Tempur-Pedic vs Serta: Detailed Mattress Comparison

Tempur-Pedic vs Serta is a never-ending debate among consumers in the mattress industry. It’s no surprise, however, as these two are the crème de la crème in the market. Serta has been around for over 80 years now and is the largest mattress company in the U.S today, so there’s no doubt that their mattresses are beneficial and reliable. On the other hand, Tempur-Pedic came around in 1992 and they have since established themselves as a top competitor to veteran counterpart Serta.

Trying to decide between mattresses from these two brands? Let’s put them side by side in this Tempur-Pedic vs Serta review, and hopefully by the end of it you’ll be able to choose one. We compare between the TEMPUR-ProAdapt 12-Inch Firm Mattress, Queen and the Serta iComfort Blue Max 1000 Firm Mattress.

Quick Comparison

Both mattresses are available in different sizes including twin XL, queen, king, and California king. There is just a slight difference in height between the pair, but their comfort layers are uniquely designed to offer a cooling effect.

Tempur-Pedic features a SmartClimate® Dual Cover system that is cool to the touch and super-stretchy for convenience and comfort. Moreover, this cover is easily removable for cleaning. Tempur-Pedic also claims their TEMPUR-APR® offers 2x pressure relief for a deeper, more rejuvenating night rest. Their NASA-engineered TEMPUR material is also known to deliver comfort and relaxation unlike any other mattress.

The Serta iComfort Blue Max 1000 mattress lives up to its name as well. Featuring a comfortably cooling TempActiv Touch Cover, TempActiv Max Gel Foam and Ultimate Edge® Foam Core, you can expect nothing short of a cool, comfortable sleep from a mattress that intelligently regulates temperature through the night.

Mattress specifications

Construction

The ProAdapt features has an all-foam construction featuring original TEMPUR comfort layer that’s made of 4” memory foam and 3” transitional foam and a 5” convoluted TEMPUR-APR support layer. It’s then covered by a removable polyester cover with two layers; cool-to-touch outer and ultra-stretchy inner layer. The comfort layers are designed to relieve pressure while the support layer offers a truly personalized comfort as well as support.

The Serta iComfort mattress has a combination of gel memory foam, memory foam and polyfoam in its comfort zones, with an extremely durable 6” polyfoam making up the support core. Its TempActiv Touch cover offers instant cool to the touch feeling for improved cooling comfort.

Comfort

Mattress comfort means a lot of things to different individuals and below we break down all the aspects that matter.

Firmness and support

The TEMPUR-ProAdapt 12-Inch Firm Mattress is a memory foam mattress that is firm and uses the innovative TEMPUR-APR comfort layer and the Original TEMPUR as the support layer. The top layer of this mattress gives a solid sleep surface but it does conform to a sleeper’s body with very little sinking. This mattress also has a robust support core made of high-density polyfoam, designed to stabilize the whole mattress and keep sleepers on a level plane without sagging a lot.

With Serta, you get a medium firm mattress designed to support every curve of your body. Featuring Deep Reaction™ Memory Foam, the mattress provides a sufficient, deep-down feel that’s not often present in traditional memory foam. There’s also another support layer – ActivBalance™ Support Foam – which enhances the responsiveness of the memory foam layers and consequently creates a substantial and very comfortable cushion-firm feel.

Temperature control

Like most memory foam mattresses, the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt tends to absorb a decent amount of body heat from sleepers. The mattress sleeps a bit warm regardless of its firmness and polyfoam support core. But the real thing that helps in temperature control is the Removable DualClimate polyester cover, which is designed to feel cool to the touch and thus prevent unpleasant heat from accumulating. The use of Tempur-CM+ technology also promotes breathability and maximum airflow through the bed to make it 3°.

For Serta, they use TempActiv technology to help keep the mattress cool throughout the night. As soon as you sleep on the bed, you will feel a comfy cooling sensation coming from it. The iComfort mattress is also popular for its Cool Action Memory Foam, which is actually the world’s first memory foam that’s infused with the cooling touch and support of Serta’s MicroSupport gel. Users report sleeping cool and comfortable thanks to the aforementioned material that promotes a balanced sleep temperature.

Motion transfer

The Tempur-Pedic model demonstrates an excellent motion isolation, according to buyers. This owes to its high-density comfort layers which absorb movement extremely well and eliminates transfer completely. Ideally, memory foam mattresses are good at motion isolation as they are less responsive than other types. The ProAdapt model performs exceptionally well in this respect and the high-density foam normally eliminates more motion than medium- or low-density foams.

In the case of Serta iComfort mattress, its memory foam also isolates motion very well, meaning that two sleepers sharing the bed won’t be disturbed when their partners turn or get out of the bed. Partners with different sleeping positions will additionally appreciate the firmness with the cushioning memory foam layers.

Responsiveness

As the Tempur-ProAdapt made of memory foam, you can expect slow response and close conforming, which will prevent you from feeling as though you will roll off the edge. For many couples though, the ProAdapt doesn’t seem to be responsive enough.

The Serta iComfort mattress, on the other hand, is quite responsive thanks to the 2-inch ActivBalance™ Support Foam layer, which the company says helps improve the responsive feel of memory foam layers. This creates a substantial and very comfortable cushion-firm experience.

Resilience and bounce

People that enjoy a bouncy feeling may not really gravitate towards the mattresses in this review. That is something to expect from a spring or coil mattress.

For instance, the Serta iComfort feels enveloping due to the layer of ActivBalance™ Support Foam and you will tend to sink more deeply into it than you would with a mattress with coil support. The Tempur ProAdapt does provide the contouring comfort expected of high-quality memory foam and is more resilient than the Serta model because it’s a bit firmer.

Edge support

Edge support refers to the amount of supportiveness there is along the edges against the center area of a mattress. Most buyers suggest the Tempur ProAdapt has good edge support because of how firm it is, particularly in a lying position. However, some sinkage will be experienced when sitting on the edge, which is expected with any memory foam mattress.

For our Serta model, edge support is one area it excels because it has a dedicated 6-inch Serta® Ultimate Edge® Foam core inside it. For those couples who like to fight over the center of the bed, at least the loser won’t fall off the edge. The one downside with memory foam, however, is that it tends to remember your shape. This means when you find yourself along the edge of the mattress, it’s more difficult to roll back into the center than it would be to roll off.

Inflation time, off-gassing and smell

High-density mattresses often release more odor initially and this is the case with the Tempur ProAdapt model. A number of previous buyers reported that the smell was still present even after a few days. The initial off-gassing smell is expected to dissipate in around one week. This mattress’ high off-gassing is also related to the density of its memory foam layers. The ProAdapt may be somehow bothersome to persons who are sensitive to chemical odors.

Customers also reported that the Serta iComfort Blue Max 1000 gives out a strong off-gassing when they first opened the mattress. However, this smell dissipates after the bed has been aired out for a couple of days.

While both manufacturers didn’t mention how much time is needed for inflation, a recommend 24 to 48-hour period is normally recommended for memory foam mattresses to fully take their shape.

Sleep position ratings

Both mattresses score very well for light and average sleepers, particularly for persons who sleep on their side and back. Also, they both offer average performance for stomach sleepers of all weights. If you have to choose either of these two from these ratings, you’ll need to pay attention to your weight.

Sizes and pricing

Customer service

Sleep trial

Both brands offer a certain trial period for which you can experience the mattress and decide whether or not you want to own it.

The Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt has a 90-night sleep trial period during which you can call them in case of any concerns. On the other hand, the Serta iComfort Blue Max 1000 has a 30-night trial period, which is still sufficient for you to determine whether it suits your preferences.

Note that both mattresses are shipped through white glove in-home delivery service whereby the team from the firms deliver the products to your home and sets them up themselves.

Warranty

TEMPUR-PEDIC is an award-winning manufacturer with #1 ranking in warranty, support and customer service categories in the J.D Power 2019 Mattress Satisfaction Report. Along this line, they offer a 10-year limited warranty that covers defects and malfunctions. Any defect covered under this warranty will be replaced or repaired at no cost.

Serta is confident in the design, craftsmanship and quality of their products that they also offer a 10-year warranty for the iComfort mattress. Any defects in workmanship and material will be repaired or replaced free of charge. However, consumer damage and comfort are not covered by this warranty.

So which should you buy?

Tempur-Pedic

Pros

• Convoluted polyfoam in its support core promotes airflow so the mattress can breathe
• Comes with a removable cover so you can clean it whenever there’s need
• Offers a solid sleep surface yet it still conforms to a sleeper’s curves
• With Tempur-CM+ technology, the mattress sleeps cool
• Great motion isolation due to its high-density layers
• Good resilience thanks to its firmer memory foam
• Excellent for all weights as well as side and back sleepers
• Long sleep trial period so you can be fully satisfied of your purchase

Cons

• Slow response
• No bounce effect
• Available at premium prices
• Takes some days for the initial off-gassing to dissipate

Serta

Pros

• Cool to the touch TempActiv cover, which ensures you sleep cool through the night
• Highly responsive mattress that creates a substantial and cushion-firm experience
• Excellent motion isolation, making it ideal for couples
• Great edge support thanks to its 6-inch Serta® Ultimate Edge® Foam core
• Quicker off-gassing compared to the Tempur-Pedic model
• Sold at decent prices depending on the size
• Great for light and average sleepers, especially those who sleep on their back or side

Cons

• Short sleep trial period
• Not good for heavy individuals above 230 pounds

In conclusion

Both brands have some good points and so your preferences will dictate the mattress that works for you. One thing we discovered from our Serta vs Tempur-Pedic comparison is that both mattresses are designed to sleep cool. Both are well constructed and built to last. They also contour very well to a sleeper’s body. There are just minimal differences in just how their layers are put together.

However, the Tempur ProAdapt is perfect for all weights, while the Serta iComfort may is a bit limiting in that regard. The final round comes down to price, with Serta offering their queen mattress at a pocket-friendly budget compared with the Tempur-Pedic that goes for twice the price.

Over to you!

facebook

twitter

linkedin

reddit

pinterest