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Purple Hybrid Premier 4 Review

Derek Hales

Written by: Derek Hales

Updated On:

Update – Purple Hybrid Premier 4 has been discontinued and replaced by the new Purple Restore Premier. See our review here.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 cover photo
9.81 Overall Score
Tested With Scoring System 1.1
10 Cooling
10 Motion Transfer
10 Response Time
9.1 Edge Support
9.7 Sex
10 Pressure Relief
9.7 Off-Gassing
9.8 Company

Best For

  • Fantastic cooling performance. Tied for the coolest mattress we’ve tested to date.
  • Extremely high levels of bounce, in the top 5 for “most bounce” we’ve tested to date.
  • Exceptional pressure relief with 5.0″ of comfort material

Considerations

  • Higher price tag than many other high-quality options (likely due to 4″ of grid material)
  • Higher bounce could be discomforting for some

Our Verdict

The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is a hybrid mattress that uses 4.0″ of the Purple grid system, foam, and pocketed coils.

It has exceptionally good cool, moderate sinkage, low motion transfer, fast response, good sitting edge support, excellent lying edge support, and exceptionally good pressure relief. The Purple Premier 4 is one of the best-performing mattresses with respect to cooling we’ve tested to date.

It crushed our cooling test, earning the #2 ranking of all mattresses we’ve tested to date.

Especially if you’re a heavier sleeper and concerned with less comfort material on the Purple Hybrid or the Hybrid Premier 3, the Premier 4 offers a truly luxurious material quality.

Type: Specialty / Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)

NOTE: In 2023, the Hybrid and Hybrid Premier were effectively discontinued and replaced with the Restore collection. The Purple Hybrid Premier 3 got a new name (the Purple RestorePlus Hybrid) and an updated design, although the models appear to be very similar.

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
SinkageDeep
Motion TransferExtremely Low
Response TimeExtremely Fast
BounceExtremely High
Edge SupportVery Good
SexExcellent
Pressure ReliefExceptional
Off-GassingExcellent
CompanyExcellent

How is the Premier 4 Different?

The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 has a higher performance score than average, but also a higher price tag—over 50% more than the average specialty mattress and 2.5 times the cost of the average hybrid mattress.

FactorPurple Hybrid Premier 4Average
Overall9.819.52
Price$3,499$2,312 (Specialty only)
Cooling109.4
Max Sinkage2.54″2.21″
Total Motion Transfer4.55 m/s²7.97 m/s²
Response Time0.2 sec.0.4 sec.
Total Bounce14.33″9.61″
Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage4.75″4.29″
Mattress Thickness13.5″11.9″
Sex Overall9.79.6
Comfort Material5.0″4.1″
Off-Gassing – SmellStrongStrong
Off-Gassing – Days4 days4 days
Trial100 nights158 nights
Warranty10 years28% have lifetime warranties, average of other 72% of mattresses is 14 years

The cooling is better than average, despite having deeper sinkage than average. It also has 49% more bounce than average, but restrains that bounce by having less motion transfer than average.

Response time is slightly faster than average and sex performance is also slightly above average (thank you, bouncy Purple Grid).

The only area where the Purple struggles is in edge support where it has poorer support than the average mattress.

10

Cooling Test

Cooling was exceptionally good on the Purple Hybrid Premier 4. In our objective tests, we measured a maximum surface level temperature of 87.6°F.

Baseline Temp.

80.0° F

Max. Temp.

87.6° F

Ending Temp.

82.6° F

Max. Temp.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 before cooling
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 before cooling

Ending Temp.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 after cooling
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 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

This is tied for the 2nd coolest mattress we have tested to date (tied with the Purple Hybrid). It was 3.4° cooler than the average max surface level temperature among all mattresses we’ve tested to date (which is 91.0°F).

Heat dissipation was insanely good. Within 1 minute after we got off the mattress the temperature had dropped to 83.6°F, a decrease of 4.0°.

By the 2-minute mark, it hit 82.6°, and then stayed around that temperature. That indicates that the Purple Hybrid Premier is able to dissipate nearly all of the retained heat within 1-2 minutes.

This rapid heat dissipation curve is significantly better than the average. Most mattresses will see continued heat dissipation through the 5-minute mark, but even then, retain a more notable level of heat.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

Heat Dissipation Chart Purple Hybrid Premier 4
Heat Dissipation Chart Purple Hybrid Premier 4

My subjective experience on the mattress mirrored what we saw in the data. I felt cool throughout our test. Purple hyper-elastic polymer does most of the heavy lifting, but it’s also aided by the foundational layer of coils.

These materials both don’t retain much heat and also have an incredible level of airflow. These factors combine to allow the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress to be the 2nd coolest mattress we’ve tested to date. 

Sinkage Test

In our pressure point test, we measured a total sinkage depth of 2.54”. This is moderately deeper than the average across all mattresses we’ve tested, which is 2.16”. With 4” of Purple’s hyper-elastic polymer on top it makes sense.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage test
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage test

The Purple material easily gives way where body weight is applied, relieving pressure and creating contour. While the sinkage depth is a bit deeper than average, it’s still within a range that most sleepers will find comfortable.

Purple’s Premier Hybrid is available with 3” and 4” of hyper-elastic polymer material on the top layer. Either option will be suitably comfortable for most sleepers. You can read our Purple Hybrid Premier 3 review here.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage

However, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 does have a little more sinkage, which is likely to yield better pressure relief (especially for heavier weight and side sleepers).

In our tests of the Purple Hybrid Premier 3 mattress, we measured a sinkage depth of 2.21”.

10

Motion Transfer Test

Motion transfer on the Premier 4 was low. In our accelerometer tests, we measured an acceleration range of 4.55 m/s².

This is notably better than the average across all mattresses we’ve tested to date, which is 5.84 m/s².

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

While the total acceleration range is low, motion does linger on the mattress for longer than many others. This is simply due to the Purple hyper-elastic polymer grid.

The material itself and grid design are highly susceptible to motion, motion that can then be transferred around the mattress.

Max. Acceleration

1.80 m/s²

Min. Acceleration

-2.67 m/s²

Accel. Range

4.55 m/s²

In our motion transfer chart, you can see that there is a higher level of energy up until 0.5 seconds, while moderate energy persists until 1.0 seconds.

If you are easily disturbed by motion you may find the Purple material is a little too sensitive for you.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 motion transfer chart
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 motion transfer chart

Hybrid vs. Foam

All-foam mattresses tend to keep motion transfer lower, with beds like Leesa’s Original (2.06 m/s²), Nectar’s Premier (2.8 m/s²), and BedinaBox’s Original (2.85 m/s²) dissipating motion more quickly and keeping acceleration to a minimum.

10

Response Test

Response time on the Purple Hybrid Premier 3 mattress was lightning fast. Within 0.2 seconds most of the materials have recovered and by 0.3 seconds the remaining materials have rebounded to their original shape.

Mostly Recovered

0.2 sec.

Complete Recovery

0.3 sec.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

The response time was incredibly fast. The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress is able to mostly recover within 0.2 seconds and a full recovery is achieved by 0.3 seconds.

This is tied for the fastest response time we’ve tested to date (tied with 3 other Purple mattress models, in addition to Ghostbed Luxe, Winkbed, & and a handful of others).

If you want the absolute fastest response time so that you never feel stuck and can easily move, this is it.

Bounce Test

Total bounce on the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress is high. In our bounce test, we measured a total bounce height of 14.33”.

Max. Depth

7.57″

Max. Rebound

6.76″

Total Bounce

14.33″

This isn’t the absolute highest we’ve measured to date, but it’s fairly close. On average (across all mattresses we’ve tested to date), we see a total bounce height of 9.29”.

Having a little extra bounce can be beneficial for sex (more info below).

Max. Sinkage Depth

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 bounce depth
Max. sinkage depth on the drop

Max. Bounce Height

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 bounce height
Max. height achieved on the rebound

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

9.1

Edge Support Test

Edge support on the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is good, but not amazing…at least not while sitting.

While sitting directly on the edge of the mattress we measured a maximum compression of 4.75”.

Max. Sinkage

4.75″

Lying Support

Excellent

This is definitely on the high end of what I like to see. On average, we see a maximum compression of 4.82”.

Though in this case, being average isn’t really ideal. That said, I think we’re seeing more edge compression due to the easily compressed nature of the top layer of hyper-elastic Purple polymer.

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

Sitting, 140 lbs.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge support
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge support

Sitting, 200 lbs.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge support with vest
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge support with 60 pound weighted vest

Since the material gives way so easily, there just isn’t much push back in that top 4.0” of material. Once you do sink through the first 4.75” the mattress does feel supportive. In addition, since the total profile of the mattress is a bit thicker that helps as well.

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

Lying on Edge, 140 lbs.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 side sleeping
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 side sleeping

Lying on Edge, 200 lbs.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 side sleeping with vest
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 side sleeping with vest

While sitting edge support leaves something to be desired, support while lying directly on the edge of the mattress felt great.

The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 uses a foam edge support encasement system.

This helps the edges feel strong and supportive, which I can attest to. While lying on the absolute edge of the mattress it feels every bit as supportive as it does while in the middle.

9.7

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 Low
Edge Support20%9.1Exceptional
Noise10%9Minimal
Pressure Relief5%10Exceptional
Cooling5%10Exceptional

For the Purple Hybrid Premier 3, these individual factors generated a sex score of 9.8.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sinkage

This is a great score and based on the individual factors that make good sex, it’s easy to see why the Purple is a clear winner. Let’s talk through some of the factors.

First off, bounce. Bounce is hugely important for good sex and helps to create an active and engaging surface. The Purple Premier has no shortage of bounce and scored great marks here.

Pressure relief and cooling were also exceptionally good. Again, I think we have the Purple grid to thank here. The 4.0″ grid is the thickest hyper-elastic layer that Purple offers. That extra material really helps avoid pressure points when getting frisky.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 logo
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 logo

Edge support was good, but not great. Thank being said, not everyone cares a lot about edge support. If edge support is critically important to you, you may want to consider the Purple Premier 3, which had 0.5″ of less sinkage on the edge, but it’s not a huge difference.

10

Pressure Relief Test

Pressure relief is exceptionally good on the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress.

Comfort Layer

5.0″

Support Layer

8.5″

The 5.0” of comfort material on top easily compresses and contours to the body, while the support foam and pocketed coils create appropriate support for a wide variety of body types.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 measuring material layers
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 measuring material layers

The feel of the mattress is just fantastic. It does an amazing job at helping to alleviate pressure points in all sleeping positions. 

9.7

Off-Gassing Test

Initially, after unboxing the mattress there was a strong smell. The smell lingers for 4 days, after which there isn’t much smell.

Initial Smell Strength

Strong

Off-Gassing Period

4 days

Most mattresses we’ve tested to date smell for 2-4 days. The average duration is 2.72 days.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 unboxing
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 unboxing
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 OriginUSA

Purple mattress has a good history of fair and consumer-friendly policies and terms—no alarming red flags to note.

They have a pretty standard 100-night trial period with a 10-year warranty.

Shipping is free, returns are free. There’s not much to complain about.

All of their mattresses are made in Utah at different factories.

A couple of policies to note which may or may not be important to you include:

  1. 21-Night Break-In Period: This is a required time frame after you receive the mattress where you cannot initiate a return. This give your mattress time to fully expand as well as giving your body time to get used to the mattress. This is pretty standard in the mattress industry. If after the first 3 weeks you still don’t like it, you can request a return between day 21-100 for a full refund.
  2. No Max Sleeper Weight: While Purple technically states that their mattress can support up to 600 lbs. (or 300 lbs. per side), they also say that too much weight on the mattress cannot void the 10-year warranty.

If you have questions about the mattress before purchase or questions after your mattress has been delivered, Purple does provide a Live Chat feature where you can talk to a real representative.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 mattress

From my experience, the service was a bit spotty. One question took over 20 minutes to be answered while a follow-up question took only 3-5 minutes. This was with two different representatives.

While live support may not be an important factor to you, it feels like it’s worth mentioning.

How firm is the Purple Hybrid Premier 4?

The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 comes in around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the most firm.

firmness - 6 out of 10 - medium

Despite having a thicker Purple grid, this is about the same firmness as the Purple Hybrid Premier 3.

  • For something a touch softer, consider the Original Purple (no coils) — 5 out of 10.
  • For something a touch firmer, consider the Purple Hybrid — 6.5 out of 10.

Support & Sleeping Positions

Being a 6 out of 10, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 would be suitable for a wide range of sleepers, regardless of weight or sleeping position.

We have a table, shown below, that we use to help sleepers decide if a mattress is right for them. As you can see, the Hybrid Premier 4 has widespread appeal across the sleeper spectrum.

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

Design

The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is a 13″ thick mattress that uses a combination of materials including foam, pocketed coils, and the patented Purple grid system (a hyper elastic polymer) to create something unique.

The Premier 4 has the thickest Purple grid among any Purple mattress to date, it’s 4″ thick.

Type

Hybrid

Thickness

13.5″

Firmness

6

The grid works with the other materials for maximum cooling, airflow, pressure relief, and comfort.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sitting
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 sitting

Materials

Here is a complete breakdown of all of the materials from top to bottom:

  • 4.0″ elastic polymer (Purple Grid)
  • 1.0″ poly foam
  • 7.54″ pcoketed coils
  • 1.0″ poly foam (support foam)
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 material layers
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 material layers

The Cover

The cover of the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is a textile blend of polyester (67%), Viscose (29%), and Lycra (all +/- 5%). It is lightweight and soft, while also being breathable enough to allow the thick grid below to have maximum effect.

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

Aesthetically, the cover is mostly white with a gray base and short diagonal gray lines on the top.

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

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer on the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 contains the 4.0″ thick layer of Purple grid followed by a 1.0″ layer of poly foam.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge elastic polymer
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge elastic polymer

On the edges, there is a thick foam layer for improved edge support and to help contain the grid. This top layer of foam (purple) is 4.0″ thick and is followed by a thinner layer of poly foam (orange).

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge elastic polymer layer
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 edge elastic polymer layer

The thinner poly foam acts as a transitional layer material to separate the grid from the pocketed coils below. This layer plays an important role in the comfort and overall support of the Premier 4.

Without this layer of poly foam, sleepers would be more likely to experience pressure points.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 middle poly foam layer
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 middle poly foam layer

The poly foam combined with the thicker grid and edge foam creates a 5.0″ thick layer of comfort material which should be more than sufficient for a wide range of sleepers, regardless of weight or preferred sleeping position.

The Support Layer

The support layer below the Purple grid consists of 7.5″ high coils that are individually pocketed for pressure point relief and limited motion transfer.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 coil layer
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 coil layer

Pocketing these coils also helps to limit sound from the coils as you move around the mattress.

In general, hybrids are known to have great airflow, bounce, and fast response time. The coils play a huge role in the success of these factors.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 base poly foam covered
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 base poly foam covered

Lastly, below the coils is a final 1.0″ layer of poly foam. This foam is a high-density foam that supports the upper layers of the mattress.

Product Evolution

The Purple mattress launched in 2015, using a Kickstarter campaign as the catalyst into production. The campaign raised a little over $170,000 and with only 320 backers, they were off the ground.

The Original Purple mattress is a 10″ thick option that uses their patented Purple grid combined with a poly foam.

Purple Hybrid Premier 4 stomach sleeping
Purple Hybrid Premier 4 stomach sleeping

Today, the Original Purple is still for sale as well as 3 hybrid options and an option for plus-sized sleepers.

The complete Purple lineup includes:

The Hybrid, Hybrid Premier 3, and Hybrid Premier 4 were all iterative improvements over the original Purple mattress. Looking in terms of evolutionary improvement over time, Purple is moving towards a hybrid design future.

While the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 has not had any major updates to that model specifically since it launched, it ultimately is the culmination of years of testing and feedback from sleepers. A thicker layer of Purple grid material and pocketed coil base both help to alleviate common issues with the original Purple.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Purple Hybrid 4 is the best choice for you? Check out these three other mattress options with similar feels, but a few differences as well.

For Better Value

Purple Hybrid Premier 3 material layers

Purple Hybrid Premier 3

Less Grid, Lower Cost

If you like the design of the Hybrid Premier 4, but want to save some cash, consider the Premier 3. This mattress has all of the same materials as the 4, and very similar performance, but with 1.0″ less of the Purple grid. For the same size (queen), you can save $800 by opting for the Premier 3.

Read Review

For Less Bounce

Nectar Premier Copper mattress materials

Nectar Premier Copper

Less Bounce + Softer Feel

The Nectar Premier Copper mattress has a 5.0″ comfort layer with the top layer being a 4.0″ thick layer of cooling material. This mattress is not a hybrid so that means significantly less bounce (5.78″ total bounce) as well as a softer feel—5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

Read Review

For Softer Feel

Purple regular material layers

Purple Original

A Softer Purple Mattress

If you want the feel of the Purple grid but a little softer, consider the Original Purple. This Purple leaves out the pocketed springs and replaces it with a dual-layer poly foam support system, which provides a softer feel—5 out of 10, where 10 is the most firm. Bounce is a little less, but mostly comparable.

Read Review

Frequently Asked Questions

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

What is the difference between Purple Hybrid Premier 3 and 4?

The main between these mattresses is that the Hybrid Premier 4 has 4″ of grid and the Hybrid Premier 3 has 3″ of grid. For comparison, the standard Purple Hybrid mattress, as well as the Original Purple mattress both, only have 2″ of elastic polymer grid.

Heavier sleepers or side sleepers may benefit from the extra thick Purple grid on the Premier 3 or 4.

How much does a Purple Hybrid Premiere 4 cost?

The cost of a Purple Hybrid 3 mattress varies depending on what size you’re looking for. Here are the current prices, with any sales or promotions reflected below:

Twin XL: $2,599
Full: $2,799
Queen: $3,099
King: $3,699
Cal. King: $3,699
Split King: $5,598 (includes both sides)

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

What is the trial period?

The purchase of any Purple mattress comes with a 100-night trial period with a 21-day, 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, and Wichita Furniture & Mattress

Is the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 too soft?

It really depends on what you’re looking for. Overall, the Premier 4 is still around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It has a 4″ comfort grid layer which does cause a little more edge sinkage than I’d like to see, but overall, the balance of pressure relief and support feels really good.

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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