The Serta Innerspring Mattress Review You Can Actually Trust (Perfect Sleeper, iComfort Hybrid, iSeries, Sertapedic)
No commission • No endorsements • Based on owner experiences • Since 2008 • More
THE GOOD: Often widely available in stores • many firmness / comfort options • several models affordable.
THE BAD: Fair-at-best owner satisfaction and durability / lifespan (like innerspring beds in general) • noise & poor motion isolation possible from cheaper models.
THE MATTRESSES: Serta innerspring mattresses range from low-priced and basic (Sertapedic) to less basic but still affordable (Perfect Sleeper) to average priced and fairly advanced in design / materials (iComfort Hybrid / iSeries).
THE SERTA ALTERTERNATIVE: iComfort (memory foam).
THE COMPANY: Serta Inc. – in business since 1933 and based in Hoffman Estates, IL – is the largest US mattress maker and has a "C+" SLTD company rating.
THE COMPETITION: See main competitors to Serta models. Also see the innerspring mattress reviews and the mattress comparison as well as the information below to learn how Serta compares to competition. Also see how Serta and traditional mattress brands in general compare to newer brands.
Contents
Serta Innerspring Mattress Ratings – Summary
Serta Company Ratings
Owner Satisfaction
Durability / Longevity
Prices / Affordability
(Back) Pain Relief Potential
Support
Conforming Ability
Sleep Quality
Motion Isolation / Couple Friendliness
Off Gassing Odor
Heat Trap Potential
Sex Suitability
Noise
Topper Usage
Person Size Suitability
Breaking-In Period
Weight – Ease of Lifting, Moving, Handling
Model Prices, Specifications & Comments
About our unbiased Serta Mattress Ratings and research
Ratings are based on owner experiences for Serta innerspring-based models gathered using an unbiased research methodology. Learn why you can trust our mattress reviews.
Serta Innerspring Mattress Ratings – Summary & Comparison
Sertapedic, Perfect Sleeper and iComfort Hybrid / iSeries are rated compared to the average mattress in the table below.
| SERTAPEDIC | PERFECT SLEEPER | ICOMFORT HYBRID & ISERIES** | |
| Sample | |||
| Owner satisfaction* | D | d+ | c- |
| Lifespan / durability | D | D+ | C- |
| Affordable | B+ | b | c- |
| Less (back) pain | C- | C | b- |
| Support | C- | C | B |
| Minimizes pressure | D+ | C- | B |
| Sleep quality | C | C | B- |
| Easy to move on | C | B- | B- |
| Motion isolation | D+ | D+ | b |
| No initial odor | B | B- | c+ |
| Not a heat trap | B | B- | c+ |
| Sex friendly | C | C+ | B- |
| No noise | C- | c | b |
| No topper needed | C- | C- | C+ |
| Large person friendly | D- | C- | C+ |
| Small person friendly | B- | B- | B- |
| Easy to move, lift | B- | C+ | c |
| Fast break in | B- | C+ | C |
| Low maintenance | C- | C- | C- |
* For daily adult use. Learn more.
** Serta iComfort Hybrid & ISeries are recently revised or somewhat new models. As a result, limited long-term owner experience data available. Ratings are based on a combination of owner experience data, previous-model ratings and the estimate of Sleep Like The Dead.
Serta Company Ratings
The ratings below – based on consumer experiences and the evaluation of Sleep Like The Dead – show how Serta, Inc. compares to the average mattress manufacturer.
| Warranty coverage | C- | Like its competitors Sealy and Simmons, Serta provides 10 years non-prorated coverage. Also, similar to competitors Sealy and Simmons, a significant number of consumers historically have reported difficulty in successfully engaging warranty coverage. (See mattress warranties: what to know.) |
| Return policy | B- | Serta offers a 120-day trial for iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. You may have to keep the mattress at least 30 days, and a redeliver fee may apply. The return / exchange policy for Perfect Sleeper can vary by retailer. (See returning a mattress: what to know.) |
| Customer service | C | Serta tends to provide about average customer support, owner experience data suggests. Most complaints for customer service have to do with what is perceived as a lack of help and professionalism regarding warranty claims. |
| Marketing accuracy | B+ | Aside from mild hyperbole such as the company tagline of "Always Comfortable," the company is essentially factual and carefully words its product presentations. |
| Access to customer reviews | D+ | At serta.com, reviews posted there cannot be sorted. And negative / neutral reviews are often only available after going through many pages. In addition, the majority of reviews for Perfect Sleeper are not recent but several years old. |
| Integrity of customer reviews | C | In total, customer ratings at serta.com are about 15% higher than customer ratings at independent sources. |
| Specs disclosed | B- | The disclosing of specs allows consumers to know what they are paying for and helps them comparison shop. |
| Time in business | A | Serta was founded in 1931 and has been under current ownership since 2005. |
| BBB rating | A+ | Serta has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Serta has had 139 complaints filed against it in the past three years which is about average for a mattress manufacturer of its size. |
| SLTD rating of company | C+ | SLTD (Sleep Like The Dead) company rating for Serta is determined by averaging the above company ratings. |
Owner Satisfaction
Serta innerspring mattresses overall have 64% owner satisfaction – a rate similar to that of innerspring mattresses as a group but lower than that of all mattresses. (Learn how owner satisfaction is determined.)
Serta innerspring mattresses perform similar to the average mattress for limited adult use or everyday child use.
* partial estimate
Pillow Top Vs Non-Pillow Top Models
Among the various Serta Perfect Sleeper and iComfort Hybrid / iSeries models, non-pillow top models often rate somewhat higher than pillow top models. The higher rating for non-pillow tops is due chiefly to better durability, edge support, and sleep temperature. See the truth about pillow top beds.
Owner Satisfaction by Year
The graph below shows that after the first two years Serta innerspring mattress owner satisfaction is and remains somewhat lower than that of all mattresses overall. This is largely due to Serta (like innerspring beds in general) having somewhat worse longevity / durability than the average mattress.
Durability / Longevity
* partial estimate
Sertapedic. In regard to durability / longevity, Sertapedic is often best suited for child use or light adult use.
Perfect Sleeper. Sagging (occurring to an extent that undermines sleep quality) is the main complaint for the Perfect Sleeper among owners who have used the mattress regularly for at least three years. About 28% of these owners report a sagging problem.
Also, protruding springs from the side of the mattress is reported by about 5% of owners.
It should be noted that Perfect Sleeper durability / longevity appears to have improved somewhat in the past few years. But the bed still performs significantly below average compared to all mattresses.
Perfect Sleeper likely has an average useful lifespan of about 5 to 6 years with regular use.
GRAPH – Perfect Sleeper Average Ownership Length
One-Sided vs Two-Sided Perfect Sleeper Models
Most Perfect Sleeper models are one sided and no flip. Some models, however, are double sided and flippable. Double-sided models appear to have better durability / longevity than one sided but are about 30% more expensive than one-sided.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Sagging (occurring to an extent that undermines sleep quality) is the main complaint for the iComfort Hybrid / iSeries among owners who have used the mattress regularly for at least three years. At least 24% of these owners report a sagging problem. Unlike the Perfect Sleeper, the durability of the iComfort Hybrid / iSeries is at least fairly suited for couples.
IComfort Hybrid / iSeries likely has an average useful lifespan of six years with regular use.
GRAPH – IComfort Hybrid / ISeries Average Ownership Length (based partially on past performance of similar Serta models)
Price
Sertapedic. Prices usually range $340-$970 (depending on model and size) making Sertapedic an entry-level mattress.
Perfect Sleeper. Prices usually range $350-$1,000+ (depending on model and size) making Perfect Sleeper an entry- to mid-level mattress.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Prices usually range $660-$3000+ (depending on model and size) making iComfort Hybrid / iSeries mostly a mid-level to luxury level mattress.
*Does not include innerspring hybrids; their average is about $2050 (queen).
(Back) Pain Relief
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. Initially, they are often effective at (back, hip and shoulder) pain relief. But pain and pressure relief can diminish due to wear, compression and sagging. For at least 14% of owners the mattress can cause pain often due to sagging or excessive firmness.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. The mattress performs at least somewhat above average on this issue due likely to the presence of memory foam. Mattress sagging or excessive firmness, however, can cause (back) pain.
* partial estimate
See mattresses and pain relief for general analysis.
Mattress Support
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. Support tends to be no better than fair (especially for couples and people 230+ lbs) given the beds' relatively unsophisticated coil system and limited amount of conforming material.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Support tends to be fair or better given the beds' superior coil system and the presence of at least some conforming material.
* partial estimate
Conforming Ability
A conforming mattress is one that molds and contours to the sleeper's body. Such a mattress, owner experience data suggests, supports one's body weight more equally and has more of a cradling, pressure-point-free feel than a non-conforming mattress.
Memory foam tends to provide a mattress with the most noticeable conforming support. And how much memory foam a mattress has often determines how conforming it is.
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. These models tend to have little if any memory foam content, meaning they offer minimal conforming ability.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Depending on the model, iComfort Hybrid / iSeries may have fairly significant memory foam content and therefore significant conforming ability. Those models with at least two inches of memory foam tend to offer the most conforming potential.
* partial estimate
Sleep Quality
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. Sleep quality tends to be no better than average as no more than 20% of owners report less tossing / turning and or more restful, efficient sleep. Those models with memory foam tend to perform best on this issue.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Sleep quality tends to be average to somewhat above average as about 20% of owners report less tossing / turning and or more restful, efficient sleep. Those models with at least two inches of memory foam tend to perform best on this issue.
* partial estimate
Motion Isolation
A mattress with good motion isolation is couple friendly in that it keeps movement localized so as to not disturb one's partner. See mattress motion isolation for general analysis.
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. Many models use continuous coils which provide poor to fair motion isolation. Those models with pocket / encased coils perform better.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. The duet pocket coils used in the bed perform at least average.
* partial estimate
Off Gassing Initial Odor
See mattress off gassing for general analysis.
Sertapedic. About 5% of owners report noteworthy off gassing / initial smell.
Perfect Sleeper. At least 5% of Serta Perfect Sleeper owners complain of noteworthy off gassing / initial smell. Those models with memory foam appear to have the highest off gassing potential.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. 7% of owners report noteworthy off gassing / initial odor. Those models with two inches or more of memory foam have the highest off gassing potential.
* partial estimate
Sleeping Hot / Heat Retention
Sertapedic. No more than 4% of owners complain that their bed acts as a heat trap.
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. About 6% of owners complain that their bed acts as a heat trap. Models with gel foam may provide a cooling benefit; in fact, about 2% of owners report sleeping too cold.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. At least 7% of owners report their mattress acting as a heat trap – with soft, pillow-top models having the most potential to sleep hot. The gel-infused memory foam seems to be at least partially effective in limiting significant heat buildup.
* partial estimate
See mattresses and sleeping hot for general analysis.
Sex Friendly
Perfect Sleeper. The Perfect Sleeper, especially models with continuous coil support, tend to rate somewhat above average on this issue mainly because of their bounce effect. Sagging of the mattress, however, can make romance difficult.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Pocket coil support often limits a bounce effect but overall the mattress has superior comfort than Perfect Sleeper.
Refer to mattresses and sex for general analysis.
* partial estimate
Noise
Sertapedic / Perfect Sleeper. The coil systems used inside may make some noise including squeaking and creaking.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. The pocket coils used tend to be quieter than other kinds of innerspring designs, but they still have limited potential to squeak, creak and clunk.
* partial estimate
Topper Usage
Sertapedic/ Perfect Sleeper. Given that these models are often more firm than soft, topper use is above average.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. The less expensive models tend to have greater topper needs than the more expensive models.
* partial estimate
Person Size Suitability
Sertapedic. Given the bed's construction, people over 230 pounds tend to not be suited for it. People 130-230 pounds are better suited, while people under 130 pounds are best suited.
Perfect Sleeper. Given the bed's construction, people over 230 pounds tend to not be ideally suited for it. People 130-230 pounds are better suited, while people under 130 pounds are best suited.
iComfort Hybrid / iSeries. Given the construction, people of all sizes are potentially well suited for it.
* Findings are an average, and suitability can vary by specific model / firmness. See the mattress firmness guide for which firmness may be best for your specific body type and sleeping position. Also see the mattress guide for large and small people.
Break-In Period
Serta innerspring mattresses often have average or better break-in times. Models consisting of mostly regular foam or pillow fill in the comfort layer tend to have a shorter break-in period than models with memory foam, especially those with at least two inches of the material.
* partial estimate
Weight
Thicker-model Sertas, especially those containing memory foam, can weigh in excess of 100 lbs – making them difficult to move, handle and lift especially for one person. Several models, however, have handles / grips.
Serta Innerspring Mattress Models: Prices, Specifications, Competition and Comments
The same or similar Serta models (especially for Perfect Sleeper) often have different names at different retailers. Retailers should, however, be able to provide you with at least basic specifications of the models they sell to help you comparison shop
Prices below are for a mattress only, not a foundation which often costs an additional $100-$300 depending on mattress size. The price ranges are due to the availability of different models within each line. Models in the higher end of a price range tend to be thicker and or have better material / design.
| Sertapedic | Perfect Sleeper | iComfort Hybrid | iSeries |
| General Comments | |||
| Best suited for light / occasional adult use or regular child use. Poor motion isolation / couple friendliness from continuous coil models. | Not ideally suited for daily, long-term use by individuals 230+ lbs and couples. Poor motion isolation / couple friendliness from continuous coil models. | Referred to as a hybrid mattress due to its use of both springs and memory foam. Memory foam content, however, on most most is one inch or less. | Limited availability. Often considered a hybrid due to its use of both springs and memory foam. |
| Prices | |||
| twin $340-$700 full $370-$730 queen $390-$740 king $615-$970 |
twin $330-$750+ full $340-$770+ queen $350-$820+ king $470-$1100+ |
twin $660-$2950 full $920-$3000 queen $1100-$3300 king $1600-$3900 |
twin $760-$2950 full $1020-$2975 queen $1200-$3000 king $1900-$3300 |
| COMMENT: Considerably less expensive than both the average mattress ($1500 queen) and the average innerspring mattress ($940 queen). | COMMENT: Considerably more expensive on average than the average mattress ($1500 queen) and somewhat higher on average than the average hybrid mattress ($2000 queen). | ||
| Thickness | |||
| 10-14" | 9-15" | 12-16" | 13-16.5" |
| COMMENT: The average mattress overall is 11" thick which means that most Serta models have above-average thickness. Above-average thickness can give the bed an upscale presence, but shorter people may find the thicker models especially to be too tall / high for easily getting on and off. A low profile foundation can help lower the bed's overall height. | |||
| Support | |||
| continuous coil (391 coil count queen) or pocket coil (711 coil count queen) | continuous coil (520-800 coil count queen) or pocket coil (739-886 coil count queen) | pocket coil in coil (952-1008 coil count queen) | pocket coil (886 coil count queen) |
| COMMENT: Learn about coil types as well as coil count. The (duet) pocket coil in coil of iComfort Hybrid / iSeries has an outer and inner coil. The outer coil is designed to contour with minimal pressure while the inner coil provides support. | |||
| Comfort Layer | |||
| 0-4" regular foam .5" gel memory foam (select models)3 |
.5-3.5" regular foam 1-2" memory foam (select models) .5-1" gel memory foam (select models)3 regular gel foam (select models) |
2-4.5" regular foam .5-3" gel memory foam3 2" memory foam (select models) minicoils (select models) |
1-3" regular foam 1-4" gel memory foam3 |
| Gel (memory) foam tends to reduce heat trap complaints significantly compared to non-gel foam especially if two or more inches is present. | |||
| Firmness | |||
| medium to firm | medium to firm | soft to firm | soft to firm |
| COMMENT: Learn which firmness may be best for your size and sleep position. | |||
| Adjustable Base Friendly | |||
| not models with a border wire / rod | not models with a border wire / rod | yes | yes |
| COMMENT: The thinner the mattress, the more friendly it tends to be for an adjustable bed base. (See adjustable bed base ratings.) | |||
| Warranty | |||
| 10 years non prorated | 10 years non prorated | 10 years non prorated | 10 years non prorated |
| COMMENT: Length is similar to that of competitors. See mattress warranties: what to know. | |||
| Main Competition | |||
| Simmons Beautysleep Sealy Essentials Other low-priced mattresses |
Beautyrest Silver / Recharge Sealy Performance Other mid-priced mattresses |
Other hybrid mattresses | Other hybrid mattresses |
Sleep Like The Dead's mattress research in The News –
About our unbiased Serta Innerspring Mattress review and research
Ratings are based on over 750 consumer reviews of Perfect Sleeper, iComfort Hybrid, iSeries and similar discontinued models.
Learn more about our unbiased research methodology and why you can trust our mattress reviews.