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Research Methodology & Sources

Mattress Ratings >>Memory Foam Mattress Ratings

Tempur-pedic® Mattress Bed Reviews and Ratings -- Based on Data From 1,119 Actual Owners

Page last updated July 15, 2009



 

What You Need To Know
Tempur-pedic has a respectable comfort score (80% satisfaction) as well as a moderate number of pros and cons, according to data collected from over 1,100 actual owners.

Compared to less expensive memory foam mattress brands in general, Tempurpedic does appear to perform somewhat better in regard to durability / longevity, pain relief and perceived quality.

Overall, however, the bed does not seem to be significantly superior to some less expensive brands. For more information, see the mattress comparison and memory foam mattress prices and specs comparison.

Related info based on owner data
Memory foam density - is higher better?
Sex on a memory foam mattress
Mattresses and sex
Memory foam off gassing
Memory foam and dust mites

Mattress warranties: what you should know


About Our Research
Sleep Like The Dead gathered reviews and comments on the Tempur-pedic memory foam bed from over 1,100 owners of various models including Grand, BellaSonna, Allura, Celebrity, Rhapsody, Deluxe, Prima, Classic, Advantage and Original. The sources of this data are over 400 online message boards and discussion groups. For more information on our research methodology and why it is highly credible, click here.

Read more mattress reviews and ratings based on data from over 6,500 actual owners. You can also search our research findings.

This page consists of six sections: Overview; Comfort; Negatives / Complaints; Positives; Sleeps Hot Issue; and Off Gassing / Odor Issue.



Research Findings Overview: Tempurpedic Bed

80%
Good
Poor-Fair
Good
No
No
Fair-Good
Excellent
Fair-Good
Fair
Fair-Good
Good-Excellent
Good




Comfort
Out of the 1,119 Tempur-pedic bed owners included in the data, 890 said the bed was comfortable and 221 said it was uncomfortable. In other words, 80% of the owners found the bed to be comfortable, and 20% did not.

Comfortable
 890 Owners
Uncomfortable
 221 Owners

For perspective, the percentage of Tempur-pedic bed owners finding the bed comfortable (80%) is higher than the top-selling innerspring mattresses, lower than latex mattresses and similar to airbeds, such as the Sleep Number bed, according to our related research. For how the Tempur-pedic bed compares to two other popular memory foam mattress brands, click here.



Tempur-pedic Mattress Negatives
This section lists and describes 14 negatives of the Tempur-pedic bed, according to owners.

Don't like other beds as result
 81 Owners
Takes getting used to
 77 Owners
Difficult to move on 
 55 Owners
Don't want to get out of bed
 50 Owners
Causes pain
 44 Owners
Heavy
 36 Owners
Premature sagging
 28 Owners
Not worth investment
   28 Owners
Too firm
 20 Owners
Wake up tired
 13 Owners
Unpleasant sensation
 13 Owners
Not good for pregnant
 8 Owners
No electric blanket
 7 Owners
Firm when cold
 6 Owners

 

Glossary

Dislike other beds as result of sleeping on Tempur-pedic
Finding comfort and good sleep on non-Tempurpedic / non-memory foam beds that are used when traveling is difficult as a result of sleeping on and becoming used to the Tempurpedic mattress.
 
Takes getting used to
The bed is different enough, especially from innerspring mattresses, that getting used to it often requires several days, perhaps even weeks.

Difficult to move on
Tossing and turning can be difficult. The temperature-sensitive aspect of the bed causes it to contour around one’s body. This means that moving into a new position often requires more effort than is the case with other types of beds.

Don’t want to get out bed
The bed causes the sleeper to not want to get out of it. While this may seem like a positive, owners often indicated that this was, in fact, a problem for them. A reluctance to get out of the bed may be at least partially caused by the bed’s temperature-sensitive properties which generally discourage body movement.

Heavy
The mattress is heavy which makes moving, transporting or even making it difficult.
 
Causes pain
The bed causes pain, especially back, hip and shoulder pain. Or it makes existing pain worse.

Premature sagging
Within three years or less the bed sagged and left significant body impressions which undermined comfort.

Poor investment
The money paid is not worth the investment, mainly because the bed is uncomfortable.
 
Too firm
The firmness of the bed is too solid and hard, undermining comfort.

Unpleasant sensation
Sleeping on the mattress is like sleeping in mud or quicksand. (Again, this is likely due to the temperature-sensitive properties of the bed.)

Wake up tired
For reasons that are not fully clear, sleeping on the bed results in waking up not feeling refreshed.

Not good for pregnant women
The bed is not suitable for expecting mothers, largely because they had trouble moving or getting up off of it.

Can’t use electric blanket
Consistent use of an electric blanket can damage the cell structure of memory foam.

Firm when cold

The mattress is firm when cold, but becomes softer when in contact with a person.


Tempur-pedic Mattress Positives
This section lists and describes 11 positives of the Tempur-pedic bed, according to owners.

Reduces pain
   184 Owners
Good investment 
 169 Owners
Little or no motion transfer
 88 Owners
Improves restful sleep
 84 Owners
Durable
 83 Owners
Reduces tossing / turning
 56 Owners
Don't want to get out of bed
 50 Owners
No flipping
 15 Owners
Reduces snoring
 12 Owners
Good for heavy people
 11 Owners
Quiet
 5 Owners

Glossary

Reduces pain
The bed relieves or even eliminates pain, especially back, shoulder and hip pain.

Good investment
The money spent, though often substantial, is a wise investment.

Little or no motion transfer
The bed localizes or absorbs motion. In other words, the bed absorbs the movement of one person on the bed so that the other person does not notice the movement much or at all.

Improves restful sleep
The mattress allows for better and more efficient sleep.

Durable
The bed is at least five years old and shows little, if any, sign of sagging or body impressions.

Reduces tossing and turning
It is not uncommon to wake up in the same position that one falls asleep in.

Don’t want to get out bed
While this was also listed as a negative, it should also be considered a positive since it implies good comfort.
 
No need to flip
The mattress typically does not need to be flipped to maintain comfort and support.
 
Reduces snoring
Snoring has been reduced or eliminated since sleeping on the bed.
 
Good for heavy people
The mattress provides good comfort and durability for heavy people, including pregnant women.

Quiet
There is no squeaking or noise of any kind that comes from the bed.



Sleeps Hot Issue
Tempur-pedic and memory foam mattresses in general have a reputation for “sleeping hot.” In other words, they are thought to absorb and retain one’s body heat resulting in an unnaturally warm sleeping surface.

Below is data from Tempur-pedic owners who commented on this issue.

Hot 
   81 Owners
Warm 
   59 Owners
Not hot 
   57 Owners
Cold 
   6 Owners



Hot
The bed is uncomfortably hot and this undermines quality sleep.

Warm
The mattress is warm during sleep, but not uncomfortably hot.
 
Not hot
The bed is not hot, at least no hotter than other mattresses.
 
Cold
The mattress has an uncomfortably cold sleeping surface.

Important note: The number of complaints regarding Tempurpedic "sleeping hot" has been noticeably falling in the past couple of years. Why this is the case is not clear. Perhaps the word is out about the bed sleeping hot and people who are naturally hot have not been buying the bed. Or, perhaps more likely, Tempurpedic has addressed the issue by altering the memory foam to be less of a heat trap.



Off Gassing Issue
Tempur-pedic and memory foam beds in general have a reputation for "off gassing." In other words, they have been known to give off a chemical-like odor initially, which can last for hours to weeks.
 
Below is data from Tempur-pedic owners who commented on this issue.
 
Off gassing -- yes 
 50 Owners
Off gassing -- no 
 23 Owners

Important note:
As with "sleeping hot," the number of complaints regarding Tempurpedic off gassing has been noticeably falling in the past couple of years. Why this is the case is not fully clear, but it is likely due to Tempurpedic altering the memory foam so that it off gasses less.