Novaform Dreamaway 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 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	Novaform Dreamaway	Average
Overall Score	6.80	8.54
Price	$210 (Full size)	$1,130 (Queen size; Memory Foam only)
Cooling – Score	8.0	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	1.47″	2.16″
Sinkage – Feel	Very Minimal	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	7.6	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	10.25 m/s²	8.74 m/s²
Response Time – Score	5.0	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	1.7 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	3.1 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	5.60″	9.26″
Bounce – Feel	Very Low	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	7.5	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	1.75″	4.04″
Edge Support – Lying	Poor	Good
Sex – Score	7.0	8.4
Pressure Relief – Score	4.0	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	4.0″	4.2″
Mattress Thickness	8″	12.1″
Off-Gassing – Score	8.6	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	5 days	6 days
Company – Score	8.8	8.6
Trial	365 nights	178 nights
Warranty	20 years	25% have lifetime warranties, average of other 75% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Novaform Dreamaway Different?

The Novaform Dreamaway is an 8.0″ memory foam mattress with an overall performance score that is significantly below average, but also a price that is far below average as well. The result is a low-quality, cheap, uncomfortable mattress.

Advantages

The single biggest advantage of the Dremaaway has got to be the low price. If you’re on a budget or need a temporary solution, Novaform could be an option. It is available as a twin or full mattress, costing only $209 for the full size.

The average price for a queen mattress (among all 300+ mattresses tested) is $1,387. So you’d save a substantial amount by opting for the Dreamaway.

The only two testing categories where it did not score below average is faster off-gassing and a better company score with long trial, long warranty, and easy returns.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has very minimal sinkage and very low levels of bounce. There is no substantial contour or hug. While this could be a neutral factor for some back or stomach sleepers, it’s a disadvantage for side sleepers. Side sleepers rely on deeper sinkage for better contour and support.

Disadvantages

The Novaform Dreamaway has below-average performance in 6 to of the 8 testing categories we score for. It struggles with cooling, motion transfer, slow response time, edge support, sex, and pressure relief.

The Novaform Dreamaway has good cooling. During our tests, I felt a slight level of heat retention around my body, but nothing too extreme. The mattress did a surprisingly good job at remaining cool.

• 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

I say surprising, as typically all foam mattresses that utilize memory foam at this price point are going to be extremely warm as you lie on them.

The greatest single factor helping the Novaform Dreamaway to stay cooler is the firm feel and very minimal sinkage depth of 1.47”. That lower sinkage means that the mattress doesn’t have as much foam wrapping up and around the sides of the body.

Less body contact means there is less human heat warming up the mattress.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 89.2° F. This is 0.6° less than the average of 89.8° F, based on all of our tests to date.

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 good.

The Novaform Dreamaway has very minimal sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 1.47″. This is 0.69″ less 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 very little body contouring hug. The heavier parts of the body do sink down a little bit more than the rest of the body. Even so, the total comfort dynamic is one that floats the body more “on” the mattress as opposed to sinking down “in” the mattress.

This is a very traditional type of memory foam. It is incredibly hard when you first lie down on the mattress, but does soften slightly the longer you lie on it. Even so, at its most soft it’s still a firm feel.

Altogether, this mattress creates a limited body contouring hug, very minimal sinkage depth, and a harder traditional memory foam feel.

The Novaform Dreamaway has a moderate level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 10.25 m/s². This is 17% more motion transfer than the average of 8.74 m/s².

This mattress has a firm feel and very minimal sinkage. This dynamic creates an abrupt stoppage to movements on the mattress and as a result, we measured higher returning motion.

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 0.07 seconds. Motion drops notably thereafter and by 0.50 seconds we’ve returned to near-zero levels of motion.

If there is a silver lining, it’s that the motion duration is on the lower end. The initial motion rebound is higher than average, but it rapidly disperses that energy and doesn’t continue on the mattress for a long motion duration.

The Novaform Dreamaway has a very slow material response. In our mostly recovered test, we measured a recovery speed of 1.7 seconds, which is 1.27 seconds slower 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 3.1 seconds, which is 2.12 seconds slower than the average of 0.98 seconds. There is simply no sugarcoating it, the Novaform Dreamaway has a very slow material responsiveness.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

That slower responsiveness will make it more difficult to move around on the mattress and change positions. Compared to all mattresses we’ve tested to date, it is within the bottom 3% for the full material response time.

The minimal sinkage is helping to restrain just how slow the material response can be. However, when more weight is applied the response time is going to be worse.

Ultimately, this is a traditionally formulated type of memory foam and has the classic memory foam feel, including a slower material response.

The Novaform Dreamaway has a very low level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 5.60″. This is 3.66″ less bounce than the average of 9.26″, based on all of our tests to date.

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

The mattress has many factors impacting its bounce, including: very minimal sinkage, all foam design, traditionally formulated memory foam, 2.0” memory foam on top, and 8.0” total profile design.

All of these materials and design choices contribute to a lower bounce. The below-average level of bounce makes it more difficult to move around on the mattress and negatively impacts sex performance.

The Novaform Dreamaway has outstanding sitting edge support and poor lying edge support.

In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 1.75″. This is 2.29″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.04″, based on all of our tests to date.

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

The firm feel, very minimal sinkage, and 8.0” total profile are all helping to create a better-than-average level of sitting edge support. While sitting support was outstanding, lying edge support left much to be desired.

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress, I felt that the support was poor in all sleeping positions.

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

The foam layers, memory foam, and total 8.0” thickness are simply insufficient to properly support an adult’s body weight along the edge of the mattress, in my view.

Ultimately, this is an extremely basic mattress with a level of material quality that feels severely lacking. As a result, edge support performance suffers greatly.

The Novaform Dreamaway has fair sex performance. On the positive side, sitting edge support is outstanding, noise is minimal, and cooling is good enough, albeit, certainly not amazing either.

However, that’s where the good times end. This mattress has terrible pressure relief, in my view. It is among the most uncomfortable mattresses I have tested in my career.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	6.0	Low
Edge Support	20%	10	Outstanding
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	4.0	Terrible
Cooling	5%	8.0	Good

It’s firm, it’s hard, and there’s very little sinkage. That’s a terrible combination for pressure relief and a terrible combination to create sufficient sex comfort. Bounce is nearly as disappointing.

At just 5.60” of total bounce, it’s well below average. That lower bounce makes it more difficult and strenuous to have sex on the mattress. All factors considered, sex performance is incredibly disappointing.

The Novaform Dreamaway has a terrible level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt significant pressure points at multiple locations on my body. I found the Dreamaway to be incredibly uncomfortable.

The mattress is equipped with 4.0″ of comfort material, which is 0.16″ less comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.16″, based on all of our tests to date.

Despite having a fairly thick comfort layer, the quality and feel of those foams layers leave much to be desired. The mattress is hard, it’s dense, it creates pressure, and it’s firm.

Overall, the mattress feels incredibly cheap and it is without question one of the most uncomfortable mattresses I have tested in my 11-year mattress testing career.

In our pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PSI of 1.47. While this doesn’t reach the highest red flag PSI levels of 2.0, it is far closer than the vast majority of other mattresses we’ve tested.

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 terrible.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.14	1.08

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.11	1.20

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.11	1.47

The Novaform Dreamaway had a strong smell upon the initial unboxing.

The mattress smelled for 5 days. This is 1.4 days less than the average smell duration of 6.4 days.

The Novaform Dreamaway has good company policies. Being that this mattress is sold from Costco, the Costco return policy applies, while still being backed by the Novaform warranty.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	10	365 nights
Warranty	10%	8.0	20 years
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	10	$0
Trust	50%	8.0	Good
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Costco has a very generous return policy and allows mattress returns basically at any time. Even without a receipt, you can simply drive to the nearest Costco warehouse, show your membership card (to verify that it was purchased from Costco), and receive a full refund back onto the card you paid with or store credit.

One note, this is applied to mattresses in good shape. Damaged mattresses may be excluded from this return policy.

Novaform also backs the mattress with a 20-year warranty, which protects from manufacturer defects or failures during that time.

The Novaform Dreamaway has a firm feel, rating 8 out of 10 on our firmness scale.

Support on the Novaform Dreamaway is poor. During our tests, I felt unsupported in all sleeping positions. The Novaform failed to create a neutral spinal alignment, which resulted in significant pressure point and comfort issues.

The mattress is equipped with a 4.0″ support layer. This is 3.88″ thinner than the average support layer thickness of 7.88″, based on all of our tests to date. Beyond the simple lack of sufficient material thickness, the material quality is extremely disappointing.

The relative material quality makes me also concerned about the longevity and durability of the mattress. Ultimately, this is an incredibly inexpensive and cheap mattress.

There is only so much a mattress manufacturer can do at this price point. Nevertheless, in our tests I found support to be completely lacking.

The combination of very minimal sinkage depth, firm feel, and a below-average 8.0” total profile creates a mattress that is simply uncomfortable and does not properly support the body, in my view.

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 Novaform Dreamaway is poor.

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.	No	No	No
150-250 lbs.	Maybe	No	Maybe
250-300 lbs.	No	No	No

Design

The Novaform Dreamaway is an 8″ memory foam mattress with a firm feel (8 out of 10). It is designed as an ultra-budget-friendly option for sleepers looking for smaller mattresses.

The Dreamaway is only available in Twin or Full size. But the lack of support and thinner 8.0″ profile makes this mattress a tough sell for adult sleepers.

Materials

The 8.0″ total height of the Novaform Dreamaway is made up entirely of foam layers. From top to bottom, the layers include:

• 2.0” memory foam
• 2.0” poly foam
• 4.0” support foam

The Cover

The cover of the Dreamaway is thin and breathable. It is cool-to-the touch and as I mentioned above, does a surprisingly good job of keeping the sleeping surface cool when sitting or lying on the mattress.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is a 2.0″ memory foam that I was not really impressed with. This foam has a crunchy feel to it and just feels very low quality.

If this was used as a transitional foam, the lower quality may be less noticeable, but as a top layer, this foam contributed significantly to the low-quality feel of this mattress.

Beneath the top 2.0″ memory foam is a 2.0″ poly foam. Being that this mattress is only 8.0″ thick, this secondary foam is more of a transitional layer as it eases sleepers into the support layer below.

The Support Layer

The support layer is a thin 4.0″ support foam at the base. With only an 8.0″ total profile, it doesn’t take a take of weight or pressure to reach the support layer.

Product Evolution

It is unclear the exact date that the Novaform Dreamaway was first released as a Costco-exclusive mattress. But in the summer of 2023, the mattress experiences a recall of nearly 50,000 mattresses due to water exposure during manufacturing, leading to concerns of mold. The recall included both Dreamaway mattresses as well as Novaform’s ComfortGrande.

According to Novaform, the manufacturing issues were addressed and present-day Novaform mattresses are not affected by this past recall.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Novaform Dreamaway is the right pick for you? Check out these three other top-rated memory foam 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 Novaform Dreamaway mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.