The Purple Mattress suits back and combo sleepers under about 230 pounds who run hot and like to float on top of the bed. Heavier people and anyone who sits on the side a lot should skip it. The catch is a thin 9.25 inch build with a soft edge, and a $150 charge if you send it back.
Best forCouples who want cool, quiet sleep from an all-foam bed: Sleep Foundation gives it 8.0 for cooling and 8.0 for motion isolation
Not ideal forPeople who sit on the bed edge a lot: NapLab gave it 5.1 out of 10 for edge support
The Purple Mattress
Pros
Sleeps cool. The open grid on top lets air move, and NapLab gave it 10 out of 10 for cooling.
Easy to move on. The grid springs back at once, so turning over takes little effort.
Good back support. It holds the spine level for most back sleepers without the deep sink of memory foam.
Lowest-priced grid bed. It is the cheapest way to get the real Purple grid feel in a full-height bed.
Cons
Weak edge. NapLab scored edge support 5.1 out of 10, so the side gives way when you sit.
Thin for heavy sleepers. People over about 230 pounds may sink through to the firm base foam.
Odd feel for some. The squishy grid feels strange at first, and some people never get used to it.
Return charge. Purple takes $150 from your refund to haul an Essential bed away.
How firm is The Purple Mattress, and which firmness should you pick?
The Purple Mattress comes in one feel, which Purple calls medium-firm. Most outside testers agree, though the score shifts with body weight.
NapLab: 5 out of 10, on an older 9.5 inch version.
Sleep Foundation: 6 out of 10.
Sleepopolis: 6.5 to 7 out of 10. Lighter people felt it firmer.
Tom's Guide: 7 out of 10.
Mattress Nerd: 6.5 out of 10.
Since there is no other firmness, the real choice is between models. Take this one for the classic Purple float. Look at PurplePlus if you want more hug at the shoulders, or PurpleFlex if you want firmer and cheaper.
Is The Purple Mattress right for your sleep position and body weight?
It works best for back and combo sleepers of light to average weight. Here is how each group tends to fare.
Back sleepers: a strong match. The grid keeps the spine in a straight line.
Combo sleepers: also a strong match, since the top springs back with no lag.
Side sleepers: fine if you are light or average. The grid folds under the shoulder and hip. Heavier side sleepers may press through it.
Stomach sleepers: only if you are under about 130 pounds. Most others feel their hips dip.
Purple sets no hard weight limit and suggests up to 300 pounds per person. Still, testers say people over about 230 pounds should pick a thicker hybrid. Edge support is the weak spot. NapLab gave it 5.1 out of 10, so do not plan to sit on the side often.
It can help with back pain, mostly for back sleepers who like a firm, even push under the lower back. The grid holds up the low back without letting the hips sink the way soft memory foam can.
Mattress Nerd says it suits people with back aches because it keeps good posture. Purple also points to sleep surveys it paid for, which reported less pain and better sleep. Those are brand-funded results, not a medical study.
There is only one firmness, so the choice is simple. If the bed feels too firm at the hips, PurplePlus is softer. If you are heavy, a thicker hybrid will keep you better aligned. See a doctor for pain that lasts.
It sleeps cool for a bed with no coils. The grid on top is full of open squares, so warm air can move out instead of building up around you.
NapLab: 10 out of 10 for cooling.
Sleep Foundation: 8 out of 10 for temperature control.
TechRadar: 5 out of 5 for temperature.
Sleepopolis: a more modest 3.5 out of 5.
Purple also claims its grid runs much cooler than rival beds, based on its own lab study. Treat that as a brand claim. If you sleep very hot, a hybrid with coils still moves more air.
Maybe. Testers disagree more on this than on anything else about The Purple Mattress.
NapLab: 10 out of 10 for motion transfer.
Sleep Foundation: 8 out of 10 for motion isolation.
Sleepopolis: only 2.7 out of 5.
Mattress Nerd: warns couples that the bouncy grid does not calm motion as well as foam.
The likely reason: the grid soaks up small shifts, but a big roll makes the whole top bounce. Light sleepers next to a restless partner should try it in a store first. A Split King, two Twin XL beds side by side, also stops most movement from crossing over.
It is fair value on sale, and less so at full price. Purple listed the Queen at $1,599 with no sale on September 26, 2026. Our research saw these regular prices on October 2, 2026:
Size
Inches
Regular price
Twin
38 x 75
$1,099
Twin XL
38 x 80
$1,299
Full
54 x 75
$1,499
Queen
60 x 80
$1,599
King
76 x 80
$2,199
Cal King
72 x 84
$2,199
Split King
two 38 x 80
$2,598
There is one height, 9.25 inches. Purple runs sales often, so check the price again before you buy, and price PurplePlus too. It costs more but adds a lot of cushion for side sleepers.
You can order The Purple Mattress on purple.com or try it in person first. Purple's store finder listed 3,531 US spots in September 2026, counting Purple stores and partner shops like Mattress Firm.
Buying straight from Purple gets you its 100-night trial and warranty. A bed bought from a store follows that store's return rules. Lie on it for at least 15 minutes in your normal sleep position before you decide.
Full where to buy and try rules for every model: Purple review →
The foams carry CertiPUR-US, a label that tests foam for certain harmful chemicals and gases. Purple also calls the bed hypoallergenic and Clean-Air Gold certified. We could not confirm what test stands behind that second label, so treat it as a brand claim.
Purple lists the top cover as mostly polyester with a little spandex for stretch. CertiPUR-US covers only the foam, not the cover or fire barrier.
Smell is mild and short. NapLab noticed a smell for about 4 days. Purple describes it as faintly sweet and says it fades within days.
No, according to Purple. The product page calls its fire barrier a fiberglass-free fire sock that is not treated with chemicals. Purple's help center says the same. Outside guides describe it as a knit fabric made with silica yarn, which is not loose glass strands.
To check your own bed, read the white law tag sewn on the side. It lists the materials inside. You should not see "glass fiber." Do not unzip the cover to look, since that can expose the inner layers.
It needs a firm, flat base. Purple lists these as fine:
A solid platform or foundation.
A slatted frame with gaps under 3.5 inches.
An adjustable base rated for at least 750 pounds.
Do not use a box spring. The springs let the foam bend in ways it was not made for. Queen and larger sizes also need a frame with a center leg. The warranty lists a poor base as a reason to deny a sag claim, so check your frame before the bed arrives.
How long will it last, and does it need flipping or rotating?
Expect around 6 to 7 years, says Sleep Foundation. Sleepopolis thinks it may last 7 years or more. The grid itself wears well. The support foam underneath is what softens with time.
Purple asks you to sleep on it for 21 nights before judging it. Your body needs that long to get used to the grid. Some early softening is normal.
It has one sleep side, so never flip it. Purple does not post a rotation schedule. Turning it head to foot now and then is a common habit for foam beds, but ask Purple first if you are unsure.
The Purple Mattress ships free, rolled in a box, and you set it up yourself. Every size weighs under 150 pounds, so FedEx usually brings it. Plan on 5 to 10 business days once it leaves the warehouse.
Purple sells in-home setup with old mattress removal for $200 on select Essential beds. Ask at checkout if this model qualifies.
Full delivery and setup rules for every model: Purple review →
You get 100 nights from delivery day, but you must sleep on it at least 21 nights before you can start a return. If you send The Purple Mattress back, Purple keeps a $150 pickup charge from your refund. You can swap once instead, though a pickup charge and any price gap may apply. The bed must be clean, with the law tag still on.
Full trial and return rules for every model: Purple review →
The Purple Mattress has a 10-year warranty for the first owner. Purple repairs or replaces the bed for flaws, including dips deeper than 1 inch, with no sliding scale charge. After day 100, you pay to ship it. Stains, a removed law tag, a weak base or lifting it by the handles can void the claim.
Owners on purple.com rate it highly, but outside sites are harsher. The product page showed 4.5 out of 5 from 29,566 ratings in September 2026. Purple collects and shows those reviews itself. On Trustpilot, the Purple company scored 1.4 out of 5 from 102 reviews in September 2026, mostly complaints.
Its edge over rivals is cooling and bounce. Here is when another bed fits better.
Nectar Classic: pick it to save several hundred dollars and get a hugging memory foam feel. The Purple Mattress sleeps cooler and is easier to move on.
Casper Original: feels more like a regular foam bed. The Purple Mattress stays cooler.
Helix Midnight: a coil hybrid that suits side sleepers better for the money. The Purple Mattress wins on cooling.
Inside the Purple lineup, PurpleFlex is firmer and cheaper, and PurplePlus is thicker with more cushion.
Has The Purple Mattress changed since it launched?
Yes, a little. This is Purple's original bed, first sold after the brand's Kickstarter days around 2015 and 2016. Today it stands 9.25 inches tall.
Today it sits in Purple's Essential group next to PurpleFlex and PurplePlus. It still comes in one feel only. Older outside tests, such as NapLab's, used the 9.5 inch version.
We did not test this mattress in person. This page uses Purple's own product, return, warranty and help pages, checked in September and October 2026. We added scores from NapLab, Sleep Foundation, Sleepopolis and other outside testers, shown one by one and never averaged, plus owner reviews, and we mark brand claims as brand claims.
We found evidence for every question on this page.
Answer 4 quick questions about your sleep position, body weight, and back support needs to get model suggestions based on the specs each brand publishes.
