Pillow Top Mattress Vs Memory Foam

What Makes The Nolah Evolution Hybrid Stand Out

• It has a softer feel that should work great for side sleepers.
• It offers plenty of cushy pressure relief in its cover and pillow top layer, making it a great choice for sleepers with hip or shoulder pain.
• It has a cooling cover and a special heat escape gusset, so you wont overheat.

Learn more in our full Nolah Evolution mattress review.

Memory Foam Mattress Construction

Memory foam mattresses on the market today are made from different layers of polyurethane foam, typically consisting of a supportive base foam with additional layers for added comfort and responsiveness. Below is description of the standard construction of a triple layer memory foam mattress, like the BedPillows.com Bed. Memory foam mattresses provide a very supportive sleep experience and are very durable. They cradle the sleeper providing pressure point relief and are very durable and resilient over time.

Who Should Choose A Pillow

Pillow-top mattresses are fantastic, but they arent for everyone. Here are a few types of people who should consider a pillow-top mattress.

• Those who need a balance of comfort and support: Anyone who wants a mattress thats both comfortable and supportive should set their sights on a pillow-top mattress. Most of these beds contain coils that will offer solid support, with the pillow-top offering just a bit of plush comfort without letting sleepers sink in too far.
• Combination sleepers: With their balance of comfort and support, pillow-top mattresses should work for combination sleepers who switch positions at night. The coils should provide enough support for stomach- and back-sleeping, and the pillow-top should offer pressure relief for side sleepers.
• Fans of hotel mattresses: The majority of mattresses one finds in a luxury hotel are pillow-top mattresses, so those who want to sleep in style every night should consider a pillow-top.
• Those who like to sleep on top of their mattress: Pillow-tops provide a soft and plush comfort layer without letting sleepers sink in too far. Anyone who likes to sleep atop the mattress and wants to move around easily is going to like a pillow-top.

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Do Euro Top Mattresses Sag

Euro top mattresses are less likely to sag than pillow top mattresses. This is because euro tops are stitched into the mattress and flush with, versus being on top of the mattress like a pillow top.

Over time, a euro top mattress can sag. You may experience this on the edges, particularly if you enjoy sleeping near the edge of the bed.

Pillow Tops Vs Euro Tops: How To Choose The Right One For You

Both pillow tops and euro tops are an extra layer of padding or cushion on top of the mattress, which can be made of foam, down or other hybrid materials. The benefit is that both of these additions will make your bed feel softer.

Pillow tops and euro tops can be found in many different types of mattresses, but theyre most common on innerspring mattresses. The additional cushion layer can give an innerspring mattress the feel of a hybrid at a cheaper cost. However, since both add a few inches of height to your mattress, it may mean you have to make an investment in deep-pocketed sheets.

So how do you decide which to go with? Here are the most important considerations to keep in mind:

Feel

If you want a softer feeling mattress that you sink in to and hugs you, go with a pillow top. If you want something more firm, go with a euro top. Keep in mind that the design and materials of the mattress will have a significant impact on how noticeable the effect of a euro top or pillow top is.

Durability

Euro tops are more dense, meaning they are more durable than a pillow top mattress and tend to last a little longer. Pillow tops have a more airy design, and over time, this will flatten out. Sometimes, this can result in an uneven sleep surface or sagging.

Edge Support

Cost

Appearance

Euro tops are not noticeable since they are flush with the mattress. Pillow tops are more apparent because they sit on top of the mattress, and look like a flap.

Thickness

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What Is Pillow Top

A pillow top is an extra layer of padding sewn on top of the mattress to enhance its plushness. The pillow top layer comprises materials like cotton, wool, down, fiberfill, memory foam, or latex foam. These materials promote plushness while diminishing the bounce and firmness from the coil layer, or the innerspring support layer underneath.

How Many Inches Of Memory Foam Is Best

Memory foam beds are typically composed of a memory foam layer and one or two other foam layers. Mattress thickness varies depending on the type of mattress. The best memory foam mattresses are at least 10 inches or thicker. A bed thinner than 10 inches is more likely to sag and may not withstand the pressure of your body weight.

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Who Should Buy A Pillow

Pillow-top mattresses can relieve joint pressure, meaning side sleepers will probably find this material more comforting overall. Hence, if you want that extra layer of comfort in your RV while on a budget, you can opt for pillow-top mattresses.

You must also consider your partner’s habits before settling on a mattress. Pillow-top mattresses offer poor motion isolation. So, if your partner has a habit of moving in their sleep, they might wake you up in the middle of the night.

Also, avoid pillow-top mattresses if you want to sleep in a cooler environment. The core may be well-ventilated innerspring, but the top layer is still foam. Thus, theres a good chance itll trap your body heat.

I dont recommend installing a pillow-top mattress if youre going somewhere with high humidity levels. Thats because the coils are steel, which can rust under such conditions.

What Is A Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam is made from polyurethane with added chemicals to increase its responsiveness to heat and pressure. Memory foam mattresses soften and conform closely under your body to relieve pressure.

Memory foam mattresses only contain memory foam in their top layers. The basic model is a layer of memory foam on top of a stiffer foam, usually poly-foam.

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How To Choose A Pillow

Theres a wealth of pillow-top options on the market, so its important to know what you value in your mattress before you set out to buy a new one. Do you prefer a standard pillow-top or a Euro-top? Memory foam, latex, or another type of fill? Hybrid or innerspring mattress?

In addition to the pillow-top itself, its also important to consider the benefits of the mattress as a whole. This means weighing edge support, temperature neutrality, material quality, and other factors.

Pros Of The Memory Foam Mattress Vs Pillow Top

• Durability: A quality memory foam mattress is usually more durable than a pillow top mattress.
• Chronic Pain Relief: Since memory foam yields just enough to conform to an individual’s body shape, it tends to offer more support for people with back pain, neck pain or other chronic pain points.
• Not Too Soft, Not Too Firm: Most sleepers rest well because they find the memory foam soft enough for comfort but firm enough to offer support. Web MD suggests this type of mattress is best for back health.
• Low Motion Transfer: Couples appreciate that when one partner tosses and turns or wakes up in the night, the other is not disturbed.
• Better for Allergies: People with dust allergies find memory foam is less likely to trigger their allergies.
• Weight Distribution: Heavier people often find they sleep more comfortable on memory foam since it distributes their weight evenly.

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What Makes The Helix Midnight Luxe Stand Out

• The pillow-top has a cover made of Tencel a soft material thats extra-breathable and shouldnt trap body heat.
• To help sleepers stay even cooler, theres a layer of supportive coils that promote airflow.
• The Helix Midnight Luxe is 2 taller than the original model, so its extra-durable.

The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid mattress that features some very high-end materials high-grade coils, multiple layers of high-density foam, and of course, a nice pillow-top. The cover is even made of cashmere, so it gives you a nice luxury look and feel. But the high-end design doesnt mean it costs an arm and a leg. Right now, a Queen-size is under $1,500 after discounts.

Pillow Top Vs Memory Foam Why We Tossed Our Expensive Mattress

This post, Pillow Top vs Memory Foam, is brought to you in partnership with Loom & Leaf by Saatva. Affiliate links have been used throughout the post. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Back in October, we embarked on our master bedroom renovation for the One Room Challenge. Lots of life happened between then and now and I wasnt able to continue with the renovation in order to finish it in time. We did get a large majority of it done, enough to sleep normally in our own room before the holidays.

It was around the time that we embarked on this makeover that we also started to question our decision to keep our expensive mattress or dump it in favor of something more comfortable.

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How To Choose The Right Mattress Size

If youre on the fence about which mattress size to get, it makes sense to go big, if it fits within your budget and space constraints. Though a queen or king isnt crucial when you have the whole bed to yourself, most people find its worth the upgrade if you feel more comfortable sprawling out. And if you sleep with someone else, a bigger bed could greatly improve your quality of sleep. With more room, youll be less likely to notice the other person moving around. Youll also be less scrunched up, which means that if youre prone to muscle and joint pain, your back, neck, and shoulders will probably feel better in the morning. This is particularly true if your kids or pets join you in bed.

As you can see in the chart below, for couples, a king-size mattress provides each person the same amount of space as a twin. In contrast, if they opt for a full, each will end up with as much elbow room as they would have in a crib, as The Better Sleep Council reminds us.

Benefits Of Pillow Top Mattress

Pillow top mattresses have a lot of benefits. If you are confused between the two, then you should go for a pillow-top mattress. Here are some of the benefits of pillow top mattresses:

This mattress is specially made for side sleepers. Thats why it is very helpful for people who have back problems.

If you are obese, this mattress is perfect for you because of its great ability to support your body weight.

It has a soft touch. So it provides good support to the sleepers head and neck area, which prevents neck and back pain.

It is very good for people who have allergies because it has very low dust mites.

This mattress can conform to your body shape, so you will feel comfortable when you sleep on it.

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Pillow Top Rv Mattress: What Is It How To Use It And Where To Buy

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A proper RV mattress should remain reliable and firm throughout your trip. Yet, not all recreational vehicles come equipped with one. As a result, you and your partner might find it hard to get a good night’s sleep in your RV. Luckily, you can track down decent pillow-top RV mattresses to correct such omissions.

Our Expensive Pillow Top

Prior to getting his new memory foam mattress, if anyone had asked me what my comfort level was I would have told them definitely not any kind of firm. I didnt know much beyond that but I did know that a soft mattress sounded like heaven to me.

Honestly, I assumed our expensive pillow top mattress just wasnt good enough, maybe we hadnt spent enough money on it. It never actually occurred to me that it just wasnt the right mattress for us.

But after only having his new mattress for a couple of weeks, and after peeling myself off of it repeatedly, I finally realized I was sleeping on the wrong mattress. And not just me, my husband, too.

So we decided that since we were building this glorious new canopy bed we may as well go ahead replace the mattress we both knew wasnt working for us, no matter how much wed paid for it.

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Disadvantages Of Memory Foam Mattresses

High-quality memory foam mattresses are expensive. Queen-size beds usually range between $600 to $4000. Its best to steer clear of cheap memory foam mattresses because they are often made with low-quality materials and may not last as long.

Memory foam products retain a lot of heat and may cause some sleepers to wake up feeling sweaty. Keep an eye out for memory foam beds with cooling infusions like gel or graphite. These items can be a bit more expensive, but they might be able to keep your sleeping environment cool and comfy.

Lastly, memory foam goes through an off-gassing process and may cause your mattress to smell a bit funky once you receive it. Off-gassing is a term that describes the release of gases, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds into the air from household items like your mattress.

Releasing gases into your home is not the best for your health and can be dangerous at high levels, so it is better to choose a memory foam bed with minimal VOC levels.

Will You And Your Partner Both Be Able To Sleep On It

If you sleep with a partner yet your preferences differsay, you prefer firm but your mate likes something plusheryoull need to find a compromise. Lean toward whats most comfortable for the partner who has musculoskeletal issues , said the Cleveland Clinics Santhosh Thomas. If neither of you has an issue on that front, you could choose the firmer option and attempt to make one side softer with a twin-size mattress topper.

If you really cant find a mattress that works for both people, you have a couple of other options. Adjustable air beds, such as those from Sleep Number, let couples inflate the mattress with air to whatever firmness they want. Some bedding stores that have direct relationships with factories offer this option for foam and innerspring mattresses, too.

Also, if you wake every time your partner rolls overor your kids hop into bed with youyoull probably want to look for a mattress with good motion isolation. Foam mattresses across all price ranges tend to limit the sensation of movement, but you can also find this quality in more expensive hybrid and innerspring mattresses. Mattresses with pocket coils provide the best motion isolation .

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What To Look For In A Pillow

Buying a new mattress can be confusing. Theres a wide variety of models on the market, and mattress companies often use fancy marketing terms or mattress jargon that can make it difficult to understand how a mattress actually performs.

Luckily, the rise in online mattress companies has also transferred more power to the consumer. Online mattress companies are often more transparent about whats inside their mattresses, and its easier than ever before to compare and contrast different models.

These are the most important things to consider when buying a new mattress.

What Is The Difference Between A Pillow Top And A Euro Top Mattress

Although the distinction between these two types of mattresses is minimal and largely aesthetic, you will find both options when you start looking at mattresses. With a traditional pillow top, the appearance will literally be that two mattresses, a larger and a smaller, have been assembled as a unit.

With the euro top version, the topper portion is placed directly on the lower portion of the mattress and the cover encases both. The euro top has the appearance of one mattress and has the advantage of stronger edges and a more tailored appearance. It can be more durable in some cases, but there is no real difference in the amount of support or comfort between the two options. They are both excellent choices.

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Disadvantages Of A Pillow Top Mattress

Durability

A pillow top mattress will only last for a few years before it starts to sag and become less effective at providing support and pain relief. However, you can replace the pillow top with a new one. This means that you will have to invest more money into the mattress.

Motion Transfer

If you share your bed with someone who is a restless sleeper, you may want to choose a memory foam mattress over an innerspring mattress. Although pocketed coils can isolate motion to some extent, they are not as effective as memory foam.

What Makes The Birch Stand Out

• The mattress contains a good deal of all-natural materials.
• Without the pillow-top, the Birch should be a better fit for back and stomach sleepers.
• Because of the latex, the Birch mattress is bouncy, making it easy for sleepers to move around and change positions at night.

Read our full Birch mattress review.

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