The bed-in-a-box industry has recently become cluttered with new brands vying for some market share in this lucrative new industry. A few of these brands have differentiated themselves by creating their own USPs (Unique Selling Propositions) while the rest are competing on the prices. Two of the biggest names currently are Purple and Tuft & Needle. Purple has made waves with their unique marketing (check out their YouTube channel) and Tuft & Needle has competed on quality for the price. Both are memory foam mattresses known well for providing a good bounce and relieving back pains by reducing the pressure. Everyone wants a comfy night sleep, right? That’s what these brands are trying to do! They not only promise comfort but a perfect sleeping environment. It all comes down to the materials that are being used to manufacture these mattresses. Both seem to use a complex combination of materials that differentiate them from the other mattress bed-in-a-box brands.
Similarities between Purple and Tuft & Needle:
There are a few characteristics which make both the brands quite similar. The three most important ones are given below:
- USP of both mattresses is pressure relief – Both these brands are competing to provide more comfort for their customers. Common problem areas people have are back, shoulders, and hips because their mattress is not providing enough support or pressure relief depending on the area. These mattresses are made to resolve this issue and provide a relief to the pressure points.
- Constructed with a unique combination of materials – Right now, the market for American mattresses is getting claustrophobic with all the choices. These brands are trying to differentiate themselves by using unique materials which are referred to as proprietary materials.
- Bed-in-a-box, delivered to your doorstep – This new term has recently become too famous where the mattress arrives in a small box which is easy to handle and super cool. Both Purple and Tuft & Needle belong to bed in a box category.
How is the Tuft & Needle mattress made?
Tuft & Needle’s main mattress goes for one less layer than most of the all foam competition. The result is a lower price but how much are they sacrificing by having one less layer? Let’s look at the construction layer by layer to find out.
- Cover – Tuft & Needle is a well talked about mattress which is 10 inches tall and can be differentiated based on its cover. It uses a polyester blend which is breathable in its cover. Polyester is well known for allowing air to flow freely and it keeps you sleeping cool during the night.
- Comfort Layer – The comfort layer makes use of 3″ of Tuft & Needle’s proprietary foam. This foam is designed to respond well to pressure, allowing easy mobility and in addition it gives excellent bounce. This layer also has some cooling gel to help regulate temperature.
- Foundation Layer – The second layer is a common base among all foam mattresses, HD poly foam. This layer gives the bed its overall firmness and shape. However, only having two layers means that this mattress is a bit firmer than some of its competitors.
Purple:
Like Tuft & Needle, Purple is also a 10 inches mattress which comes as bed in a box. What’s unique about purple is a proprietary hyper elastic polymer grid. It also claims to keep you cool at night and provide the perfect firmness.
- Cover – The main feature of the cover in this mattress is that keeps you cool, and it is made of a combination of three materials which include viscose, lycra blend and polyester.
- Comfort Layer – This layer is where Purple uses their unique grid system. Purple’s original mattress has 2″ of the grid. This layer is designed to give support or relief depending on where your body needs it. The grid is also very breathable and keeps the mattress at a nice temperature throughout the night.
- Transition Layer – To help support the grid, Purple uses 3.5″ of HD poly foam. This helps compensate the soft layer above it by providing firmness and support. This mattress responds to mobility very well, this layer has a lot to do with that.
- Foundation Layer – To round things off, there’s another layer of HD poly foam. Giving the bed additional firmness and overall support. A thick base layer of HD poly foam is a favorite among many all foam mattress retailers.
The feel Tuft & Needle vs. Purple:
We have tried out these mattresses ourselves to see how they feel. We understand that personal preferences vary, and different people would have different experiences but this section gives a general idea about how each mattress is, so you can make a wise decision when you go for your purchase.
How firm is the Tuft & Needle mattress?
Tuft & Needle is definitely on the firmer side of medium firmness. After testing it, it was determined that it sits at about a 7.5 on the firmness scale, where 1 is very soft and 10 is very firm. It is bouncy and does sink a little but not too much so the support is pretty good.
- Back – The firmness of this mattress will appeal to some back sleepers, but others may find that it is too firm for them. It will likely depend on how much you sink through the soft top layer into the firm base. Bigger back sleepers might want to look at other options.
- Side – Side sleepers usually like a soft mattress and this one might be too firm for them. This is because for optimal spinal alignment you want your shoulder to sink into the mattress while your hips are given support. This mattress does an okay job of that but their are better choices on the market.
- Stomach – Stomach sleepers will like this mattress. The firmness does a good job of keeping your hips propped up so your spine has good alignment in this position. Laying on your stomach on this mattress provides a good mix of support and comfort.
How firm is the Purple mattress?
Purple also has a medium firmness, but it is comparatively less firm than Tuft & Needle. On average, our testers gave it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This puts it right at a medium-firm feel, but Purple’s unique grid also gives it a completely different feel than any other mattress on the market. Let’s look at it by position to see if it is the right mattress for the type of sleeper you are.
- Back – The grid does a good job of supporting your hips and giving you optimal spinal alignment. This mattress is an excellent choice for back sleepers.
- Side – Overall, this mattress is a good choice for side sleepers because it provides hip support and softness around your shoulders. It might be a bit firm for some, but most side sleepers should like this mattress.
- Stomach – Stomach sleepers will likely want something firmer. When our tester lied on their stomachs they tended to find that their hips would sink into the mattress and it was not very comfortable. However, combo sleepers should like this mattress because it responds well to movement.
Shipping, trial period and warranty compared:
Both Purple and Tuft & Needle have pretty standard accompaniments with the purchase of one of their mattresses. If you are really considering one of these mattresses they both have trial periods so you can see if you like it, keep in mind it usually takes a couple months to adjust to a new mattress. Also, Purple has a really unique feel to it because of it’s grid so the free trial period is an excellent option.
- Warranty – 10 Years
- Trial Period – 100 Nights
- Shipping – Free Shipping and Returns (arrives in a box)
WHICH MATTRESS SHOULD YOU BUY?
The final decision about which mattress to buy comes down to your personal preferences. These two mattresses are very similar in some characteristics while very different in the others, as I have mentioned above. It depends if you like your mattress bouncy, firm or soft. If you like to change positions while you sleep then Purple is the answer for you. On the other hand, if you like a mattress that is a bit firmer and want your weight to be equally distributed when you sleep then go for Tuft & Needle. Now the decision is yours!
Pricing compared:
When we compare the prices for Tuft & Needle and Purple it is very clear that the Purple is charging much higher and thus targeting a segment that can pay much higher. This also shows that the competition is high for the new entrants.
| Size | Tuft & Needle | Purple |
| Twin | $510 | $929 |
| Twin XL | $575 | $1,049 |
| Full | $720 | $1,349 |
| Queen | $923.10 | $1,499 |
| King | $1,085 | $1,899 |
| California King | $1,145.17 | $1,899 |