In this article, we will cover two brands that are associated with top-quality bedding arrangements and comfort – Purple and Tempur-Pedic. Their products are very high-quality, but that doesn’t mean every single one of them is an excellent choice for a given person.
Mattresses can often be taken for granted as simple, easy-to-understand products that don’t require much thinking when it comes to finding a good model. A problem can appear in a person’s shopping mentality where if a given product initially feels right, it’s often considered good enough to keep. However, that kind of mentality leads people into pitfalls where their product stops performing well after some time or they realize that there’s a deal-breaking issue they weren’t aware of. There’s a reason mattresses usually come with a trial period of 100 days or more.
In this article, we will cover two brands that are associated with top-quality bedding arrangements and comfort – Purple and Tempur-Pedic. Their products are very high-quality, but that doesn’t mean every single one of them is an excellent choice for a given person. Your preferences and quirks factor into your selection, which means you have to compare these models based on things like firmness, prices, temperature neutrality, noise reduction, etc. We will lay it all out for you today, so you can make a more informed purchase and avoid a lot of stress, discomfort and lost sleep that would come with the wrong choice of mattress. Let’s get into it:
Tempur-Pedic is one of the first brands to popularize memory foam as a construction material. As a result, every single one of their 11 main models has memory foam in its comfort layer. Details tend to vary between collections and individual products. For example, Contour and Cloud collection models have support cores made out of high-density polyfoam. The Tempur Adapt mattress features convoluted polyfoam support, but you are given options for hybrid models with pocketed springs instead.
Firmness is often rated on a scale of 1-10. Going by this, we can classify the Cloud models as a solid 3/10, or “Soft.” The Contour models all hover around the 7/10 marker on the scale, which is normally referred to as “Firm.” The standalone GrandBed is considered “Medium Soft,” as it scores a 4/10. The Adapt series, as its name implies, features three different firmness options – 3, 5 and 7 out of 10, respectively.
Purple is a relatively new competitor on the mattress market, having launched as recently as 2015. They only have two models on offer, the Original Purple and the New Purple but both of them are so well-made and comfortable that they deserve to be talked about in the same conversations as the other heavy hitters. The key to what makes their products so good is the patented Smart Grid comfort layer design, where the key components are a special buckling-column gel and an elastic polymer grid that this gel is dispersed through. You will also notice transitionary layers made of polyfoam.
When it comes to firmness, you have multiple options. The Original Purple model only gives you one option, which is “Medium Firm,” measuring in at around 6-6.5 on the firmness scale. The New Purple, a model, designed with a pocketed coil support core, gives you three options to choose from, each corresponding to a different thickness level. The softer you go, the thicker the mattress becomes, with the 11”, 12” and 13” products being classified as “Medium Firm,” “Medium,” and “Medium Soft” respectively.
Apart from mattresses, this company also makes pillows, with their signature product being the Purple pillow.
In this segment, we will go over the crucial qualities that go into a dependable, comfortable mattress. By doing this, we can compare the two brands in each of these categories separately, giving you a more precise idea on what to expect if you wish to purchase one of their models.
A lot of the time, durability is one of the first properties that a potential buyer checks about any product, including mattress models. A product that performs well initially but quickly degrades and stops being useful is practically a scam, so every high-end mattress manufacturer makes sure their models can last for a long time. The average lifespan of a mattress hovers around six years, and anything more is a bonus because it delays your next purchase and helps you save money.
In the case of Tempur-Pedic, you can expect your product to last at least seven years, no matter which collection and specific model you opt for. Seven years is already more than a lot of other foam-based models, so you get a good deal in terms of durability.
Purple mattresses are in a delicate situation when it comes to assessing durability. While every test done on them makes us firmly believe that they will last a long time, they’re too new to know for sure. Remember, the older model surfaced in 2015, and since then, there hasn’t been enough time for even one of those products to reach its natural expiration date. We wouldn’t worry too much about it, as it stands.
The phrase “temperature neutrality” might sound like we’re about to bore you with endless scientific details, but it’s very simple. This property determines how much of your body heat gets absorbed into the mattress. If enough heat is retained, your bed will most likely become too uncomfortable to sleep in, and you may wake up sweaty. Worst case scenario, you may need extra time to fall asleep that results in a feeling of exhaustion the following day, especially if you have to work. To prevent this problem, the best mattress manufacturers pay close attention to how hot their products get while being used in various circumstances. The better your model, the cooler you will sleep.
When comparing based on temperature neutrality, it’s not difficult to isolate the winners. Purple’s two models offer slightly cooler sleeping profiles than their rival brand, especially if you get the New Purple model. Tempur-Pedic products aren’t too far behind, however, so it comes down to what your tolerance level is for heat. We would say the models in the Contour and Cloud collections retain the most heat overall, although it’s unlikely that this will disrupt your sleep.
While basic comfort is probably the most tempting factor when choosing a mattress, long-term health consequences should be considered. Much like how proper posture is crucial while walking or sitting, it is crucial to maintain proper spine alignment during sleep. If you don’t, there is a very high chance that you’ll have to deal with neck pain, back pain or shoulder pain, especially if you’re a side sleeper. Joints that your body weight rests on while sleeping are at increased risk.
Quality mattresses are designed to help you achieve ideal spine alignment and relieve pressure points. Luckily for all of you, every single model we’re covering today offers excellent conforming ability and is therefore suitable for people who prefer any sleeping position (although stomach sleeping comes with other issues). You don’t have to worry that a specific Purple or Tempur-Pedic model will underperform.
This category consists of three separate yet connected points. Couples have extra requirements to deal with when choosing a mattress, especially if at least one of them is a light sleeper. If you share your bed with your significant other, you will want to consider the following:
Motion isolation refers to how much movement transfers from one side of the bed to the other. For example, if a model has bad motion isolation, and your partner gets out of bed while you’re sleeping, the mattress will wobble enough to wake you up potentially. Every model covered in this article is at least good at motion isolation. If we had to pick the worst option, we’d choose the hybrid models in the Tempur-Adapt collection.
Noise reduction is also important. Even if the surface of your bed remains mostly still while you both move around, noise can still wake you up. The best products in this context are obviously the ones that produce the least noise. Fortunately, every product in this article is great at absorbing and reducing noise, making it extremely unlikely that you or your significant other will wake each other up. The best models are Tempur-Cloud models and the Original Purple.
When it comes to sex, the main thing you want is a responsive, bouncy mattress. Stiff mattresses can cause discomfort for most people, and you don’t want to associate your mattress with discomfort in any context because that can negatively affect your ability to get proper rest. When it comes to sex and responsiveness, the best model on this entire list is the New Purple. Other products are still fine, but this one outclasses them all.
While the price of a mattress doesn’t make it perform better or worse, there is definitely a connection between how much money is spent producing the model and how well it serves your needs. Still, even the best models on the planet need to be affordable for a sizeable group of people, and when you look at cost-effectiveness, the Original Purple is your best bet. Purple mattresses are surprisingly approachable when it comes to their price point, but their flagship model takes the prize as the easiest to make room in your budget for. The Original Purple costs $1,000 if you opt for the Queen-sized version. Tempur-Pedic models are more costly, ranging from $2,200 to $7,400 depending on which collection interests you and whether or not you want the pricey GrandBed.
As you may have realized reading this article, both brands offer very solid products with few downsides. It may be easy to conclude that you can just pick any model off the list and be fine, but there’s more to it than that. Ask yourself questions about your sleeping habits, medical history, preferences, and budget. We will offer a list of basic criteria you can use to make your choice, but examine the products thoroughly before deciding. Here’s the list:
You may prefer Purple mattresses if:
You may prefer Tempur-Pedic mattresses if:
Co-founder of Counting Sheep and Sleepaholic
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