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The Truth About Pillow Top Mattresses →
Based on Data From Over 530 Pillow Top Mattress Owners
Page last updated Nov. 2, 2009
For our research, a pillow top mattress is defined as a mattress with a top layer(s) of traditional pillow top material and may also include a layer or insert of memory foam and / or latex.
Non-pillow top mattresses are generally defined as those with minimal padding, such as "firm" models, but may include "plush" tops.
The findings below pertain mainly to innerspring-based mattresses with pillow tops, as opposed to airbeds or memory foam beds that may feature them.
Durability
At least 30% of pillow top innerspring mattress owners in our research report premature sagging. This means that pillow top beds are about two to three times more likely to noticeably sag within three years than non-pillow top beds. (This does not imply that non-pillow top innerspring mattresses have good durability; they too have significant sagging problems, but not as severe as pillow tops.) Innerspring pillow tops that include latex tend to have at least a somewhat higher tendency to sag than non-latex types.
Comfort
Overall, pillow top mattresses have about the same comfort rating as non-pillow tops. Not surprisingly, our data shows that people who like firmer mattresses generally prefer non-pillow tops, while those who like softer mattresses generally prefer pillow tops. About 10% of pillow top mattress owners complain that their bed is too soft, while about 1% say it is too firm.
Pain Issue
- Among owners of pillow top mattresses that include memory foam and or latex, 11% report less pain, especially back pain.
- About 7% of owners of traditional, non-memory foam / latex tops report less pain.
- 5% of owners say that their pillow top bed causes pain, usually because of sagging or too much softness / lack of support.
- Among owners of non-pillow top beds, 6% say they have less pain, especially back pain, while 7% say that their mattress causes pain, usually because of too much firmness.
Sleeping Hot
Tops with memory foam are somewhat more likely to act as a heat trap (resulting in a warm or even hot sleeping surface) than non-memory foam tops. Simmons mattresses with memory foam pillow tops have the most complaints regarding heat, according to our research.
Odor
Non-pillow top mattresses have few complaints regarding off gassing or initial odor. Mattresses with memory foam tops have somewhat more complaints about odor. Sealy, however, has a high percentage of owners (about 20%) who complain about their memory foam top giving off an initial and fairly strong odor.