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.