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Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress review 2024: tested by experts

Emma launched its first bed-in-a-box mattress in 2015 in Frankfurt, Germany, after the company’s founder struggled to find a mattress that met his needs. Frustrated, he decided to create one himself, and Emma was born. Today, the company operates in 33 countries, including the United States. 

Made with a combination of responsive memory foam and study coils, the Emma Hybrid Comfort provides a comfortable yet supportive surface that’s ideal for many body styles and sleep positions. But who will feel the most rested sleeping on this mattress? For our Emma Hybrid Comfort review, testers evaluated the bed’s firmness, support, pressure relief, temperature regulation, and more to help you decide if it’s the best mattress for you.


Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress

Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress in a modern bedroom with blue walls
Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress in a modern bedroom with blue walls
The Emma Hybrid Comfort is a bouncy hybrid with a firm feel that best suits average- to heavy-weight back and stomach sleepers.
Fortune Score:
4.4 / 5

Key product features

Icon Material
Material Hybrid
Icon Firmness Mattress
Firmness Firm
Icon Off Gassing Mattress
Cooling Breathable cover, cooling foams, coils
Icon Trial Period
Trial Period 365 nights
Icon Warranty
Warranty 10 years
Icon Certification Mattress
CertiPUR-US® certified Yes

What you should know

The Emma Comfort Hybrid packs a seven-zoned coil unit and multiple foam layers into its 13-inch construction. Despite its firm feel, this mattress offers surprisingly good pressure relief. However, it may not provide enough cushioning for light-weight and side sleepers.

  • This bed has a firm feel with minimal sinkage, which is ideal for average to heavy-weight back and stomach sleepers. However, our testers don’t think it’s plush enough for most side sleepers or light-weight sleepers. 
  • We think $1,319 is a good value for this queen-sized mattress, which offers excellent support, responsiveness, and durability.
  • Couples will enjoy the high bounce for sex, good support when lying near the edge, and decent cooling. 
  • Support was solid when lying near the mattress’s edge, but there was a lot of sinkage when sitting on the side. This could make it difficult for elderly sleepers or those with mobility issues to get in and out of bed.
  • A breathable, moisture-wicking cover, aerated foams, and a coil unit should provide adequate cooling for most sleepers. However, very hot sleepers may find themselves uncomfortably warm.
Pros
Excellent support
Good pressure relief, considering how firm it is
Machine-washable cover
High bounce
Generous, year-long trial period
Cons
Makes a lot of noise when you move around
May be too firm for light-weight sleepers and side sleepers
Average motion isolation
Edge support is lacking when sitting on the side

Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress overview

The 13-inch Emma Hybrid Comfort’s top layer, a slightly stretchy polyester cover, is breathable and moisture-wicking. We love that the cover is removable and machine-washable, which is helpful for getting rid of allergens like dust and improving the lifespan of your mattress. Handles on the side of the shift-resistant cover make this fairly heavy mattress (it weighs 96 pounds at queen size) a lot easier to move around.

The cover is followed by a layer of Emma’s Airgocell® poly foam, which is designed to provide pressure relief. The layer’s open-cell design promotes airflow. Research shows that open-cell foams allow heat to escape more efficiently than denser foams, which tend to trap warmth. (1) Next is a responsive layer of adaptive visco-elastic foam, which promotes cooling and motion isolation. However, testers say it’s not the best at isolating motion. 

A layer of HRX (High Resilience Extra) foam provides spinal support, but the main support layer is the bed’s coil unit. Seven ergonomic coil zones lift heavier parts of the body, like the hips and shoulders. A final layer of stabilizing foam provides structure and durability for the rest of the mattress. Overall, our testers were impressed with how supportive this mattress is. 

Testers rate the Emma Hybrid Comfort a 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale. Its thin foam layers provide an “on top” bed feel rather than the slow-sinking feel of a true memory foam mattress. However, the Hybrid Comfort offered a surprising amount of pressure relief, likely due to the bed’s zoned support unit and adaptive foam layers. 

The Emma Hybrid Comfort’s blend of balance and support makes it a good choice for heavy-weight back and stomach sleepers. Heavier sleepers often struggle to find a mattress that’s supportive in all positions, but the Emma Hybrid Comfort excels at this. Light-weight sleepers may find this mattress firmer than average, and it may not be plush enough for side sleepers. The best mattresses for side sleepers have more cushioning at the shoulders and hips than the Emma Hybrid Comfort offers. 

Testers say this mattress is rather noisy. When testers moved around on the bed, it made a strange sound, as if the foam was wrapped in plastic. Curious, we opened the mattress and discovered the middle piece of foam was similar to Styrofoam and was causing the disturbance. If you or your partner toss and turn a lot at night, this is something to be aware of. 

The Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress costs $1,319 for a queen, which we think is good value for the bed’s features. While it’s not a luxury mattress, it does provide excellent support, good pressure relief, and decent temperature regulation.

What customers are saying

There’s quite a bit of chat online about Emma mattresses, and it seems that people either love or hate the Emma Hybrid Comfort—this may be due to its firm feel, which isn’t for everyone. Many reviewers who like the hybrid mattress say it’s the perfect balance of comfort and support. 

“Wonderfully comfortable. The addition of springs prevents the memory foam from sagging. It is, perhaps, a little less firm than we’d have looked for, but no complaints.”

Jean D., TrustPilot.

Most of the negative reviews on TrustPilot complain about Emma’s customer service. An Emma rep responded within an hour when we emailed with a product query, but several reviewers mentioned a lack of communication when ordering or returning a product. “I have been trying for a week to get in contact (email, web bot, web chat, and telephone), all to no avail. I ordered two mattresses and also paid for one of them to be picked up and disposed of. It was explained that disposal happened on the same day as delivery. The disposal part of the order has…happened, but nothing was delivered,” says Sarah R., TrustPilot.

We’ve featured Emma Hybrid Comfort in:

Specs

Price (Queen)$1,319
MaterialHybrid
FirmnessFirm
Warranty10 years
Trial365 nights
ShippingFree within the contiguous U.S., fees apply for Alaska and Hawaii
Height 13” tall
Weight (Queen)96 lbs
Adjustable base compatibleYes
CertiPUR-US® certifiedYes
Made in USAYes

Our Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress experience

Pressure relief

Pressure relief is important in a mattress because it helps alleviate discomfort and pain, which can impact sleep quality. (2) Cushioning prevents heavier areas of the body, like the hips, from sinking too deep into a mattress, creating pressure build-up. A mattress with inadequate pressure relief for your body type can also cause pressure sores in bony areas like the shoulders, lower back and buttocks, hips, heels, and ankles. (3)  

We initially thought Emma Hybrid Comfort’s thin foam layers and firm feel wouldn’t provide much pressure relief, but our testers were pleasantly surprised. Our pressure map tests showed the adaptive foam layers and ergonomic coils help distribute body weight evenly. However, testers say there wasn’t pressure build-up while side sleeping, but it wasn’t the most comfortable position on this bed.

Support

The Emma Hybrid Comfort offers fantastic support. Its firm surface and dense layers keep the spine aligned, which is essential for avoiding sleep posture-induced back pain. (4) The sturdy, zoned coils keep heavier areas of the body lifted, which is great for sleepers with back pain. Studies show that zoned mattresses can help alleviate discomfort in this area. (5) Testers say their spine felt lifted in all sleeping positions on the Emma Hybrid Comfort.

Bounce

If you’re looking for a bouncy bed, the Emma Hybrid Comfort has your back—this mattress has great bounce thanks to its responsive foam layers and springy coil unit. Combination sleepers, people with mobility issues, and couples who love a springy mattress for sex will appreciate how easy it is to move around on this bed.

Motion isolation

For such a bouncy bed, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Emma Hybrid Comfort doesn’t have the best motion isolation. The foam layers manage to stifle small movements like position changes, but big movements—like getting in and out of bed—are pretty noticeable. This is something to consider if you’re a light sleeper who shares with a partner who tosses and turns a lot or has a different sleep schedule than you. 

Edge support

Couples who like to spread out and use the whole surface area of the bed will be pleased to hear that the Hybrid Comfort feels supportive when lying at the edge of the mattress. However, this wasn’t the case when sitting—we found ourselves sliding off when sitting on the side of the bed. This amount of sinkage may cause issues for the elderly and those with mobility issues, who need a more supportive area to get in and out of bed. 

Cooling

Temperature regulation is essential for getting quality sleep. (6) This Emma Hybrid Comfort’s moisture-wicking cover, aerated foams, and coil unit work together to keep you cool. The foams don’t have much sinkage, which leaves more of your skin’s surface area exposed to the air, helping regulate your body temperature. The mattress is incredibly responsive. Research shows that responsive mattresses require less muscle activity when moving around, which reduces core body temperature, letting you sleep more peacefully. (7

While this isn’t one of the best cooling mattresses we’ve tested, it does a fairly good job at temperature regulation. Most sleepers should feel comfortable, but very hot sleepers may want a bed with more advanced cooling technology. 

Performance for couples

With good edge support, high bounce (great for sex!), and decent cooling, we think this is a great mattress for couples. However, if you’re a light sleeper, you might find yourself disturbed by the movements of a partner getting in and out of bed. If your partner tosses and turns a lot, you may also be irritated by the weird noise the mattress makes.

Shipping

Bed-in-a-box shipping is free across the contiguous U.S., with additional fees for Alaska and Hawaii. If you want to schedule your delivery on a specific date, shoppers in select areas can do so for a fee, which ranges from $69 to $129.

Emma doesn’t offer in-home set-up, but you can pay $125 to have your old mattress removed. (This service is free for beds delivered to addresses in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, thanks to local environmental laws.)

Trial and warranty

The Emma Hybrid Comfort comes with a generous 365-night sleep trial. You can return the bed at any time within the trial period and receive a full refund. Your mattress is covered by a 10-year warranty that protects against damage caused by faulty materials or workmanship. If the current model is no longer available, defective mattresses will be replaced with the same model or a similar model of equal or greater value.

How we test mattresses

Testing mattresses involves more than just napping; It’s a pretty serious business. We use the framework below to help us shape our Emma Hybrid Comfort review, evaluating important criteria like mattress performance, comfort, value, and overall customer experience. 

Learn more about our mattress testing methodology.

Performance (sleep experience)—30%

The best mattresses enhance your sleep experience and leave you feeling well-rested and ready to take on the day. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to mattresses, and your needs depend on factors like whether you co-sleep, live in a warm or cool climate, or have mobility issues. Our experts test and evaluate several functional elements that impact sleep quality, including:

  • Temperature regulation
  • Motion isolation
  • Edge support
  • Technology
Comfort and support—30%

Finding the perfect balance of comfort and support is essential when choosing a mattress for your body type and sleep style. A well-aligned spine coupled with the right amount of pressure relief will help your body enter restorative sleep and have you feeling like a million bucks, with zero aches and pains. To evaluate how comfortable and supportive a mattress is, we examine features including:

  • Firmness
  • Pressure relief
  • Spinal alignment support
  • Customization
Value—20%

Good value doesn’t necessarily mean a low price—a great value mattress will strike a balance between cost and the benefits it offers. To determine a mattress’s value, we weigh the quality of materials, overall performance, and price against similar competitors in the market.

Customer experience—10%

Nobody deserves sleepless nights because of poor customer service, so we assess the entire shopping experience for you. This covers:

  • Shipping
  • Warranty
  • Customer service
  • Sleep trial
Health and safety—10%

Another crucial part of the mattress buying process is health and safety. We assess factors that impact your well-being, including:

  • Hypoallergenic materials
  • Off-gassing and chemical exposure
  • Safety certifications

Compare the Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress

Emma Hybrid Comfort Nectar Classic Hybrid Bear Elite Hybrid Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid DreamCloud The DreamCloud Hybrid
Emma Hybrid Comfort Nectar Classic Hybrid Bear Elite Hybrid Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid DreamCloud The DreamCloud Hybrid
Rating
4.4/5
4.1/5
4.3/5
4.3/5
4.7/5
Best for Sleepers who prefer a firm feel Couples $2,305 Shoppers who like customization options Shoppers seeking affordable luxury
Price $1,319 $1,613 Athletes, people with joint pain $1,332 $1,613
Material Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid
Trial period 365 nights 365 nights 120 nights 120 nights 365 nights

Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress pricing

SizePrice
Twin$812
Twin XL$1,098
Full$1,153
Queen$1,319
King$1,649
California King$1,649

Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress trial and warranty

You’ll have 365 nights to test your Emma Hybrid Comfort and can return the bed for free at any point during the trial for a full refund. A 10-year warranty covers any defects caused by poor workmanship or faulty materials. If your existing bed has been discontinued, defective mattresses will be replaced with the same model or a similar model of equal or greater value. 

How to choose the right mattress for you

It’s great to get mattress recommendations from friends but you need to ensure that you buy a mattress that suits your specific needs, including your body type and sleeping style. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a new mattress:

Mattress type

The most common mattress materials include foam, innerspring, hybrid, and latex. All-foam beds usually offer strong pressure relief and motion isolation. Innerspring beds tend to excel at support, bounce, and temperature regulation. Hybrid mattresses are made with both coil and foam layers, for a blend of comfort and support. Latex mattresses are usually bouncy, cooling, and durable.

Firmness

Firmness is very subjective. For example, the same mattress will feel different to a 250-pound person and a 150-pound person because heavier sleepers have more weight to sink through the layers. Brands provide a firmness rating for mattresses based on average body weight, but you won’t know if a bed is firm or soft enough for you until you sleep on it. The ideal firmness will be both comfortable and supportive, allowing your spine to rest in a neutral position while providing enough cushioning for your joints. 

Sleeping position

The position you sleep in also dictates the type of mattress you need. Side sleepers require more cushioning to avoid pressure build-up at the hips and shoulders, while stomach sleepers need extra support to keep the hips lifted and spine aligned. Research suggests that back sleepers should choose a medium-firm mattress, which can distribute body weight more evenly to help reduce lower back pain. (8) The best mattresses for combination sleepers are more responsive, making it easier to switch positions. 

Body temperature

If you often find yourself overheating in bed, you’ve probably noticed that you don’t wake up feeling well-rested. This is because being too hot can reduce the amount of time you spend in deep sleep stages. (6) Look for a mattress that’s constructed with temperature-regulating materials, like cooling covers or foams, and coil units that promote airflow. Foams that contain phase-change materials or have open-cell construction are designed to allow heat to escape, helping to keep you and the mattress cool. (9) The amount of sinkage will also affect a mattress’ cooling abilities, as sleeping more “on top” of a bed leaves more of your body’s surface area exposed to the air. (10)

Co-sleepers

People who share their bed with a partner, pet, or child will have extra considerations when choosing a new mattress. If your partner moves around a lot or wakes up at a different time than you, look for a bed with minimal motion transfer. A mattress with good motion isolation will limit the amount of movement that travels across the bed. 

If your partner has a different body weight and sleeping style, you should look for a mattress that’s a good compromise for you both. You may even consider a “split” mattress with a different firmness level on either side. 

Co-sleepers who prefer to spread out rather than cuddle in the middle will also need good edge support, which allows you to use the whole surface area without feeling like you’re going to roll off. If you find yourself overheating when co-sleeping, a mattress with enhanced temperature regulation will help to cool you down. 


FAQs

How firm is the Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress?

The Emma Hybrid Comfort is marketed as a medium-firm mattress, but our testers say it feels closer to firm, giving it a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

What is the difference between the Emma Original and Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress?

The Emma Original is a 10-inch all-foam mattress, while the Emma Hybrid Comfort is a 13-inch hybrid mattress made with foam layers and coils. The combination of support and pressure relief provided by both mattresses is ideal for many back and stomach sleepers. However, the Hybrid Comfort may sleep cooler as its coils improve airflow through the mattress.

Do Emma Mattresses sag over time?

Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that all mattresses will eventually start sagging. As foam ages, it can start to form indentations as it loses its original shape and support. Coils may also lose tension and become less supportive. (11) Emma mattresses come with a 10-year warranty that covers indentations greater than one and a half inches.

What is the lifespan of an Emma mattress?

Emma mattresses are made with durable materials and come with a 10-year warranty, which protects you against defects caused by poor workmanship or faulty materials. This means you should be able to sleep on your mattress for at least 10 years, so long as it’s used in a normal manner and cared for properly. Emma mattresses can’t be flipped, but you should rotate them regularly to increase their lifespan.

Our experts

Dr. Allen Conrad, BS, DC, CSCS

Dr. Allen Conrad is the owner of Montgomery County Chiropractic Center in North Wales, PA. He is the Team Chiropractor for the Blackthorn Rugby Team, and also a former rugby player. Dr. Conrad has over 25 years of experience with injury prevention, fitness, car accident therapy for whiplash, computer ergonomics, nutrition and recommendations for ergonomic mattress and pillow selections.

Krista Manning

Krista Manning is an accomplished medical copy editor and fact-checker who stands out in the pharmaceutical, health, and wellness domains. With a meticulous eye for detail and a command of medical language, Krista ensures the accuracy and clarity of content. Beyond her professional expertise, Krista is an advocate for mental health awareness. Recognizing the crucial intersection of psychological and physical well-being, she actively contributes to projects that promote mental health awareness within the healthcare narrative. Krista’s commitment extends beyond the pages she edits, emphasizing the holistic nature of health communication.

Lisa Bowman

Lisa Bowman

Fortune Recommends Sleep Writer

About Author

Lisa is a sleep writer for Fortune Recommends, which combines two of her greatest passions – writing and sleeping. She can also be found writing about fitness, sustainability, and vegan food.

Her life revolves around her two rescue dogs (who she shares her bed with) and if she’s not running around after them, she’s likely doing yoga, buying new plants, or enjoying a sunset rum at the beach.

References
    1. Sinn, C., Wentrup, J., Pesch, G. R., & Thöming, J. (2021). Heat Transport in Open-Cell Foams: CFD Analysis of Artificial Heat Sources vs Fully Resolved Exothermal Reactions. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60(12), 4542–4551. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.0c05982 
    2. Haack, M., Simpson, N., Sethna, N., Kaur, S., & Mullington, J. (2020). Sleep deficiency and chronic pain: potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications. Neuropsychopharmacology: official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 45(1), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0439-z 
    3. Alberta Health. Common areas where pressure injuries develop. Accessed October 6, 2024.
    4. Cary D, Jacques A, Briffa K. Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross-sectional study. Noll M, ed. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(11):e0260582. https://doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.026058
    5. Smith, L., Chohan, A., & Richards, J. D. (2017, June 14). Does Mattress Zoning Affect the Biomechanics of Sleep? [Conference]. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317580641_Does_Mattress_Zoning_Affect_the_Biomechanics_of_Sleep  
    6. Xiong, J., Lan, L., Lian, Z., & De dear, R. (2020). Associations of bedroom temperature and ventilation with sleep quality. Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 26(9), 1274–1284. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2020.1756664 
    7. Chiba, S., Yagi, T., Ozone, M., Matsumura, M., Sekiguchi, H., Ganeko, M., Uchida, S., & Nishino, S. (2018). High rebound mattress toppers facilitate core body temperature drop and enhance deep sleep in the initial phase of nocturnal sleep. PLoS ONE, 13(6), e0197521. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197521 
    8. Caggiari, G., Talesa, G. R., Toro, G., Jannelli, E., Monteleone, G., & Puddu, L. (2021). What type of mattress should be chosen to avoid back pain and improve sleep quality? Review of the literature. Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology: official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 22(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10195-021-00616-5  
    9. Quesada, J. I. P., Gil-Calvo, M., Lucas-Cuevas, A. G., Aparicio, I., & Pérez-Soriano, P. (2017). Assessment of a mattress with phase change materials using a thermal and perception test. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 81, 358–363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2016.10.024 
    10. Maruyama, T., Sato, S., Matsumura, M., Ono, T., Nishida, M., & Nishino, S. (2020). Evaluations of effects of sleep surfaces on athletic performance in youth. Scientific reports, 10(1), 11805. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68795-5 
    11. Amerisleep. Mattress Sagging vs. Body Impressions. Accessed October 9, 2024.