Aerus (Foamex) Memory Foam Mattress Review, Ratings & Comparison

Based on 584 Actual Consumer Experiences

April 25, 2013

What You Need To Know

THE GOOD: Aerus (Foamex) mattresses are affordably priced and offer above-average comfort and pain-relief potential.

THE BAD: Initial off gassing odor is the main complaint. The warranty is only five years, and lifespan / durability is average at best. Some Aerus mattresses may be irregularly sized, i.e., somewhat small in length and or width.

THE MATTRESS: Aerus (foam made in USA by Foamex / FXI) is an entry-level memory foam mattress. Like other beds in its price range, it is used on a temporary / occasional basis (as opposed to permanent / regular) by 25% or more of owners.

THE COMPETITION: Competition is fierce among entry-level memory foam mattresses. See the memory foam mattress reviews – summary to learn how Aerus compares to other brands. Also see the Aerus vs Tempur-Pedic comparison.

THE RETAILERS: Aerus / Foamex is sold mostly at samsclub.com, walmart.com and amazon.com. See buying a mattress online: what you should know.

Aerus (Foamex) Mattress Ratings

The ratings below are based on at least 570 consumer reviews of the 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch Natural models including Ultra-Luxe, Premium and Plush.

Owner satisfaction	B	Aerus has 80% owner satisfaction (80 out of 100 based on 584 reviews). This rating is similar to that of most other memory foam mattress brands. The various Aerus models tend to rate similar to one another.
Durability / longevity	C-	Mattresses in Aerus' price range almost always have average to below average durability / longevity. Owner experience data suggests that the lifespan of an Aerus mattress is on average about four years with regular use. In addition, at least 16% of owners report significant sagging / softening occurring within the first two years of ownership.
Price / affordability	A-	Prices range from $170-$545 depending on mattress size and model. Most owners consider Aerus to be a good value.
Less pain	B	The contouring ability of memory foam tends to provide good pain relief, including back pain relief, and minimization of pressure points. The 4-lbs/ft density Aerus mattresses perform somewhat better in relieving pain than the 3-lbs/ft mattresses. Also, the thinner models (6 and 8 inches) may be too thin to provide adequate support for heavier-than-average adults. (See mattresses and pain relief for general analysis.)
Firmness variety	c-	The 3-lbs/ft memory foam density Aerus mattresses tend to be medium to firm, with excessive firmness being a complaint from about 8% of owners. The 4-lbs/ft mattresses tend to have medium firmness overall, but about 30% of owners report either soft or firm firmness levels.
Contours to body	B-	The 3-lbs/ft memory foam density models tend to only moderately contour to the body, while the 4-lbs/ft models tend to contour more strongly.
Easy to move on	c-	The 3-lbs/ft density models tend to be fairly easy to move on and get up off. The 4-lbs/ft models are more dense and tend to allow the sleeper to sink in more to the bed which results in more resistance to movement.
Motion isolation	B+	The mattress is couple friendly in that it minimizes motion transfer.
No initial odor / off gassing	d+	"Off gassing" is the release of a chemical-like odor that occurs when the bed is new. 18% of owners of the 4-lbs/ft density models report significant off gassing, while the 3-lbs/ft models have somewhat fewer complaints. (See memory foam off gassing for more information.)
No sleeping hot	C	The mattress absorbs body heat and then does not efficiently release it for about 7% of owners. 4 lbs/ft density models tend to have the most heat trap complaints.
Good for sex	C	4-lbs/ft density Aerus beds tend to have somewhat more complaints on this issue than the 3-lbs/ft density beds. See mattresses and sex for further analysis.
No noise	A	Memory foam makes no sound when lied or moved on.
No rotating / flipping	B-	The beds are "no flip," but some rotating is occasionally needed, say owners, to avoid sagging, softening and wear.
Lightweight	C-	The 3-lbs/ft density Aerus beds weigh 38-56 lbs. The 4-lbs/ft density beds weigh 45-92 lbs.
Warranty	D	Aerus' warranty is only five years, but it is comparable to other value-priced memory foam mattresses.
Return policy	A-	Sam's Club and Wal-Mart have a 90-day or better return policy. To return the mattress, it will need to be shipped back to a Wal-Mart or Sam's distribution center or returned to a Wal-Mart or Sam's store. (See returning a mattress: what you should know.)
Customer service	c	Customer service availability and quality is questionable, owner experience data suggests.
Better Business Bureau rating	B+	Foamex International (FXI), the company which makes the foam used in Aerus mattresses, currently has a "B+" rating with the BBB.
Sleep Like The Dead company rating	B-	This rating evaluates Foamex International against its competition. It is based on a combination of metrics including but not necessarily limited BBB rating and stability; number of BBB complaints / business size ratio; years in business; product ratings; and customer service ratings.

Aerus (Foamex) Model Ratings and Specifications

	Owner Satisfaction / Sample Size	Price Twin	Price Full	Price Queen	Price King	Overall Thickness	Comfort Layer*	Base Layer	Cover	Comment

Natural 6"	83% / 146	$160	$190	--	--	6"	1.5'' peak height – convoluted memory foam	4.5" of regular foam	poly cotton	sold at walmart.com. best for lighter adults, children and temporary, occasional use
Natural 8"	81% / 233	--	$195	$215	$250	8"	3" of 3.0 lbs / ft memory foam	5" of regular foam	poly cotton	best for lighter or average size adults or children
Natural Plush	80% / 114	$275	$360	$400	$470	10"	3" of 4.0 lbs / ft memory foam	7" of regular foam	bamboo	--
Natural Ultra Luxe	79% / 46	$320	$415	$465	$545	12"	3" of 4.0 lbs / ft memory foam	9" of regular foam	bamboo	heaviest model. weighs 50-95 lbs depending on size

* See the memory foam density comparison to learn about the characteristics of the different densities.

Aerus Vs Tempur-Pedic Comparison

Tempur-pedic is often the standard by which other memory foam mattresses are judged. The table below shows how Aerus / Foamex compares to Tempur-Pedic mattresses overall based on actual owner experiences.

	Aerus	Tempur- Pedic
Owner satisfaction	B	B
Durability / longevity	C-	B+
Price / affordability	A-	D
Less pain	B	B+
Firmness variety	C-	B+
Motion isolation	B+	A
Easy to move on	C	C-
No initial odor	D+	D+
No sleeping hot	C	C-
Good for sex	C+	C
No noise	A	A
No rotating / flipping	B-	B+
Lightweight	C	D-
Warranty	D	B+
Customer service	C	B+
Better Business Bureau rating	A	A+
Density (lbs/ft)	3 or 4	2.5 to 5.3+

At Amazon: Foamex (Aerus) Mattress

About our unbiased Aerus mattress review and research

Our Aerus / Foamex mattress ratings are based on 580+ owner reviews of the 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch Natural models including Ultra-Luxe, Premium and Plush.

About 80% of Aerus owner experience data was collected from samsclub.com and walmart.com with the rest coming from online message boards.

Learn more about our mattress research methodology and sources.

Keep in Mind

– Aerus' warranty is only five years. More expensive memory foam mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic, often have at least 20-year warranties.

– Aerus is one of the lowest priced memory foam mattresses available.

– 18% of owners of the 4-lbs/ft density models report significant off gassing, while the 3-lbs/ft models have somewhat fewer complaints.

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