Stearns & Foster Estate 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	Stearns & Foster Estate	Average
Overall Score	8.00	8.53
Price (Queen)	$2,399	$1,397.91 (Hybrid only)
Cooling – Score	8.0	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	2.53″	2.17″
Sinkage – Feel	Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	8.6	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	8.18 m/s²	8.75 m/s²
Response Time – Score	9.0	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.3 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	1.0 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	7.96″	9.26″
Bounce – Feel	Low	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	8.9	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	4.00″	4.03″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Good
Sex – Score	7.9	8.3
Pressure Relief – Score	8.0	8.6
Comfort Layer Thickness	6.0″	4.1″
Mattress Thickness	14″	12.1″
Off-Gassing – Score	8.1	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	7 days	7 days
Company – Score	5.2	8.6
Trial	90 nights	178 nights
Warranty	10 years	38% have lifetime warranties, average of other 62% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Stearns & Foster Estate Different?

The Stearns & Foster Estate is a 14″ hybrid mattress with an overall performance level that is significantly lower than average and a price that is significantly higher than average. When testing any mattress, this is the exact opposite of what we want to see.

Advantages

The Estate Hybrid has slightly less motion transfer than average as well as a faster material response time. Sitting edge support was about average, but lying edge support was better than average. Unfortunately, that’s really where the advantages stop.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has a deep level of sinkage and a low level of bounce. This gives the mattress a bit of a restrained feel, with a decent amount of contour. Neither of these factors are really good nor bad, but may be important based on what exactly you’re looking for in a mattress.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages are numerous on the Estate Hybrid. Cooling, sex performance, pressure relief, off-gassing, and company all had lower performance scores than average.

The trial is half the length of the average trial period (only 90 nights) and the warranty is shorter than average as well, only 10 years. And if the mattress ends up not being the right pick for you, the company will automatically deduct $175 off of your refund if you want to send it back.

Lastly, the price alone could be a deterrent for many sleepers. Priced at 72% higher than average, the Estate Hybrid is no bargain. The average hybrid costs $1,397, so be ready to fork out an extra $1K if you want to get in bed with Stearns & Foster.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has good cooling. During our tests, I felt a slight level of heat retention around my body, but it was nothing extreme or overly hot.

On the positive side, the mattress uses a pocketed coil base, which is helping to bring more air into the mattress. That said, the mattress is also equipped with a 3.0” quilted cover and 3.0” of comfort foams.

All of this extra material decreases breathability and is simply more material that heat is easily absorbed into.

• 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 quilted cover in particular is greatly concerning, as the cover is quite densely packed and the cover fabric itself has a fairly rough and thick feel. All of these factors are contributing to the worse than average cooling performance.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 92.4° F. This is 2.6° more 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 Stearns & Foster Estate has deep sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 2.53″. This is 0.37″ more sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.16″, based on all of our tests to date. The mattress creates a balanced feel with a moderate level of body contouring hug.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

The mattress is equipped with a mix of memory foam, poly foam, and a quilted cover. This combination of materials creates a more even and less polarizing type of a feel. The hug is neither too dramatic, nor too shallow.

In addition, the mattress certainly leans more towards a hybrid feel than it does a coil feel. Lastly, we have a substantial 6.0” thick comfort layer that includes memory foam. That memory foam layer, in addition to the poly foam and quilted cover, creates a more modern hybrid feel.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has a low level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 8.18 m/s². This is 7% less motion transfer than the average of 8.75 m/s².

The mattress uses a 3.0” quilted cover and 3.0” foam comfort layer, including a 0.5” memory foam layer. All of these foam layers are working together to help reduce motion. In addition, we have just 7.96” of total bounce. This is considerably below average and is another major contributor to the lower motion transfer.

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 0.22 seconds. Motion drops off notably thereafter, but it’s not until 1.01 seconds that we return to near zero levels of energy.

While I was pleased to see the motion intensity at a below average level, the motion duration was longer than average. All that to say, motion isn’t bad by any stretch and for most sleepers I expect it to be a non-issue.

The Stearns & Foster Estate 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 0.12 seconds faster 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 1.0 seconds, which is 0.03 seconds slower than the average of 0.97 seconds. While I was pleased with the mostly recovered response time of 0.3 seconds, a full material recovery at 1.0 seconds is fine, but also far from great.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

Certainly, the memory foam layer appears to be slowing down the total material responsiveness of the mattress. That said, that single 0.5” memory foam layer is surrounded by poly foam and coil layers, both of which are highly responsive.

While we would have liked to have seen a little faster responsiveness on the fully recovered time, these recovery speeds are still more than sufficient to create ease of movement and avoid any type of a stuck feeling.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has a low level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 7.96″. This is 1.30″ less bounce than the average of 9.26″, based on all of our tests to date.

The lower than average bounce is greatly beneficial for reducing motion transfer. However, that same lower bounce has a negative impact on sex performance.

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

In some cases, bounce can also make ease of movement worse. However, because the mattress has a reasonably faster material responsiveness, I don’t foresee ease of movement being a major issue.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has good sitting edge support and excellent lying edge support. In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 4.00″. This is 0.03″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.03″, based on all of our tests to date.

While sitting directly on the edge, the mattress did a nice job at providing sufficient support and avoiding any type of material collapse.

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

Lying support was equally as impressive. While lying directly on the edge of the mattress, I felt that the support was excellent in all sleeping positions. The Stearns & Foster Estate uses 2 rows of reinforced coils running along the perimeter of the mattress.

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

The reinforced coil layers in particular are having a sizable impact on edge support performance for both sitting and lying. In addition, the total thickness and medium-firm feel are also having a positive impact. Overall, I’m pleased with the level of edge performance support.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has good sex performance. On the positive side, noise is minimal, pressure relief is excellent, and edge support is good, bordering on excellent. With just 4.0” of sitting edge support, the edge will be robust and supportive enough to facilitate your dance without pants.

In the middle we have cooling, earning a good, but not amazing score. Even so, it shouldn’t be a major hindrance. Where the Estate is weakest for sex is bounce. At just 7.96” of total bounce, the Estate just doesn’t have as much bounce as is ideal.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	7.5	Moderate
Edge Support	20%	8.8	Good
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	8.0	Good
Cooling	5%	8.0	Good

When it comes to sex, more bounce is always better. At 7.96” it’s less than average and it’s the single greatest factor that’s holding the sex score down. When we look at the total picture of sex performance, the Stearns & Foster Estate has good sex performance, but it’s also far from great.

The Stearns & Foster Estate has a good level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt no significant pressure points on my body.

That said, it is abundantly clear that this mattress is not at the same comfort or pressure relief performance level as many other mattresses we’ve tested. The mattress is equipped with 6.0″ of comfort material.

In addition, the mattress has 1.85″ more comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.15″, based on all of our tests to date. All that said, one look inside the mattress and it’s easy to see that these foam layers just don’t look or feel all that impressive.

The quality of the individual layers is incredibly disappointing and on par with many ultra budget-friendly and cheap mattresses we’ve tested. When we consider the higher than average price of the Estate mattress, it becomes all the more mind boggling that we’d see such relatively low quality foams used in this type of a mattress.

While the mattress feels fine on day one, I am greatly concerned that these foams simply are not going to last all that long. The foams have a notable crunchiness and dryness to them. That often happens to foams as they age, but it’s usually a process that takes years.

For these foams to look this dry and sound this crunchy on day one speaks to their quality and I greatly fear that this mattress will develop sags and become uncomfortable quickly.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.13	0.73

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	0.08	0.60

When I consider the material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be good.

The Stearns & Foster Estate had a strong smell upon the initial arrival. The mattress smelled for 7 days. This is 0.5 days longer than the average smell duration of 6.5 days.

While the mattress did dissipate its smell fairly quickly, there can be no sugar coating the fact that the mattress literally smelled like dog poop. At first I thought I must just be losing my mind, but after having multiple members of our NapLab team verify my findings, I’m confident in my belief that the mattress smelled strongly of dog poop.

Needless to say, that’s quite unusual and not something I’ve encountered before while testing a mattress. Most likely this is a weird one off. Perhaps the mattress was exposed to dog poop or other contaminants during transit. Nevertheless, the off-gassing process was one I would describe as, not great.

Stearns & Foster mattresses come with a 90-night trial period and a 10-year warranty. Shipping is free and returns are $175. Any return fee is not something we like to see, but especially one this high.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	6.0	90 nights
Warranty	10%	8.0	10 years
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	5.0	$175
Trust	50%	4.0	Terrible
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing 98+ brands tested to date, the average trial period is 178 nights, 88 nights more than Stearns & Foster offers.

The average warranty is 13 years (3 years more than this mattress). And this average excludes 28% of mattresses that offer lifetime warranties. So both the trial and warranty fall short of the average level. But by far, the most concerning part of these terms is the return fee.

At $175, this is the highest return fee we’ve seen (tied with Tempurpedic mattresses.)

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 Stearns & Foster Estate mattress is available in three firmness levels— Soft, Medium, or Firm. Furthermore, the soft and firm versions are available in a standard design or pillowtop design.

We tested the medium version, which is only available as standard design without the pillowtop.

The medium version had a firmness of 6 out of 10 and a medium-firm feel. I would estimate the soft version to have a soft feel, 4 out of 10 on the firmness scale and the firm version to have a firm feel, 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

Support on the Stearns & Foster Estate is good. During our tests, I felt well supported in all sleeping positions. The mattress is equipped with an 8.0″ support layer. This is 0.11″ thicker than the average support layer thickness of 7.89″, based on all of our tests to date.

The mattress is available in a soft (4), medium-firm (6), and firm (8) versions. If we simply look at this mattress by the numbers, it looks great.

Multiple firmness options are great to create a wider appeal and the 8.0” support layer is plenty of material to deliver robust support. That said, for a mattress to deliver the best support a sleeper’s body must be supported and comfortable.

Where the Estate mattress is going to struggle is pressure relief. This is more to do with the quality of the foam layers than anything else.

Ultimately, I am quite disappointed with the foam quality, especially considering the price point.

These foams and their respective quality level left me scratching my head. None of the foam layers feel particularly impressive in terms of quality. The feel both on hand and in the body is greatly concerning.

While the mattress support is reasonably good on day one, my fear is that these foams simply aren’t going to hold up very well and the mattress will quickly develop sagging and other support issues.

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 Stearns & Foster Estate is good, but not great.

Design

The Stearns & Foster Estate is a 14″ hybrid mattress that comes in three firmness options—Soft, Medium-Firm, or Firm. The Soft and the Firm version are available with a standard cover or with a pillow-top design.

We tested the Medium version, which had the standard cover and is not available with a pillowtop.

Materials

The Stearns & Foster Estate is 14″ thick, with a plush quilted cover, poly foam and memory foam comfort layer, and a pocketed coil support base. From top to bottom, here is a full list of the materials used in this mattress:

• 3.0” quilted cover
• 1.0” poly foam
• 1.5” poly foam
• 0.5” memory foam
• 7.0” pocketed coils
• 1.0” support foam

The Cover

The Stearns & Foster Estate has the option between a standard quilted cover and a pillowtop cover. The version we tested had a 3.0″ quilted cover with tufted accents that hold the material together.

If you upgrade to the Luxe Estate, the mattress will come with a cool-to-the-touch cover. But the standard Estate mattress uses a standard Tencel fabric cover.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is 6.0″ thick and made of two layers of poly foam and one layer of transitional memory foam. The top poly foam layer is 1.0″ thick followed by a 1.5″ secondary poly foam layer.

The third foam, the memory foam, is a simple 0.5″ memory foam layer.

If you opt for the Soft or Firm version, there is an extra memory foam layer between the quilted cover and the top poly foam layer (according to the manufacturer).

The Support Layer

The support layer is 8.0″ thick and made of 7.0″ pocketed coils and a 1.0″ support foam base. This is pretty standard for a hybrid mattress.

The coils are all individually encased, which allows them to move independently from each other, unlike traditional coil mattresses in which the coils move as a single entity.

Product Evolution

Stearns & Foster has one of the longest histories of any brand we’ve tested, with origins that date back over 175 years. In 1933, Sealy merged with Stearns & Foster.

In 2009, the brand reworked their signature look to the mattress company we know today.

In 2016, the Estate Hybrid was launched at the 2016 Las Vegas Furniture Market, along with the Lux Estate, Lux Estate Hybrid Collections, and their Reserve Collection.

Since 2016, there have been no major changes to the product design.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Stearns & Foster Estate is the right pick for you? Check out these three other top-rated hybrid mattresses for alternatives you may want to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

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