Mattress Ratings >> Memory Foam Mattress Reviews > Memory Foam Cons

Disadvantages of Memory Foam Mattresses → Based on Data From Over 5,600 Actual Owners

Page last updated June 6, 2011         Bookmark and Share

Initial Odor / Off Gassing

Mattresses with memory foam have a tendency to "off gas" or "out gas" when they are new.

This means that the beds may initially give off an invisible gas which often has a chemical-like odor. About 15-20% of owners report this problem.

See memory foam off gassing for a detailed analysis of the issue.

Retains Heat / Sleeps Hot

About 7% of memory foam mattress owners report that their bed "sleeps hot" and is a heat trap. This means that the mattress absorbs and then fails to disperse a person's body heat, resulting in a sleeping surface that is unnaturally warm. See memory foam heat problems for more analysis.

Takes Getting Used To

About 6% of memory foam bed owners in our research, especially owners of higher density foam, report that the beds take getting used to at first and are not immediately comfortable. Owners of other mattress types, with the possible exception of latex beds and air beds, did not report this problem in any significant number.

May Not Be For People Who Don't Weigh Much

People who don't weigh much (under 110 lbs or so and usually female) often say that they don't sink into the foam. As a result, they can't fully benefit from the mattress or find good comfort. This problem can occur with all densities, but it is especially an issue with higher density foam.

Lack of Edge Support

About 2% of owners complain that their bed lacks support when lying or sitting on the edge of the mattress. Unlike many innerspring beds and airbeds, memory foam mattresses do not have added structural support for their edges.

Go to Advantages of Memory Foam Mattresses

Good or bad? – Memory foam Temperature Sensitivity

"Temperature sensitive" means that memory foam is firmer in cool temperatures and softer in warm temperatures or when in contact with a person's body.

Temperature sensitivity is mostly present and noticeable in high-density memory foam, as opposed to low-density memory foam.

Temperature sensitivity is what allows memory foam to mold to a person's body and, consequently, provide good support and comfort.

This molding ability, however, can also be a disadvantage in that it can make moving on or getting up off the bed somewhat difficult, at least when compared to other types of beds.

It can also give the sensation that one is sleeping in "mud" or "quicksand," two words that are often used to describe sleeping on higher density foam.

The temperature sensitivity may also result in molding and contouring to one's body to an extent that it cuts off circulation. Numbness of the arms and hands in particular is reported by about 2% of memory foam mattress owners.