Beautyrest Black Review

COUPON – Save 15% off any Beautyrest Harmony mattress with code BRNL15. Expires 6/30/2025.

In This Review
Performance Tests | Firmness | Support & Sleeping Positions | Design | Materials | Comparisons | FAQs

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 10 different factors that impact the performance, comfort, and feel of the mattress. We then take the results of that test and compare to every mattress we’ve tested to date.

Check out the full performance table below to see how this mattress ranks:

Factor	Beautyrest Black	Average
Overall Score	8.69	8.55
Price (Queen)	$3,499	$1,389 (Hybrid only)
Cooling – Score	9.0	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	2.66″	2.16″
Sinkage – Feel	Very Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	9.1	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	7.05 m/s²	8.74 m/s²
Response Time – Score	5.9	8.9
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.8 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	3.2 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	5.17″	9.34″
Bounce – Feel	Very Low	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	9.2	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.50″	4.05″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Good
Sex – Score	7.0	8.4
Pressure Relief – Score	10	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	8.0″	4.2″
Mattress Thickness	17″	12.1″
Off-Gassing – Score	9.2	8.3
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	3 days	6 days
Company – Score	8.5	8.6
Trial	100 nights	176 nights
Warranty	10 years	25% have lifetime warranties, average of other 75% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Beautyrest Black Different?

The Beautyrest Black is a hybrid mattress with above-average overall performance and a price tag that is above average as well. While the performance is solid, the value ins’t so great considering the price point.

Advantages

Specific advantages of the Black is a better cooling performance, lower levels of motion transfer, better edge support than average, and exceptional pressure relief.

The Beautyrest Black is a 17″ hybrid with a huge 8.0″ comfort layer. This provides exceptional pressure relief for sleepers of all sleeping positions and a wide range of body weights as well.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has very deep sinkage and very low levels of bounce. If you’re looking for maximum engagement with the materials and not a lot of pushback, the Black could be the right feel for you.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest disadvantages of this mattress is its very slow material response time. The deeper sinkage and low levels of bounce just kills the energy and while this does help keep motion transfer levels low, it doesn’t do any favors for material response time.

As you might expect, these properties also hurt the sex performance score.

Price is another big disadvantage for the Beautyrest Black. At $3,499 the value is just not there. To date, we’ve tested 36 other hybrid mattresses that perform as good / better than the Beautyrest, while also being less expensive.

Note: In all fairness, you could opt for a Series One or Series Two Beautyrest Black mattress, which are offered at lower price point, but do note, these mattresses have not been tested by NapLab.

The Beautyrest Black has excellent cooling. During our tests, I did not experience any significant level of heat retention around my body.

The mattress has many cooling advantages, including the hybrid design bringing extra airflow into the mattress, diamond-infused memory foam (which is designed to transfer heat away from the sleeper, similar to gel infusions), and high-quality foams.

• Baseline Temperature – the temperature of the mattress before anyone lies on it
• Maximum Temperature (0 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after lying on it for 15 minutes
• Ending Temperature (5 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after being lied upon and having no one on it for 5 minutes

The foam quality in particular really impressed me. We recently tested Beautyrest’s budget-friendly Harmony Lux and were disappointed by the general quality and feel of the foams.

By contrast, the foams and material quality on the Beautyrest Black was a breath of fresh air. Higher quality foams almost always retain less heat and allow for more airflow, both of which help to maintain better cooling performance.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 91.3° F. This is 1.6° more than the average of 89.7° F, based on all of our tests to date.

After getting off the mattress the temperature declined by 7.0° from minutes 0 to 1, which is 2.2 degrees cooler than the average 0 to 1 minute decline.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

When we consider the combination of objective data, my subjective experiences, and an analysis of the materials, I’m confident in my view that cooling is excellent.

The Beautyrest Black has very deep sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 2.66″. This is 0.50″ more sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.16″, based on all of our tests to date.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

The mattress creates a dramatic body-contouring hug. We have lots of memory foam in this mattress, including both in the quilted cover and multiple layers near the top of the mattress.

All that memory foam is creating a more dramatic hug around sleeper bodies. Even so, this mattress does use a more traditional pillow top, which helps to restrain some of the hug.

Nevertheless, the mattress still has a significant hug and to be comfortable on the mattress you’ll need to like the feel of memory foam and like the way foams contour to the exact shape of your body

The Beautyrest Black has a very low level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 7.05 m/s². This is 19% less motion transfer than the average of 8.74 m/s².

The combination of a super thick 8.0” comfort layer and multiple memory foam comfort layers are both working together to dramatically reduce motion transfer.

The level of motion transfer is also documented in the video below.

The more foundational layers of the mattress utilize pocketed coils and latex, which would typically result in an above-average level of motion transfer.

However, given the fact that the foam comfort layers are so thick, and given that we have lots of memory foam, the total motion transfer level is still kept to a below-average level.

In our motion transfer chart, which visualizes our accelerometer data, we can see the highest motion peaks from 0 to 0.22 seconds. From 0.22 to 0.65 seconds motion remains moderately spiky until it finally reaches a near-zero level of energy at 0.94 seconds.

While I would have liked to have seen the motion duration be lower, I was pleased that the motion intensity was below average. All that to say, I don’t expect this level of motion will be a problem for most sleepers.

The Beautyrest Black has a slow mostly recovered response time and a very slow fully recovered response time. In our mostly recovered test, we measured a recovery speed of 0.8 seconds, which is 0.38 seconds slower than the average of 0.42 seconds, based on all of our tests to date.

In our fully recovered responsiveness test, we measured a recovery speed of 3.2 seconds, which is 2.24 seconds slower than the average of 0.96 seconds.

This mattress has an incredibly thick 8.0” comfort layer. Within that 8.0” layer we have 2.0” of memory foam in addition to a quilted memory foam cover. Those memory foam layers take quite a while to fully return to their original shapes after they have been compressed.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

These memory foam layers aren’t as slow as more traditional memory foam mattresses, like Tempurpedic (Tempurpedic’s Pro Adapt is among the slowest responsiveness memory foam we’ve ever tested). However, they are still considerably slower than the average.

That slower material response will make it more difficult to move around on the mattress and for some sleepers could cause a sensation of feeling “stuck” in the mattress.

The Beautyrest Black has a very low level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 5.17″. This is 4.18″ less bounce than the average of 9.35″, based on all of our tests to date.

This mattress has a ton of foam and a thick memory foam layer. These layers dramatically reduce bounce. While the latex layers and pocketed coils are helping, they simply are not enough to overcome 8.0” of comfort foams up top.

The level of bounce is also documented in the video below.

This mattress design results in a considerably below-average level of bounce. The lower bounce is the primary reason that the mattress has a lower level of motion transfer, which is ideal.

However, that lower bounce also makes it harder to move around on the mattress and negatively impacts sex performance, so there are absolutely trade-offs to consider.

The Beautyrest Black has excellent sitting edge support and excellent lying edge support. In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 3.50″. This is 0.55″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.05″, based on all of our tests to date.

Even when sitting directly on the edge I felt well-supported and there was no collapse of materials. Edge support while lying was equally as impressive.

The level of edge support while seated is documented in the images below.

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress, I felt that the support was excellent in all sleeping positions. Typically, mattresses with this much memory foam would have worse edge support, so I was pleasantly surprised by the level of performance.

The level of edge support while lying is documented in the images below.

Notably, the mattress does not use reinforced edge support coils. However, the mattress is equipped with a thick layer of reinforced support foam that runs along the entire perimeter.

This foam is 8.0” thick and 4.0” wide. It appears to be having a sizable impact on edge performance. Certainly, the total thickness of the mattress has a big impact on edge support performance as well.

All of the extra foam, latex, and the robust coil unit are all working together to provide great support.

The Beautyrest Black has fair sex performance. On the positive side, noise is minimal, cooling is excellent, and pressure relief is outstanding. In addition, edge support is solid with just 3.50” of sitting sinkage compression.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	5.7	Very Low
Edge Support	20%	9.4	Excellent
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	10	Outstanding
Cooling	5%	9.0	Excellent

The perimeter edge support foam greatly helps to improve edge support for sleeping, sitting, and for amorous activities. The one area where sex performance greatly struggles is bounce. At just 5.17” of total bounce the Beautyrest Black has notably less bounce than average.

Bounce is the single greatest factor that impacts sex performance. Mattresses that lack bounce are more strenuous and difficult to have sex on, as the mattress simply doesn’t work with couples to the same degree that mattresses with more bounce will.

While the mattress is comfortable for amorous activities, the lack of bounce greatly impacts the total sex performance.

The Beautyrest Black has an outstanding level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt zero pressure points. The mattress is exceedingly comfortable and has one of the best comfort dynamics I’ve ever tested.

The mattress is equipped with 8.0″ of comfort material consisting of memory foam, poly foam, latex foam, and microcoils. These layers work beautifully together to deliver fantastic pressure relief.

The Beautyrest Black has 3.81″ more comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.19″, based on all of our tests to date. Not only do we have a significantly thicker-than-average comfort layer, but the foam quality is particularly impressive.

Every layer looks and feels high quality, which gives me greater confidence in terms of durability and longevity as well.

In our pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PSI of 0.72. A PSI of 2.0 is considered a high pressure point and the Beautyrest Black came nowhere near those levels in any sleeping position.

All three sleeping positions are among the lowest levels of pressure we’ve tested to date. When I consider our objective pressure maps, material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be outstanding.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.15	0.72

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.08	0.52

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.10	0.62

The Beautyrest Black had a strong smell upon the initial arrival. The mattress smelled for 3 days. This is 3.3 days less than the average of 6.3 days.

The smell was that of typical memory foam and poly foam. Given the quantity of foam in this mattress I expected the mattress to smell for considerably longer, so I was pleasantly surprised that it only smelled for 3 days.

Beautyrest Black comes with a 100-night trial period and a 10-year warranty. Shipping and returns are both free.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	8.0	100 nights
Warranty	10%	8.0	10 years
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	10	$0
Trust	50%	8.0	Good
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing over 83+ brands tested to date, the average trial period is 176 nights, 76 nights more than Beautyrest offers. The average trial is also longer, 13 years on average, and that’s if we exclude 25% of mattresses that offer lifetime warranties.

The Beautyrest Black is a high-profile mattress that is available in a number of different “Series” types and firmness levels. Let’s break it down.

The Beautyrest Black has four Series types:

• Series One: Up to 14.75″ thick, basic hybrid design, lowest price (starts at $1,549)
• Series Two: Up to 16.75″ thick, thicker comfort foam layer and better pressure relief than Series one, mid-range price (starts at $2,349)
• Series Three: Up to 16.75″ thick, microcoils added to the comfort layer, high-end price (starts at $3,049)
• Series Four: Up to 17.5″ thick, comfort layer with microcoils, highest price (starts at $4,349)

For reference, we tested a Beautyrest Black in Series Three.

The Series Three hybrid is available in the following firmness levels:

• Plush Pillowtop – 4 out of 10 firmness
• Medium – 6 out of 10 firmness
• Medium Pillowtop – 6 out of 10 firmness
• Firm – 7 out of 10 firmness
• Firm Pillowtop – 7 out of 10 firmness
• Extra Firm – 8 out of 10 firmness

We tested the Medium Pillowtop version which had a firmness of 6 out of 10, where 10 is the most firm.

Support on the Beautyrest Black is outstanding. During our tests, I felt well-supported in all sleeping positions. The mattress is equipped with a 9.0″ support layer.

This is 1.12″ thicker than the average support layer thickness of 7.88″, based on all of our tests to date.

In addition, the mattress has a considerably thicker than average 8.0” comfort layer. In order to create ideal support, a mattress needs sufficient support and comfort materials. The Beautyrest Black has more than enough of both.

During my testing, I was continually impressed with the level of quality. Every individual layer and material looks and feels high quality. Even extending into the core of the mattress, we have two latex layers that are 2.5” thick. These layers could have easily been removed or replaced with poly foam to save money, and yet they weren’t.

Latex is an incredibly durable and resilient material. Having it within the core of the mattress helps to improve durability, comfort, and support.

Lastly, the total height at 17.0” thick is also making a big impact on support.

In most cases, thicker mattresses create better support and last longer. The Beautyrest Black is among the thickest mattresses we’ve tested to date and its size is a notable reason for its strong performance.

Based on all of my tests to date, an analysis of the materials, and my subjective experiences, I’m confident most sleepers will find support on the Beautyrest Black is outstanding.

Check out the table below to see the sleeper weights and sleeping positions that would be best suited for this mattress.

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Back Sleepers
Under 150 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
150-250 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
250-300 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes

Design

The Beautyrest Black (Series 3) is a 17″ hybrid mattress that comes in 4 different firmness options—Plush, Medium, Firm, and Extra Firm. The Plush, Medium, or Firm mattresses also come in a Pillowtop version.

Materials

At 17″ thick, this mattress is very robust. In total, there are 8 different layers that make up this mattress, including foams, microcoils, pocketed coils, and a support foam base.

From top to bottom, here is a list of the exact materials:

• 3.0” quilted cover
• 1.5″ gel memory foam (assembled as three 0.5″ memory foam layers)
• 0.5″ diamond memory foam
• 0.5″ microcoils
• 1.0″ latex foam
• 1.5″ latex foam
• 8.0″ pocketed coils
• 1.0″ support foam

The Cover

The Beautyrest Black has a plush, 3.0″ thick cover. The deeper sinkage of this mattress allows sleepers to engage deeply with the cover. There is memory foam (blue) stitched into the cover encased in a layer of polyfoam (white).

For less sinkage and contour, you could opt for a firmer version of the Black mattress, but we tested the Medium Pillowtop version in-house.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is made up of 5 layers of foam and one layer of microcoils. On top, we see a 1.5″ gel memory foam (assembled as three 0.5″ memory foam layers) immediately followed by a 0.5″ micro-diamond memory foam (gray foam).

A 0.5″ microcoil layer followed for added pressure relief. Below the coils, we see a 1.0″ latex foam and a 1.5″ latex foam. The latex foam are for comfort, but also transitional support above the coil support layer.

The Support Layer

The support layer contains an 8.0″ pocketed coil system with a 1.0″ support foam base. The coils is encased by a 4.0″ foam layer for reinforced edges. This improves support when sitting or lying on the edge of the mattress.

Product Evolution

Beautyrest has been around since 1925. They began selling the earliest versions of the Beautyrest black in 2006. Over the years, the Black mattress has gradually evolved with incremental changes, new sub-models, new variants, and new firmness options.

They are a well-established company with one of the longest-standing company history. Beautyrest is owned by the parent company, Simmons.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Beautyrest Black is the right pick for you? Check out these three other top-rated hybrid mattresses for high-performing alternatives you may want to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Check out some of the top FAQs on the Beautyrest Black mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.