Back in the spring of 2021, I was assigned to tested the Birch Luxe Natural Mattress. I appreciated the natural thermoregulation and contouring comfort of the mattress, but it felt a little firm for my taste.
So, when the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper came up for grabs, I jumped at the chance to test it. Between the thick inches of responsive latex and the plush pillow-top of the cotton cover, it's made my mattress much more comfortable.
As a member of the H&G mattress testing team, I'm part of the search to find the world's best mattress topper. We assess each topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper excels in (almost) every area, but there are a few practical points that keep it from the top position in our buying guide. There are no corner straps, so there's nothing to keep the topper from sliding across your mattress, and the cotton cover is prone to bunching up beneath your body.
Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper review
There's also the small matter of money. The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is one of the most expensive we've ever tested, retailing at almost $500 for a Queen. For that price, you could skip the topper altogether and invest in the best affordable mattress, instead. Now that I've spent three summers sleeping on the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper, I've grown to love its comfort and cooling properties, but I'm not sure that I'd fork out hundreds of dollars to buy it again.
Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper Specifications
Who would suit the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper?
- All sleep styles: the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is filled with natural latex, which is springy and responsive to contour around your joints, yet solid and supportive to stop you from sinking. It's a good option for all sleep positions: I sleep on my stomach, while my husband sleeps on his back, and we can both get comfortable.
- Hot sleepers: I live in New England, where the summers are hot and humid, so I need a cooling mattress topper to dissipate heat, wick moisture, and block odors. I much prefer the natural thermoregulation of latex to the artificial breathability of memory foam, and I'd recommend this topper for hot sleepers and summer nights.
- Eco-conscious shoppers: the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper boasts quality eco-credentials. The cotton, wool, and cashmere is GOTS certified organic, and the latex foam is GREENGUARD Gold certified to emit low levels of chemicals and VOCs. Note, though, that the latex is not GOLS certified. For truly eco-friendly sleep, I suggest the Earthfoam Mattress Topper, instead.
What's it like to sleep on the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper?
- Pressure relief: this latex mattress topper feels more supportive than a traditional down or cotton pillow-top, and more responsive than your average memory foam mattress topper. Latex offers softness without the sinking feeling you get from memory foam. I tend to sleep on my stomach, while my husband lies on his back, and we could both sleep comfortably on the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper. If you suffer from aches and pains, and you're looking for more active pressure relief, then I recommend the Avocado Organic Latex Mattress Topper, instead.
- Thermoregulation: compared to your average memory foam mattress topper, the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is far more breathable. Wool makes an excellent moisture-wicker, while the cotton in the mattress cover feels cool to the touch. I worried that adding a mattress topper would inhibit the breathability of my mattress, but if anything, it was enhanced. Still, I wouldn't say that the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is the best cooling mattress topper on the market. That title belongs to the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper, which incorporates highly conductive materials to carry excess thermal energy away from the body and out of the bed.
- Motion isolation: this is a common pitfall with latex products. The same bounce that makes it easy to get into and out of the bed makes it much harder to sleep next to a pet or partner. If they toss or turn on their side of the bed, you're liable to bob and bounce over on yours. Sure enough, I sometimes woke up in the night when my husband got out of bed for a glass of water or simply rolled over too emphatically in his sleep. If you're looking for a mattress topper with optimal motion isolation, I suggest the Nolah Mattress Topper. It's made from slow-moving memory foam to minimize motion transfer.
- Edge support: I had low expectations for the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper in the edge support test. I thought I'd fall right through the plush pillow-top and start to slide. When I actually sat on the side of the mattress, I found that the support core of Talalay latex managed to bear my weight and keep me upright. I'd recommend this topper for anyone who likes to sit on the side of the bed to apply lotion or get dressed.
- Delivery: the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper comes with a free carbon offset credit, which helps to lower the environmental impact of shipping. The topper arrives vacuum packed in a cardboard box. Weighing close to 40 lbs, it's a little heavy, but nothing I couldn't carry on my own. I opened the box, cut the plastic, and left the topper to inflate. That's when I discovered that there were no corner straps to hold the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper in place. I was worried that would make the mattress topper move around a lot, but for the most part, it stayed put. For extra security, you could repurpose a set of adjustable sheet straps, like these ones from Walmart.
How does the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper rate online?
The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper boasts a 4.6 average star rating from 937 verified reviews. There's an option to search for reviews that mention keywords, such as 'softness', 'temperature', and 'quality', as well an option to filter for reviews with a certain star rating.
'Super happy to have splurged on this!' reads one recent review. 'We used to assure our guests that our foam-and-feather-topped couch was comfier than our bed... until we ordered from Birch. This topper took our latex bed from good to unbelievably great. It added the perfect amount of softness and give without causing back issues − in fact, it seems to have removed any pressure spots, so the bed is now both therapeutic and dreamy.'
There are a smattering of more mixed reviews. A few customers shared my concerns about the wrinkles and creases in the mattress topper, which proved impossible to remove, even with a steam iron. Still, more customers find that the mattress topper slips and slides around the bed, but that's nothing a set of sheet straps couldn't fix.
Should I buy the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper?
I couldn't review the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper without mentioning the price. At full price, a queen-sized topper retails for $498.80. That's a lot of money to spend on a mattress topper. If your mattress is on its way out, then I suggest you spend your money on the best affordable mattress, instead. Even if you're dead-set on an organic mattress topper, there are still more affordable alternatives at Earthfoam and Avocado.
Still, if you can bag a Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper in the sales, then you could get plush comfort for less. The edge support is excellent, even though the motion isolation leaves a little to be desired. I'd recommend the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers who want to soften up their firm, inflexible beds.
How we test mattress toppers
Our mattress testing team is made up of dozens of seasoned product testers across America. Together, we represent a broad range of body types and sleep styles. Comb through our back catalog of reviews and you should be able to find a tester who sleeps like you. We test each mattress topper for at least 30 days in our own homes before we write our initial reviews. Afterwards, we continue to monitor for long-term performance. If we see signs that a topper is deteriorating with age, we'll update our initial reviews and potentially strike it from our buying guides.
We assess each topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we flip between our backs, stomachs, and sides and note how the topper feels in each position. We're looking for a topper that's soft yet supportive to keep your spine in line. To assess thermoregulation, we test toppers from heatwaves and cold snaps and pay attention to how we feel overnight. To assess motion isolation, we ask our partners to lay down beside us and toss and turn across the topper. We consider how much we can feel their movement from our side of the bed. The more we can feel, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the topper for couples or light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the topper and measure how far we fall. The further we fall, the worse the edge support, and the less suitable the topper for anyone who likes to sit or sleep on the side of the bed.
We also consider all the practical parts of buying a mattress topper, from the details of delivery to the coverage of the warranty. We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to pick out the common pros and cons of a product. Finally, we bring it all back to the price of the topper to help you determine value for money. To learn more about how we test at Homes & Gardens, consult our expert guide.
