How does Novosbed compare to Purple?

Mattress materials

The materials used in the construction and design of a mattress directly impact its ability to provide comfort and support. Commonly used mattresses materials include latex, springs, memory foam, and other types of soft foams and fibers. Some mattresses are categorized as hybrids because they are made from a combination of materials.

Mattress construction

The materials used to construct your mattress affect it's bounce, ability to contour your body, and isolate motion.

Purple sells a hybrid mattress that features a top layer made of an elastic polymer grid. The grid consists of open-ended columns that collapse under pressure. This rubber-like material has never been used in mattress construction, making it difficult to compare, in terms of comfort, to more commonly used materials. Purple’s elastic polymer grid may most closely resemble latex when it comes to bounce and response.

Purple also use foam in their mattresses, although there is a distinct difference in the quality, application, and materials when compared to Novosbed. The two layers under Purple’s elastic polymer grid are made with 1.8 - 2.0 lbs/ft³ density polyurethane foam. Compared to high density premium memory foam, which is designed to better endure the compression from daily use, lower density polyurethane foam can break down quicker when used in the upper layers of a mattress. In comparison, Novosbed uses 3.7 - 5 lbs/ft³ density memory foam in the comfort layer, 4 - 5 lbs/ft³ density memory foam in the transition layer, and 1.8 lbs/ft³ density support foam for the mattress base. It’s difficult to make a direct comparison between Purple’s elastic polymer grid comfort layer and Novosbed’s high density memory foam simply because the materials are vastly different. However, when we look at the supporting foam layers, Novosbed holds a significant density advantage in the transition layer, whereas Purple’s base support layer has a marginally higher density.

Purple's polymer material is an innovation, but memory foam hasn't been standing still. Though unique, Purple's polymer is largely unproven over the long-term as a sleep surface as it has only been on the market since 2016. Memory foam, meanwhile, has been utilized in mattresses and improved upon for decades. In fact, Novosbed’s quality memory foam mattresses provide all of the benefits of modern memory foam, while minimizing the drawbacks previously associated with the material.

Motion Transfer

Motion transfer can be problematic for those that sleep with a partner. If you or your partner is a light sleeper, you’ll want to consider how certain materials affect motion transfer across the mattress. Materials that don’t isolate motion can disrupt sleep with even the slightest movements.

As seen in other materials with higher levels of bounce, such as latex foam, the vibration created by the bouncy response often transfers to sleep partners. Purple's elastic polymer seems to dull motion transfer, but doesn't absorb it entirely,

Memory foam is well-known for absorbing motion. With its low bounce, Novosbed’s high density foam effectively neutralizes movement, ensuring sleep is not disturbed by a partner’s movements.

Mattress selection

Even though mattress shopping online is more streamlined than choosing a mattress from a crowded showroom, there are still tons of options for shoppers seeking a better sleeping experience. Scouring through websites, brand names, and different models can be a frustrating task. Both Novosbed and Purple have sought ways to alleviate this stress by providing customers with simple and straightforward selections.

Purple offers a single mattress model. Their “one-size-fits-all” approach to mattress design narrows choices for shoppers overwhelmed with selection, but it does not take into account personal needs and preferences. The Purple website stresses that the elastic polymer grid layer is “soft where you want it” and “firm where you need it”, suggesting their innovative design works for everyone, but offering shoppers little insight on what type of firmness and feel to expect from the mattress.

For shoppers wondering where the firmness of Purple's polymer grid fits in relative to other bed-in-a-box brands, this Purple mattress review uses data from certified third-party engineer reports to rate the overall feel and firmness.

Still, comfort is an individualized experience. A mattress that feels comfortable for one person may not feel comfortable for someone else. Soft sleeping surfaces provide different comfort than firmer surfaces. Individual factors such as sleeping position, weight, and personal preference can influence what level of firmness feels right for you.

Novosbed offers three distinct levels of comfort to satisfy a range of sleeping needs that are clearly categorized, and named exactly how they feel: Soft, Medium, and Firm. Every mattress is created with the same materials, appearance, and features, meaning that you can choose your firmness level, and still receive the same quality mattress design Novosbed offers to all their customers.

Purple mattress

Novosbed mattresses

Purchasing options

Both Novosbed and Purple mattresses are currently available online to customers in the US and Canada. By selling online, direct to customers, middlemen and their respective costs are eliminated. Selling direct also enables the same service and policies to be offered to everyone.

Policies

By selling direct to consumers, both Purple and Novosbed can offer centralized customer service and consistent policies. Although their respective policies share many similarities, there are a couple key differences:

Many enjoy the convenience and no-pressure shopping experience of buying a mattress online.

Policy comparison

Customer satisfaction

Purple and Novosbed both have numerous online reviews from a variety of sources. As of the last update date of this article, Novosbed’s aggregate review score is 92% compared to Purple’s 86%.