Kingsdown Passions Merridale Review

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 those tests and compare them to every mattress we’ve tested to date.

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

Factor	Kingsdown Passions Merridale	Average
Overall Score	8.47	8.52
Price (Queen)	$1,499	$1,003 (Coil only)
Cooling – Score	9.0	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	2.24″	2.17″
Sinkage – Feel	Moderate	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	8.3	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	8.85 m/s²	8.74 m/s²
Response Time – Score	8.8	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.3 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	1.2 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	9.10″	9.24″
Bounce – Feel	Moderate	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	9.2	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.50″	4.03″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Good
Sex – Score	8.6	8.3
Pressure Relief – Score	8.0	8.6
Comfort Layer Thickness	3.5″	4.2″
Mattress Thickness	13.5″	12.1″
Off-Gassing – Score	8.9	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	4 days	7 days
Company – Score	7.2	8.6
Trial	100 nights	177 nights
Warranty	10 years	38% have lifetime warranties, average of other 62% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Kingsdown Passions Merridale Different?

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale is a 13.5″ coil mattress with an overall performance level that is slightly below average and a price that is above average. Generally speaking, this is not the dynamic we like to see and it can indicate a mattress that is a poor value. That being said, let’s take a closer look at the exact pros and cons.

Advantages

The Passions Merridale has better cooling than average with limited heat retention. Motion transfer levels are slightly shorter than average as well. Edge support impresses also, whether sitting or lying at or near the edge of the mattress.

The Kingsdown mattress also off-gasses faster than average, taking just 4 days during our tests, where 7 days is the average.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has moderate sinkage and moderate bounce, giving it a pretty balanced feel. Response time is also a bit of a neutral factor in that it was equal to the average score, so not necessarily impressive or a hindrance.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages to the Passions Merridale include a shorter trial period (only 100 nights) and a lower pressure relief score. The issues with pressure relief are likely due to the thinner comfort layer, 3.5″, where the average depth is 4.2″.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has excellent cooling. During our tests, I did not feel any significant heat retention around my body.

The mattress seemed to breathe well and avoided any major heat build-up on the surface. The cooling performance benefits from the limited use of memory foam, with just a 0.5” layer, and a relatively thin comfort layer at just 3.5”.

In addition, the coil base brings added airflow and is simply a layer that isn’t able to absorb heat.

• 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

According to Kingsdown, the cover contains “cooling gel fibers”. Notably, the cover does not have a cool-to-the-touch feel, but those cooling fibers aren’t a negative either.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 90.0° F. This is 0.2° more than the average of 89.8° F, based on all of our tests to date.

After getting off the mattress the temperature declined by 4.9 degrees from minutes 0 to 1, which is 0.3 degrees better than the average 0 to 1 minute decline of 4.6 degrees.

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 Kingsdown Passions Merridale has moderate sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 2.24″. This is 0.07″ more sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.17″, based on all of our tests to date. The mattress creates a balanced body contouring hug.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

Despite the fact that Kingsdown calls this a hybrid, it certainly creates more of a traditional coil mattress feel. There isn’t any type of dramatic body contouring or hug. Instead, we have a moderate sinkage depth and a thick quilted cover that restrains the hug.

The Kingsdown.com product page says it’s a gel-infused memory foam, but it certainly doesn’t create any type of notable memory foam feel.

When I cut the mattress open to assess the material layers, it doesn’t look like any gel memory foam I’ve seen before. It appears to be just a regular memory foam (possibly with a very minimal infusion of copper beads).

While this layer does feel like memory foam, it’s only 0.5” thick. That is incredibly thin and just not thick enough to create a noted memory foam feel.

Instead, the combination of a quilted cover, 2.0” poly foam within the core, and coil unit creates a more traditional, coil-type mattress feel.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has a low level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 8.85 m/s². This is 1% more motion transfer than the average of 8.75 m/s².

In my view, the greatest factor helping to mitigate motion is the thick quilted cover. It’s a relatively soft cover that’s loosely packed with material.

In addition, the 0.5” memory foam below the cover also helps to disperse energy and reduce bounce.

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

In our motion transfer chart, which visualizes our accelerometer data, we can see the highest motion peaks from 0 to 0.21 seconds.

Motion remains spiky thereafter and it’s not until 1.01 seconds that we return to near-zero levels of energy.

The motion intensity is low, which is great to see. However, motion duration is notably worse than average. It’s not ideal for the mattress to take a full second to fully disperse all energy.

Longer motion durations, even when intensity is lower, can create a disturbance for sleepers during the night.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale is a mixed bag for material responsiveness, with a very fast mostly recovered response time and a moderate fully recovered response time.

In our mostly recovered test, we measured a recovery speed of 0.3 seconds, which is 0.13 seconds faster than the average of 0.43 seconds, based on all of our tests to date.

In our fully recovered responsiveness test, we measured a recovery speed of 1.2 seconds, which is 0.22 seconds slower than the average of 0.98 seconds.

While a majority of the materials, including the 2.0” poly foam and coil unit, are able to recover back to shape quickly, the 0.5” memory foam layer is considerably slower.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

Said memory foam layer has a more traditional memory foam feel. It’s slower to rebound back to its original shape, and its recovery speed is slowing down the entire mattress.

Fortunately, it’s still a relatively thin 0.5” layer, so ease of movement isn’t overly negatively impacted. Even so, responsiveness speeds at this level are far from ideal.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has a moderate level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 9.10″. This is 0.16″ less bounce than the average of 9.26″, based on all of our tests to date.

The lower-than-average bounce is achieved through the mix of quilted cover, memory foam, and poly foam comfort layer.

In particular, the loosely packed quilted cover and traditional memory foam are both having an outsized impact on bounce reduction.

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

All that said, while bounce is lower than average it’s not so low to be a major hindrance to ease of movement or sex performance. I expect this level of bounce will be sufficient for most sleepers.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale 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 0.53″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.03″, based on all of our tests to date.

Even with all of my weight sitting on a single spot the Kingsdown remained supportive and there was no collapse of materials.

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. The Kingsdown Merridale uses a support foam that wraps around the entire perimeter of the mattress.

That support foam is 3.5” wide and 8.5” tall and it seems to be making a huge impact on the edge support performance for both sitting and lying.

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

Overall, I’m pleased with the edge support performance and expect it will be more than sufficient for most sleepers.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has good sex performance. On the positive side, noise is minimal and both cooling and edge support are excellent.

With just 3.50” of sitting sinkage, the edge is robust and supportive. Fortunately, there are no major sex performance negatives. But we do have bounce and pressure relief that earned good scores, but also scores that are far from great.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	8.2	High
Edge Support	20%	9.4	Excellent
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	8.0	Good
Cooling	5%	9.0	Excellent

Bounce in particular is critical, as more bounce is almost always better than less. The slightly below-average level of bounce holds the total sex score down considerably and yet, overall sex performance on the mattress was still solid.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has a good level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt no significant pressure points on my body. Overall, I found the mattress comfortable and yet, it’s clear that the pressure relief performance and material quality do not rise to the excellent or outstanding level.

The mattress is equipped with 3.5″ of comfort material, which is 0.65″ less comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.15″, based on all of our tests to date.

Beyond the thinner-than-average comfort layer, I am greatly concerned about the material quality. None of the foam layers look or feel especially high quality in hand or on the body.

The 2.0” poly foam layer in particular feels dry and has a notable crunchy sound to it. These attributes are typical of lower-quality foams.

Given the thinner-than-average comfort layer and lower-quality foams, I am concerned that the pressure relief performance will decline rapidly on the mattress as those foams break in and degrade with normal use.

Beyond the longevity concerns, this mattress has limited body contouring and a more traditional coil mattress type of a feel. This isn’t good or bad, but it is a specific feel, one you’ll need to prefer in order to be comfortable on the mattress.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.14	0.60

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.09	0.60

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.09	0.85

When I consider our objective pressure mapping tests, material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be good, and yet, not great.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale had a strong smell upon the initial arrival. The mattress smelled for 4 days. This is 2.5 days shorter than the average smell duration of 6.5 days.

Kingsdown mattresses come with a 100-night trial period and a 10-year warranty. Shipping is free, but if you end up wanting to return the mattress, returns cost $150, which is deducted from your refund.

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%	6.0	$150
Trust	50%	7.0	Fair
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing 98+ brands tested to date, the average trial period is 177 nights, 77 nights longer than Kingsdown offers.

Most of these company terms are pretty weak, honestly. The trial is 79 nights shorter than average and the warranty is shorter as well.

Among 98 brands tested to date, 62% of them provide an average of a 13-year warranty. And the other 38% offer lifetime warranties for their products.

Lastly, let’s talk returns. At $150, this is the second-highest return fee we’ve seen (only surpassed by Tempurpedic, Sealy, and Stearns & Foster at a whopping $175 fee.)

Comparing 311 mattresses tested to date, 82.6% of those mattresses offer free returns. Of the 54 cited mattresses that charge for returns, 46 mattresses had return fees of under $100.

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale comes in two firmness levels, medium-firm and firm.

Medium Version

We tested the medium-firm version and found the mattress to be true to its feel, coming in at a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

Firm Version

Although we didn’t test it in-house, I would estimate the firm version to be around 8 out of 10.

Support on the Kingsdown Passions Merridale is good. During our tests, I felt well-supported in all sleeping positions.

The mattress is equipped with a 10.0″ support layer. This is 2.11″ thicker than the average support layer thickness of 7.89″, based on all of our tests to date. For a mattress to be supportive it needs to keep the body in a neutral, supported alignment, while also creating sufficient comfort and pressure relief.

During our tests, the Kingsdown Passions mattress achieved those requirements. However, as we discussed in the pressure relief section, I am quite concerned about the material quality of the foam layers in the mattress. None of the layers look or feel high quality or especially durable.

As a result, I am concerned that the mattress is likely to develop sagging, comfort, and pressure relief issues quickly. As those issues develop the mattress will no longer create sufficient support. We’ve tested other Kingsdown mattresses and noted similar material quality issues on both of those tests.

See our Kingsdown Prime Parkman Review and Kingsdown Insignia Cool Start Review for more info.

In general, I am not overly impressed with the types of foam materials that Kingdown is using in any of their mattresses. While the Passions Merridale is the best support performance we’ve seen from Kingsdown, it’s still below average compared to the 300+ mattresses we’ve tested to date.

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

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

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 Kingsdown Passions Merridale is good, but far from great.

Design

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale is a 13.5″ coil mattress that comes in two firmness options—Medium-Firm and Firm.

Overall, the mattress has the feel of a traditional coil mattress.

The combination of foams that create less body contouring hug, quilted cover, relatively lower quality foams, and foam types create a more noted coil mattress feel.

Materials

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale is 13.5″ thick and contains a combination of comfort foam and a support coil base. From top to bottom, here is a full list of the materials used in this mattress:

• 1.0” quilted cover
• 0.5” memory foam
• 2.0” poly foam
• 9.0” pocketed coils
• 1.0” support foam

In addition, we have an edge support foam that runs along the entire perimeter of the mattress. Here’s the specs for the edge foam:

• Poly foam
• Width: 3.5”
• Height: 9.0”

The Cover

The Kingsdown Passions Merridale has a 1.0″ quilted cover. It is soft to the touch and contains cooling gel fibers, according to the manufacturer.

While the presence of cooling fibers can be hard for us to prove on-site, this mattress did have great cooling performance.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is made of 0.5″ memory foam and a 2.0″ poly foam. Together this creates 2.5″ of comfort material.

When we combine this with the 1.0″ quilted cover, we get a total comfort system of 3.5″.

The Support Layer

The support layer is 10.0″ thick and made of 9.0″ pocketed coils and a 1.0″ support foam base. This gives a total support layer of 10.0″ thick. There is also an edge perimeter foam that wraps around the foam.

This 4.0″ thick perimeter foam improves edge support and helps distribute pressure from the perimeter coils.

It also helps to decrease noise at or near the edge of the mattress.

Product Evolution

The launch of the Kingsdown Passions Merridale isn’t entirely clear, but earlier versions of the mattress date back to at least 2021.

From what we can tell, there have been no notable changes made to the mattress since the time it was launched and now.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Frequently Asked Questions

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