Anyone in search of a premium foam mattress is likely to be eyeing the Tempur-Pedic site right now. The Black Friday Tempur-Pedic mattress sale is up and running, and it offers discounts across its range of beds. But even with a Black Friday discount, is a Tempur-Pedic mattress really worth the expense?
If you've been looking for the best memory foam mattress, you may have come to the conclusion that most foam mattresses are a cheap option. However even Tempur-Pedic's cheapest mattress, the Tempur-Cloud, starts with an MSRP of $1,699 for a twin, while its most advanced option, the hybrid Tempur-Breeze, starts at an eye-watering $4,099.
Obviously Black Friday mattress deals bring the prices down, but these are still expensive beds. So what's so special about them that they can command such high prices, and should they be on your Black Friday shopping list? Let's take a closer look.
In the UK? Head to Tempur to see its range of similar mattresses; no Black Friday sale yet, though.
What's so special about Tempur-Pedic mattresses?
The big difference between Tempur-Pedic mattresses and other memory foam beds lies in the quality of the foam. Tempur-Pedic makes a big deal of its own proprietary foam, which it calls Tempur Material; it was originally developed by NASA and, says Tempur-Pedic, it provides up to 40% more pressure relief than the next best memory foam.
This means that Tempur-Pedic mattresses have a unique feel; they're incredibly conforming with loads of pressure relief and a whole lot of motion isolation, but their extra-cradling feel means that not everybody is going to get on with them. If you love the sink-in feel of memory foam then you'll be delighted to know that you're going to get that in spades; however others may find it difficult to change position in the night. And if you tend to sleep hot these probably aren't the mattresses for you; Tempur-Pedic offers plenty of cooling features (especially in the high-end Tempur-Breeze), but its mattresses still have a tendency to retain heat.
Is the Tempur-Cloud worth buying?
The Tempur-Cloud is Tempur-Pedic's cheapest mattress and it's a good choice if you're losing sleep because of painful joints, or hip and back pain. Its Tempur Material is designed to conform to your body shape in any sleep position and take pressure off your neck, shoulders, back, hips and knees, enabling you to sleep more comfortably and wake up with fewer aches and pains.
It comes in a medium feel, and if you prefer a bit more bounce and freedom of movement there's a hybrid version with a layer for pocket springs that you can get for an extra $140. Many customers agree that the Tempur-Cloud is really good at relieving pain, however it does have a tendency to trap heat. The good news is that you get 90 nights to try the Tempur-Cloud and find out whether it's right for you.
Is the Tempur-Adapt worth buying?
If you're a back sleeper, we'd recommend the Tempur-Adapt. In our Tempur-Adapt mattress review we found that it definitely delivered the 'legendary pressure relief' that Tempur-Pedic promises, along with all-over support that kept us well-aligned. Our tester found that it was especially good for back and stomach sleeping, although it didn't quite hit the mark for side sleeping as it felt too firm around the shoulder and hips.
The motion isolation is outstanding while edge support could be better, but the big downside is its tendency to sleep hot; our tester reports that she often woke up warm and even sweaty while testing the Tempur-Adapt. If that concerns you, upgrading to the hybrid version could bring temperatures down a bit, and it'll also mean better edge support. If it's back support you need, though, the Tempur-Adapt is worth paying a premium for, and you'll get $300 of accessories included as well as up to $300 off.
Is the Tempur-Breeze worth buying?
There's no getting around the fact that the Tempur-Breeze is one really expensive mattress. However if you're determined to sleep cool at night and you really don't mind paying for the privilege, it could be well worth checking out. It comes in two options: the ProBreeze that promises to feel up to 5° cooler, and the LuxeBreeze that feels up to 10° cooler, and both options come in foam and hybrid options.
Both options are packed with cooling technology and use a more advanced Tempur material that offers extra pressure relief, but we think the price is going to be a big barrier for most people. A queen size ProBreeze with $300 off in the Tempur-Pedic Black Friday sale will cost you $4,299, while a queen size LuxeBreeze will set you back $5,299. We wouldn't, but you might think different.
What about the Tempur-Adapt topper?
If you're reasonably happy with your current mattress but interested in trying out the Tempur-Pedic feel, we'd generally recommend the Tempur-Adapt topper. It's a lot cheaper than any of Tempur-Pedic's mattresses, but it'll do a fine job of giving you just enough of the sink-in feel that they're renowned for.
Our five-star Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper review describes it as luxurious and easy to care for, but notes that you'll want to wait for a sale. And that's what you can get right now; in the official Tempur-Pedic Black Friday sale there's 20% off, with a pillow and sleep mask included for free. That gets you a queen size topper for $335.20, but if you don't need the extras you should instead use the TOPPERS40 code at the checkout for 40% off, bringing a queen size down to $251.40. That's as low as the price gets.
- Want more than a mattress? Our Black Friday deals page has everything you need
