- Emma, a European mattress company, recently launched in the US. Its namesake mattress features multiple levels of foam that keeps you cool, relieves pressure, and contours to your body.
- The 12-inch thick foam also minimizes motion transfer so it’s great for sensitive sleepers like me who share a bed with a thrasher like my husband.
- It isn’t a bargain as prices start at $465.99 for a twin on Amazon, but it’s comparable to other direct-to-consumer brands that would cost at least double for similar quality.
- If you buy directly on the Emma site now through January 17, you can take 35% off mattresses and 40% off bundles that include a mattress, mattress protector, and pillow with the code “SNOWDAY”. Prices would be lower than Amazon’s and start at $389.35.
- See more: The best mattresses
I’ve slept on a ton of mattresses from Purple, Casper, Avocado, Linenspa, and Ikea. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve tested, but I haven’t been able to find one that married price and quality so well until I slept on an Emma mattress.
Emma is relatively new to the US, but it's the fastest-growing startup in Germany and Europe, and has also won multiple awards in Europe as well. It makes one mattress also called Emma - an all-foam style with different layers, or zones, of foam that address temperature control, pressure relief, motion transfer, and more.
The all-foam Emma mattress has three layers of foam that keeps your body cool while relieving pressure and dampening motion transfer
The bottom-most layer is 8 inches of firm, or cold, foam that supports your lower back and shoulders so you won't wake up sore or achy.
The next layer is 2 inches of memory foam that conforms to your body. It helps distribute weight and pressure more evenly, and can be compared to what makes up a TempurPedic mattress.
The top layer of the Emma is 1.5 inches of medium-firm foam that adapts to pressure and is incredibly responsive to isolating movement. It's sort of like a foam mattress topper, but it helps isolate motion so you can sleep through the night even if your partner is a turner.
Last but certainly not least, are the climate-regulating cover and breathable mattress cover.
Foam can trap and exasperate body heat so it's not great for people who sleep hot, but with the two covers, it can be much more comfortable, Terry Crall, a registered nurse and certified sleep educator, tells Insider Picks. "For those who sleep hot, gel, air, and latex mattresses are good choices. For those who love the feel of memory foam, foams infused with gel that provide cooling properties are a good choice," she explains.
The king-size mattress arrived vacuum-sealed in a box and took 24 hours to fully expand
Like many other mattresses I've tried, the Emma arrived at my home in a box. I was surprised by how compact it looked on my front porch. To give you an idea about weight, a twin is about 35 pounds while a California King is 72.
I carried our King upstairs, unwrapped the plastic wrap, and watched it quickly expand into a substantial mattress in moments. While I could have slept on it immediately, it did take around 24 hours to fully expand to its full 12-inch thickness. The mattress was also odorless, which isn't always the case with mattresses and toppers I've tried.
It was immediately comfortable and I didn't overheat or notice my husband moving around next to me
I was literally floored by how comfortable it was after the first night.
My husband usually prefers firm mattresses, and he found the Emma to be incredibly comfortable too. It was just the right firmness that cradled and supported my back, so I didn't feel like I was sinking in. Instead, it conformed to my body. I'm one of those people who can literally wake up with a bad back after one night of sleeping on a bad mattress.
As for motion transfer, if you're sensitive to movement like I am, then the Emma is a great option. My husband moves around at night, so it's important for us to have a mattress that dampens motion transfer. I can barely feel him moving around from the other side of the bed, making it a winner in this category.
My husband and I also both sleep hot, so having a temperature-regulating mattress is crucial. In addition to the breathable foam, Emma's climate regulating top cover have made night sweats a far off nightmare since we've been sleeping on the mattress.
The mattress starts at $465.99 for a Twin and goes up to $1,099 for a California King on Amazon, and has a free 100-night trial and 10-year guarantee
On the Emma site directly, the mattress usually starts at $599 for a Twin and escalates up to $1,099 for a King, but it's running a sitewide sale right now. All mattresses are on sale for 35% off and bundles that include a mattress, mattress protector, and pillow are up to 40% off with code "SNOWDAY", so prices start at $389.35. The sale ends on January 17. Prices are generally lower and start at $465.99 on Amazon, but we'd suggest checking out the sale on Emma itself for the best deal right now.
I have to admit that I'm shocked by how reasonably priced Emma is considering the quality. Other comparable DTC mattress brands have cheaper styles, but in my experience, those are generally less substantial, lower quality versions of their trademark mattress. In my opinion, the only model that Emma offers is equivalent to the luxury models of other DTC brands.
There is free delivery and returns, as well as a 100-night trial and 10-year guarantee. Basically, if you don't agree with me that Emma will give you one of the most comfortable sleep experiences of your life, you'll get your money back.
For the price, Emma is one of the best mattresses I've ever slept on. There are few others that I would choose before it, like the organic and totally luxurious Avocado Green Mattress and the Purple Hybrid Premiere Mattress, but they're in the several thousand dollars range and aren't as affordable. At this price point, Emma is a solid pick if you're looking for a just-firm-enough foam mattress that will keep you cool and undisturbed by movement.
