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Purple Hybrid Mattress Review

Derek Hales

Written by: Derek Hales

Updated On:

Update – Purple Hybrid has been discontinued and replaced by the new Purple Restore. See our review here.

Purple Hybrid cover photo
9.85 Overall Score
Tested With Scoring System 1.1
10 Cooling
10 Motion Transfer
10 Response Time
10 Edge Support
9.9 Sex
9.5 Pressure Relief
9.7 Off-Gassing
9.8 Company

Best For

  • Exceptionally good cooling performance. The 2nd best we’ve tested to date.
  • Excellent edge support while sitting & lying down
  • Tied for the fastest responding mattress we’ve tested to date

Considerations

  • The most bounce of any mattress we’ve tested to date. Great for sex, but could be too much for some sleepers.
  • Motion transfer is low, but does linger for longer than many other mattress types

Our Verdict

The Purple Hybrid is a hybrid mattress that uses foam, pocketed coils, and their patented hyper-elastic polymer grid.

This mattress offers exceptional cooling, moderate sinkage, low motion, fast response, very high bounce, excellent edge support, and excellent pressure relief.

With a firmness of around 6.5 out of 10 (where 10 is the most firm), the Purple Hybrid is a nice “middle-of-the-road” mattress that appeals to a wide range of sleepers. Where the Purple really excels is its exceptionally good cooling. The Purple is ideal for sleepers who sleep warm at night, as the air flow and lack of heat retention is as good as it gets.

Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6.5)

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

YouTube video

Performance Tests

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 9 different factors that impact the comfort and feel of the mattress. Testing categories include:

Test Rating
CoolingExceptional
SinkageModerate
Motion TransferExtremely Low
Response TimeExtremely Fast
BounceExtremely High
Edge SupportExceptional
SexExcellent
Pressure ReliefExcellent
Off-GassingExcellent
CompanyExcellent
10

Cooling Test

Cooling performance was exceptionally good on the Purple Hybrid mattress.

During our objective tests, the Purple Hybrid had a maximum surface level temperature of only 87.6°F. This is the 2nd lowest temperature we’ve recorded on any mattress test to date. It is also significantly better than the average max temperature among all mattresses we’ve tested to date, which is 90.1°F.

Baseline Temp.

78.5° F

Max. Temp.

87.6° F

Ending Temp.

82.6° F

Max. Temp.

Purple Hybrid before cooling

Ending Temp.

Purple Hybrid after cooling
  • 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

Heat dissipation was also just absurdly good. Within 1 minute of getting off of the mattress, the surface level temperature had declined to 82.1°F, a reduction of 5.5°.

Like the max temperature, the 1-minute heat dissipation measurement is also significantly better than the average, which is 87.2°F. From there the surface temperature fluctuated up and down marginally, indicating that within 1 minute it had effectively released all retained heat.

Purple’s hyper-elastic polymer material on its own does an amazing job at managing heat. That material is designed with huge pockets of air, which allows the mattress and cover to breathe at a level that most other mattresses simply can’t.

The foundational layer of pocketed springs also breathes well, given that it’s mostly air.

My subjective experience on the Purple Hybrid matched what we measured with our objective data.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

Heat Dissipation Chart Purple Hybrid
Heat Dissipation Chart Purple Hybrid

The Purple Hybrid is amazingly cool. It’s notably cooler than virtually all other mattresses we’ve tested to date. If you sleep warm at night, the Purple Hybrid mattress is among the very best choices on the market to help keep you cool.

Sinkage Test

In our sinkage tests, we measured a compression depth of 2.05” in our pressure point test.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

Purple Hybrid sinkage test
Purple Hybrid sinkage test

This is very much within the norm for medium-firmness mattresses. On average, we see a sinkage depth of 2.16” (among all mattresses we’ve tested to date).

So a depth of 2.05” is very slightly below that, but not by much. I was pleasantly surprised with the overall sinkage profile as well.

While testing the original Purple mattress I noted a high depth of sinkage across the mattress, but especially under the butt and mid-section.

Purple Hybrid back sleeping
Purple Hybrid back sleeping

This isn’t necessarily uncommon, except it’s to such a high degree on the original Purple mattress that I believe it will create support issues for some sleepers.

Fortunately, the Purple Hybrid seems to solve this problem, as the layer of pocketed coils does a nice job of providing more robust support. This helps keep the spine in proper alignment. 

10

Motion Transfer Test

Overall, motion transfer on the Purple Hybrid is low. Our accelerometer measured a total acceleration range of 4.49 m/s².

This is well within what we consider “low” motion and also notably better than the average among all mattresses we’ve tested (which is 5.88 m/s²).

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

One noteworthy aspect of motion on the Purple Hybrid is the energy duration. While the total motion is low, it does linger on the mattress for far longer than many other mattresses.

This is most likely due to the hyper-elastic polymer, which simply adapts and adjusts more quickly to even minute changes in position, motion, and energy.

Max. Acceleration

1.93 m/s²

Min. Acceleration

-2.56 m/s²

Accel. Range

4.49 m/s²

On our motion transfer chart, you can see that there is a significant level of motion transfer for 0.3 seconds, and moderate motion lingers up until 1.4 seconds. Even thereafter, it’s still not as close to zero as we typically see.

Purple Hybrid motion transfer chart
Purple Hybrid motion transfer chart

All of that said, I think for most consumers the level of motion is reliably low enough to not be a detrimental factor. However, if you or your partner are more easily distributed by motion on the mattress it’s worth considering.   

10

Response Test

The response time on the Purple Hybrid mattress was fast. Within 0.2 seconds the mattress is mostly recovered and by 0.3 seconds the materials have fully recovered.

Mostly Recovered

0.2 sec.

Complete Recovery

0.3 sec.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

This wasn’t much of a surprise, as the hyper-elastic polymer top layer is…well, “hyper elastic”.

And that polymer sits on a base of pocketed coils, another material that also by itself rebounds quickly. The result is a response time that is basically the fastest among any mattress on the market.

There is very little chance that sleepers will feel overly enveloped or “stuck” in the materials due to the rapid response nature of the materials used.

Bounce Test

Bounce on the Purple Hybrid is high, very high. In fact, the Purple Hybrid mattress has the most bounce of any mattress we’ve tested to date.

In our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 17.63”.

Max. Depth

6.87″

Max. Rebound

10.76″

Total Bounce

17.63″

To say that this is a bouncy mattress would be an understatement. Some sleepers like lots of bounce, while others don’t. In any case, it’s a preferential factor.

Max. Sinkage Depth

Purple Hybrid max bounce depth

Max. Bounce Height

Purple Hybrid max bounce height

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

At a total bounce height of 17.63”, the Purple Hybrid mattress is nearly double the average bounce height, which is 9.05” (the average among all mattresses we’ve tested so far).

10

Edge Support Test

Edge support on the Purple Hybrid mattress was excellent. In our tests, we measured 3” of maximum compression while sitting directly on the edge.

Max. Sinkage

3.0″

Lying Support

Excellent

This is simply a fantastic level of support. On average, we typically see 4.82” of compression.

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

Sitting, 140 lbs.

Purple Hybrid edge support test
Purple Hybrid edge support test

Sitting, 200 lbs.

Purple Hybrid edge support with vest
Purple Hybrid edge support with vest

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress I felt just as well supported. We were happy to see this level of edge support, given the very mediocre edge support we tested on the original Purple mattress.

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

Lying on Edge, 140 lbs.

Purple Hybrid side sleeping
Purple Hybrid side sleeping

Lying on Edge, 200 lbs.

Purple Hybrid side sleeping vest
Purple Hybrid side sleeping vest

It seems that the pocketed coil system is really paying big dividends when it comes to making sure sleepers, sitters, and sex participants feel well-supported on the edge.

9.9

Sex Test

The best mattresses for sex have high bounce, good edge support, quiet materials, and good pressure relief and cooling.

These 5 factors make up the NapLab sex performance score.

Sex FactorFactor WeightScoreRating
Bounce60%10Extremely High
Edge Support20%10Exceptional
Noise10%9Moderate
Pressure Relief5%9.5Excellent
Cooling5%10Exceptional

For the Purple Hybrid, these individual factors generated a sex score of 9.9.

This is among the best sex performance scores we’ve tested to date. The high levels of bounce on the Purple Hybrid are simply fantastic for sex performance.

Purple Hybrid sinkage
Purple Hybrid sinkage

Coupling the good bounce, the Hybrid also offers fantastic edge support, pressure relief, and excellent cooling.

I found it to be a bit noisier than 100% foam mattresses, but not horribly loud.

9.5

Pressure Relief Test

I found pressure relief on the Purple Hybrid mattress to be excellent. I really enjoyed the feel of the top-layer hyper-elastic polymer material.

Comfort Layer

3.0″

Support Layer

8.5″

It offers a unique combination of allowing body contour extremely easily, while still remaining incredibly cool and medium-firm feel.

Purple Hybrid open cover
Purple Hybrid open cover

One pressure issue we noted on the original Purple mattress was the tendency of that mattress to create too much sinkage. The Purple Hybrid mattress does a nice job at solving that issue with the pocketed coil foundation.

Overall, the Purple Hybrid creates excellent pressure relief for most sleeping positions and most body types.

9.7

Off-Gassing Test

Off-gassing on the Hybrid was pretty typical. Right out of the box, I found the smell to be fairly strong. In an open room with good airflow, it still took about 4 days before the smell had completely dissipated from the Purple.

Initial Smell Strength

Strong

Off-Gassing Period

4 days

While this may sound like a long time, it is not uncommon results for these types of mattresses. Among its competitors, the Purple Hybrid had pretty typical results.

Purple Hybrid mattress corner
Purple Hybrid mattress corner
9.8

Company

The company score takes a look at factors that may influence your experience with the mattress.

Factors include length of the trial period, warranty, shipping / return costs, and country of origin.

Company FactorFactor WeightScoreData
Trial Period25%9100 nights
Warranty25%1010 years
Shipping25%10$0
Returns25%10$0
Country of Origin0%USA

For Purple, these individual terms and conditions generated a company score of 9.8.

The company policies of Purple mattress are good and look pretty consumer-friendly. They offer a 100-night trial period, a 10-year warranty, and free shipping and returns.

The mattresses are manufactured in the USA in a series of factories and fabrication centers located in Utah.

Shipping is free and return shipping is also free if you find that the Purple Hybrid isn’t for you.

The only caveat is that you must wait at least 21 days before you can initiate a return. This time frame is commonly called the “Break-In Period” and gives your body time to get used to the mattress before trying to return.

Purple Hybrid side sleeping vest
Purple Hybrid side sleeping vest

Can You Talk to A Real Person?

If you have questions before purchasing, they also have a live chat feature on their website, but I found feedback to be a little slow.

I asked a few questions about the mattress to test out support speed and it took over 20 minutes for a representative to respond to my request.

This may not be a critical buying factor for you, but worth mentioning if you rely on live chats to ask follow-up questions.

How firm is the Purple Hybrid?

The Purple Hybrid comes in around a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the most firm. It is a little firmer than the other Purple mattresses we’ve tested, but that could also just be for lighter-weight sleepers, such as myself.

firmness - 6.5 out of 10 - medium

Oftentimes, lighter sleepers may find medium mattresses to be a bit on the firmer side of the scale due to lack of body weight to fully engage with layers below.

The nature of the top layer polymer is that it has a slightly firmer feel so heavier sleepers may find this mattress to be closer to a true 6 out of 10.

Support & Sleeping Positions

To expand on the ideas mentioned above, check out the table below. This table lists sleeper weights and sleeping positions. Both are important in deciding if a mattress will be the right firmness for you.

The Purple Hybrid could be a good pick for sleepers who meet the profiles below:

Sleeper WeightStomach SleepersSide SleepersBack Sleepers
Under 150 lbs.YesYesYes
150-250 lbs.Yes YesYes
250-300 lbs.YesYesYes

Over 300 lbs? According to Purple, there is no weight limit that the Purple will support although they do recommend 300 pounds per person or 600 pounds total. That being said, exceeding this recommendation will not void the 10-year warranty.

In my view, if you do weigh more than 300 pounds I would recommend stepping up to the Purple Hybrid Premier 4. The extra thick profile will help to provide better support and pressure relief compared to the standard hybrid design.

Design

The Purple Hybrid mattress is designed to fit the needs of a larger number of sleepers. It uses a combination of materials and has a moderately firm sleeping surface.

Type

Hybrid

Thickness

11″

Firmness

6.5

This mattress is unique in its use of comfort material—a patented hyper-elastic polymer that forms a grid-like structure for support and maximum airflow.

Purple Hybrid mattress side
Purple Hybrid mattress side

Materials

The layers of the Purple Hybrid are:

  • 2.0″ elastic polymer
  • 1.0″ poly foam
  • 7.5″ pocketed coils
  • 1.0″ poly foam
Purple Hybrid material layers
Purple Hybrid material layers

The Cover

The cover of the Purple Hybrid is a textile blend of polyester (67%), Viscose (29%), and Lycra (all +/- 5%). These three materials are knit together to create a cover fabric that is soft and breathable, with some good stretch.

Purple Hybrid mattress cover logo
Purple Hybrid mattress cover logo

The cover is largely white with grey linear accents that create a border as well as spell “purple” across the middle of the mattress for branding aesthetic.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer on the Purple Hybrid is made up of a 2.0″ layer of elastic polymer followed by a 1.0″ layer of poly foam directly below.

  • “The Grid”, as Purple refers to it, is a non-toxic polyethylene copolymer, which is finished in a non-toxic powder coating.
  • The poly foam below helps to provide a smooth transition between the grid and the pocketed coil support system.
Purple Hybrid open cover
Purple Hybrid open cover

There is also the poly foam layers at the edges (3.0″), which help reinforce those areas.

From the outer edge of the mattress, only the foam is visible, but if you take a cut section from the middle of the mattress, the elastic polymer and pocketed coils are hard at work.

Purple Hybrid poly foam layer
Purple Hybrid poly foam layer

The Support Layer

Below the elastic polymer is the layer of 7.5″ high pocketed coils. These coils are individually encased in fabric and are designed to respond to pressure points across the mattress.

Note that we used a knife to cut the edge encasement foam out so you can see the pocketed coils.

Purple Hybrid coil layer
Purple Hybrid coil layer

By being pocketed separately from one another, the coils are able to limit motion transfer and compress as needed for point pressure in each exact location across the mattress (ex: more pressure applied at hips and shoulders, less at head and feet).

Below the coils is a final 1.0″ layer of poly foam, which is a high-density foam that basically just supports the upper layers of the mattress.

Product Evolution

The Purple mattress was first launched in 2015 from the rocket-boosting power of a Kickstarter campaign raising a little over $170,000 and only 320 backers.

The original Purple mattress was a 10″ mattress that used foam and a hyper-elastic polymer for a unique kind of comfort that was new and innovative for mattresses at the time.

Purple Hybrid side logo
Purple Hybrid side logo

Once off the ground, Purple hit the market at full speed and put millions of dollars into marketing their mattress. In 2020, they spent over 220 million dollars on marketing and advertising alone.

The Purple Hybrid mattress was launched around 2018 along with the Purple Plus and the Purple Hybrid Premier. Since the launch of the Hybrid line of mattresses, they have not seen any dramatic changes to their design.

How is Purple Hybrid Different?

The Purple Hybrid mattress has a higher performance level than average and is priced slightly below the average specialty mattress.

But when we compare the Purple mattress to other hybrids, the price is higher than average. The average hybrid costs $1383, over 51% less than the Purple Hybrid.

FactorPurple HybridAverage
Overall9.859.52
Price$2,099$2,312 (Specialty only)
Cooling109.4
Max Sinkage2.05″2.19″
Total Motion Transfer4.49 m/s²7.95 m/s²
Response Time0.2 sec.0.4 sec.
Total Bounce17.63″9.59″
Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage3.00″4.23″
Mattress Thickness11.5″11.9″
Sex Overall9.99.6
Comfort Material3.0″4.1″
Off-Gassing – SmellStrongStrong
Off-Gassing – Days4 days4 days
Trial100 nights161 nights
Warranty10 years29% have lifetime warranties, average of other 71% of mattresses is 14 years

Costs aside, the Purple has better cooling than average as well as faster material response, better edge support, and better for sex.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress cover
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress cover

It has less sinkage than average as well as significantly higher levels of bounce (although both of these are more preferential factors).

One thing to keep in mind is the shorter trial and warranty. The Purple trial is 37.5% shorter than average and the warranty is only 10 years.

Lifetime warranties come standard with 29% of the mattress we’ve tested and the remaining 71% have an average of a 14-year warranty.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Purple Hybrid is the best choice for you? Check out these three other mattress options with similar feels, but a few differences as well.

For Thicker Grid

Purple Hybrid Premier 3 material layers

Purple Hybrid Premier

Extra Support for Heavy Sleepers

The grid of the Purple Hybrid Premier is 3.0″ thick on the Hybrid Premier (or 4.0″ thick on the Premier 4). If you’re concerned about the 2.0″ layer on the standard Hybrid being insufficient, the Hybrid Premier is a nice upgrade.

For Softer Feel

Nectar Premier Copper mattress materials

Nectar Premier Copper

5.0″ of Comfort Foam

The Nectar Premier Copper mattress has 4.0″ of gel memory foam, 1.0″ poly foam, and 9.0″ of support foam. Unlike the Purple, this mattress is not a hybrid so it will have less bounce, but still has great cooling. This mattress is also softer—5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

For Less Bounce

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid mattress material layers

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid

4.5″ of Comfort Foam

The Aurora Hybrid by Brooklyn Bedding is another solid option. This mattress has 4.5″ of foam layers followed by pocketed coils. The Aurora comes in three firmness levels—soft (4), medium (6), or firm (8 out of 10) and all three levels offers less bounce than the Purple Hybrid.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Purple Hybrid vs. Hybrid Premier: What is the difference?

The main between these mattresses is that the Hybrid Premier contains an extra Purple Grid. The Hybrid Premier 3 has 3″ of grid and the Hybrid Premier 4 has 4″ of grid. For comparison, the standard Purple Hybrid mattress has only 2″ of elastic polymer grid.

How much does a Purple Hybrid cost?

The cost of a Purple Hybrid mattress varies depending on what size you’re looking for. Here are the current prices, with any sales or promotions reflected below:

Twin XL: $1,699
Full: $1,899
Queen: $2,099
King: $2,599
Cal. King: $2,599
Split King: $3,398 (includes both sides)

*Note: Sales prices are subject to change without notice or warning.

What is the return policy?

The purchase of any Purple mattress comes with a 100-night trial period, a 10-year warranty, and free shipping to your door. If you decide that the mattress isn’t right for you, they offer free returns. The one exception is that you have to wait past the first 21 days, for a suitable Break-In Period.

Can you try the Purple before you buy?

Yes. Purple partners with a number of third-party mattress stores including: Mattress Firm, Denver Mattress, HOM Furniture, Rooms to Go, City Furniture, Macy’s, Big Sandy, Steinhafels, Mathis Brothers Furniture, Ivan Smith Furniture, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, Miskelly Furniture, Levin Furniture & Mattress, Gardner White, Cardi’s Furniture & Mattress, Wichita Furniture & Mattress

How to clean a Purple mattress?

Cleaning a Purple mattress is similar to how you would clean any other foam-based mattress. They actually recommend the following steps:

1. Remove all sheets and bedding
2. Vacuum Your Mattress
3. Use Baking Soda
4. Clean Spills Right Away
5. Air Out Your Mattress
6. Use a Mattress Protector
7. Rotate the Mattress Regularly (not flipping upside down)
8. Avoid Excessive Sweating in Bed

Is the Purple Hybrid mattress good for back pain?

Yes. The Purple Hybrid is especially good for addressing back pain. The combination of foam, patented Purple grid material, and supportive coils provides hug / contour at the surface with support and spinal alignment from the coils below.

How long do Purple Hybrid mattresses last?

The Purple Hybrid should last between 7-10 years. It comes with a 10-year warranty so if a substantial failure occurs, the warranty should cover it. If returned during the trial period, you can get a full refund for your item or if you submit a warranty claim, you can get a replacement (no refunds on warranty claims).

About Derek Hales

Derek Hales

Derek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com. He has been featured in Fast CompanyReader's DigestBusiness InsiderRealtor.com, Huffington Post, Washington Post, AskMen, and She Knows. Derek has personally tested over 320+ mattresses and hundreds of pillows, sheets, beds, and other sleep products.

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