry on top -- it's the special Tempur material that conforms and molds around the curves of your body. 

Tempur-Adapt mattress

Below is a breakdown of the company's most popular Adapt model -- the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt hybrid, but yours will look a little different if you get the base Adapt model or the Luxe. The Luxe is the thickest and available in just a foam construction, while the Adapt and Pro models come in foam or hybrid construction. 

• The first layer contains more than 1,000 pocketed coils for maximum support and is wrapped with foam around the edge to help give additional reinforcement to the perimeter of the mattress. 
• Second is what it calls its Tempur-APR material, which it deems its softest ever. This mattress is one of the most plush in its catalog next to the Luxe model, so I back that claim!
• The last layer is its Tempur-ES comfort foam which is soft, pressure-relieving and slowly hugs your curves. 

Tempur-Breeze mattress 

The Tempur-Pedic Pro Breeze comes in a foam or hybrid construction, while the LuxeBreeze is just available in a foam construction. They look very similar on the inside as far as foam layers go, save for the Luxe model's Tempur-APR Material, which adds a bit more pressure relief. 

Though, if you're looking for more support, you should definitely go for the Tempur-Pedic ProBreeze Hybrid because of its steel coil construction. 

Here is a breakdown of the Tempur-Pedic ProBreeze Hybrid:

• Like the Adapt and ProAdapt models, the first layer contains more than 1,000 steel coils and foam edges to give more support to the bed's sides and ends. 
• The second layer is made with the brand's Tempur Support Layer, which adds support and comfort to the mattress.
• The third layer is what it calls Tempur-CM Comfort foam, which adds a bulk of the bed's slow-responding, pressure-relieving memory foam feel. 
• This mattress also comes with a phase-change material with proprietary PureCool tech, and it helps absorb your body heat to help regulate temperature.

Both of these mattresses come with a cooling cover that physically makes you feel cold; You can feel the icy-ness when you run your hand over the cover. The Luxe Breeze model says it makes you feel eight degrees cooler, and three degrees cooler with the Pro model, but I can't tell much of a difference. All I know is that they're true cooling mattresses. Plus, the covers are machine washable! 

Tempur-Pedic mattress performance

Motion isolation

I was impressed with the Tempur-Pedic mattresses' ability to isolate movement, even with the hybrid models. Memory foam absorbs motion better than innerspring mattresses, latex foam or even polyurethane foam. As such, they all passed with flying colors. The thicker the mattress, the better it was at deadening the movement, thanks to those dense memory foam layers. 

Edge support

Unsurprisingly, Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud had the worst edge support of all of the beds in the product catalog, but it wasn't any worse than your typical bed-in-a-box mattress, especially compared to the hybrid mattresses that come with dense foam around the edges to make them more sturdy. The hybrid mattresses from Tempur-Pedic really shone in this category. 

Temperature

Hands down, the Breeze models make you feel cooler than any of the other beds that Tempur-Pedic makes. They come with cooling covers you can physically feel and phase-change material on the inside of the mattress, and it's all very effective. 

It's also worth mentioning that the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress and beds in the Adapt series don't sleep hot either. They just don't work as hard to actively keep you cool. 

Off-gassing

The only mattress in the Tempur-Pedic catalog that will off-gas is the Tempur-Cloud mattress. It's the brand's only bed-in-a-box mattress, and it will omit a new car-like smell once you unwrap it from its packaging. The smell is from manufacturing and compressing the bed into air-tight packaging, and will dissipate once it gets time to air out. The other Tempur-Pedic mattresses will be hand-delivered to you and free of any chemical-like smell. 

Durability 

The most durable Tempur-Pedic mattress models are the ones with a hybrid construction (foam and coils). Steel coils help prevent lumps and sags, making the hybrid Tempur-Pedic mattresses last around eight years or longer. Foam models, on the other hand, should last around five years or more.

Who are Tempur-pedic beds best for?

You can make the best choice on firmness and construction choices by catering to your main sleeping position and body type. 

Position

Side sleepers: Sleepers who stay on their sides usually like medium to soft mattresses, so you have a lot of options when it comes to the Tempur-Pedic mattresses. The softest is the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt and the LuxeAdapt is a close second, but you'd save money going with the Pro model.

Back and stomach sleepers: These sleepers typically like a medium to firm mattress. With Tempur-Pedic beds, that means you can essentially go with any model that isn't labeled soft. The medium beds will offer a nice balance of support and pressure relief, while the firm models will provide maximum support.

Combination sleepers: Stick with one of the medium models in the Adapt line, Breeze line, or Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud. They are pressure-relieving enough when you're on your side and provide ample support when you're on your back or stomach. However, they do give you a slight "sinking" feel, which will make it a little difficult to switch positions. 

Body type 

People who weigh under 230 pounds can opt for the foam or hybrid models from Tempur-Pedic, it will depend on the amount of support you're looking for and how much money you want to spend. Still, the foam models will be just fine for petite people under 150 pounds.

For heavier sleepers over 230 pounds, I recommend one of the hybrids in the Adapt or Breeze series. They offer longer lasting support and durability, and will be more comfortable for you in the long run. Unless you're a hot sleeper, either the Tempur-Pedic Adapt or ProAdapt mattresses will work just fine. 

How much do Tempur-Pedic mattresses cost?

The Tempur-Pedic mattress models are not cheap. At the low end, there's an entry-level model for those who want to save money but still get a Tempur-Pedic bed, but you're still going to have to fork out over $1,000 for it. And the more premium the mattress, the higher the cost; the Breeze mattresses are some of the most expensive beds I've ever seen. However, you can get your Tempur-Pedic mattress for less if you purchase around a holiday or major promo time. 

Prices below are without discounts, which they do offer every now and then:

• Tempur-CloudPrices start at around $1,189 for a twin and go up to about $1,679 for a king.
• Tempur-Adapt Prices start at $1,499 for a twin and go up to $2,699 for a king.
• Tempur-ProAdapt: Prices start at $1,499 for a twin and go up to $2,699 for a king.
• Tempur-LuxeAdapt: Prices start at $1,499 for a twin long and go up to $2,699 for a king.
• Tempur ProBreeze: Prices start at $3,799 for a twin long mattress and go up to $4,999 for a king.

Tempur-Pedic mattresses are expensive and are often out of budget. However, Tempur-Pedic often offers generous deals on their best-selling mattresses.

Tempur-Pedic warranty, trial, shipping 

The only Tempur-Pedic mattress that will show up compressed inside of a bag is the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud, and it will come with some off-gassing odors. The other mattresses, however, will be hand-delivered to you in their full sizes and all ready to sleep on. 

Tempur-Pedic will also offer you the following policies to sweeten the deal:

• 90-night risk-free trial
• 10-year warranty
• Free white glove delivery

Final verdict: Are the Tempur-Pedic mattresses worth it?

Rounding out my Tempur-Pedic mattress review, my honest thoughts on the mattresses are this: Save money where you can. 

If you don't see the value in the Luxe Adapt model or the Breeze models, the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud, Tempur Adapt and Tempur ProAdapt will be your most accommodating and most affordable. They offer a contouring memory foam feel that fanatics have come to love about the material, and Tempur-Pedic is a luxury brand with such a good reputation that some will be willing to pay extra for the name itself. 

You might like Tempur-Pedic mattresses if

• You love the feel of dense, syrupy memory foam.
• You sleep on your side, back, stomach or a combination of them all.
• You want a cooling mattress (the Breeze models do wonders for hot sleepers).
• You weigh under or over 250 pounds (yes, all body types can find an accommodating TempurPedic mattress). 
• You want a luxury mattress from a reputable manufacturer.

You might not like Tempur-Pedic mattresses if

• You want a simple memory foam mattress that costs under $1,000.
• You don't like dense, slow-responding memory foam. 
• You switch positions often (these beds give a sinking feel that can make it hard to switch positions). 

How we tested Tempur-Pedic mattresses

Each of the Tempur-Pedic mattresses was tested in-house. They were assessed and compared based on established performance factors we hold every mattress to. With every mattress, we start with how firm the mattress is and what it feels like. These are two of the most important factors people consider when buying a mattress. Other factors considered were construction, edge support and motion isolation. All factors are noted in this Tempur-Pedic mattress review.

How does Tempur-Pedic compare to other brands?

Let's take a look at Tempur-Pedic and compare its beds to those from top competitors.

Tempur-Pedic vs. Casper

Tempur-Pedic is one of the most popular veteran bedding companies, while Casper is one of the leading bed-in-a-box mattress brands. The Tempur-Cloud mattress is the most comparable in that it's all-foam, has a medium firmness level and is delivered in a box. However, the Casper Original has more of a neutral-foam feel that's responsive to pressure while the Tempur-Cloud has a distinct memory foam feel. Tempur-Cloud is also more expensive than the Casper Original by several hundred dollars.

Tempur-Pedic vs. Purple

The Purple mattress is a well-known bed-in-a-box brand with a unique feel that's unlike most other beds on the market. Compared to the popular Tempur-Pro Adapt mattress, Purple is much bouncier and a bit more breathable. It makes you feel like you're floating, whereas the Tempur-Pedic makes you feel like the bed is giving you a hug. The Tempur-Pedic is more accommodating for all sleeping positions as it's available in soft, medium and firm profiles. In terms of price, the Purple mattress is going to be more affordable. 

Tempur-Pedic vs. Nectar

I like to think of the Nectar mattress as a budget-friendly Tempur-Pedic dupe. It has a similar dense, slow-responding feel that takes a few moments to adjust under your body weight. It also has a firmer feel, like a lot of the Tempur-Pedic mattresses do. The Nectar is rated around a medium-firm on the firmness scale. It's a good choice for people who like Tempur-Pedic, but can't necessarily afford its high price tag. 

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